In it’s second week, Inception appears to be yet another successful blockbuster movie for director Christopher Nolan. Peter Travers of the Rolling Stones describes Inception as “James Bond meets the Matrix.”

However mind bending the plot might be, there’s a lot of speculation about what the movie really means. Is it about dream thieves, or is it more of an allegory about movies in general? Is the movie filmed from the main character’s perspective of reality or was he in a dream himself?

I’ve read a few sites analyzing the movie, but what I’ve found most fascinating have been comments and other posts discussing the names in the movie.

The basic plot of the movie revolves around how the main characters can enter other people’s dreams and extract important information. Extraction can be tricky business because the line between dreams and reality can tend to blur. The dream team all have their own totems to help them make that distinction; a token that lets them know whether they’re in a dream or not. The totem is supposed to be the dream extractor’s tether to reality.

Names can mean a lot and this movie has it’s fair share of intriguing names. In fact, I wonder if the names in this movie serve as a sort of a totem for the viewer, tethering us to what is real and what is imagined. Let’s take a look at some of the character names in this movie:

Dom Cobb is the main character. He is the head dream thief. Or is he? Some speculate he may be caught in a web of dreams himself which makes his name all the more interesting.  The character is mainly referred to as “Cobb” and a cob is another word for a spider, but it can also mean a conspicuous person. Both meanings are relevant here.

Mal is the main character’s (Cobb’s) wife. However, she also plays the role of Cobb’s subconscious (it’s complicated – you need to see to movie to understand this). Whatever her full name might be, she is referred to as Mal. Latin is the foundation for all the romance languages and in Latin, “mal” means bad.

Eames plays the role of “forger” in the dream extraction team. The movie discusses the importance of dream architects and a famous architect/designer couple was Charles and Ray Eames. It’s a stretch to connect this character’s name with these iconic design figures, but it’s still worth mentioning.

Ariadne is brought into the team as the role of architect. She designs the dream’s set and only she knows the crooks and crannies of its landscape. Interestingly enough, Ariadne is a famous character in Greek mythology. She is the daughter of King Minos and she aids a young Theseus through a complex labyrinth. The character Ariadne plays a similar role in Inception, guiding Cobb through the tangled mess of his subconscious.

Yusef is the dream alchemist, creating the powerful chemicals that allow the characters to drift safely into their dream status. Interestingly enough, the Muslim religion’s Yusef correlates to the Christian religion’s Joseph, a character who is able to interpret dreams.

Fischer is basically the victim in this plot. He’s the character the dream “thieves” are targeting. Except in this situation they’re not trying to steal, they’re trying to impregnate him with an idea. The character’s full name is Robert Fischer. The Adriana character creates a dream totem that is a chess piece, which does make one wonder if there’s any connection between this character’s name and the infamous chess player, Bobby Fischer.

The ending of this movie is left to the interpretation of the viewer, but after thinking about it awhile, so is a lot of the rest of the movie, including the character names.

Sources:

1. Wired: The Neurosciences of Inception
2. Never Wake Up: The Meaning and Secret of Inception
3. Inception: The Meaning Behind Character Names

This post is part of a series called, “Real People, Real Names,” a compendium of stories and pictures about people and their names.

Names are basically one or two-word stories. When we see a person’s name, we paint an idea of what to expect before we even meet them. And each person has their own version of a story about their own name. You see, this is what I do. When I meet people, I talk to them about their names. And that’s the purpose of this series of posts. You get to walk into my world a little bit and read about real people and what they think of their names.

If you would like to be considered for this series, use the contact form on this site to reach me.

Today’s Guest: Allison Avery

Today’s post highlights an interview with Allison Avery. Well, actually her name is Marissa Manzino, but you can call her Allie for short. Confused? Don’t worry, I’ll explain more soon.

Before we talk about her name, I want to introduce you to the person. Allie oozes talent, hard work and fun from every cell of her being. She is a singer, guitarist, songwriter, author, blogger, and a social worker. She earned a Master’s in Social Work from the Fordham Graduate School of Social Service, and she’s accomplished all of this crossing hurdles that many could not imagine. You see, Allie is blind. Although she’s very comfortable discussing it, she doesn’t do so for attention or sympathy. It is a part of who she is, but it doesn’t define her.

It does, however, impact why she’s seeking to change her name. Have you gone from confused to curious? Read more about Allie and her name below. I promise, it will be time well spent!

Why did your Parents pick your name?

My given name is Marissa Erin Manzino. My parents were going to name me either Amanda or Candace but then they decided on a name with an “M” sound to go with my last name, Manzino. Marissa means “of the sea” and my Mom thought it was pretty.

Did you like your name as a child?

I didn’t mind my nickname, which was (and still is) Missy. No one in my family really used Marissa that much. When I went to Lavelle School for the Blind and had to use my real name, Marissa, I truly disliked it. The kids in general there were mean to me because I was one of the few kids who were completely blind.

I don’t understand why kids can be so cruel sometimes.

It’s true. I would intentionally get myself into trouble because I hoped it would get me out of that school. What I didn’t know was that my parents had planned all along to send me to the school for the blind only until fourth grade so I could learn Braille and then they planned to integrate me into the public school system. I liked the public school system much better.

Why do you dislike the name, Marissa. I mean, it really is a pretty name.

I agree. It is a pretty name and it’s kind of unique. That’s one of the reasons my mom picked it. She said it was different and she liked that about it. However, it’s mispronounced a lot. A lot of people will say Melissa or Mary or some other name like that. When you’re blind and someone mispronounces your name, you don’t know they’re talking to you.

Besides I was born with a twin and he was named Michael. It’s as if we came as a pair, except we were born early and he didn’t survive. I think there’s  a part of me that feels the weight of that. I need a name that’s all my own.

How did you pick the name Allison?

I wanted to change my name to Allison after one of my favorite characters, Allie Nelson, in Nicholas Sparks The Notebook. Her real name in that book was Allison. Allison means noble, truthful and kind depending on which name site you consult. And it’s easily understood.

I love writing my own music. It’s challenging but it also inspires me.

How has your name impacted your life?

I think that the mispronunciation of the name Marissa has hindered me a lot. I’m constantly correcting people and two seconds later they’re back to the incorrect name. It’ can be very annoying. So I think my new name is going to have a great impact on my life!

Tell me about your music. Do you write your own songs?

Yes. I love writing my own music. It’s challenging but it also inspires me. I also perform regularly so that means learning a fair amount of cover songs too.

What musicians have inspired you in your life?

Definitely Alison Krauss.

Another Allison?

It’s a great coincidence that her name is Alison too. She has such an amazing voice. I was surprised to hear someone describe her performance once as unemotional. I think her music is definitely touching. And also Sarah McLachlan. I listened to her music, which is what inspired me to learn to play the guitar in high school.

I didn’t even know Sarah McLachlan played the guitar.

Most people only know her as a pianist, but she does play the guitar as well. She has a very interesting style. I also really like Joni Mitchell and other ‘60’s kind of rockers.

Do you have a band that backs you up when you perform?

Mostly it’s just me and my guitar. I’m learning to play the banjo too. That’s how I met Carlos, my boyfriend. He lives in Spain and we met at a musician’s retreat. He’s an amazing banjo player.  He’s inspired me to step up my dream of learning Spanish too.

My dad is in a band and we might play together one of these days too.

What’s your favorite song that you’ve written?

That would be the song Emily that I wrote for my good friend Jacqueline. She was going through a difficult time and after we talked I felt inspired to write a song for her, but I decided to use a different name. I wanted to protect her identity and the name Emily just flowed better with the song. What’s really important is that she knows it’s her song.

Have you written any other songs with personal names?

I wrote a song for my grandmother. Her name was Philamana, but she didn’t really like that name much so everyone just called her Mamie. That’s what I named my song for her, Mamie. I was disappointed she didn’t get to hear it because she died right as I was finishing the song. I used to call her the Antique and people would get on to me and tell me I was being disrespectful, but I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful. I was thinking of antiques as these well made, handcrafted beautiful pieces of furniture sort of like a stalwart of the home. That’s what Mamie meant to me.

And you’re also a book author as well, is that right?

I love writing novels and have one published called Just Before Dawn. It’s a murder mystery, which is one of my favorite forms of writing. I’m working on a new book now, but it’s kind of taken a back seat to a couple of other things, like getting my certification as a social worker.

If you could have any name you wanted what would it be?

If I had to choose a name it would be Allison Avery. I’m a musician and I’ve been using only Marissa as my marketing name because my last name, Manzino, is too difficult for most people to spell. Ironically, there are twelve Marissas now on CDbaby. I’d love to use Allison Avery as my stage name and Allison as my legal first name.

Do you think your name has had any impact on your life?

Well, most people comment on how pretty my name is. I think that the mispronunciation has hindered me. Constantly correcting people and two seconds later they’re back to the incorrect name is very annoying.

Do you find the topic of names interesting?

I think names are extremely fascinating. I find people who have legally changed their first names even more fascinating.

What inspires you in your life?

Music, friends, family, my animals, books, movies.

Has the transition to Allison been difficult for you?

I began slowly transitioning to Allison at work, and most of my colleagues call me Allison or Allie. Some of my friends have started using Allison as well.

I’m waiting to pass my social worker’s certification exam to actually legally change my name. That should be done soon but I’ve had some people tell me that even if I legally change my name to Allison, they won’t use the new name.

Isn’t that so interesting? Can you imagine if you changed your last name because you got married and someone refusing to call you by your new last name? No one does that because it’s socially acceptable to change your last name for marriage.

Yes! I learned a lot about this by coming to your site. It really helped me a lot to learn there were other people who had changed their first names too.

What’s some of your favorite music you’re listening to today?

I really like the music of the group Crooked Still. They’ve got a great folksy blue grass sound that I love.

My most sincere thanks to Allie for taking time to talk with me. We could have talked more,  but this accomplished musician was headed off to guitar lessons. That’s the thing about Allie, she’s always striving to learn more and eke every bit that life has to offer.  She’s a very inspiring soul and I encourage you all to check out her site to listen to her music, read excerpts of her book, and connect with her on her blog. You’ll be glad you did!

Also, I wanted to let you know that this is going to be a fun week at Namely Marly. I have some new and exciting name interviews coming up this week. I also found a recipe for vegan chocolate ice cream I’ll be sharing with you as well. How fun!

I’m going to leave you with some pictures my husband took recently. My husband is a photographer (you can check out his photography on his site), which means when there’s something interesting, like a spectacular sunset, we’re usually wishing we had the right circumstances to photograph it (no power lines or trees). Recently we saw an amazing sunset after a recent storm. We love living in the downtown area of our suburb where we can ride bikes to the farmers market and the mature trees provide lots of shade. There’s always trade-offs though and having lots of trees (and power lines) does make it difficult to take pictures of the sunset. Sometimes we think we’d like to live in the country, but know we’d miss the convenience of city life. Life is always about choices, don’t you think? This picture is the best that could be done with the circumstances.

The morning after this storm he took this picture of my favorite tree, the bald cypress. (Correction: my husband informs me I took this picture of the bald cypress. Obviously, he’s been showing me a thing or two.) There are two of these trees at the park near our house and they are  awe-inspiring after a rain. This deciduous tree has feathery, fern-like leaves. If you’re there at the right time of morning, the droplets of rain cling to the leaves like jewels and the tree glistens from tip to toe.

My best to you all for a wonderful day! Marly

I was at a reception a couple of weeks ago where they served strawberries dipped in chocolate and I’ve been craving more of that delicacy ever since. That’s why I decided to add the pureed strawberries to this recipe. You could substitute raspberries, bananas, or even just leave it a plain chocolate mousse pie if you’d like (don’t you love versatile recipes?). This recipe is so light that it’s difficult not to eat the whole thing at one sitting. I encourage you to stick to one piece at a time so you can enjoy it all weekend long!

Vegan Chocolate Mousse Pie

Pie Crust
1 cup chocolate graham crackers, (ground)
¼ cup margarine, (dairy-free, melted)
¼ cup pecans, (finely chopped)

Mousse Filling
2 cups chocolate chips, (dairy free, melted)
2 packages non-dairy whipped topping, (whipped)
1 cup strawberries, (fresh or frozen, pureed)
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup almonds, finely ground

Pie Crust: Melt margarine using your preferred method (I used the microwave), add ground chocolate graham crackers and nuts. Stir until well combined and then press into the bottom and sides of a pie pan. Refrigerate while making the mousse filling.

Mousse Filling: Melt the chocolate using your preferred method (you’ll notice a trend here, but I used the microwave). Set aside to cool slightly. Next pour contents of the 2 whipped topping boxes into a bowl and mix on high until peaks form (takes about 8-10 minutes).

If you’re using frozen strawberries, you might want to thaw them a bit to make the next step easier. Put the strawberries in a small bowl and use an immersion blender to puree them. You can keep it lumpy or puree it finely, depending on your preference. Add this mixture to the chocolate whipped cream and stir.

Next, add the 1/2 cup of almonds to a food processor and pulse until the almonds are finely ground. I like to add the flavor and texture of the ground almonds without too much grit. Add this to the mousse mixture along with the vanilla and stir until well combined.

Finally, add the mousse filling to the pie crust and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (if you can wait that long). You can garnish with chocolate shavings or reserve a little bit of the pie crust mixture to sprinkle on top.

If you’re curious about the anagrams that could be made from your name and don’t want to spend the time figuring it out (that is why we have the internet, isn’t it?), there’s a great site that can do it for you: Wordsmith.org

I tried this out and came up with this zany saying from my name:  “men calm my rill.”  In case you’re like me and don’t know what a “rill” is, it’s a small stream. I don’t own a small stream, but if I did, I’m sure there’s only one man who could calm it for me (thanks, honey!).

What do they mean, these anagrams? Roy Feinson in his book, The Secret Universe of Names suggests that anagrams can have an “uncanny ability to reflect the characteristics of their subjects by communicating emotional content through the letters of the original name.”

Feinson describes how the letters in our name are nothing more than an amalgamation of sounds which can bear an emotional impact, regardless of their order. He gives examples of famous names and their anagrams; Clint Eastwood becomes “old west action” and James Taylor becomes “oral majesty.”

There’s a Facebook Page called Anagrammy Awards where you can participate and vote for your favorites, including some doozies like these great word-based anagrams:

• Astronomer (moon starer)
• Desperation (a rope ends it)
• Slot machines (cash lost in ‘em)
• Conversation (voices rant on)

However, I’m not sure how much credit I give anagrams in predicting personal characteristics, but it sure is a lot of fun. Tell me, did you find anything interesting from your name’s anagram?

But it is this frank discussion about socially taboo subjects that made listening to her so riveting. She touches the very nature of the human condition; secret curiosities that pique our interests but are frowned upon in polite discussions.

So many conversations are just that.  Nice and polite…and devoid of what’s real. Listening to someone speak so honestly was, well, refreshing. I felt even a bit saddened to learn that a disease like bipolar may be what it takes for most of us to be a little more real.

I continued listening to this podcast while pacing the trail at my neighborhood park, all the while entranced by the discussion going on in my ear buds, until I heard Terry speak the name of her guest. Heart rate be damned, I stopped in my tracks. What a name! So exotic! So mysterious. I needed to learn more. I rushed home and searched the Internet and although there was a plethora of information about this woman, I couldn’t find anything about her name.

I learned that she was the author of the recently published Red Hook Road, Bad Mother (a NY Times bestseller), Daughter’s Keeper, Love and Other Impossible Pursuits, and a series of books called the Mommy-Track Mysteries. She’s had essays published in the NY Times, Elle Magazine, Vogue, Parenting, Real Simple, and Health. She’s also had radio commentaries on All Things Considered and the California Report. You can find links to many of these on her site. She’s also married to Pulitzer Prize winning author Michael Chabon with whom she has four children.

What is this accomplished woman’s name that intrigued me so? Ayelet Waldman. Have you heard of her? I wouldn’t be surprised if you have. Her provocative essays and books on being a bad mother and loving her husband more than her children have certainly exalted her into the public limelight.

Below are excerpts of my interview with Ayelet. I hope you find her as fascinating as I did.

What did your parents name you when you were born?

They named me Ayelet. Believe it or not, my mother picked this name for me because she always hated her name. My mother’s parents named her Roxanne, but she loathes being called that. She grew up in Brooklyn and at the time no one was called Roxanne. So instead she chose to go by Ricki. And to this day, no one calls her Roxanne.

When my mom was pregnant with me, our family moved to Israel. Because of her experience with her uncommon name, she decided she wasn’t going to curse her daughter with an unusual name as well.

She thought about naming me Petra, but the nurses told her it was an Arab name. That shows what they knew. Ayelet was the most common name she could think of, so that ended up being my name!

Did you grow up in Israel?

No. When I was two and a half we moved back home to Montreal where I was saddled with the exact situation as my mom when she was a child. Ayelet was a very unusual name in Montreal.

Did you go by the name Ayelet as a child?

My family actually called me Lellie. They didn’t register me as Lellie, but they told the school to call me that, so I never heard the name Ayelet even on the first day of attendance-taking.

What did you think of the name Lellie?

Well, I guess this illustrates how complicated all of this is because I hated the name Lellie. I thought it sounded like a baby name. My mom  — who hated Roxanne and went by Ricki  — gave me this little girl nickname, Lellie. I went to college and I knew I had this new start so I changed it. I started going by Ayelet. It wasn’t easy either. It felt incredibly uncomfortable for the first few months.

Does everyone call you Ayelet now?

There are some in my family that still call me Lellie. And some people who knew me from before still call me that. Some of my parents’ friends have transitioned and call me Ayelet. It’s interesting the respect that it shows for people to call you by the name you prefer.

So changing names is a sort of family tradition?

Yes. Even my sister changed her name from Emma to Noga, an old-fashioned Hebrew name. You still see that name in Israel. She changed her name about 10 years ago.

It’s interesting that you changed your name when you went to college. That seems to be a common time to make these kinds of changes. For example, President Obama went through a similar experience of changing from his boyhood nickname, Barry, to his real name, Obama.

Yes, I think it’s natural that you reject a childhood nickname. You want to adopt an adult persona. Sometimes that means rejecting a childhood nickname.

It’s interesting the respect that it shows for people to call you by the name you prefer.

What do you think of your name now?

I don’t love it, but I do like having a name where I don’t have to give out my last name. I like the idea of saying only my first name and having most people know whom they’re talking to. Unless I’m in Israel.

However, sometimes I wish I had a name that I didn’t have to spell all the time.

Do you think your name has helped you in any way?

Yes, having a unique name helps you stand out.

Let’s talk for a bit about your books. How do you name the characters in your books?

The process I use is different for every book. A lot has to do with the time period about which I’m writing. I often check the Social Security website for names the year the character was born. Depending on the character, I check to see which names were more or less common that year and choose from that list. If it’s a more creative character, then I might look further down the list.

Sometimes there’s a certain part of their personality that inspires a name. In my book Red Hook Road, one of the characters is named Jane because that’s what I was after. She’s a very “plain Jane” character and the name worked for her. Another character, Iris, is more pretentious, so I was looking for a beautiful and unusual name. The iris flower just seemed appropriate for her. It also has an old-fashioned quality, hearkening back to previous generations.

Is it fun playing with character names because it gives you a chance to try out names you might have liked to have chosen for your children?

Choosing a name for a character is very important. I only have 4 children and there were only so many names I could have used. So I love the name Ruby but didn’t give that to my daughter. It gave me a chance to use it with one of my characters.

How do you pick names of your books?

You mean the title of the book? Oh, that’s so hard. I go through something like 3,000 titles and they’re never right. Some titles I didn’t think of myself. It’s a team effort. Sometimes the publisher thinks of it.

You obviously have experience in naming children. What process did you use to pick names for your children?

All our children are named in the traditional Jewish way. They’re named after family members who have died.

What do you think of unusual spellings parents use for names today?

I think people who give their babies common names with weird spelling are torturing their poor children.

What advice do you have for other parents when picking a name for their children?

Choose carefully. Don’t express your personality when naming a child. Give a name that adapts to the child’s personality.

What would you think if one of your children changed their name?

I’d be sad. A lot of thought went into their names. I mean, I would understand. Everyone’s entitled to make his or her own choices. But I would be sad.

I read where someone described your writing as a true lightning rod. They said that your books are “generously studded with Ayelet-astic grenades.” What do you think of comments such as this?

Half the time I don’t even realize that what I’m about to write is provocative. I am under the impression that what I’m writing is obvious. Then it’s published and it’s like a bomb goes off. And I’m standing there in disbelief. I just try to write as truthfully as possible, and hope for the best.

Speaking of explosions, I guess there was a minor blast after your book about being a “bad mother” was published. I find myself perplexed with this notion of perfectionism. It seems to me to be a shield covering insecurities. Were you surprised by the responses to your book Bad Mother?

There is no such thing as a perfect mother. We all feel insecure. We attack others because we feel insecure. When you’re content, you don’t feel the need to lash out. We feel tortured for whatever reason and to feel better about ourselves we lash out at others. What we really need to do is start forgiving ourselves. We need to not be so knotted up and not be so mean.

If there were such a thing as an alternate universe and you could have a clone living there, what would you like her name to be?

Adelaide. I just love that name.

Do you find the topic of names interesting?

Sure.

Have you ever known someone with a really odd name?

Besides myself? Yes. I think it’s funny when doctors have ironic names – such as a gastreonologist named Dr. Probe.

What inspires you in your life?

Everything. Books. My family.

I noticed you were a blogger for a time. Do you have any advice for bloggers?

I think blogging is great, but for me personally it was not. I want to use my writing energy to write novels. I know some manage to write and blog, but I also have four children. Blogging was good for me because it led to the opportunity of writing personal essays. The blog gave me an outlet for that.

Your blog was fairly well-known?

I really only blogged for a few months and I did have a fairly large readership and I think if I had kept up, it could have turned into something else. But this was during the early days of blogs. Mine was one of the first. As result there weren’t 2 gazillion mommy blogs to compete with.

The way you describe hypermania in your blog makes it sound…like something I wish I had! How do you write 3 books in 7 months! Did you sleep?

Yes, hypermania can be exhilarating. And yes, I did write 3 books in 7 months. And I slept. I just wrote really fast.

I want to end this post with an excerpt of Ayelet’s book, Bad Mother: A Chronicle Of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities, and Occasional Moments of Grace.

When my son Zeke was in preschool he came home every day and headed straight for the couch. He pulled me down next to him and cleaved his plump body to my own less adorably rotund one. He pressed his soft lips to my neck, nuzzling under my chin, breathing deep as if he wanted to inhale every molecule of the fragrance he had missed in the four hours of our separation. He placed his palms on my cheeks and kissed me on the lips, languidly yet gravely, like a very small, round-cheeked lover.

If that’s not enough to make your ovaries ache for a baby, I don’t know what is. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to Ayelet’s interview with Terry Gross, I encourage you to check it out. You can learn more about her books and essays on Ayelet’s site.

Don’t you just love the ease and flexibility of a roadtrip? And let me say this – what did we do before GPS? Not to say that shes infallible, but our GPS is pretty close. I know I won’t go on a trip without her. We named our GPS Sam. I think a  lot of people do this, name their GPS. Have you named yours?

After dropping my daughter off at Space Camp on Sunday, I had time on my hands and the open road before me, so I headed to Birmingham. The Birmingham Botanical Garden is definitely worth a visit:

There’s a lovely rose garden…

…and trained butterflies that pose for pictures. I don’t know how they get them to do that.

Then I headed on to Chattanooga. Did you know the name Chattanooga comes from an Indian name, Chatanuga? It means, “rock coming to a point.” I think that point would be referred to as Lookout Mountain. Here’s the view from the top.

Yes, that sign says, “See Rock City.” Advertising is more effective at higher elevations.

There’s a famous civil war battle memorialized here.

This plaque commemorated one particular battle. I loved this phrase, “smartly engaged.” Don’t you think that’s how we should all be?

I have a thing for moss on a fence post. It’s just so rustic looking!

Next I moved on to Raccoon Mountain. Earlier today I saw a bald eagle here, but I wasn’t fast enough to catch a picture of it.

Isn’t it so peaceful?

As much as I’ve enjoyed this week to explore, one thing I’ve learned about myself is I don’t have a vagabond spirit. I need roots. Stability. But in the meantime, I’m committed to enjoying living like a vagabond!

I love sugar cookies. As a result I try not to make them too often…because I eat them! But I had a hankering for sugar cookies and found the perfect recipe. Seriously, the recipe is called “Perfect Vegan Sugar Cookies.” All that was needed next was the right cookie cutter. I mean, I have plenty of holiday cookie cutters, but none for this time of year. Until one day when I was casually walking through my favorite grocery store and saw that they had a new display of cake decorating tools. And that’s when I saw what I thought was probably the cutest (and sweetest) cookie cutters I’ve ever seen. I had to buy them and scratch my summer sugar cookie itch.

I don’t know how to follow a recipe without making at least one change, so this is slightly adapted, but not much. It is difficult to improve on perfection!

Perfect Vegan Sugar Cookies

1 cup (dairy free) margarine
1 cup white sugar
½ cup Soy buttermilk, Soy milk combined with 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
¼ cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ¾ cups flour
¼ cup vegan cream cheese (I use Tofutti’s)

1. Mix the soymilk with the apple cider vinegar and set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar. Stir in the soy buttermilk. Add the softened vegan cream cheese. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well. You may have to use your hands at this point to finish the mixing. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in cellophane. Refrigerate for a couple hours.

2. Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease your cookie sheets or use a non-stick foil.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place about 1 inch apart cookie on sheets.

4. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until bottoms and edges just start to get light brown. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

Sugar Cookie Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
6 – 8 tablespoon soymilk
4 teaspoons corn syrup
½ teaspoon almond extract
food coloring
1. In medium bowl, stir together confectioners’ sugar and soy milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup. To make that springy green color I used 1 drop of green and 2 drops of yellow.

2. Add food coloring to desired intensity. Use icing to decorate cookies. Allow to dry overnight. Try not to eat them all the next morning.

This post is part of a series called, Real People, Real Names, a compendium of stories and pictures about people and their names.

Names are basically one or two-word stories. When we see a person’s name, we paint an idea of what to expect before we even meet them. And each person has their own version of a story about their own name. You see, this is what I do. When I meet people, I talk to them about their names. And that’s the purpose of this series of posts. You get to walk into my world a little bit and read about real people and what they think of their names.

If you would like to be considered for this series, use the contact form on this site to reach me.

Today’s Guest: Memoria James

Today’s post highlights an interview with Memoria James. I immediately felt like a kindred spirit with Memoria because she describes herself as a xenophile…and as a result she’s one of those amazing people who speaks multiple languages. And just to rub it in, she’s getting her PhD in Brazilian Portuguese. She’s writing her dissertation on “the grammaticalization process and syntactic environments of two Portuguese verbs – ter (to have) and haver (to be), which have been competing against each other in almost all semantic ranges in Brazilian Portuguese.” How in the world she makes that sound interesting amazes me, but she had me hooked at hola!

She can speak English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and some Italian. She has a reading knowledge of French and is learning Korean. She also is an assistant professor of Spanish at her university. To top it all off, in her spare time she’s been teaching herself to cook. And she doesn’t just cook. She went from subsisting on microwaveable meals to pièce montée, stacked enchiladas, laminated dough, and chocolate overload cake. Her food photography has been featured in TasteSpotting, FoodGawker, Serious Eats, and Dessert Stalking.

Are you starting to feel a little like an underachiever? Don’t. Because she may be very accomplished in so many ways, but Memoria is one of the most personable and friendly people with which I’ve had the pleasure of speaking. She seems to be on the same journey as the rest of us – just trying to learn each step of the way.

You can learn more about this amazing and accomplished woman through the excerpts of our interview below. You can also check out her blog and amazing photography at Mangiodasola, which she says is Italian and translates to “I eat alone.”

Memoria in the kitchen at www.mangiodasola.com

What did your Parents name you when you were born?
Good try, Miss Marly, but I don’t share that information with anyone. I despised my birth name so much and as a result I choose not to share it with anyone any more.

So you’re done with that name. Well, I can totally relate with that. I was given a name I didn’t like either. It’s a fine name, but I can hardly stand to speak it any more. Did you parents say why they picked your name?
My dad picked my first name to begin with an “M” because of my mother’s name, which also begins, with an “M.” My mom picked my middle name to begin with a “C” because it corresponds with my father’s first name. At least, I think that’s what happened. My mom would probably accept credit for both names, but just a little less for the first name. And that’s the story we’re going to stick with.

So you changed your name?
I’ve been on a sort of a name journey and as a result, I’ve changed it a few times. When was a little girl I changed my name to a friend’s name. Looking back I can say in all honesty that I picked her name because I wanted so badly to be like her; to look like her. She was so cute. I used that name until late in my teens. At that time I changed it to Memory.

You mentioned that you’re very close to your mom. Did she support your name change?
Oh yes. My mom changed her first name as well by using only her middle name as her first so we have that in common.

How did you pick the name Memory?
Well, I was on a phone dating system in the days before meeting people online existed. The phone dating system asked for my name, but I wanted to protect my identity a little and decided to provide a pseudonym. I was desperately looking around for some name inspiration and I noticed that my phone had a sticker on it that read, “13 Memory Speaker Phone.” So I gave my name as Memory. I received a lot of responses from people leaving messages saying how they liked my name. I felt I had a winner, so I changed it.

Later I decided to change it to the Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian version of the word, Memoria.

Is it a nickname?
No, I changed my name legally. Once I started getting into languages — Spanish, Italian and Portuguese — they really impacted me. Memoria was more representative of who I am now because it means “Memory” in most of the Romance Languages.

Do you have problems with people mispronouncing your name?
Oh yes. All the time. People will call me Memoria without trilling the “r”, Mystery, or Misteria. I tell them to call me “Memory” if they can’t pronounce it right.

Did you have any complications logistically in changing your name?
When I changed my first name, the judge asked me why I was changing it. I just told him that I don’t want that other name anymore. I even changed my last name. I was sort of unofficially married, and I added my girlfriend’s last name to my last name because I loved the Spanish sound to her name. Later I married a man and felt it would be better to remove my ex’s (at the time) last name to make a fresh start.

I really feel like names are beyond identification. It’s very personal.

So did you change your last name to his when you married?
Actually, he changed his last name to mine. His last name was difficult to pronounce and there were some issues with his father. He had been considering changing to his mother’s last name, but once we decided to get married he realized he could change his last name to mine since it would be cheaper and less of an ordeal. However, it was a big deal to change his driver’s license and social security card. The workers there hadn’t seen a situation before where a man changed his name to his wife’s. We’ve since divorced but we’re still friends (although we don’t talk to each other), and he still has my last name.

You really do have had an interesting name journey!
I think some of us are more willing to experiment than others. It can be a hassle with the driver’s license bureau. Names are so important and interesting. Getting it right is important. And having a bad name can be a problem. I sometimes still get mail with my other name on it, and it always stirs up these old emotions.

Have you ever talked with other people who don’t like their names either?
Yes. And when they find out I changed my name, they ask me more about it. Most of the time they confess that they never even thought about changing their first name. It’s as if they were physically branded with a name that they think it can never be changed. In fact, I met someone who changed her name after learning that I had done it. She told me that she always wanted to change her name but didn’t know she could. After we talked about it, she changed it legally.

What kind of questions do other people ask about your name change?
Many ask why I decided to change my last name, but the most popular question is, “what was your original name?” I never justify it with an answer. That name is part of my past, not my present, and it will forever stay that way.

On another note, one name change form I filled out asked whether I was changing my name because I was a victim of domestic abuse, which I’m not. Some people are trying to escape difficult relationships by starting a new life. They need a more protected identity. Assuming another name facilitates that. I think changing your name can help resolve past pains.

What’s it like for you to have changed your name?
I don’t remember how it was when I first changed my name. But now, every time I hear someone call me Memoria, I love it! Many of the people I work with are from other countries. They say my name, Memoria, in the most beautiful way. I still think it’s just such a pretty name.

How does your name make you feel?
This is my name. I don’t know anyone else who has it. I’m sure there is someone else who probably does, but I haven’t met anyone else so far. So, I like how unique it my name is. In fact, my name can cheer up the sourest of people. For example, I may be checking out in a store, and the clerk may be in a surly mood, but once I tell him or her my name, the person’s mood totally changes. They ask me how I spell it. And the person will say to me, “Oh, that’s a cool name!” And then all of a sudden he or she is in a better mood. And we strike up a fun little conversation, all just because of my name.

Have you ever seen someone with a bad name; one that just doesn’t fit that person?
Yeah. Prince changed his name to a symbol and had to be referred to as “the artist formerly known as Prince.” He tried not to have a name, only to get another, longer, more convoluted name. Also, there was a governor here in Texas with the last name of Hogg in the 1800s. He named his daughter Ima. Seriously, her name was Ima Hogg. Every time I think of funny names I think of the girl with the name Ima Hogg.

Do you have some names you love, besides your own?
If I had a daughter I would name her after an Italian city. For example, Venezia, which is the Italian, word for Venice. I also like Firenze, which is Italian for Florence. So, obviously, I would like to use a location in Italy. I love Italian names.

Have you been to Italy?
I’ve been to Firenze, Venezia and Pisa and drove through Bologna. I prefer Venice. I love the water. I love being around water, and of course; Venice is a city in a big body of water. It’s where I feel I’m supposed to be. I live in Austin, and there are a couple of big lakes there, but I don’t go there often. It’s not nearly the same as Venice.

Do you think your name has helped you in your career?
Yes, because people see my name and think I’m Hispanic or Latina. And then they see me, and they wonder who I am or where I’m from. They assume I’m from Cuba or Honduras because of my skin color. One person told me what Memoria meant as if I didn’t know. I guess the person assumed I didn’t know any other language beyond English because of how I looked. Nowadays, your name is synchronized with your career. Another thing I love about my name is that people see it and start speaking Spanish or Portuguese to me because it just rolls off the tongue and fits well with just about any of the Romance Languages, except for French and Romanian.

With all these languages you know, which one do you think in?
English the most, then Spanish. I actually dream in Spanish. Sometimes I dream in Portuguese and Italian. If I get frustrated, I yell in Spanish. It just comes out naturally.

Which of the romance languages do you think is the most beautiful?
Italian and French.

I think other cultures sometimes do a better job of picking names that have meaning behind them. Have you ever thought much about cultural name trends?
Not really. But I know a name might sound very foreign to a person from one country, while in fact, it is a really common name in the other person’s culture.

Let’s talk about your blog. Why did you start the blog?
The blog began as a sort of distraction from school, and it’s turned out to be both a good and a bad distraction. My blog began as a hobby but now it’s this wonderful creative outlet. Now I’m also getting into photography. The thing is, I don’t feel like a creative person at all. My mom disagrees with me when I say this because she thinks I do everything great. I know that writing a blog requires creativity, but I don’t consider myself creative especially compared to other bloggers. However, it has given me the chance to be a lot more creative than I usually am.

Memoria in the kitchen at www.mangiodasola.com

Have you always liked to cook?
I actually hadn’t spent much time in the kitchen before the blog; I simply followed recipes. I didn’t learn how to cook growing up. I just followed orders basically. No one in my immediate family knows how to cook except for my dad but I wasn’t around him much. My grandmother cooked, but she didn’t teach anyone else. It wasn’t until my blog started that I first began learning to cook. That was March 2009.

Do you think blogging was a way to connect with your dad?
Not really. However, I’m wondering if it may be hereditary – my dad’s brother is a chef and he has his own catering business. I didn’t find that out until last year. I must have gotten my cooking gene from my dad’s family because my mom doesn’t know how to cook. She microwaves and then she leaves the kitchen as quickly as she can. Her dream house would have a small kitchen and a big bathroom.

How has the blog impacted you?
The blog has changed me so much! I’m sort of a hermit. My version of shopping has been to get in and get out. But now when I go to the grocery store I like to go down most every aisle. Sometimes I feel like, “Oh the grocery store? Let’s go!” I also love to go to Williams Sonoma, Crate and Barrel, etc. They’re like another piece of heaven for me. I was never that kind of person before. My mom says she can’t believe what I’ve become.

She’s even accused me of being a girly girl because I spend so much time in the kitchen. But I don’t think being in the kitchen makes me more feminine, especially when there are so many men in the kitchen too. I’ve read a lot of bloggers who imply in one way or another that only women belong or are present in the kitchen. Why should cooking be considered feminine?

I agree! Actually cooking is quite scientific. You know, chemistry and all.
Yes, exactly! There’s a science to cooking. Adding bows to your cake and putting a pink heart on your cookies maybe is the feminine side of it. I don’t know. But getting in the kitchen and creating dishes in and of itself shouldn’t be considered feminine.

Any other side benefits of your blog?
Since I started cooking my stepmother and I have connected more. She works in a bakery, but she used to make her cakes with cake mixes. I never knew that! She was so in awe that I made my cakes from scratch. I thought there’s no other way. I wouldn’t use a cake mix. We bonded on that. She started asking for recipes. This is all so recent still.

So back on the topic of names, let me ask you one last but rather obvious question. Do you find the topic of names interesting?
Yes. Definitely. Names are important, especially the decision to change last names in marriage. It’s a huge topic to me especially being a feminist. I disagree with changing your last name after marriage unless you just hate your last name like my ex-husband did. I feel like you are succumbing to your spouse’s authority. It is as if the spouse is branding you like a cow. I also feel that the offspring should carry both last names, since they are a product of both parents. Also, the woman goes through the pain of carrying the child, why shouldn’t she get some credit via the last name? Once the child is older, he or she can decide to keep both last names or remove one for simplicity’s sake. I changed my last name as well because my mom was there for me much more than my dad. I didn’t feel it was right to carry his last name since he was absent. I changed my last name at the age of 9 years old and never looked back. I am very proud to carry my mother’s last name.

Anyway, I really feel like names are beyond identification. It’s very personal. Especially when you change it yourself as opposed to having your parents select it. I mean if you think about it, what does it say for you to have changed your name? Or when you get married if you choose to keep your own name or to hyphenate. It says a lot. On the surface it looks like an innocuous decision, but it isn’t. You may choose to change your name because you want to feel closer to your spouse or maybe not. Names are definitely interesting. It’s even more interesting when you change your first name.

Many thanks to Memoria for the time we spent talking about her name and other life adventures. For those of you who might be wondering how to pronounce her name, it is not MEM-or-eeh-uh. The correct pronunciation is me-MORd-ee-ah (don’t emphasize the “d” sound, though). So, you should roll that “r” just a tad if you can (I know some of us can’t). However you pronounce it though, Memoria is most definitely one of the most memorable people you’ll have the pleasure of meeting.

Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.  — Henri Poincare

Everything needs a name. Even numbers. I guess you could say every number has its day. In fact, 10¹⁰⁰ (that’s 10 to the 100th power) was named a googol by American mathematician Edward Kasner’s 9-year-old nephew. It’s from this word that the famous search engine, Google, derived its name.

Now there’s a story about another large number in need of a name. Austin Sendek, a physics major at UC Davis started a Facebook campaign to name 10 to the 27th power. Ahh, that’s so sweet. I bet 10²⁷ has to be a fairly lonely number. I mean it is a 10 followed by 27 zeros. Not too many people pay attention to it. It’s fitting that it be given a name.

But, believe it or not, there’s a schism in the plan. There are some people opposed to the moniker Sendek is recommending.

He suggests that 10 to the 27th power be called hella. I thought maybe hella might be some scientific word, maybe linking back to helium or something like that. Not so. The story is much more colloquial than that. Rumor has it that hella is the result of a progression of derivations, originating from the common phrase “hell of a.”

I grew up in a small town where we call loud summer insects locusts so “hella” sounds a little like city-folk profanity to me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no expert on four-letter words, it’s just that this one feels like it’s missing something. Saying “that’s a hella deal” instead of a “helluva deal” sounds like someone who’s trying to curse but just doesn’t know how to do it right.

But hella obviously has its own place in expletive history. Sendek says in an article in the LA Times that his parents wouldn’t even let him say it when he was a kid. If parents in California won’t let their kids say it, then it must be a big deal.

Let’s see. Sendeck is 20 which means that was probably 10-15 years ago. All I can think at this point is, “People have been saying hella that long and I’ve hardly even heard of it?” And we thought it was only fashion that took it’s time getting to the Midwest. His parents did compromise and would allow him to say “hecka.” We used to do the same thing with the word helicopter; we called it hecka-copter. Not because we thought there was something “wrong” with the prefix, but just because it was fun.

In the end, I think Sendek has a good recommendation. And I guess there are 61,515 people who agree with me (that’s how many have joined his Facebook campaign). I think we all can agree that Hella is a perfect name for a helluva number!