On sickness.

I think I threw up 20 distinct times today. The latest being not that late ago. As a direct causation of that, my heart is still a little racy and my body is still a little sweaty. And I want my mom. Or I guess anyone to hold back my hair, wipe my forehead, encourage me to take tiny sips of water, feed me bland food (and/or popcycles) when I'm ready, and tell me it will be okay.

Spencer has been at school all day, so I have held back my own hair, wiped my own forehead, encouraged myself to take tiny sips of water (which I promptly threw back up), mustered all of the courage I had to again get out of bed and take a (thankfully) soothing bath, climbed on top of a chair to reach the Ritz crackers (which was the blandest food we had, and was, unfortunately like the water, not bland enough), and told myself it would be okay, despite the continued vomiting. I also managed to read several excellent articles from old dialogue issues. My favorite was by Claudia Bushman, and was on her "short happy time at Exponent II."

I am praying I will a. be able to fall asleep, and b. not feel wretched tomorrow. It is supposed to be a big day.

Nicknames I have been given over the course of my life.

(In approximate order.)

+Ray Charles
+Rach E. Bob
+Bobbie
+Little Tiny Girl
+Little Peanut
+Rapunzel
+Squanto
+Rach
+Rachie
+Rackel
+Rachel "Radiation" Hunt
+Ray Ray
+Eighteen
+Precious Rachel
+Patience Rachel
+Yellow Bird
+Baby Girl
+Baby G.
+Dear Heart
+Rachel the Elder
+Pocahontas
+Madam Librarian
+Mademoiselle
+Rachie-Rach
+Rachie-pup
And so forth.

The following video has many gems, as those who have watched it well know, but one particular gem/piece of wisdom concerns the fact that you can't give yourself a nickname. Rather, they are something that must be bestowed upon you. I think that is why I am so fond of them. Each one ties you to someone else, and invokes a memory of place or time or whole groups of persons. I still remember being a small child and opening up presents on Christmas day addressed to 'Rapunzel' 'Rach E. Bob' and 'Bobbie,' and knowing that they were just for me. From that same period of life, I can still hear my dad call me 'Little Peanut,' and my mom: 'Little Tiny Girl.' From high school I remember running by the pole vault pit during a race and having my friends shout, "Rackel! Rackel! Rackel!" at the top of their lungs, and being able to push harder with their encouragement. Then there is the fact that Meg and Kristina still call me 'Baby Girl' on occasion, like they did when we were 19, and Francesco (and his wife) still call me 'Precious.' It sure makes a girl feel loved (and also known).

'Rach' and 'Rachie' remain my favorite nicknames, because they are almost always spoken by a family member or best friend.




What are some of your nicknames? Favorites/least favorites? What do you wish were some of your nicknames? (I have one that I wish was on my own list, and that I definitely tried to make myself. I was always sad when I was small that we were called Mormons and wanted to be called Nephites, so distinctly remember writing my sister a note during sacrament that said, "Love, Rachel, the Nephite Princess.")