Not me. Only my first car (a dark brown '80 AMC Spirit hatchback) had a nickname, and it was The Beast.

Fred is rare enough any more that you aren't likely to get confused with any other Fred.

Bluebird comes to mind, but were you looking for something a little -- rougher?

Bluebird comes to mind, but were you looking for something a little -- rougher?

Killer Bluebird? Bluebird the Hun?

Bluebird the Hun?

Now I want to buy a blue car so I can name it this.

Can I call dibs?

No idea on car names, sorry!

Going back to yesterday's pet noises conversation, Amarna didn't make a single peep when she was in the big cat room at the shelter. She immediately started protesting at top volume when I put her in the carrier to take home. After getting home, she retreated under the bed for about an hour, so I assumed she'd stay in hiding for a few days at least. I went to the living room to watch tv, but after a few minutes, I heard a plaintive, "MRRRWWW???" from the hallway. I said, "Here I am!" and within 20 seconds had a furball tucked under my chin, purring away.

She doesn't purr loudly (you really can't hear it unless she's lying on your side with her head directly on top of your ear, which she loves to do), but she's a champion meower. Everything from nearly subvocal "mrrp"s when she's just muttering while walking along to her usual full-throated "MRRROOOOWWW!!" to announce her presence when she wants attention, which is just about always. She loves to stand on my chest and MRRROW! down into my face to pronounce herself Queen of the Mountain before curling up for some petting.

But her funniest meow is heard first thing in the morning, like yesterday. I was sitting in the bathroom with the door open when I heard echoing down the hallway this broken "mrr-rr-oowww" like a sputtering lawn mower. It's her "I'm not quite awake yet for a regular noise, so I'll just give you what I can at this time of day" attempt.

Maybe someone else named their non-Echo car Winifred?

I named my blue Honda Civic Illyria because blue, ancient and diminished but still quite powerful.

My current car, a silver Outback, is the Tardis, because it feels bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside.

Abby Wambach and Hope Solo visit Letterman, try to kick soccer balls into moving cabs [link]

people, there needs to be more talking. If you all go and get a work ethic on me, I am going to throw a fit.

I just went to the benefits fair, where I got some free Pinkberry, a free toothbrush, AND learned that I can join the Harvard employees credit union! Who knew? (Not me.) So maybe I will do that. Changing banks seems like such a hassle, but I can't believe I've been with Citibank this long, when I hate them.

Mmmm, Abby Wambach. I mean, Hope Solo is really pretty, but Abby's more my type. :)

I dragged myself out of bed early for a meeting that got rescheduled to Friday, when I am going to be in London.

Meeting invitation DECLINED.