Jen Prices Herself out of the Market

Nick's piece was up this week with Marika leading. The first pizza came out of the oven at around 8:30. We ate and gossiped about Jeremy. Marika related that though Jeremy had just trudged through an exhausting sixty hour work week, was still managing to show up. At any rate, Nick brought in the whiskey and let it drop that his newest word "Sinjin" was Indian for "Cougar." Jen quickly informed Nick that in fact Sinjin was British shorthand for "Saint John". Jen shook her head, took a deep breath and stared out the window.

After a moment she said, "You know I'd never go on a second date with a guy who made that kind of mistake."

Laura nodded and related a similar experience with a fellow she was no longer dating who had tried to impress her with his use of Deus Ex Machina. Apparently, this is Greek shorthand for "Do me". Ben then made the colossal mistake of admitting that he hadn't encountered the phrase before and was promptly and accurately branded by Laura as a gameless imbecile. Marika said after which Jeremy arrived and, after having been briefed as the only date-able man in the room, remarked that he had once used "Slunk" while in casual conversation with his un-impressed girlfriend and her mother.

The second pizza came out at around 9:15. We ate around the burned edges and started in on Nick's piece. The writing was so good that we just sat around for an hour just reading lines. The couple in the story were vividly imagined, sexy, sultry and free of literary faux pas. In fact, the writing was so good that there wasn't any point to meeting that night. Really, we all should have stayed home since we were all really tired and overworked. I mean, what was the point?

About Character Names... a Groop meeting summary

Groop met a couple weeks ago or something like that and I took notes and here they finally are.

We are still getting used to Jen's gorgeous couches. We don't know what to do with ourselves. Sometimes someone has to fall off the couch just to feel normal again.

Marika turned in and basically our biggest concern (or so say my notes) was the name of her main character. My current vote is for Tamara. Other suggestions? We think it needs to be three syllables. Someone else remind me of the other criteria...

But names are important. Take our very own group. Marika's name means "faggot" in South America, and not referring to a bundle of twigs. Ben's mom's name, Suki, means "bitches" (that's more than one) in Russia.

Just think of the novelistic possibilities these very names present! Nick's response was: "I want Ben's mom and Marika to meet a Russian in South America." That sounds like a writing assignment to me.

Names. Pretty important.

My favorite reference for character names is Babyzone, particularly because you can look up names by ethnic and regional origin.

Jeremy admitted that he just keeps a baby name book on his shelf. We know he also has the book so as to get the girls. Now, if I had it on my shelf? See Jeremy's last post.