close call

I hate it when some one shares an experience that starts with "So, funny story..." When that phrase prefaces what you have to say, the story is rarely funny.

That being said... funny story, I almost died the other day.

Right outside the window of my basement classroom is a large gas generator (flammable gasses, highly explosive). On the other side of a paved fifteen foot loading area is refrigeration and ventilation controls. Both pieces of machinery have large signs that warn ‘no smoking with in fifty feet.’

I have caught agents smoking out there; one was even leaning against the generator while smoking what could have been his very last cigarette.
I said, “Excuse me.”
He cocked his head to the side like a confused dog and asked “What?”
I just pointed to the ‘flammable gasses, no smoking’ sign.
“Oh, crap.” He said, and then started to walk away to the parking lot.

Since my classroom is in the basement, there is a hill side climbing steeply from either side. Holding up the landscaping next to the generators are wood four by fours coated with a tar like oil to keep the wood from rotting (also flammable).

Wednesday, right before lunch, one of my students exclaim, “Um, Nic… there’s a fire outside. Well maybe not a fire but it’s definitely smoking.”

Curious, I walked to the window and sure enough, there was smoke billowing from one of the wood posts fifteen to twenty feet away from the explosive material right outside my window. I dismissed every one for lunch and ran to get some water.

When I got outside a supervisor was standing above the fire spitting on it. (I did not know that saliva could be used for fighting fires, he was unaware it wouldn’t work) Later I asked him if he was really spitting on it. He said that he was and that he was to lazy to go inside to get water. Thanks, I feel safe.

My cup of water almost put it out but not quite, but a second cup did. Inside a hollowed out section of wood laid a lone cigarette. Some smoker almost burnt the place down, or blew it up, depends on how you look at it. Also take note, our company does have one designated smoking area… and the basement parking lot is not it.

The scary part of this story is that I forgot to tell my wife about it. She found out about the ordeal from a mutual friend of ours who also works at the same place I do.

up in the air... then a couple hours later

I have been out of town for most of this week. While I am enjoying my stay in what is likely the nicest hotel room I've ever stayed in, the trip hasn't been as relaxing as I'd hoped for.

Part of the reason for the nonrelaxing trip is the 6am flight out of Spokane International. And the alarm going off at 3am so I could get there on time. My destination, Denver International, is architecturally beautiful, a stunning and efficient feat of engineering.

If you have never flown in or out of DIA, I encourage you to do so. But only if you're with someone who knows their way around, otherwise you might get lost. The whole airport is it's own little metropolis, out in the middle of nowhere. Gas stations, accommodations, dozens of car rental agencies, and a nearly infinite amount of parking spaces. Once inside the airport, you'll find shops and a food court to rival some small town malls, gallery quality art, and crowds that define one of the busiest airports in the nation.

I was excited for the plane ride upon discovery that my airline used XM radio for their in flight entertainment. I did have my MP3 player, but they don't let you listen to it during take off and landings. The batteries were also low and I forgot to pick some up at Walgreens on my way out of town. But, channel selection was limited and the only station worth anything was 20 on 20. It sounds like a good idea, they play the top 20 songs as voted for by listeners and there's about 60 songs to chose from (vote for).

Stickwitu was playing when I started listening and I continued to listen through Sugar, We're going Down, Because of You, and some other less memorable song. I fell asleep sometime during Dance, Dance. One would think that they would update their top 20 songs after each rotation, but no. They play the same 20 songs over and over, and (even worse) in the same order. When I woke up, Stickwitu was playing followed by Sugar, We're Going Down and Because of You.

Note to self... Buy batteries before flying back to Spokane.

dadhood

A friend and I were talking over the weekend about the strange transition from having a pregnant wife to being a father. Life changes in an instant. It may be a tiny moment in time but it shatters your familiar existence, and before long you have a hyperactive toddler.

Becoming a father is a surreal experience, like when the alarm clock starts buzzing but seems to be a part of the dream in the final seconds of slumber before waking. I think all dads have that moment. For my friend, it was hearing his daughter cry for the first time. My moment was when I got to dress Christian for the first time. And then again when we were finally able to bring him home from the hospital.

That is the essence of life ... little moments. Hearing your baby's uncontrolled laughter for the first time. How innocent words like yes, up, and sit sound naughty coming from the lips of a toddler. Coming home from work and thinking the kid has grown since you left that morning.

To an extent, raising a child still seems surreal. Every now and then I look at Christian and think, Is that kid really mine. Of course he is. Looking into his blue eyes is much like staring at my own reflection.

glutton for punishment

My body has endured two consecutive nights of self inflicted strains and voluntary abuse. I never knew that when I signed on to be a youth leader, that that included massive amounts of exercise.

Tuesday night we took the high school kids hiking up Canfield Mountain. Ten years ago, such an activity would not have been a problem. But then again, ten years ago I was in high school. The other issue is that little hike (about 35 minutes for healthy/in shape people) is the first hiking I had done since 1999 when I moved away from Seattle. Despite being a short hike, it is fairly steep in spots (most of it) and provides spectacular views of Hayden Lake, Hayden, Dalton Gardens, and Coeur d’Alene.

Last night the junior high had a bigger and better scavenger hunt. This a scavenger hunt without a set list of things to find. Instead each group is given a paper clip then goes from house to house asking to trade our item with the home owner for something bigger and better. My group traded our paper clip for a Gerber baby spoon, traded the spoon for a box of plastic forks, and the forks for a heart shaped wreath. By the time we accomplished that, we were out of time. This whole activity required a lot of walking (and failed attempt to restrain one individual who had this compulsive urge to jump/stomp in every puddle we came across). Normally walking would not have been a problem, except for the fact that I HIKED UP A MOUNTAIN the night before.

Oh yeah, if you’ve been paying attention to the weather forecasts for the inland northwest, it has been unseasonably cool with large quantities of rain. While Spokane and Post Falls got dumped on Tuesday, CDA/Hayden received minimal amounts of rainfall. It did start raining Tuesday night, but not till a half hour after all the kids had gotten off of the mountain. It rained nonstop all night and through the day yesterday. We were worried that we’d be doing the scavenger hunt in the rain. But thankfully it did finally stop ... just before the start of youth group.

real life conversation

Said to me in reference to the clothes my son and I were wearing while walking out of Starbucks...

"Dude, you're wearing matching pants!"

This might be a totally acceptable remark if ... Well Christian was wearing shorts and I was wearing carpenter pants. They weren't even the same shade of denim. The only thing they had in common was that they were both made of denim.

That would be like me saying to him and the girl he was with "Dude, you have matching hair cuts!" Only because neither of them were bald.

new horizons

This last week has been absolutely crazy. By crazy, I mean busy and inconceivable just a few short weeks ago.

Bekah has been looking for a job, but considering she hasn't worked anywhere for two years, her resume is not impressive. Needless to say she has not had much luck with her job search. Then she had a revelation - "I have experience in child care. I should start a daycare." And that is exactly what she and a friend of ours is doing. So as we speak (well, I'm typing, you're reading) Bekah and friend are planning and preparing to open up a daycare starting July 1st. She's kind of freaking out nervous about it, but aren't most people when starting a business?

Bekah and I have been working with our church's youth group for a while, and for most of that time I've been trying to avoid working with junior high. Stick with the high school kids, it's only one night a week, I can do that. Apparently God had other plans. So did my youth pastor. I walked into his office Friday evening thinking I was going to help do some planning for an upcoming youth service and walked out co-leader for the youth worship band. I'm not sure how it all happened; right now my memory is still a bit hazy.

The worship band plays both the high school and junior high services. So, I guess that means I'll be working with the junior highers too.

So, in a very short period of time, Bekah has become an entrepreneur and I've become a worship leader. As if our lives weren't crazy enough.

happy panda dance

For the last several weeks, every time I drive up 95 into Hayden I do a little happy panda dance.

Coeur d’Alene is getting a Panda Express. After about a month and a half of construction, Panda Express opened this week. And apparently, I am not the only person excited about this.

We went there for dinner last night, there were a dozen cars waiting in the drive through and the line inside was equally long, we waited in line for about a half hour before getting to order. Worth the wait though.

I'm sure some of you have never heard of Panda Express. Just think of it as Subway with Chinese food instead of sub sandwiches. Really good Americanized Chinese food.

I used to eat at one in Boise a lot. There was one in the same parking lot as the Old Navy I used to work for. It was that, Carl Jr's, Arbys, or junk food from ShopKo. There wasn't a Panda Express in Sioux Falls when we lived there, and until now there wasn't one here. So it's been a couple of years since I've had Panda Express.

Although, they've changed some of their recipes since I last ate there. The orange chicken is a bit spicier than I remember. And they soak their sweet and sour pork in the sweet and sour sauce prior to serving instead of after, no longer giving you the option to serve the sauce on the side.

Oh well, still really good food.

question

What is better?

Pleasant incompetence
or
Defiant brilliance

Polite stupidity
or
Rambunctious intelligence

If I could blog my way.

How do we do it? How do we find time to blog?

This blog is nothing more than what its title suggests. The rants, raves, and random thoughts of a slightly crazy, caffeine addicted, sarcastic little man.

If you read my profile and dig through my links, you can see some of the things that are important to me. Movies, music, books, games...

If I could do things my way, this blog would be very different. And it would not be my only one.

Let me dream for a little before snapping back to reality. If time and energy were not issues I would keep and update multiple blogs.
First one would be devoted to music: new album releases and reviews, concerts, links to various bands and artists, and anything having to do with music.
Second one for movies. Similar format as the first: reviews, look at up coming releases, anything movies. I don't go to the theater as often as I used to, but remember, this is if time/energy weren't issues.
This blog would be broken up into three parts. 1. Random Thoughts: theological, philosophical, political musings, and any other random happenings inside my head. 2. Rants: a simple look at stupidity in the world around us. 3. Raves: my life, what's going on.

But... alas, I have little time, and the little I have is precious. I work 40+ hours a week and when I get home, I need to spend some time with my family. My wife is looking for a job, my 21 month old son is in his terrible two's (despite not yet celebrating a second birthday), and my dog is mentally handicapped. Outside of work and home, I'm a youth leader for my church's youth group, update this blog (the haphazard combination of what I wish I had time to keep separate), working on my first novel, brainstorming ideas for a second one, then there's that creepy/addictive/obsessive MySpace thing. Not to mention our feeble attempts at a social life, Bekah and I do have friends.

How do you do it all? By the time I get through work and get home, all I can do is sleep. Where did all of my spare time go?

I would love to be able to quit my job so that I could write full time, but I don't see that happening any time soon.

Miracles do happen, until then... I can dream.

something else to laugh at

Here's a funny joke I found on this dude's blog:

Jesus saw a crowd chasing down a woman to stone her and approached them. "What's going on here, anyway?" he asked.
"This woman was found committing adultery, and the law says we should stone her!" one of the crowd responded.
"Wait," yelled Jesus. "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."
Suddenly, a stone was thrown from out of the sky, and knocked the woman on the side of her head.
"Aw, c'mon, Dad..." Jesus cried, "I'm trying to make a point here!"

will forever be laughing

Occasionally, somebody says or does something so completely ridiculous and logic defying that you don't know how to react. One of my fellow trainers had one of those events in her class yesterday.

Disclaimer: the subject of this post is a good guy. He is friendly, easy to get along with, artistic, conversational, and he breeds tarantulas. Please don't get me wrong, this post is not a complaint or a soapbox to preach against American idiocy. I am writing for the value of humor. I have been laughing about this for the past five hours, perhaps you will also find this funny.

The story begins yesterday when Peter Parker (not his real name but a thinly veiled pop culture reference) called in sick. His wife is also a coworker and his trainer asked his wife whether or not Peter Parker would be in. His wife explained that Peter's spider had died over the weekend and he wasn't feeling well enough to come in to work. Yes, I said spider. I wasn't kidding when I said he breeds tarantulas.

That in itself is mildly funny, but the real kicker comes after class when everyone had gone home for the day. His trainer sat down at her desk and checked the daily log created from our sick line to see his reason for not coming in. Apparently, when Peter Parker called the sick line, he requested FMLA to care for a sick child.

First problem, you can't get FMLA until after a year with an employer. Second, a dead spider does not count as a sick child.

Again, I'm not trying to abuse Peter Parker's character, but highlighting the humor in life. I do empathize for him. When Psuchen dies I will be very sad, but I will go to work the next day. I will probably be depressed the next day, but I will go. As much as you may love and care for an animal, when all is said and done, it is just a pet.

FMLA... HA! I so needed something to laugh at today.

from here to the other side of the world AKA what I really want for Christmas

Small update.

This coming December, I have the opportunity to travel to Nepal for two weeks, returning home Christmas Eve. This would be a great chance for me to complete two of my greatest desires: I have always wanted to serve on a foreign missions trip & I've always wanted to go to Nepal.

However, to go there are some daunting obstacles to overcome. The first and most obvious is money. The trip is not a free ride. In fact costs a big chunk of change (roughly $2500). Then there are all of the little things that would need to be taken care of prior to going: obtaining a passport, all of the medical shots, training and preparation. I would also need to get into better shape. The villages there are at high altitudes and the most common mode of transportation are chevrolegs. Well... I need to lose a few pounds anyways, right?

The need there is equally daunting. Most people don't realize that Nepal is one of the poorest countries on earth. Because of their sociological and religious history, most Nepali don't understand the concept of hygiene or sanitation. Nepal is also the only nation with Hindu as their official religion.

Please keep me in your prayers. I am excited for the opportunity to go somewhere as beautiful as Nepal for what could be an amazing experience. Pray that God opens up the doors and enables me to go.

I will be posting further info both here and on MySpace.

dance like you've never danced before

As a wedding DJ, I think I've seen it all. There are a million cheezy dances that no one would ever admit they enjoy unless they are at a wedding reception.

Bunny Hop, Hokey-Pokey, Chicken Dance, Macarena, YMCA, Electric Slide, Cotton-Eyed Joe... All songs that no sane person would listen to in their own home or for personal enjoyment. But no wedding party would be complete with out it.

It is amazing the songs people request at weddings.

If you have a spare 6 minutes, check out this video. It's the "Evolution of Dance." During my time DJing for weddings, I've played everyone of those songs (except "Can't Touch This"). I've also seen most of those dance moves from various wedding guests, but never any like this guy.



"Dance, Dance
We're falling apart to half time
Dance, Dance
And these are the lives you'd love to lead"
Dance Dance by Fall Out Boy

"Let's dance for fear your grace should fall"
Let's Dance by David Bowie

"I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance"
The Dance by Garth Brooks

"The rhythms, the reason, the rhyme
of the danse pulses within everything
And the universe wheels and whirls like
a dervish in perfect seven-step time"
The Danse by Caedmon's Call

"I can't dance, I can't talk
Only thing about me is the way I walk"
I Can't Dance by Genesis

Pop Quiz

What does this first group of people have in common?

Edward Jenner
Dennis Hopper
Trent Reznor
Bill Paxton
Sugar Ray Leonard
Bob Saget
Craig Ferguson
Andrea Corr
Odd Hassel
Cool Papa Bell
Brigit Nilsson
Taj Mahal
Enya

How about this second group? What do they have in common?

Benji Madden
Joel Madden
Norah Jones
Bjørn-Arild Berthelsen
Ivan Miljković
Aaliyah
Pink
Mya
The Game
Rob Bourdon
Mena Suvari
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Heath Ledger
Claire Danes
Kate Hudson
Rosario Dawson
Graeme McDowell
Bam Margera
Adam Brody

If you think you know the answers, post a comment. If you have no idea post a comment anyways. I'd love to hear from all three of my loyal readers... oh wait, I have four now.

the name game

My friend Sarah was lamenting in a recent blog post about the strange and torturous ways parents name their children. Bekah and I were very considerate of our children's egos when thinking of what to name our kids. Our first question was "Would this name be twisted and ridiculed by a 5th grader?" We came to the conclusion that 96% of possible baby names could indeed be a source of teasing by mean spirited 5th graders we asked a second question... "How could they make fun of this name or that name? What is the least amount of damage we could do?"

Unfortunately, not all parents are as considerate. For example: Sarah's recent post. Or, this article I found on MSN a few months ago.

The Name Game

Unique baby names are the power accessory of the newly born rich and famous

There's a new pout in Angelina Jolie's household -- and it's not Brad Pitt's. Jolie welcomed an adopted Ethiopian daughter named Zahara Marley Jolie. The name evokes romance, desert sands and reggae and starts with the exotic letter Z. For the well-heeled and the well-known, creating a splashy and inventive baby name is not just a birthright but a tradition. Witness the recent crop of baby names to adorn celebrity offspring: Pirate (Korn frontman Jonathan Davis' son), Moxie Crimefighter (the daughter of Penn and Teller magician Penn Jillette) and Lola (Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards' newborn). They're in good company: Chris Rock, Madonna, Carnie Wilson and Jennie Garth also call their little girls Lola, whether it's on the birth certificate or not (in Madonna's case, Lola is a nickname for Lourdes). Even veteran Live 8 musician-activist Bob Geldof has a full house, flowering with daughters Fifi Trixibelle, Peaches Honeyblossom and Pixie, and their half-sister Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily.


So Traditional and Retro, They're Hip Again

If you don't fancy calling your tyke Orlando or Bloom, don't despair. This trend toward sensible names is actually quite popular. Yes, Julia Roberts hit the mother lode with twins Hazel Patricia and Phinnaeas Walter, but she's not alone. Many celebrities have stuck to sensible, even normal names, fit for a regular Joe. Look at what Jon Stewart named his little guy: Nathan. Former teen heartthrob and NYPD star Mark-Paul Gosselaar welcomed a boy, Michael Charles.

Who's Done It: Plenty of people have, including Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick and their son, James Wilkie, Mary-Louise Parker and Billy Crudup and their son, William Atticus.

The Latest Twist: Use a nickname properly; ideally the shorter and friendlier the better. That's what worked for Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards' daughter, Sam J., and one of news anchor Soledad O'Brien's twins, Charlie.

Blast from the Past: Tom Hanks' son, Chester, and Tracey Ullman's daughter, Mabel. Janet Leigh's daughter is a screamer: Jamie Lee Curtis.


Twin Sets

Julia's picks brings us to our next category: twins.

Who's Done It: Some parents like their twins' names to match -- and some don't. Geena Davis stuck to the letter 'K' for sons, Kian and Kaiis, while actress Peri Gilpin placed a common 'A' in back for daughters, Stella and Ava.

The Latest Twist: If matching monikers don't work for you, you can take a cue from Marcia Gay Harden, who picked the intrepid Hudson for one twin, and the striking Julitta for the other.

Blast from the Past: Jane Pauley and Jane Seymour aren't twins, although they sound like they could be. In 1983, Jane Pauley named her duo Ross and Rachel, while Jane Seymour named hers Johnny and Kris, after friends Johnny Cash and Christopher Reeves.


Keep It Simple

Primitive vowel sounds pack major ooh-la-la and mimic baby's first words. What's the upside? Your future kindergartener will thank you for picking a name that's easy to say, spell and write. In addition to all the Lolas, other bisyllabic babes include Heidi Klum's picture-perfect Leni, Courtney Cox-Arquette's chic Coco and Passion of Christ star Monica Bellucci's tempting Deva.

Who's Done It: Both John Travolta and Ben Stiller elected Ella for the leading ladies in their lives. Celebrity moms Heather Locklear and Reese Witherspoon took the A train with Ava, and Kate Winslet named her daughter Mia.

The Latest Twist: Other letters to consider include 'O' (as in Oona and Oscar) and 'Z' (for Zahra, Chris Rock's second daughter and Zen Scott, Corey Feldman's son).

Blast from the Past: Steven Tyler rocked with daughters, Liv and Mia, and son, Taj.


Friends, Romans, Countrymen, Lend Me Your Names

Rocco, Romeo, Roman. Latin names conquer like no other, especially when your son is named Aurelius (Elle MacPherson's emperor) or Magnus (Will Ferrell's tiny elf).

Who's Done It: Rocco may be Madonna's boy-toy but both Jon Bon Jovi and Victoria Beckham fell in love with Romeo for their sons.

The Latest Twist: Remember, you don't have to be in Rome to do as Cate Blanchett, Debra Messing, and Harvey Keitel have done -- just go ahead and name your son Roman.

Blast from the Past: Dean Martin crooned Dino for his son.


Get Back to Nature

Flowers, trees, and fruits are blossoming on celebrity lips, thanks to Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin's daughter, Apple Blythe, and Claudia Schiffer's daughter, Clementine. Naked chef Jamie Oliver cooked up Poppy Honey and Daisy Boo for his daughters.

Who's Done It: The big boy of OutKast's Big Boi is Bamboo. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith welcomed Willow, Jude Law and Sadie Frost handpicked Iris, and Forest Whitaker dove deep for Ocean.

The Latest Twist: Animals are finding themselves at the head of pack with Erykah Badu's daughter Puma, and Scary Spice Melanie Brown's Phoenix Chi. Colors are also boldly going where no Crayola has gone before. U2's The Edge has a Blue Angel, and Sylvester Stallone has a daughter named Scarlet.

Blast from the Past: John Mellencamp named his son, Speck Wildhorse. Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon's daughters, Amber Rose, Saffron Sahara, and Tallulah Pine sound tame by comparison.


Translation Not Lost

Foreign names can be a way to add worldly allure to an otherwise average Steve, Joe, or Sophie. Don't care for Ernest? Then how about Ernesto? David and Victoria Beckham named their latest kicker, Cruz, and Mira Sorvino found grace with Mattea Angel. Both Liv Tyler and Sherry Stringfield picked Milo for their sons.

Who's Done It: Kelly Ripa opted for Joaquin for her third child, and Crossing Jordan star Jill Hennessy explored new territory with Marco.

The Latest Twist: You can also borrow words from other languages. Catherine Zeta-Jones chose Carys, from the Welsh word for "love." Rob Thomas feels right at home with firstborn, Maison.

Blast from the Past: Jon Voight's daughter, Angelina Jolie, became a future Tomb Raider.


The Reilly Factor

Last names can come first in the name game, as Angie Harmon and Jason Sehorn found with daughters Finley Faith and Avery Grace. Soledad O'Brien's other twin is named Jackson and NYPD Blue's Charlotte Ross found Maxwell arresting.

Who's Done It: Patricia Arquette heralded Harlow Jane and actress Thandie Newton picked the unusual Ripley.

The Latest Twist: Celtic names like Finnigan, Delaney, and Sullivan all sound cool riding in front and work for both sexes. Maybe that's why Holly Marie Combs (Piper from Charmed) also found Finley enchanting for her son.

Blast from the Past: Sean Penn named his son Hopper (after Dennis), and Lisa Marie Presley has daughter, Riley.


Pageturners

There's nothing like a good book, author, or character for finding inspiration. Some parents even turn to the dictionary. Dixie Chick Natalie Maines embraced Beckett Finn, while Brendan Fraser held out for Holden, the beloved hero of Catcher in the Rye.

Who's Done It: Law & Order SVU star Christopher Meloni's Dante, Australian-born actress Rachel Griffiths' Banjo (named after the Down Under poet).

The Latest Twist: Some parents even turn to the dictionary for common words and terms. Erykah Badu picked lucky number, Seven, and former deejay turned actress Shannyn Sossamon tuned into Audio Science. Actor Rob Morrow looks forward to the day after with Tu Morrow.

Blast from the Past: Demi Moore was inspired by British author, Rumer Godden, and the character of Scout, from To Kill a Mockingbird, for two of her daughters. Her own name was rumored to come from a beauty magazine.


Occupied by a Name?

Like the form says, state your name and occupation, or borrow somebody else's. Davis and Jillette may have caused waves with Pirate and Moxie Crimefighter but they are not alone. Kate Hudson liked Ryder, Jason Lee flew solo with Pilot Inspektor, and Reese Witherspoon found her calling in Deacon. With names like these, can little Actors, Dancers, Teachers and Drivers be far behind?

Who's Done It: Christie Brinkley searched far and wide for daughter, Sailor, and Spy Kids director Robert Rodriguez launched sons, Racer, Rebel, and Rocket.

The Latest Twist: Take a cue from Jason Lee and change a letter so the spelling isn't perfekt.

Blast from the Past: Most people have heard about Moon Unit, Dweezil, and Ahmet Rodan, but did you know Frank Zappa has a daughter named Diva Muffin?


Gucci, Gucci, Goo

Pick an object. Any object. And don't forget to check the label. Popular brands that have found their way onto birth certificates in recent years include Lexus, Canon, and Porsche. Sports fans can root for Espn at little league ballgames.

Who's Done It: Toni Braxton tried on Denim for her first son, Nelly has a daughter, Chanel, and Slash has an heir named Cash.

Blast from the Past: Long before these ordinary words found themselves turned into monikers, there were John Travolta and Kelly Preston's son, Jett, and tennis legend Arthur Ashe's daughter, Camera.

The Latest Twist: Just make sure to have positive associations and memories to go along with whatever word or object you choose.

Here's looking at you, iPod.

And you thought your parents were weird.