A quick update on the dramatic bit of news I posted about yesterday: I found a news report translated from Italian to English, see: http://tinyurl.com/2unfg9h.

Okay, now for a much (MUCH!) lighter topic…something amusing that happened this morning during one of my English lessons (intermediate level…conversation, mainly).

The first part of the lesson revolved around the importance of having a name. First, I handed out a copy of a New York Times article (see: http://tinyurl.com/2we2dhx), which my students read and commented.

Then I began asking them a few questions, including this one: “Do you like your name?”

One of them (yes, the infamous Colleague C!…see my June 16 2009 and July 21 2009 posts) answered somberly, “No, Margaret, I don’t.”

“You don’t???…But you have such a pretty name!” I remarked, surprised…

“No, no, I don’t like it,” she insisted.

“Well, would you change your name, if given the chance?” I asked. 

“Oh yes!,” she replied, enthusiastically.

“Ah, what name would you pick, then?” I asked, curious.

Barely concealing a grin, she declared, “I would change my name to…[dramatic pause]….Margaret.”

😀