Say hi to...Chimo!
Here are the long-awaited puppy pictures! (Well, I'm just assuming that they're long-awaited- -I think I've made the regrettable transformation into one of those people who think that their new baby/puppy/kitten/cute mewling thing with fur is the absolute cutest creature to have ever existed, and who feels a sincere pity for those unfortunate souls who haven't met little Methusaleh). I hate to see the next stage in this transformation. I fear it might lead to 24-hour pastel colours and Anne Gedde prints on the walls. *shudders*
Anyways, we had a hell of a time deciding on a name. We had very intense discussions (read: arguing), and everyone had very strong opinions about what the puppy's name was going to be. Since Michael Jackson had just died, and I had plunged right into mourning my childhood/rhapsodizing about MJ's deeper cultural significance and the shifting definitions of celebrity/yadda yadda yadda/performing my seventh-grade gymnastics routine to "Will You Be There"/insisting on teaching my family the dance moves to Thriller, my suggestions were along the lines of "Thriller," "Billie Jean," "Black and White," "Blanket" or "Jermajesty." Alas, my family refused to acknowledge the superiority of my suggestions. Sometime true genius is a little hard for others to take. My mom suggested that, since he is part -German shepherd, part- Husky, we think up some Inuit names to add to the mix. I suggested "Chimo," because the name of my boss-awesome trivia team last year was "Canada Says Chimo." Back in Expo 67 (the massive centennial celebrations across Canada in 1967), a committee of people was searching for a nation-wide greeting that Canadians would use with each other, and that would also be internationally-recognized and immediately associated with Canada. Ummmm....so that didn't really catch on. But the name "Chimo" for our dog did! My mom really took to it, and then the rest of us realized the glory that is "Chimo."