Posted by malthus on September 3, 2004, at 18:18:06
In reply to Re: Thanks Jai! Ay! the anticipation, the waiting, posted by Jai Narayan on September 3, 2004, at 15:36:22
Hi Jai:
Not out of line at all! In fact I find it touching somehow that you ask this question. When I was a child we had an Airedale puppy and my father thought he had quite a serious disposition. He named him Malthus after Thomas Malthus, a prolific British philosoher. In any case I loved this dog tremendously. As most terriers are he was fiercely protective of the family but most especially of me; I'm not sure why. Perhaps in his philosophical canine wisdom he knew I needed protection from all the fall-out of my childhood and as a teenager. My father never had him neutered and he sired three litters of the most adorable puppies. I had to assist my father in cropping their poor puppy tails as this is standard procedure for Airedales. Dad said they didn't feel it but I didn't buy it. When I was in my first year of college Malthus escaped (one of his favorite activites for obvious reasons) and never returned. I have been heart-stricken over this to this day and a picture I took of him with my little Kodak camera hangs on my fridge so I can look at him every time I go to the kitchen. (He was particulaly adept at catching tossed peanuts in the air.) So I chose this name and realize it may have masculine overtones but it is a surname so I'm not sure why I think that.
The more interesting question is that you could not distinguish if I was male or female. I am female, but I'm fascinated to hear from you why I may have come across as male! (I was a serious tomboy in my youth; dressed like a boy, played war and tackle football) and was really mad when I couldn't run around the neighborhood anymore shirtless for obvious reasons. If you could see me today you would have a hard time believing this as I am about as girly-girl as one can get.
Sorry to ramble on about my beloved Malthus. He still owns a piece of my heart and always will.
malthus
poster:malthus
thread:384338
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/write/20040828/msgs/386165.html