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Monday, March 8, 2010

Now You Know

Dress - Kensie, Skirt (layered under dress) - H&M seen here
Blazer - Morphine Generation, seen here, I love the buttons on the sleeves spiking out, Necklace - Tiffany

Recently my gorgeous lil gumdrop Sarah Hannah from down under tagged me to list 7 unusual facts about me. Easy peasy.

Let's start from the beginning shall we...

1) My mom nearly named me Allergy. As in "Achoo! Excuse me, it must be my allergies". She loved the way the "name" rolled off her tongue. Really? Cause I think I'd choke everytime I'd have to introduce myself. Seriously, why would you want to give your child a name that'll pretty much guarantee she'll have zero friends, suitors, confidence....

But then again, had she given me that name, I suppose I would've made it work. I would've given myself the nickname "Allie" but knowing kids are cruel, they'd probably refuse and call me "Algae". I'd probably be the girl with a chip on her shoulder the size of a boulder. Or the girl with a perma-look plastered on my face that said watcha lookin' at? Or I'd have rocked the 'ish outta that name and been the one *Allergy* all the girls {and boys?} wouldn't want a cure for. Either way, pretty sure when I was 18 I would've legally changed my name. To...anything other than that.
Thankfully my grandmother had the sense to ignore my mother, chocked it up to the Demerol or Epidural talking and talked her out of it.

Patterned tights - Hue, Shoes - Michael Kors

2) Speaking of names, my maiden name = married name. So what? I kept my name right? Yes....but that's not all. S's married name = my married name. What you married your brother? NO! So you met a guy with the same last name...you're sure you're not related? Nope.

When I got married and it came to changing my name, I knew I wanted to keep my name so I decided I should hyphenate. But with S, our relationship, our marriage is all about unity. About being "us" and "we". It was really important to him that we shared the same last name and felt that hyphenating my last name would still give us different surnames. I explained that keeping my name was really important to me. Suddenly a smile crept across his face, his eyes lit up as he told me he had an idea; he would change his name instead, and take mine. He caught me completely off guard, it's something I hadn't even considered! But that's exactly what he did. And everytime I write my name, I love and appreciate that he did that for me.

{I'm laughing because S is over in the corner...mocking me}
Love the arched hem at the back of this blazer

3) I'm warm and rather affectionate. Maybe being warm and affectionate doesn't make for unusual. But in this day and age being "sweet" makes people think you're *sketchy*. Rest assured, it's real. There's a reason why I've been called "sweet" pretty much 98% of my life {the other 2% of the time, I am PMSing}. Sometimes people take it for granted and the little things I do become expected, rather than appreciated. And at times because of that, I'd rather be something, anything  other than "sweet" but it's who I am. And I can't be someone other than me.

When talking face to face with a friend, I may touch her arm or her hand or her knee. You might make me laugh and find me playfully pushing your shoulder. I may rest my head on your shoulder for a moment or two. If I call you "hon" or "love" or whatever *sugary* name I want, it's because I geniunely like you and mean it to be endearing. If I say "I adore you," it's true. If I say "I love you," I mean it. If I say "my heart breaks for you," it does. So if you take something I do or say as anything less than geniune, I have to put the sweet aside, be blunt and jump into my 2% mode and say, I'm sorry but that's your loss.

I know I've only listed 3 facts, I'll save the other 4 for later...

Tell me something.
xo Ela

Special {super} late thank you to the lovely Anna for the One Lovely Blog Award and the uber creative Sophia for the Circle of Friends Award. And more recently to the fabulous Nikosmommy for the Beautiful Blogger Award and The Best Blog Award,  the talented Jennifer for the You're a Doll Award and The Happy Award, and the sweetie that is KS for the Blogger BFF Award and Master of Karate and Friendship Award.
Thank you so much.
p.s. I really enjoyed reading your comments from my last post, nice to know I'm not alone ;)

42 comments:

  1. That's awesome S changed his name for you! I was eager to change mine when I got married because I was tired of being treated differently when people saw my long winded Asian name. My European surname must now throw people off!

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  2. S is super sweet and I like how you described your marriage as a unity - that's so important! :) Also, your outfit is so pretty.

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  3. you look fabulous!! and I enjoyed reading your 7 things! :)


    heyfancypants.blogspot.com

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  4. Oh Ela, your hubby is so sweet... he changed his name for you. That is such an unselfish act.

    But your mom is hilarious... Allergy? Who would have thought of giving her child that name? Hahaha!

    Have a great week ahead! xoxo

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  5. I can't believe S changed his last name! That's pretty cool. What did his family think of that?

    I actually can't wait to change my name. I've never been a fan of my last name. I wish I could start using my new name already :)

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  6. That is one of the most romantic things a man has done/could ever do for his woman. That is truly a huge gesture, especially because it is not easy to change your name! So many things to do--I haven't even done all of them. I still have a few credit cards in my maiden name. It is a pain in the butt. It had a list of like 12 things I had to do to change my name, but my husband comes from a family without a long, long line of Lu***'s (his father was adopted into the family), so it is important to him to perpetuate the name.

    I don't know if I have any 7 curious things you didn't know about me that I haven't already volunteered on my site.

    1. I'm obsessive about having a clean nose. It freaks me out how sensitive and aware I am of anything in my nose, and I have to blow or pick until my airway is clean. It's kind of gross, actually.
    2. I compliment people a lot--to the point where it seems I'm completely insincere, but I like to think I'm observant--moreso than most people, and it's important for me to bring people happiness, so I point out to them what is the nicest thing about them that I see at that moment.
    3. I was a bad kid who liked to torture (in a way) our pets and foster sisters and brothers... my parents emotionally and verbally abused my brother and I and I'm only realizing now that these aggressive attitudes and actions were a result of our parents' harsh parenting techniques.
    4. When I was 18 I threatened my mother that I was going to move out because I was so tired of her physical and mental abuse, the yelling, the hitting, the denial of my right of way on any argument. I told her I was tired of her and how she and poppy treated me and I was getting angry and sick with how fed I was with their crappy parenting. I didn't end up moving out, but the rest of that summer was not fun. Then I went off to college about 10 hours away, and it took me about 2 quarters before I had to go to the hospital for depression and therapy. Sometimes despite how much you love them, family can hurt you in terrible, terrible ways.
    5. Because of that, I am still struggling with self-image issues, trying to learn that N actually does listen to me when I say things, stop being so angry when I'm stressed and frustrated, inadequacy issues, fear of failure which kills my initiative to do anything good for myself, etc.
    6. And I have to learn the hard way a lot of the time that my insecurities can quickly kill the hard work we've put into building our marriage.
    7. N and I are farters. In fact, aside from our first kiss, the first time we woke up after falling asleep together (sleeping, not sex), we both rolled over and farter and giggled, totally comfortable with each other's grossness, that was how we knew we were meant to be together. The family that farts openly in front of each other stays together.

    :)

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  7. Goodness, thank God you weren't named Allergy hehe! It would have been traumatizing I would imagine! And how sweet that S decided to take your last name instead, very kind and generous of him:)

    You look lovely and darling in those patterned tights!!

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  8. Ela!

    You look so adorable, I love that Kensie dress on you :D Hope you're well, miss you!

    ♡,
    Jessica

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  9. he changes HIS name?! uh whaaaattt!!! wowie wow. that's kind of a big deal. i'm the same way with my last name. i probably wouldn't change it but then i really don't hold a fondness for it because it's my dad's family's name so yea...tmi, i'll shut up. haha.

    oh but speaking of names, allergy? no no no! so glad she didn't go with that.

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  10. stopping by from SITS - glad you didn't end up being allergy and cudos to hubby for taking your name! I have friends who both changed theirs... hyphenated together... these days I think you go with what works :) It was nice learning about you

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  11. I definitely changed my last name..but my maiden name was a suuuuper long Polish name (10 letters, and impossible to pronounce)I figured I had nothing to lose since my name was so rediculous already. Then I marry a Greek with a last name that's 14 letters LONG. So the joke was that I should hyphinate...my last name would be 24 letters long!!!! Both names are crazy to spell and un-pronounceable to the average Canadian. Good times. A short last name would be a dream!

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  12. Wow, S changed his name- what a man! :)

    I love that pic of you laughing, so pretty! Happy monday!

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  13. love your dress pretty lady!!
    that is so interesting/neat that S changed his name for you. you two are too cute :)

    i hope you had a great weekly lovely!

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  14. he changed his name for you!? Wowww you got yourself a keeper! I keep on telling Anthony to change his last name but he just looks at me and laugh! And yeah I agree with you Kirsten Dunst has some vampire teeth, haha good thing she never grew out of her interview with the vampire role...

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  15. you look beautiful! and i am so glad your name is not ALLERGY or ALGAE or anything close to that. horrors!

    i knew a chick in high school named jennifer. there were about 1,000 girls named jennifer at school. so she wanted to be different, so she legally changed the spelling of her name to:
    J-E-N-N-I-P-H-E-R.
    moron.

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  16. I think those are the best 7 facts ever! I have been putting off listing 7...yours are hard to beat! :)))
    I LOVE HOW your husband took your name. That is very cool and unique!

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  17. you are beautiful and i miss you. i think you should fly down in a couple of weekends and see me. adam will be out of town and we could play.

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  18. E, I love this post. A few gal pal married guys with the same last name. I think it is too convenient. : )

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  19. Ela, I'm here via Jennifer Fabulous' blog. She's a dear friend and I appreciate the words you left her, thank you.

    I enjoyed your post above, and nodded more than once. I'm an extremely affectionate person, I like to get to know people and tend to get comfortable with those I get a good 'vibe' from pretty quickly. I'll use words like "hon", "dear" or "sweetie", and occasionally "love". Although it's always sincere I use them sparingly because it's caused misunderstandings in the past.
    It would take too long to explain, but suffice it to say I loved reading this.

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  20. I think that what the two of you did with your last name is incredibly beautiful!

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  21. Seriously, S changed his name?! That's the first time I've heard a guy do that. He must really love you so much. So impressed! (Now, I'm gonna let my hubs read this ;)

    Love your flowy floral dress. You're so ready for spring!

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  22. Congrats on all of your awards. You totally deserve it!! I love that S changed his name too! I have heard a few guys doing that! I think it's a great trend
    xoxo

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  23. what interesting and charming facts!!

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  24. OMG, I love how your husband changed HIS name! We need more men like him in the world!

    Love the combination of pieces in your outfit and all the bright colors.

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  25. How nice that S changed his name for you. I've heard of more and more men doing that. I didn't initially take my husband's name because I have no brothers and wasn't sure how comfortable I'd be giving up my name, but over time I came around to the idea, and realized that the family I've created with him is just as important as the family I 'left' to be with him. So I opted to change my last name legally, but keep my maiden name professionally.

    I would've loved it if he took my name, though (mine's better).

    xx

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  26. S changed his name to yours?! that's sooo sweet! i heart you and S together, damn adorable.

    actually, Allergy does role off the tongue rather nicely... Allergy.. reminds me of Allegra.

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  27. Awww, that's so sweet that S changed his last name for you! I don't think I've ever heard of a guy doing that, although I do know men who've hyphenated their last name with their wife's maiden name to match their partner.

    And naming your kid 'Allergy' just isn't right. That's how serial killers are born.

    Love your dress by the way!

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  28. Allergy, you look fab. :) lol. I am glad your Mom chose otherwise. And my married name is one letter different than my families last name. NICE. People think my brother and I are married AND that one of us can't spell our last name correctly.

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  29. Congrats on all the awards lady - much deserved of course!

    Have a great day!!!

    xo

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  30. Ah, I love number three - it makes me think of myself. I'm always referred to as sweet and cute. As in "you're painfully cute" and "you're so cute it's sickening." I think I could hit someone and I would still be referred to as cute. Strange, yes...but it definitely works in my favor!!

    Congratulations on the award, my love!! :)

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  31. That is SOOOOO SWOON WORTHY that he took your name! So sweet. Love it :)

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  32. OMG OMG!!! Seriously he took your name!?! that is just totally super sweet and an amazing life story to always have your children and your childrens children!!!

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  33. Lovely dress, darling Ela!
    And congrats on all your awards!

    xoxox,
    CC

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  34. I like names starting with 'A" but allergy isn't one! hahaha...
    S is so sweeeeet, I can see more & more why you love him! You look fab darling...love the color & print~
    xo

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  35. I'm loving this outfit, the blazer is gorg!
    xoxo
    www.gorgeousglam.blogspot.com

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  36. I love your dress. It's gorgeous. That shade of red is perfect for you.

    That's funny your mom almost called you Allergy. Actually when I read that I started saying it out loud several times and it does sound like a cool name...you know, if it didn't mean what it means. Haha.

    I also think it's pretty awesome S took your last name. That was very sweet of him to make such a life-changing decision like that for your sake. You're a lucky girl.

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  37. Wow, that is so sweet of S to change his name for you!! I didn' thave a problem changing my last name - it was just two more letters to change it ;)

    I love that blazer on you. the back is so intriguing!

    clothedmuch.blogspot.com

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  38. ok, i looove that dress lady! you pulled off one killer outfit here. and i love your fun facts so far, esp. #3 because that trait is something i truly admire and find best about my own friends. dont ever feel bad about being "sweet" because i think a lot more people appreciate it than not (and i am one who wholeheartedly appreciates it!). cant wait to read the last 4 :D

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  39. Allergy...that would have been classic.
    I love that your husband took your name...it was a big deal when I kept mine (not for my husband but for the rifraf) so I didn't think I should push it...haha. It wasn't one of those 'I'm so independant' things, I love my last name, what it means, who my family is and that's important to me.
    ps. your hair looks so glamourous here!

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  40. Sometimes I feel like "allergy" is my middle name...but I'm glad it's not!

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Penny for your thoughts?
Hmm...let's make that an I.O.U ;)

xx Ela