That's me! I just like this picture of me. One of those stretch-your-arm-out-to-take-a-picture-of-yourself pictures that actually came out well! :)
I have an unusual name. Well, not incredibly unusual, but different enough that most people spell it "Laura" or don't know how to pronounce it if they are reading it. I think I was in middle school before I had a substitute teacher actually pronounce it correctly on the first try, and my 9th grade PE teacher never could get it right. Whole year in her class, and she never could hear the subtle differences in my correct pronunciation and how she was pronouncing it. It's gotten better in recent years, with the popularity of the Tomb Raider games and movies, but still, more people than not have no idea how to pronounce and/or spell it.
So, here goes: Lahr'-ah.
The first syllable is the one accented and it has the same vowel sound as "car". (Doesn't rhyme with Sara.)
Some people recognize it because of Lara Croft (Tomb Raider). More literary types recognize it from Dr Zhivago (which, for the record, is where my parents got the spelling). My best friend in high school found that hysterical - he knew Lara was the great love of Zhivago's life, but didn't realize she was the mistress until he read the book for a research paper. Found it incredibly funny that quiet little ol' me was named for the home-wrecker! Apparently I don't fit the image he had of one :) I guess that's a good thing?
There's actually a group of Laras on Ravelry. We're just cool people that way :) It was nice talking to people with the exact same frustrations about one's own name. One lady had a story of her first grade teacher actually sending home her papers with the name "corrected" on it! Poor little kid was in tears! Never had any encounters quite that bad. I just have an irresistible urge to find things with my name printed on them. You know - the cheap key chains, notepads, pens, similar tchotches with names preprinted on them. I always have a bet with myself that "Lara" won't be on there, so I always have to look. So far have found 2 things - a key chain from Las Vegas (no spot on the rack for "Lara" but there was the key chain!) and a bookmark from Salisbury Cathedral in England. For the record, I did have to purchase both :)
So, yes, was running out of good ideas for L, so figured I'd chat about my name. And besides, like I said above, I like that picture of me :)
I have an unusual name. Well, not incredibly unusual, but different enough that most people spell it "Laura" or don't know how to pronounce it if they are reading it. I think I was in middle school before I had a substitute teacher actually pronounce it correctly on the first try, and my 9th grade PE teacher never could get it right. Whole year in her class, and she never could hear the subtle differences in my correct pronunciation and how she was pronouncing it. It's gotten better in recent years, with the popularity of the Tomb Raider games and movies, but still, more people than not have no idea how to pronounce and/or spell it.
So, here goes: Lahr'-ah.
The first syllable is the one accented and it has the same vowel sound as "car". (Doesn't rhyme with Sara.)
Some people recognize it because of Lara Croft (Tomb Raider). More literary types recognize it from Dr Zhivago (which, for the record, is where my parents got the spelling). My best friend in high school found that hysterical - he knew Lara was the great love of Zhivago's life, but didn't realize she was the mistress until he read the book for a research paper. Found it incredibly funny that quiet little ol' me was named for the home-wrecker! Apparently I don't fit the image he had of one :) I guess that's a good thing?
There's actually a group of Laras on Ravelry. We're just cool people that way :) It was nice talking to people with the exact same frustrations about one's own name. One lady had a story of her first grade teacher actually sending home her papers with the name "corrected" on it! Poor little kid was in tears! Never had any encounters quite that bad. I just have an irresistible urge to find things with my name printed on them. You know - the cheap key chains, notepads, pens, similar tchotches with names preprinted on them. I always have a bet with myself that "Lara" won't be on there, so I always have to look. So far have found 2 things - a key chain from Las Vegas (no spot on the rack for "Lara" but there was the key chain!) and a bookmark from Salisbury Cathedral in England. For the record, I did have to purchase both :)
So, yes, was running out of good ideas for L, so figured I'd chat about my name. And besides, like I said above, I like that picture of me :)
2 comments:
Excellent photo! Really it is.
And a fun story about your name. I just read a book about someone with the same name...and the character was named for the same Dr. Zhivago character.
When I take pictures like that they never come out that good. Great picture. I loved Dr. Zhivago and that's the first thing I thought of.
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