Naming

Naming the Inanimate

I tend to place a lot of importance on naming the inanimate objects that I spend time with - my car, my iRiver, etc. I've been pondering what to name my laptop, as it's important that it have a name with the proper gravitas to go well with the other two. Plus, I've found that they take on properties of their names over time.

iRiver? Named Vincent. For he's a dark blue and contrary, so it fits that he's named after a very depressing song.

The car is Cactus Jack, for he his official color is cactus mica and Cactus Jack has the ring of someone hardy, old and cranky. Little did I realize at the time that it was also JJ Yeley's dad's nickname, as well as a movie character based off of Wile E. Coyote.

So the laptop is looking for some options. I kind of want a female name, as so far I've got two male names. The laptop is strong and hardy, one of those that looks like if you threw it across a room it could survive. (It's the nature of the design. HP was up to something.)

[Poll #984487]

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Also, someone, anyone, please let us all have an intervention. My coworker is wearing a banana clip. She has had people compliment her on it. Including our hairdresser! There's something wrong with the world when even stylish hairdressers are complimenting a banana clip.

Picspam!

Another "I'm cleaning off my computer" picspam of the NASCAR (and some open wheel and tennis) variety.

( Let's mock Jeff Gordon now, shall we? )

( Clint Bowyer does a Jekyl/Hyde, all while looking 40 )

( Random racing pictures that I found cool )

( The Jimmie Johnson section of mocking )

( And the capper - FANTABULOUS picture of Ellyut Sadler. Huge picture. But dude, worth it. )

Okay

I may sort of somewhat love AJ Allmendinger just a bit.

AJ ALLMENDINGER, No. 84 Red Bull Toyota Camry, Team Red Bull:

Starting position: Darlington, 20th, Qualifying lap: 30.185 seconds, 162.915 mph

Can you talk about your qualifying lap?

"I can't even speak after that qualifying lap -- I'm still shaking and this place is just wicked. Who designed this place? How many laps do I have to do tomorrow night? I just have to thank everybody on this Red Bull team and all the guys back at the shop. It's a great group of guys back at the shop getting these cars prepared. We've all worked so hard to get to this point and we just keep improving - everyone involved is improving, from our whole team to Toyota. I'm just so happy to be in this race and so happy that lap is over."

How were you able to go that fast at Darlington your first time here?

"It helps when you close your eyes and hold your breath. I just don't know what to say about this track, I'm just so happy to be in the race. We still have a lot of work to do, but the only way we're going to get better is if we make races and run well."

How would you compare Darlington to anything else you've every done or could imagine?

"It's like jumping off a cliff. That's about what you feel like when you drive it off into turn one, it's sliding and they're telling you to get back into the throttle and I'm thinking there is no way I'm getting back into the throttle. Then I sat and watched everybody run into the wall while I was sitting in my car waiting to qualify - that probably wasn't helping me much either. This is crazy and such a crazy place to have to qualify like this, but we're in the show and that's all that matters."