勝美2

Today we are having a doubleheader! The Friday Five and Friday5!

The Friday Five for April 10th. Thank you!

1. What’s the weather outside your window doing right now? If that’s not inspiring, what’s the weather like somewhere you wish you could be?

A sunny, beautiful spring day. Too bad I'm quarantined. 'Cause it would be a perfect day for hopping in the roadster and heading for the beach. Too cold for swimming. Picnicking and kite flying.

2. What’s for breakfast? Lunch? Dinner?

It is Lent. A time of special prayer and religious fasting. A banana and pink grapefruit. Tonight I am making okonomiyaki.

3. What are things you can’t go without?

Guerlain parfum, Shiseido cosmetics, Kewpie mayonnaise, premium Octane 93 gasoline for the roadster... Y'know. Princess stuff.

4. How did your parents choose your name?

Until a few years ago, I thought I was named for Saint Veronica by my Catholic father and then recently-converted-to-Christianity immigrant mother. When I was in grade school (I attended a girls' parochial school), for Saints Day, I wore a long robe-like dress and a veil. Saint Veronica from The Sixth Station Of The Cross.

Veronica wipes the face of Jesus with her veil. Which becomes imprinted with the likeness of Jesus. The Veronica.

FUN FACT: The statue of Veronica at St Peter's Basilica in The Vatican stands 2.7 Katsumis tall. Not including the plinth thingy.

The portmanteauiest word ever. "Vera" from the Latin for truth and "icon" from the Greek for icon. Except the name Veronica is derived from the Greek name Berenice. Which means Beauteous Victory. Or Victorious Beauty. As in Nike Of Samothrace.

My mother called me on the telephone and asked me to fill in for one of the members of the Grasshoppers, her golfing group. Except I call them the Wormburners which is very funny if you know anything about golf. Instead of hitting a three wood off the fourteenth tee over the water hazard at the country club, her little golf buddies WOULD PUTT OVER THE FOOTBRIDGE!

Now my mother and I are being dropped off at my mother's house.

One of the ladies: (Addressing my mother.) Oh, Cat! Are those your golf shoes?
Mother: Onitsuka Tigers?
One of the ladies: Adidas.
Mother: Mary must have forgotten hers. 'Bye! See you next week!
勝美: Cat?
Mother: I think they think my name is Catherine.

In romaji, her name is Katsumi. Kah as in the sound a crow makes, tsu as in tsunami and mi, a name I call myself. So how anyone gets "Cat" out of Katsumi is beyond me. Which can either be a boys' name or a girls' name depending on how it is spelled.

Katsumi spelled 勝美 is a girls' name meaning "beautiful victory". Or "victorious beauty". So does Veronica.

Japanese people do not have middle names. Many Japanese-American children have "American" "first" names and Japanese middle names. Except most Japanese-American families are in America for at least several generations so the middle names are dated. Old fashioned. Names you wouldn't commonly hear in Japan nowadays. Kind of the equivalent of Destiny Gertrude Smith or LaChannette Mathilda Jones. How many young girls do you know named Gertrude or Mathilda? See what I mean?

My mother, being an FOB immigrant, realized this. My mother westernized her name and my parents named me after themselves.

So. Instead of Destiny 勝美 or LaChannette 勝美, I am Veronica Arthur.

5. If you could travel back in time, where and when would you go?

The Imperial court in Heian-kyo (modern day Kyoto) during the Heian period. Specifically 1000 — 1012 during which 紫式部 / Lady Murasaki wrote the world's first novel, The Tale of Genji.

Photograph of Lady Murasaki toiling away. 'Cause that's how Nikon cameras worked in the 11th century.

Friday 5 for April 10th: Excitement in the domicile. Questions courtesy of Scrivener. Thank you!

This week's topic reminds me of SCANDAL's hit single from 2013, SCANDAL In The House.

1. In what way have you recently been naughty?

Perfect angel. Penalties for sinning double during Lent.

2. What’s the closest you’ve been to death-defying these past few weeks?

Went to grocery store on the south side of town because Piggly Wiggly and Pick 'N' Save do not carry sushi-grade rice.

Unfortunately I am out of Hello Kitty coronavirus masks. Which are way cooler than BTS coronavirus masks.

3. What temptations have you recently resisted?

Once again, it is Lent. A time of special prayer and religious fasting. No alcohol. no tobacco, no meat. No candy or cake or ice cream.

Look what I found in the frozen section! Takoyaki! I'm pretty sure takoyaki is "safe for Lent" because octopus is seafood but to me it is a treat and therefore must be avoided. And takoyaki sauce and Kewpie mayonnaise and seaweed is not included.

4. What’s something you wish you didn’t recently see?

Official French navy jersey. On sale. Only $63.00.

Same as Brigette Bardot and Andy Warhol.

I hope the president sends me my check pretty soon 'cause I've been doing enough shopping to stimulate two economies.

5. What behavior from others are you excusing nowadays?

Myrtle looks an awful lot like an African Black-Footed Cat.

So much like an African Black-Footed Cat that the last time I went to the zoo with my friend Spewgie, her daughter Spewgie Jr and my nieces, they thought I was playing some kind of an elaborate trick on them by arranging with the zookeepers to put Myrtie on display.

It happened to be feeding time. The zookeeper was able to reassure us the cat on display wasn't Myrtle. She was putting on a pair of electrician's gloves (industrial-strength opera gloves). Why are you wearing gloves? She rolled up her shirt sleeve. Her forearm was covered in scars. Even though the African Black-Footed Cat looks like a housecat, it is the deadliest of the wild cats. Including lions and tigers. So. If you are ever taking a midnight stroll in Zimbabwe and see a cute little cat and it doesn't answer when you call "Myrtle! Myr Myr!" run like hell. Or go for walks with someone slower than you.

Myr Myr isn't used to me being home so much. Yesterday I accidentally stumbled across her top secret cats-only hiding place. I have often wondered what happens to my panties and socks. It's not the Clothes Dryer Monster after all. She made herself a silk and wool and I suppose 2% spandex nest. Now she is giving me the cold shoulder. Well two can play at this game, sister. We'll just see who has the opposable thumbs and can operate the can opener.