a new look, a new name

Hey look!! A new design!! Yaaaaay!!

I really didn't know yesterday morning when I posted that the new design would be up so soon. Obviously I never had time to really think through the whole FAQ issue and make a page/add a link...oh well. I guess if there are any truly frequently asked questions, I could always put them on the 'about me' page. I love the new design, but I'm still working on some things-- like updating the info on the About Me page, maybe the Infertility/Adoption page (if I'm feeling ambitious), and trying to figure out how to make the mobile page look right. Right now it looks like if I enable the mobile version, then I lose my header at the top (and it's just boring text saying 'something beautiful'). If I disable the mobile version, then obviously you see the whole blog and all of the design, but...it's not a mobile page, so it's a lot more scrolling and squinting and kind of annoying. I'm hoping to figure out how to get the best of both worlds (the way it used to be...with my header visible in the mobile version), but haven't gotten there quite yet.

Anyway. All in all, I'm thrilled with the new look and very thankful to The Fairy Blogmother for her hard work! If you're bored with your current setup and want to let someone else do all the hard work of redesigning it for you, I would definitely recommend checking Erika out! And if you do, you should also let her know that I sent her your way-- she's going to give me 10% of any purchases (that I refer...not like, all of her purchases for the rest of her life. Sadly.)! So if you love me and you want me to buy more lipstick, you should totally do that. If you don't, you should definitely not. 

I've probably mentioned this a thousand times before, but Matt and I spend a lot of time in the car together commuting to and from work. I'm glad we get to ride together, because that means the time isn't quite so 'wasted'...at least we're spending time together, right? Even if it's not particularly fun. To be honest, I spend most of the time zoning out on my phone, but sometimes you reach The End of the Internet and even that can't entertain you. 

Then you take selfies and have long mental debates over whether trying to wear your decidedly not-curly hair 'curly' for the day was actually a good idea or not. 

Jury's still out, but we're going with it for the day.

All throughout our commutes we listen to NPR (who FINALLY finished the annual 'membership drive' that felt like it lasted two years), which is both educational and entertaining. For the past few days, we've been noting how exotic and unusual all of the NPR reporters'/correspondents'/anchors' names are. It was one of those things where Matt pointed it out one day and I was like "okay, sure..." but then you start paying attention, and after a few days it was like no seriously, why are all of their names so fancy??! We have some theories.

1. They are highly discriminatory in their hiring practices. They throw John Henderson and Linda Johnson's resumes in the trash the minute they see them. No boring name people need apply.

2. They're all pen names or stage names or whatever. FAKE. When you get hired on to work with NPR, you get to pick your new name.

3. It's all real and legit. Somehow, people with fancy names are drawn to liking NPR and going to journalism school or majoring in international affairs. Then they apply to work for NPR, and they are both qualified AND have the bonus of a lovely name, so they get hired and put on the air.

I have no idea what the truth actually is, but in the event that it's number 2 (heh heh, number 2), Matt and I decided we'd better prepare ourselves. We picked out our NPR names. This could come in handy if we ever need to use aliases for anything. Or go into Witness Protection. Or maybe if we just get tired of our regular old boring names.

I'm Alessandria Morelli.

He's Jorge Ricochi. 

These are both pronounced with lovely accents and lots of flair.

So now that you know THAT, it's time to go. For NPR in Athens, Georgia, I'm Alessandria Morelli.