Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Namedropping


Once again, for lack of other interesting news in the life of Ricardipus, I throw out a totally unrelated subject for your interest/apathy/hostile reaction. Many of you have been asking: "Why the name 'Ricardipus'?"

[Editorial note: NOBODY has actually been asking this. It's a literary device to get me out of having nothing useful to say today. Unlike every other day, of course.]

I could have used the first letter of my first name, like Zoe uses Zed (U.S. based readers: much of the rest of the world calls the letter Z 'zed', not 'zee' - now you know) , but "ARRRR" is hardly very catchy, unless it's Talk Like A Pirate Day, the last instance of which, come to think of it, was also the 650th anniversary of the Battle of Poitiers. Dawn posts as 'Dawn', which is admittedly pretty tricky. I dare you to suggest that she do otherwise. Scaryduck chose his name for some complicated reason that you'll have to ask him to explain. Rik is Rik because Rik is Rik. QED.

So: 'Ricardipus', because:

1) It was the name of a Roman noble who was famous for mercilessly blogging (oops, I mean "flogging") his servants. [Note: this is almost certainly untrue.]

2) I was going to call the blog 'My Wife's Husband is a Twat', but it seemed a bit close to something that had been taken already.

3) 'Ricardipus' is the genus name of a rare flowering plant, Ricardipus mimulosa, which grows exclusively on the Oak Ridges Moraine, not a stone's throw from my home. [Note: this is also almost certainly untrue.]

4) I couldn't think of anything else.

5) I have previously been referred to as being a bit of a goof, and 'Ricardipus' is, you must admit, a pretty goofy handle.

or,

6) There is absolutely no good reason at all.

That should be an adequately unsatisfying answer, I think, for the two or three of you who asked.

Remember: once you name a thing, you can control it. Allegedly.

12 comments:

Unknown said...

I know why. You're an alcoholic. It's an anagram of:

I sup Ricard!

Richard Wintle said...

Better than "Ricard is pu" I suppose.

And I should point out that it's *your* blog that's called "Publog" ;)

WrathofDawn said...

*ahem!*

I'll remind you that I once asked, many, many moons ago. Got pretty much the same answer, too.

At least you keep your stories straight.

Bob said...

Ricardipus is also an anagram of "air curd sip", so perhaps you are a sipper of curded air?

Rik said...

Doing an anagram of your full name, I came across your long lost latin family motto... "Whirl Ad Cretin," Latin for a spin the idiot.

#Debi said...

I obviously have not had my coffee yet this AM. In reading #5, instead of "goof" I read "poof", then went "WHA...?"


I really should go start the coffee now...

Richard Wintle said...

"Whirl ad Cretin".

I like.

Debi - no. But there's one (self-proclaimed) that visits my office almost daily.

Dawn - recycling blog material is what we do here at Chateau Ricardipus, you know.

bob - you need to post something over at your place... ;)

Unknown said...

Sorry RP, I seem to have started a trend!
I am not an alcoholic. If you read Keiths' site, he'll tell you I'm a pisshead. So there!!

zoe said...

but i still don't know what the answer is. and that's annoying me.

WrathofDawn said...

I'm with you Zoe. And it was in your comments that I asked what Ricardipus meant or how it began. I think...

You want I should go over there and punch him inna nose?

I'll need a ladder...

Richard Wintle said...

Your memory is correct oh Wrathful One, which is why this post is 100% post-consumer recycled material.

You two wanna punch me inna nose? C'mon, I dares ya!!!

*dances around threateningly*

*then runs away slightly less threateningly*

*then hides in a totally chicken way*

WrathofDawn said...

*takes a sip of coffee from teh excellent CAG mug, sighs*

Silly goose.