Maddenation
Meet Nancy Raccoon
Please join us in welcoming the newest member of the family, Nancy Raccoon, our dog. We went today to the Saint Bernard Rescue, where she had been for the past month or so. She is approximately four months old. She is a very well behaved dog, though she is not really trained in the least. The kids and Karina fell in love with her right away. I was reluctant. But they prevailed (hey, I love them; I want to give them what they want (sometimes)), and we brought her home today.
But what about her name?
Actually, I’ll tell you the half of it, and you see if you can figure the rest of it out. As you can see from the photos, she has black around her eyes. Thus the Rescue people gave her the name “Raccoon.” Fine.
Even though the dog doesn’t really know her name yet, the kids seemed to pick right up on it, and I kinda like the idea of having a dog named Raccoon (to confuse people!), and we couldn’t really think of anything else better, so we decided to stick with the name she came with.
From there it was only a short step to the name we ended up with. Can you explain it (in detail)?
Anyway, the kids and Karina are very very happy. I am adjusting.
Patrick • News • 04/29/06 • 5 comments
Comments
Dad • 04/30/06 • 9:16 AM:I’m not sure why you named her Nancy, but I think her original name was Magil.
David • 04/30/06 • 11:55 AM:Duh!? Uncle Jeff’s old girlfriend!
Dan • 04/30/06 • 6:00 PM:Please ask Nancy why she calls herself Lill.
Was anybody “shminking” of gin while they thought of this name?!
Anyway, I’m pretty sure your new dog is from somewhere in the black moutain hills of Dakota.
Patrick • 04/30/06 • 8:16 PM:David’s right!
OK. So, seriously, Dad & Dan “got” it, but what’s the backstory? First of all, Dad, I assumed it meant that Rocky’s former girlfriend’s last name was Magill, since the Beatles wrote this before the current annoying trend of throwing last names as first names (“I’d like you to meet my daughter MacKenzie!” Me (thinking): “Doesn’t the Mac prefix mean “son of?”)
Anyway, you have to think beyond the Beatles’ lyrics to a different outcome, no?
Dan • 05/01/06 • 1:52 AM:“Doc, it’s only a scratch.”
Pato told me last night that you guys got a dog and its name is “Raccoon”. I thought, “Um, okay…?” But goodness when I saw “Nancy Raccoon” I was floored. On one level, it’s a cute clever name from a Beatles song. What better way to teach your children rock and roll? And the song itself is unique because it’s not a conventional verse-refrain-verse-refrain mold, rather a musical parable about making mistakes and becoming a better person through learning and adjusting. And about that Gideon’s Bible, well, Rocky finds inspiration through faith, which in turn gives him the courage to go get Nancy. The “idea” behind the name Nancy Raccoon, that it links to these other levels of a person’s experience, is a wonderful example of being artistic and creative, and it shows how art and creativity can make people happy!
So you know, I still remember the day I “discovered” this song. I was no more than 13 years old when I was listening to Pat’s CD version of “The White Album” in my room and about 30 seconds in I said, “Woah woah woah. Why have I NEVER heard this song?!” It has been one of my very very very favorites since then.
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