i. Some Abbrevs
Because We Are Very Busy, we cannot say every word all the way through. We understand mortality and its implications, and shortening words packs as much excitement into life as possible.Some shortened words:
w/r/t=With Respect To
Probs = Probably
Obvs = Obviously
Totes = Totally
Defo = Definitely
Mos Def = Most Definitely
Whatevs= Whatever
This's=This is
Hands Down Totes = Without a Doubt, Absolutely.
JK=Just Kidding
LOL = Only intended for past tense usage or oral speech, not appropriate to represent present tense laughter as in "lol" w/o the "I am loling" or something like that.
ii. Definition of the word "Critter."
I've asked Cait, the Critter authority, to provide a definition of the word "Critter."
Critter: A critter is someone who does things that normal people do in a way cuter than the average person. It can be used as a noun, adjective, or a greeting. For example, Haviland is a total critter. Alexandra Vega has critterish tendencies. If I was to see you on the street randomly I might say, "Hey Crit."
Examples of critter behavior are as follows: being super cute and fun all the time, not causing drama, wearing hoodies that make you want to cuddle no matter what your relationship is, a stranger being super nice for no reason for no personal benefit for themselves, making the best out of awful situations, always being up for anything.
Critter is totally not a sexual term at all, although obvs we've probs all had sex with critters, it is by no means a qualification for the term.
Pop culture references to critters: Brandon Walsh, Uncle Jesse, Charlotte York, Shane when she's your friend, ALICE obvs, Marie Lyn Bernard/Riese.
iii. The Name "Riese"
As a little girl, my Mother used to call me "Ree" or "Ree-Ree." She also sometimes called me "pumpkin-head." "Ree" of course is short for "Marie," my real name. Howevs, Marie conjures images of powdered wigs and other such things, not fitting to a rascal like me. This nickname continues to this day.
Krista and Ingrid were my suitemates in boarding school in 1997-98, we were very busy, they too often called me "Ree," but with a sort of soft "s" at the end. We called Ingrid, "Ing," that's how busy we were. So, we wrote a lot of notes to each other, as suitemates, e.g., "took your shirt," "meet me at the mel-caf" etc, and Krista always wrote "Ris" -- pronounced "Reese." I don't know why, it's just what she did.
When I met Haviland in '06 she said she didn't think the name "Marie" fit me -- and I think she saw something somewhere in my room where Krista had written something to me and written "Ris" (Krista and I also lived together as adults) and so Hav started calling me "Ris" and introducing me to everyone that way. Then we realised that when people saw that written out, they thought it was pronounced like it rhymes with "Kiss." So, 'cause I also felt it suited me better, my agent and I figured out a better way to spell it, and thus it became me. Ta-dA!
