Going to the Birds

First, the poll: would you meet someone who only knows you as a female, when you are in drab?  For instance, a t-friend you met as part of a group, or the woman who does your mani-pedi.  Assume they know you're trans.  The choices are:
* yes, if s/he's trans too
* yes, if  s/he's a civilian only
* unqualified yes
* no

This one's important.

I have a bird.  She's a baby cinnamon pearl cockatiel, born in mid-June.

Ain't she cute?

She doesn't have a real name yet.  She doesn't really have a gender yet.  I call her "she" because, well, why not?  If she turns out to be a he, she won't be offended, I'm sure.  I mean, I never am.

So I've been mulling over a name.  I'm leaning towards gender bending names, but I'm still open.

• Lola, or Arnold Layne: two musical gender benders.  Plus, Lola has the "Damn Yankees" siren aura.
• Holly: Another musical reference ("Walk on the Wild Side") AND a Red Dwarf shout out.  Holly was the ship's computer which appeared as a head on a monitor.  In one episode, he met his female counterpart ("Hilly") and between seasons, he had a "head sex change operation" and, although still called Holly, presented as Hilly.
• Dil, from The Crying Game.
• Mr or Miss {something}, although I'm not sure what.  Doubtfire, possibly.
• Daphne or Josephine, from Some Like It Hot (or Hildy or Buffy from Bosom Buddies). (And if you're curious, look at bosombuddies.com :) )
• Rebel ("not sure if you're a boy or a girl").
• a random name that means something to me, like Catan (a game I enjoy) or Gem (short for "Gemini," since she's a Gemini.
• Brewster, McCloud, or Louise from "Brewster McCloud," the story of a boy who made wings to fly away (good movie, by the way!).
• Icarus or Daedelus, also people who made wings but the temptation to call her "Icky" or "Daedy" would be too great.
• Neil, as in Neil Young.  She's a Cinnamon Pearl, he wrote Cinnamon Girl.

 I like Gem, but I think she needs a two-syllable name.

I've been calling her Gem anyway.  I don't think it will stick.

Sometimes, we call her "Boo" or "Chicky Boo" which I really don't like but it seems natural and is growing on me.  To find out why, look here.

Frankly, if we're going with an Animaniacs, I'd go with Buttons or Mindy. And if she's a talker, I will work hard to get her to say "OK lady, I love you, bye bye."

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