Drum Roll, Please...

Okay so it's not exactly a drum roll and it's not even a recent video, but the resident drummer had already gone to bed before I started to write this post. I would not win Mother of the Year if I made him get up just to make me a pertinent video, so this is what I've got. So, drum roll please....

After reviewing the suggestions you all made in Wordplay on Wednesday, I have come to a very important decision... I can't possibly narrow the selection down to just one.

Your suggestions were so amazing, so dead-on perfect for what I need that it seems we have a slew of kitten namers among us.

The Selection

The first name that I've chosen is for the legal business name. Several criterion went into the selection process. First, I had to love the sound of it. Second, I had to be able to register it as a legal business entity in Macomb County, Michigan. Third, I had to be able to acquire a dot com web domain with that name (and only that name) dot com. My new business name? The Whisker Watch

I am so excited! After lots of consideration and playing around the with alternatives, this feels completely right to me. It fits the qualifications above and I will be on my way to the county building to register my name first thing this morning.

So who wins this part of the naming contest? Well... I was the first to suggest it, but I've named plenty of kittens. My husband picked it as his favorite of everything mentioned, but he's already named a kitten too. In fact, he insisted upon a kitten named Wilhelmina. I shortened that behemoth of a moniker to Willie Rae. Her forever family re-named her Ruby.

Seeing that we have kept every foster kitten he has named, he doesn't get to name another one.

One other person chimed in with Whisker Watch, leaving off the word "the". For various personal reasons, I'm choosing to keep the article though. I am "The Watch", just as my military husband is part of "The Watch" in defending our country and my retired police officer father was part of "The Watch" in keeping our neck of the woods safe. So the "the" stays and Chris gets to name the first Monroe kitten! (Chris, when the Monroes arrive I will post photos with genders. Just e-mail me your choice and kitten and his or her name and it shall be so!)

Another part of the reason I chose this? Well, ever since the name popped into my head, I've been visualizing a logo that looked something like this:

Of course, it would have to be drawn by someone who actually knew what they were doing with a computer graphics program. That person isn't me, so consider this a prototype.

The Others

Yes, there's more! As I considered the other suggestions, I realized that so many of them had something very relevant to say about my business... and you'll find them on the website once I have it up and running. The people who made the following suggestions will also gain rights to name a kitten:

The second name that I chose actually spawned an idea for an entire new service that I will be offering. If you're like me, you've had mornings when you reached into the cupboard to discover that you were completely out of pet food (It happens more often than you would think around here with teenagers who feed but forget to inform their mother that we are out of food). For established clients with keys in my lock box, all it takes is a phone call and The Whisker Wizard will work her magic, running to the store and making sure that Fido or Fluffy are well fed while their human friends are at work. 

SC Amy names Monroe kitten number two. Thank you!

The third Monroe kitten will be named by the person who suggested Whisker Wrangler, which is the exact description of taking Charlie for a walk... wrangling.

"Charlie's an excellent walker. Look at how pleasant walking with Charlie can be!"

Dog walks will be under the heading Whisker Wrangling. This suggestion came from two sources:

• The first person left the comment anonymously. If you are Anonymous, let me know who you are (you can send an e-mail if you prefer to teenytinytabbies AT gmail DOT com). As long as only one Anonymous responds (be honest), he or she will choose the name of the third kitten. Edited to Add: Kathryn is anonymous no longer! She will get the rights to name our kitten number three. :) 
• The other source? My parents, who sent several e-mails with ideas and Whisker Wrangler was one of them. If Anonymous does not step forward, then they get to name Monroe kitten number three. If Anonymous does end up naming a kitten, then my parents get to name the first kitten of the Jackson litter. Don't worry about them having to wait. They're incredibly patient. After all, they've been putting up with me for decades ;)

But I'm not even done yet...

Other suggestions were made that were absolutely phenomenal, but would be better used in future plans that I have. I have them written down in my business plan along with the name of the person who left it in the comments. If I use anything you have suggested in the future, you will be rewarded with the opportunity to name a future kitten in the rescue. I don't forget my debts... and I owe a ton of them to all of you.

Also...

The Jacksons? I'm planning for the Jacksons already? Gee, I hope there are five of them ;)

Have a great weekend everyone. Mama Clarice goes back to adoption hours tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed and, if you are so inclined, share share share!