I’ve never been one to name faceless objects, like cars. But I call my TomTom a name because I selected for her a voice that was prenamed Mandy. She talks to me, gives me directions, so when I consult her, I call her by name. Mandy.
My new iPod touch doesn’t talk to me, but I’ve grown very close to him in the week and a half since we’ve been together. I consult him for a great many things, so he deserved a name too. I need to be able to say, “What time does the movie start? I better ask So-and-so.” Or, “So-and-so told me it would rain today.” Or, “I need to record my caloric intake with So-and-so.”
I decided on John Henry. Not based on the folkloric hero John Henry, but rather the character from The Sarah Connor Chronicles that was named after the folkloric hero. He’s a cyborg.
Rob and I are really into the Terminator mythology and are quite sad that The Sarah Connor Chronicles wasn’t allowed to have a third season. We’ve just started watching Battlestar Galactica, and I think we were smart to wait until the entire series concluded, so we know we have a definitive series finale to look forward to.
And who knew, it deals with the same human vs. robot dynamic we so enjoy.
Kari Neumeyer 