I Need My Own "Restaurant Name"

Random ramblings:
First off, I'm thinking about adopting my very own "restaurant name". You know, something distinctive yet not a stretch to pronounce - easy to handle, even for self-absorbed and distracted hostesses who are preoccupied with their cell-phones or giggling with the gaggle of wait-staff who hang around the front desk, hiding from their tables.

Here's the scenario: I walk in and ask for a table; Bambi hands me one of those paging devices; I tell them my name.

• "Garret?"
  
• "No, Derek."
• "So that's table for two; David."
  
• "No, table for two, Derek."
  
• "Okay; was that Gary or Darrell?"
  
• "No, Derek, D.e.r.e.k., Derek."
  
• "Right, whatever, Eric."
  
• "You're getting closer, and it might help if you were looking at me instead of the text message you're writing. One more time: my name is Fred; F.r.e.d., Fred."

I'm open to suggestions.

FUNNY:
That reminds me of Valentines Day. A last minute change of plans had us scrambling for a restaurant. Our favorite place had people waiting out in the parking lot, and they said they'd been out there over an hour. As I walked to the desk to put in our name a guy stumbled into me from the bar.

• "'Excuse me," he said. "You just get here?"
• "That's right," I replied.
  
• "Party of two."
  
• "Uh huh."
  
• "We're leaving," he said. "Been here 90 minutes. Take this pager. Remember, your name is George." And off he went.

Before I had a chance to reach the hostess the pager he handed me went off in my hand. She looked at me and I raised one eyebrow. "George?" she asked. "Please follow me."

TWO WEDDINGS:
This is a two-wedding weekend. Wedding # 1 was 1:00 in the afternoon, on a Friday. It was two of the young-adults in our congregation, and they simply wanted an intimate, family occasion. It's one of the great privileges of being married to the pastor that I'm always an insider, even with the most close-knit groups. I've included a rough cell-phone picture of the nieces and nephews.

The afternoon wedding reception pretty much ran into the rehearsal for the Saturday event, a much bigger, more traditional affair. Again, and not the norm, both young people are from our church. They play in the praise-band together, part of our very dynamic brass ensemble.

More people should attend weddings. Not only to support and encourage the newlyweds, but because good weddings are wonderful reminders and inspirations, especially for those who are struggling. A marriage that works is a great work of art.