Names

I've got a weird fascination with names.  I know it sounds strange, but I believe that names have power in them.  Not to the point of ancient mythology know a person’s name and you can control and bind them kind of power, but a calmer, quieter power that is quite impossible to actually explain properly.  Because of that, I avoid using people's names. I don't necessarily do it on purpose, but I've noticed that it happens.  In conversation, I'll use general descriptors, or vague hand gestures and let other participants fill in the names for me.  I think I say "What's his face" or "What's her face" more than I use all real names combined.  Or when I do have to refer to people by name, it's generally some bastardized form of a nickname.  One that isn't actually their name or a name they go by, because for some reason that helps minimize the damage. A friend named Gwendolyn becomes "Doly." A friend named Robert becomes "Bobert." And people just roll with it.

To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure why I get away with making up nicknames that people didn't ask for, want, or need.  Maybe it's because I'm so incredibly charming.  More likely, people just understand that I am strange, and roll with my weird little name game because I'm not likely to stop anytime soon. 

Perhaps that's why I am so comfortable with the variety of nicknames that people come up with for me.  When I was asked today what version of my name I wanted put on a name tag, I genuinely didn't care which was written down.  When no one else would decide for me, I just went for the nickname that was the most all-encompassing, and assumed that people would continue to call me whatever they were already calling me.  Because people can call me whatever they want, even late to dinner (because nine times out of ten, I am late to dinner).  I don't really care.

Well, except for Becky. Don't ever call me Becky.

<3