Nicknames

While at the gym today, I listened to the song "Blue" by Eiffel 65, in which the main lyrics are: I'm blue da ba dee da ba die...Maybe you remember it. This song reminded me of how, when I was 14 years old, I decided it would be a good idea to create a new nickname for myself. I was going to start high school in a few months and was pretty much the new girl, so people wouldn't know if I had gone by that name since birth or not. My nickname of choice? Blue.

Oh god I was a moron. But my sister was partly to blame. We came up with this idea because my middle name is Jean and we were like "Blue Jean, hahaha". The other large factor going into the stupendously stupid nickname idea was the fact that 90% of my wardrobe consisted of baby blue t-shirts. I was a fiend for the color. So our plan was that my sister (who already went to that school) would call me Blue, and it would catch on. Thankfully, I grew some more brain cells over the summer or something, because I decided to keep my regular name upon entering high school.

However, sophomore year I tried to really embrace the French-ness of my name, and started writing it Joélle. You'd think the accent would help the morons who pronounced my name Joel-lee. It didn't.

Let's backtrack though, to some other nicknames, the ones I was and am actually called. I was Jo Jo until I was seven years old. I remember the day I discovered my name was actually Joelle. I was in the kitchen with my mom, sitting in front of the microwave, probably watching my mac and cheese revolve under the lights. My sister was asking how to spell her middle name (Kathryn is very difficult) and I asked my mom what my full name was. When she said "Joelle," I was shocked. I said it a few times, to test it out on my lips. It felt funny. I remained Jo Jo for a long time after, so long in fact, that I remember receiving a birthday check from my aunt the day I turned 14, and it was written out to Jo Jo.

My favorite nickname is Joey, and it's probably because that's what another dear aunt of mine calls me (to this very day). I like it also because of the "y" , which is a term of endearment, like how in Spanish you might add "ito" or "cito" to a name. You know, Pablo becomes Pablito, Abuela becomes Abuelita, etc. It's like saying Jessy instead of Jess, or Grammy instead of Grandma. Basically, it sounds like you are loved.

Somewhere during my adolescence my family decided to endear me less, because I became Jo. I am Jo all the time. Which is fine, but it seems so very plain. It's the shortest nickname I have, so I guess if you are trying to call for me from across the house, it's effective.

In college I once had the nickname "Stretch" for two weeks. The guy who gave it to me thought he was being clever because I am only 5 feet tall. But I'm pretty sure he called me that because he thought I was cute, him being 6' 3" and all.

Once, while in Mexico, I took on the moniker of "Super Model Poncho" due to my awesome see-through-plastic-outerwear that saved me during the daily torrential downpours in Morelia.

The name I hear most often now is "Teacher." Teacher teacher, look! Teacher, I need help. Teacher, can I go to the bathroom. Teacher, he hit me. Teacher teacher teacher.

But at least no one refers to me as one of the primary colors.