Friends give us stuff to think about.... in A New Beginning

Recently a dear online friend of many years, Patrisha, has given me so much to think about in her entries. One of those things is names. She has been reading a book that I thought sounded so interesting, so I ordered it too: “Women, Their Names, and the Stories They Tell: Where We’ve Been, Where We Are, Where We are Going” by Elisabeth P. Wangaman, Ph.D. Since I am a person who normally goes by a name other than the one my parents gave me, this subject seems like one of my cups of tea! Patrisha wrote about her name, and her feelings about it and experiences with it, and I want to do that too.

My parents named me Linda Lee. It is an alright name. There are many names that are much worse! ;o) !! This is what people called me all through my growing-up years. When I was little, and way up ‘til I was big enough to find it aggravating, my Dad called me “Little Monkey” or “Little Feller.” I followed him around like a puppydog clear up til I was school age, so I am sure I liked him calling me those things for a time, at least.

My Mom sometimes called me “Squirt,” which was also ok with me, and my sister Sandy has always called me Linda Lee much of the time. I like that a lot, better than just Linda.

I have always preferred nicknames. To my mind, “Linda,” while alright, is not a “fun” name. It’s not colorful or, well, sporty. Linda Lee is better, and so is Linda Lou. A co-worker years ago started out calling me Linda Lou, and then that evolved (or devolved?) to Lou, and then, Lou-Lou. I LOVED the Lou-Lou! A good friend during my college years called me Linnie, and I loved that too. One of Joe’s nicknames for me has been Leefus, or Linda Leefus, which I also love.

It became a source of embarrassment to me that “Linda” means “beautiful,” because when I was in high school so many of the boys thought it was their calling to tell me I was ugly. :oO !!

Linda was a very popular name the year Mom chose it for me. There were always other girls named Linda in my classes at school....and a fair share of Belindas as well. That never bothered me though. Sometimes I’ve had best friends, or very good friends, named Linda! In seventh and eighth grade a good friend whose house I went to a lot was Linda Ford. My best friend all through high school was not Linda, but Belinda Bailey. As an adult, when we lived in England, I had TWO best friends named Linda! Linda LeBlanc (that was me), Linda Betts, and Linda Borscani! I have one friend named Linda now. But I don’t know what happened to alllllllllllll the other Lindas!

The name I chose for myself, and go by everyplace but at work, is Nicky. Everyone tells me that I am MUCH more like a Nicky than a Linda. I think that is true. “Linda” seems quiet, studious, and rather serious. (Which I actually used to be!) But I am not that way now, for the most part. Nicky is quite outgoing, funny, perky, gabby, and full of fun. Nicky can also be rather masculine at times. I need a name that can go for either gender, and Nicky can. Linda can’t. Linda has to be a girl. Nicky can be whatever she feels like being at the time.

Of course, there are a few other things people call me. Joe rarely calls me Linda OR Nicky; he usually calls me Honey-Bear, but Sweetie-Pie gets used rather often too, The kids both called me Mama when they were little, and Mom now. And my sisters call me Sis. We sisters all call one another Sis! ;o) !!

That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it! :oD !!

hugs and blessings,
Nicky