One of my uncles gave all us kids nicknames when we were little. The only one that really stuck was my half-brother, Bo. My nickname was Pete, but only my uncle called me that. I guess I inherited that trait from him because all my life I have been giving different people nicknames. Some stuck, some didn’t.
The thing about nicknames is that they’re not always flattering, or you might get one in an unusual way. A guy I knew as a kid was called Crip because he only had one arm. Another guy was called Peg because he only had one leg. Very non-PC nicknames. As for me, the one that caused me the most grief was not nearly as hurtful, but it started when a friend was behind me in the school picture line in the 6th or 7th grade and overheard the photographer say, “Come on Pieface, smile.” He was trying to get me to smile, but waiting just outside the door was Allen McNabb, and he started howling. So from then on, I was Pieface or sometimes just Pie. Luckily, it didn’t catch on with too many people.
Along those same lines, Doug Christian was called Albert, which was short for Fat Albert. If you could see me know, you would know God has gotten me back for that one.
During my Air Force years, I had the same nickname no matter where I went. I bet you can’t guess what it was. Yep, Elvis. I guess that’s what you would call a natural nickname. As for me, I went through a phase in the Air Force where I hung the name Bob after everybody’s name, including females; Joe-Bob, Bill-Bob, even Mary-Bob, and there were even a couple of Bob-Bobs. I sort of made them all southern.
This habit naturally passed on to my family. Sue, she prefers Susan, cringes when I call her Suzie. Doug was Pondah when he was little because he couldn’t say Partner, which was what I originally called him. Amy was Ames or Amesarie since her full name is Amy Marie. Michael was Mick. Sue’s mom didn’t like shortened names so she didn’t want me calling him Mike. Christopher was Cripper because when he was little he couldn’t pronounce his own name. Sarah has always been girlfriend.
And I can call any of them baby at any time; even Doug who is 38.
As for the grand kids, only 3 have nicknames. Sean is Boy-o, Owen is O-bo and Logan is Doodah. Like their parents, I can also call any of the grandkids baby or sweetie at any time.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
A Couple of Odds and Ends
Sometimes I wish life had an “Undo” button. I’ve never killed anyone, or even came close, and I haven’t exactly laid waste to any of the other Commandments either. Okay, well, maybe one or two, but this isn’t meant to be a confessional, so I’m not going into detail. All I really mean is that I wish I could go back and change some things, and for some reason it seems the ones further back still bug me more than I thought they would.
I think it’s the realization that the further back I go, the less likely that I can do something to mend things. Or, maybe I just don’t want to admit that sometimes I was not a little angel. They’re not really major things, or at least I don’t think they are, but there must be some reason I still remember them. There is even the possibility that the some of the other people involved might not even remember it the way I do, if they remember it at all.
I’m not stressed over it. It’s just something that crosses my mind from time to time.
Have your taste buds changed? Based upon when and where I was raised, there are some things that I should like but I don’t.
• Black eyed peas
• Navy beans
• Rhubarb
• Turnips – although I love turnip greens
On the other hand, there are some things I do like that I would not have touched 50 years ago
• Bleu cheese
• Cottage Cheese
• Rye bread
There was a time you couldn’t get me to eat tuna, now I love it. I am the same way with onions; I used to hate them, now I put them in as many things as I can. However, I used to eat a lot of cake, and it didn’t matter what kind it was, but now I rarely touch it. I used to drink a lot of coffee, but I don’t do that anymore either. In fact, the smell of flavored coffee turns my stomach, so I don’t get near Starbucks.
I think it’s the realization that the further back I go, the less likely that I can do something to mend things. Or, maybe I just don’t want to admit that sometimes I was not a little angel. They’re not really major things, or at least I don’t think they are, but there must be some reason I still remember them. There is even the possibility that the some of the other people involved might not even remember it the way I do, if they remember it at all.
I’m not stressed over it. It’s just something that crosses my mind from time to time.
Have your taste buds changed? Based upon when and where I was raised, there are some things that I should like but I don’t.
• Black eyed peas
• Navy beans
• Rhubarb
• Turnips – although I love turnip greens
On the other hand, there are some things I do like that I would not have touched 50 years ago
• Bleu cheese
• Cottage Cheese
• Rye bread
There was a time you couldn’t get me to eat tuna, now I love it. I am the same way with onions; I used to hate them, now I put them in as many things as I can. However, I used to eat a lot of cake, and it didn’t matter what kind it was, but now I rarely touch it. I used to drink a lot of coffee, but I don’t do that anymore either. In fact, the smell of flavored coffee turns my stomach, so I don’t get near Starbucks.
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Cars
There are few things that have changed in my lifetime more than the car. There are plenty of new things; computers, microwaves, etc., and the cellphone is new too since there are still desk phones, but the car is still around.
My first car, which I’ve mentioned here many times, was a 1962 Chevy II. It had a straight 6 engine, 3 speed on the column (3 on the tree), bench seats, both front and back, crank windows, window wings, an AM radio and a heater. The seats were covered with naugahyde that dried from the sun, then cracked and split, leaving gaping holes. A lot of folks tried to mend those with duct tape, which led to black, sticky streaks on everything, especially your best shirt.
Back then, it was something special to have bucket seats or a floor shifter. Now I wish I had my bench seat back.
Then they hit us with FM radio to go with the AM, but it wasn’t that much better. AM was bad enough since it would drop the signal when you drove under a bridge or get drowned out by static when you drove under a high power line, and heaven forbid that high power line be on the side of the road you were on or the static would follow you for miles. The FM side was filled with talk radio and elevator music.
Air conditioning came next I guess. I hardly used my for the first several years, but now I use it a lot, even sometimes in the winter. Car dealers sure played this up, and charged for it too.
Next I guess were power windows and power locks, but they did away with the window wing and I miss them since they offered fresh air to just you if that’s what you wanted.
Then it really began to snowball in the 80s. Sunroofs, cassette and then CD players to go along with the AM/FM, cruise control, power mirrors, thermometers, trip computers, onboard computers, and on and on to GPS and even WIFI hotspots. The car now costs almost as much as a house.
Also, when I raise my hood, I wishe I still knew what half that stuff under there is. You used to be able to sit on the wheel well and work on the motor. It was nothing to change your oil or even replace a water pump or generator, well, outside of a few skinned knuckles that is. There was ample room to work and get the leverage you needed. Not anymore.
All in all, there is a lot more gadgets in a car now – a lot of things you ‘must have’, but sometimes, even with all its faults, I still miss my first car.
My first car, which I’ve mentioned here many times, was a 1962 Chevy II. It had a straight 6 engine, 3 speed on the column (3 on the tree), bench seats, both front and back, crank windows, window wings, an AM radio and a heater. The seats were covered with naugahyde that dried from the sun, then cracked and split, leaving gaping holes. A lot of folks tried to mend those with duct tape, which led to black, sticky streaks on everything, especially your best shirt.
Back then, it was something special to have bucket seats or a floor shifter. Now I wish I had my bench seat back.
Then they hit us with FM radio to go with the AM, but it wasn’t that much better. AM was bad enough since it would drop the signal when you drove under a bridge or get drowned out by static when you drove under a high power line, and heaven forbid that high power line be on the side of the road you were on or the static would follow you for miles. The FM side was filled with talk radio and elevator music.
Air conditioning came next I guess. I hardly used my for the first several years, but now I use it a lot, even sometimes in the winter. Car dealers sure played this up, and charged for it too.
Next I guess were power windows and power locks, but they did away with the window wing and I miss them since they offered fresh air to just you if that’s what you wanted.
Then it really began to snowball in the 80s. Sunroofs, cassette and then CD players to go along with the AM/FM, cruise control, power mirrors, thermometers, trip computers, onboard computers, and on and on to GPS and even WIFI hotspots. The car now costs almost as much as a house.
Also, when I raise my hood, I wishe I still knew what half that stuff under there is. You used to be able to sit on the wheel well and work on the motor. It was nothing to change your oil or even replace a water pump or generator, well, outside of a few skinned knuckles that is. There was ample room to work and get the leverage you needed. Not anymore.
All in all, there is a lot more gadgets in a car now – a lot of things you ‘must have’, but sometimes, even with all its faults, I still miss my first car.
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