What's in a Name?

A name can reveal multiple things about a person. Nicknames can show how spunky, creative, or personal a person is. I once had an FHE brother named Snugz, which makes no sense to me, but it totally fit his teddy-bear personality. Most importantly though, it can in varying aspects disclose a status of relationship between one person and another. For example, my nickname circle goes as follows. People who hardly know me, or are trying to sell me something call me Jocelyn (I'd also like to add this is a name my mother calls me when in trouble). For closer friends who actually know me it's Jocie. Then we have the select few of 3ish people who actually call me Jay or some variation thereof. Simple right? It's an easy way to distinguish whom is trying to contact me. I know how to present myself solely based on the way someone addresses me.

I thought this concept was foolproof. No one could ever destroy my system. I was not expecting anyone to ever mess up the system. That was until Melissa Munafo came into the picture. Melissa is a former roommate that I lived with for about 3 months in Fall Semester. After living together we even took 3 classes together (more classes I've had with any roommate or friend while up at college I might add). In class, she could never pronounce my name correctly. She butchered my name by saying it Josie (like Josie and the Pussycat Dolls). GAG! I never made the correction, I just gave her the benefit of the doubt and hoped that one day it would be amended. I was wrong. It got worse.  Last semester while grocery shopping I see Melissa, and she sees me. She excitedly exclaims "JODI!" What the... I think to myself. At least with Josie it was relatively close to Jocie. Now I am a completely new person?! Who does this. I mean we LIVED together, we were in classes together. You heard my name on a daily basis and now you can't even remember my name! I remember yours. In fact, I remember your new name after you were married. I know your husband's name as well and you can't for the life of you remember my name.

So I guess I'll have to install a new circle in my relation-name-calling circle. My relatives call me Jay. My close friends call me Jocie. Telemarketers call me Jocelyn. Finally, people who want to drive me up the walls call me Jodi.