(Photo credit: Grace Church)
Week #3 – “Shakers!” (aka Nicknames…and other ways to win friends and influence people)
In the book How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie wrote: “a person’s name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”
Sorry, Dale…I disagree. A nickname is even sweeter!
Rob — also known as Baab, Babadino, Rob-a-dob, Rhubarb, Runt, Mayor, Gov’, or Platypus — rarely called anyone by their proper name. This has been alluded to already in the comments both on the website and Facebook — and is one of the things seared into people’s memories of him. From grade school through adulthood — Rob would often use nicknames, nut just as a sign of affection, but as a secret nod acknowledging an entire memory or experience just the two of you shared. Mine was a long drawn-out “Yeesssssss, Graaaaaaaace.” His signal to me that I was brooding far too much about something unimportant and missing the fun of the moment right in front of me. How right he so often was! What about you?
Your assignment for this weekend: sweeten things up by playing the nickname-game! You can say the first things that come to your mind (goodness knows Rob would!) — or, if you need a little help, try adding a “-ster” or “-dino” or “-dob” or “-toozie” to everyone’s name. Come on folks, for the love of happiness, are you willing to try this?!
What do you think of nicknames? Spread the happiness…and tell us in the comments!
10/3/14 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
GAAAAAYYYYYYYYY……a favorite of mine and tony’s……..and per Madeline Uncle gay……or rob aloba ding dong…..(say it as a rhyme). Miss u brother in law, four weeks seems like an eternity!
Rob-a-lob-a-ding-dong! I love it! As for the other…well…I’m sure it was a term of endearment! Thanks for the post, Marlo! Indeed…four weeks is forever.
It’s hard to believe it’s been four weeks. It feels like four months! That said he’d often text me funny/silly nick-names like “What’s up there Spider Binder!?” “How’s it going there Johnny two-by-four!” “What do ya’ say there James McBlame!?”
They didn’t make sense (nor did the texts) but that was part of the fun! I don’t think he had a consistent nick name for me.
That said, I’ll miss those texts!
Jim, you may not have had a name….but he coined a nickname for a move you did….
JACKHAMMER!!!
Ha ha! That’s right! (Although we might need to explain that one, Gina!)
My dad just said, Remember when he called me Mr. Blobbin? Not sure why he gave him that name!! lol
Mr. Blobbin! That is a blast from the past! I remember that! (Tell Big Ron I said hello!)
Rob was always larger than life. Rob ALWAYS was smiling. He had a love of life about as large as I have ever encounter. His sense of humor was hysterical, and his laugh was infectious. I can always count on him to share a new quip, a kind word and a joke when I was around him. He made me and everyone around him like we were the most important person in his world when he was with us. He was a special soul. I was proud to have called him my friend.
Thanks for your post, Bert! Rob always enjoyed spending time at the Pampanin household. Great to hear from you, neighbor!
I agree with Rob in creating nicknames you and the other person form a secret world. I have called my sister island baby since she was running around in diapers and now is approaching 23 years-old. When someone, unfamiliar with this endearment, is next to me when she calls I always hear, “Island Baby is calling?” very confused. Then I laugh and say, “Yea, my sister.” I also, have a nicknames for my brother that is just a ton of variations on the name Michael: Mikey, Mikey boy, Mik-Key etc. Whenever he calls I pick up the phone yelling one of those names out. When I am comfortable with a friend they get a nickname, and I’m always pleased if I acquire one back! Some great nicknames over the past years that have organically presented themselves and now are synonymous with the people I love: Bee bee (that is usually shorted to bee), Latke Linda, Flnny or Flat Iron Flynn, Jim Hydon (always full name with a sing songie rhythm), Gracey Grace, Mavis or MoMo, Arielito or little Ariel, Lizzy, Matty, Bob-a-fer, Christiani or bruja, Lexi, Jay Son, and many more. All of the nicknames were revealed out of our personal experience together and continually take on a deeper meaning as our friendship grows. I noticed in thinking about nicknames that I favor the ie/y sound to the end of someone’s name so I’ll continue my tradition this week and also try a different ending and see if it sticks!
P.S.- I love that ‘shakers’ is a nickname for ‘nicknames!’
Sophie-Pop…thanks for your post! Your insights and thoughts are welcome anytime. Keep ’em coming!
PS: I love that you mentioned Bruja…it is probably one of the best nicknames ever!!!
From a small conversation in order to “impress”, a nickname was born. Who’d have thought that 25 years later out would still be going strong. He’d adjust it from time to time (shake and bake, shake and bakahs, shakes, etc…) But it always stuck. In the last text message he sent to me, just days before leaving us, he called me it one last time. ((Much Love)) to everyone, from the original “Shakers”…Baaaaaaab Nicholson!
Always glad to hear from you, Rob! Love that you got the last word on this week’s post! 😉