Frazz by Jef Mallett for June 10, 2016

“Booger” is common around for a nickname or sometimes much like saying “honey” or “sugar”. Sort of like “Ski” up north.

I have had two nicknames that were intended as insulting epithets by the people who started using them, and became endearments from people who didn’t know the original circumstances. One of those same people seemed to have a knack for such misfires; he started pointing out that a classmate from Idaho looked like a potato and should be named Spud; the intended victim embraced the title as an honorific for Idahoans, so everyone else did too, and Spud ran for class president a few years later under that name.

I’d call the kid “Bubba” – would make him tougher.

If you pick, it doesn’t count. The only veto power that counts is within range of your anger. Sometimes you can encourage or discourage.

Have a couple here in the desert s. west. And yes GO PACK!!

I like to sometimes ask people what nicknames their dad gave them. Dad’s are good at coming up with sweet names for their daughters and endearingly insulting ones for their sons.

My dad started calling me “Worm” when I was 7 years old. He still calls me that; I’m now 48.

How about a boy named Sue?

My father named his youngest sister Stinky, probably due to her diapers. He shortened my name, Roberta, to Bert. (Most of the time I go by Robyn).

My grandparents called each other “Rudy” and “Net” because they both disliked their names.

My other grandfather shortened Elkanah to “Kaney”, which he grew into, as he tended to carry one when he went out of the house, and leave it wherever he arrived.

Too many of mine where based on the fact that I was a white kid in a largely black neighborhood. (Milkman, white knight, mr clean, etc)

I actually refused to wear white clothes to discourage this but it never worked)

Mine were meant to be insults but I embraced them instead. The ones I had for my kids went out of style as they grew up.

Do like lots of Thru hikers on the PCT or AT do. Give yourself a trail-name or pick one from the names you are given by your fellow hikers. Kind of a neat custom. AND you don’t have to have a crummy trail name unless you decide to. You can even change it as you go along. One of the most famous hikers ever, Heather Anderson, named herself Anish in honor of her great-great grandmother, who was of Native American Anishinabe heritage