Relinquishing Control. Sort of.

Let's talk about something we haven't covered for a while: nicknames!


Some of you may have noticed that Cap'n Cluck has taken the liberty of rechristening herself Cap'n Click, a reference to her love of photography. She had brought up the name change a while back, and I have to admit I didn't exactly jump at the suggestion; "Click" might be more reflective of her personality, but I just liked the sound of "Cluck" better, even if it did just reference a one-time activity when I was first getting to know her. However, this got me thinking about the nicknames, and how much say the blog monkeys should have in how they’re known here. I've already let my nicknaming be swayed at least twice, once by Rebelmonkey, who announced that she was no longer going by "The Wiz," and once by Smooth Money's Girl (soon to be Mrs. Smooth Money, don't think I mentioned their engagement last month, so, um, belated congrats) who requested that a pre-existing nickname not be used. So, why should Cap'n Cluck wanting to change her name be any different?

I think the biggest factor is that, unlike the other two, I actually came up with the Cap'n Cluck moniker on my own, and am therefore a little proprietary about it. When it comes to my creative endeavors, I can be a bit of a control freak; when I like the sound of something, that's the way it has to be, end of argument. But, should I let my own obsessive nature interfere when it comes to someone’s preference of how they should be addressed?

Another nickname issue that has arisen recently is that whole "Todd stinks at making up nicknames" thing. Within the past few weeks I've learned that two of my friends who don't belong to any of the three main groups have become at least semi-regular blog monkeys, but are currently nicknameless; likewise there are several still-nicknameless members of The Singles who have been a large part of recent activities I've partaken in, a few of whom are constantly being brow-beaten by Cap'ns C. and D. to give the blog a try, so it would be nice to be able to reference them by "name." Drawing big ol' blanks in the naming department right now, though, since all of my creativity has been sucked into the black hole that is the Primary Obsession and, as previously noted, not that creative there to begin with.

So, here's what we're going to do:

(1) If you are a blog monkey who has been fortunate enough to be blessed with a nickname, but are unfortunate enough to have a nickname you don’t care for, all you have to do is say "Hey, Cap'n N., could you call me X instead?" and, as long as the name is not pornographic, blasphemous, scatological, or in any other way obscene or derogatory (and as long as it doesn't contain more letters than the phrase "Fellow Book Monkey and Blogger Bubblegum Tate") I will make the requisite change. Probably.

(2) If you are a blog monkey who has not been fortunate enough to be blessed with a nickname, and you have one all ready and raring to go, just give me a shout out saying “Hey, Cap’n N., could you call me Y so that I can finally get mentioned on your #$*($ blog?” and, as long as it conforms to the stipulations listed above, you shall thus be named. More than likely.

(3) If you are a blog monkey who knows of someone in my social sphere who has not yet been blessed with a nickname, and you have an idea for one that adheres to all that mumbjo jumbo up there, then just holla at me, like “Yo’, Cap’n N, I gots this kizzle idizzle for a nicknizzle, fo’ shizzle, just calls the homie Zizzle” then I will take it under advisement. Possibly maybe.

Man, it feels good to make such a decisive stand, y'know? Glad that’s out of the way.

Oh, and before I forget: I do now decree that she who was once known as "Cap'n Cluck" shall henceforth be known as Cap'n Click.

Oh, wait, on second thought, hold off on that for just one minute . . .



Okay, there, that’s better: now she'll henceforth be known as Cap'n Click