Day 19: Nicknames

While my actual name is Katerina the following is what I've been called throughout my life by various people at various stages...

Jokes... Pinterest

Alright, so are you ready for them?

Here we go:
• Maracas - During Primary School, this one came with a song while gesturing with imaginary maracas. "Ma ma maracas, ma ma maracas falala lala lala" (to the tune of la cucaratcha) Lame...
• Daddy Long Legs - Again in Primary School because of the fact I was the tallest pupil in my grade. Even taller than the boys. I'd reached my full height of 170cm by grade 5.
• Markis the carcass - This one began in grade 6 but stuck with me throughout High School. It originated from the mispronunciation of my surname and as another cruel taunt. Not only was I the tallest girl at school but I also seemed to be one of the thinnest. I got accused of being anorexic and bulimic and teased to the point where I refused to wear anything that showed my arms and legs as they were "sticks" and refused to pursue my love for swimming as I couldn't bare the shame of exposing my so called emaciated body in public. I wouldn't even wear sandals because I thought my toes were too long and skinny. (I weighed 55kgs at 170cm with a bust size of 90cm. In this day and age I'd have been considered a model - I always said I was born ahead of my time). Kids can be so cruel and jealous teenagers down right evil.
• Princess Panda - Once I reached my 20's suddenly I got my wish of no longer being skinny and managed to gain a whopping 20kgs. So this name was given to me by my hubby/then boyfriend when I wasn't exactly at my thinnest anymore. This prompted my eternal struggle to get back to the size 8 I once was but never appreciated until it was gone.
• Katherin- A name from an Uncle who thought it was much nicer than Katerina since his own granddaughter had that name too. I refused to answer to it. Stubborn child that I was.
• Kato - From my parents who thought themselves very witty to call my sister and I by our abbreviations - Ano, Kato since together ano kato also means topsy turvey. Which is what they say we did to their lives :)
• Kathy - Mum and Dad thought it would be best to enrol me with an anglo name for school to save me from bullying. It clearly didn't help...
• Keti - My mums way of saying Kathy
• Kath - Short for Kathy
• Katsicles - which was a retort back to me after I dubbed a friend called Jessica as Jessicles testicles. We were a mature lot weren't we?
• Kat - Short for Katerina
• Kitty - As in Kitty Kat
• Katerinche - A really Macodonian way of saying Katerina with affection. (My family are from the North of Greece and so also have Macedonian heritage.)
• Zoozouni - A Greek petname meaning "little buzzing bug" which is also a term of endearment believe it or not.
• Pumpkin - Another term of endearment from my family.

pinterest

Told you it'd be a long list  ;)

Australians have a real knack for nicknames and abbreviations.
I think we have one of the laziest vocabularies in the world.
Even the shortest name can be shortened some more.
Eg; Aaron = Azza = Az.
Why not go all the way and just call him A? (which in fact is another way of calling out to someone aside from Oi. Ay of coarse is short for Hey. See what I mean?)
Although you have to be able to have a thick skin as an Aussie since I've noticed the more liked you are the harder you seem to cop it.
Well it's all in good fun and some of these names have taught me to do exactly that, grow a thick skin and worry less what others say of you or at least take it less seriously so for that I guess I'm grateful.
And besides not all of them have been nasty... for instance:

• baby
• babe
• sweetness/ sweet/ sweets
• darling
• huni and
• gorgeous

So you see it's not all bad. Although I like my nicknames of the present far more than the ones from my past  :)