I get this alot from people I once knew when I was young. I was known universally as "C.J." when I was a youth. Perhaps my senior year of high school, I asked that a few begin calling me Craig. I must say this is how I felt I needed to be known as I was headed for professional studies and that sort of career. C.J. is very endearing but to those who dont know me, its really not a name. Its initials. So with that I started a simple campaign which amounted to about 8 conversations with friends asking them to consider knowing me as Craig. This resulted in massive backlash where by people refused to call me Craig (no problem), or what is usual is that for years they would come up to me and tell me "what did you want to be called these days, C.J. or Craig"... as if it is a petty issue that I feel like making a change in how I ask people to know who I am. Its not.
But that said, over the years and after returning to my home town to live, I must say that I am particularly saavy to be called "C.J." in informal conversation. Its my initials and thats who I was for most of my formative years. You'd be silly to think that I would be offended by such an address.
So that said, here's my new formula:
If you want to talk to me about sports, call me "C.J."
If you want to talk to me about money, call me Craig.
Its that simple.
I went to a bar last night and introduced myself as C.J. . When the bar matron offered me some pretzels she said "heres your pretzels, C.J." This struck an annoying chord in my mind. I told her my real name and said, if you want to talk about food, refer to me as Craig. Well its not that easy mind you, but I say that if you know I prefer to be referred to by both names and that the situation seems to change with each particuilarity, you'll get it. So to really know me, you'll have to know that I go by both C.J. and Craig. But for those who are not going to know me well, I'd prefer Craig. Thanks.
No comments:
Post a Comment