Thursday, June 11

4 Degrees of Separation

I was with a group of friends last night when one addressed me as Jessica... and everyone paused. It was commented that it's so weird to think of me as Jessica because most people know me as Jessie. For a long time I've contemplated my four names and have come to realize that whichever you choose to address me by demonstrates my level of closeness with you. Which are you?

Level 1 :: Mrs. Minter
The people who call me this either don't know me well at all (I'm not that formal) or consider themselves my students. 

Level 2 :: Jessica
These individuals know me well enough to address me by my first name (or read it off a document or name tag) and that's about it. This name is also reserved to most coworkers, because although they "know" me, it's a business relationship. Although a lovely lovely name (especially when spelled out on paper) ,too formal for my "everyday" wear. 

Level 3 :: Jessie
The majority of people I know address me with this name (more than likely because if I've talked to you more than once and I like you, I've told you to call me Jessie). It's familiar, warm, and says "hey, we're friends now". Simple as that. 

Level 4 :: Jess
This group is for a reserve group of people: immediate family and best friends. Jessie is always okay with me, but calling me Jess indicates a high level of familiarity with who I am. 

I love ALL the derivations of my name, and if you're in level 2 or 3, know that you are very special to me! 
Does this rule apply to you as well? 


from jessie (or jess... or jessica... or mrs. minter)... with love 
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3 comments:

  1. RobJune 11, 2009

    Some of them do. If you call me Robert then it means you def don't know me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. BetnyNonnieJune 11, 2009

    I have had many names in my life. Bethany is my name and what people call me. My WeeWorld kids call me Ms. Bethany. My own children call me Mom or Mommy. BUT... there are some people in my life who call me Bre. It came from the workplace. My name was Bethany Rebekah Emerson, with initials BRE. So, anyone I worked with at Starbucks knows me as Bre. Answering the phone at Starbucks, I would say... "Starbucks at Jefferson Plaza, this is Bethany" and people would say, "Stephanie?" And I would say, "NO, Bethany with a B!" So that got old. And I had to initial alot of documnets there, so I just decided Bre was easier and it stuck. So anyone who calls me Bre, was probably one of my employees or coworkers at Starbucks! But I will say, I do not like to be called Beth. I love my name!

    ReplyDelete
  3. didJune 11, 2009

    Don't forget "Bess"!

    ReplyDelete

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