No Really, You Shouldn't Try it Unless You're SURE I Like You

I talked to a brand-new, shiny teacher today . . .

And after a couple of "well, no . . . that's never going to happen" and "well, they certainly aren't going to give you that!" I realized that I was being a buzzkill. And yes, I often am. But the likelihood of her doing what she wants, it was past "never". So I decided to turn it around.

"Well, no only means no if you let it . . . " and tried to muster up one of those "shiny happy people" smiles.

"But you know, Em . . . "

And that was it. I stopped listening. My father is allowed to call me Em. Certain people that I am very close to can call me Em. I allow certain others with special permission (in my head, silly, I don't tell you . . . ) because they are charming or funny or I like them, call me Em. But otherwise, I'm not really an "Em". There IS one person in the world, so far, that can get away with calling me "Emmy" but again, he is charming and it is his term of endearment . . . and he lives in Colorado so I don't have to hear it.

However, with this bright shiny new teacher . . . this is the first extended conversation that we have ever had. And I think she would have been appalled if I came up with a nickname for her or, and this is probably what actually happened, was just too lazy to say the rest of the syllables of her name.

Perhaps I made her feel so comfortable that she felt we could be on a nickname basis in ten minutes? Nah. At least I don't think so, considering what the students call me sometimes.

I did not correct her. Just started pointing out that changing culture and traditions was a bit like turning the titanic. And gave her a few suggestions to ask for things that would ultimately benefit me and my program.

But in a world where we mostly address each other by last name . . . Em. It was jarring.

She's lucky I didn't stab her in the eye.