Friday, February 16, 2007

How I Got My Other Nickname

Remember how Wales is a couple of years behind the United States? Well, lately former students at the inexplicable school I attended in that country have slowly been discovering Facebook.

I link to my blog from my Facebook profile (it is, indeed, the way in which most people end up here), which means that some of those people will soon discover this site, which means they will just as inevitably leave comments, which, trust me, means that I would have had to tell this story eventually anyway.

So. Funny story. So when I got to this odd, foreign school in Wales, I was American, carrying a large computer (although, ironically, it was this computer), wearing glasses and I guess there's a little bit of a resemblance from the side and, well.

My college nickname was Bill Gates.

At first, I tried to fight it. This, of course, made it worse. Then, I just came to accept it. This is kind of cool in that I can now give out a name that has absolutely nothing to do with my actual name and know that I will have no trouble answering to it.

However, it is generally very uncool.

I now have what I consider to be a somewhat cool nickname. It is ribble or, barring that, ribbles. It is ambiguosly posessive. I have exploited this fact. It is somewhat unique. I am beating licorice ribbles.

However, I know now that, just as you cannot fight the ocean, we cannot fight our nicknames. At best, we can choose the nicknames for our pets

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I remember,
amusingly it was your room mate who brought it to everyones attention as despite being 'domestically involved' he coudn't remember your name and from then on a legend was born. how the hell are you

ribble said...

Welcome, Tom! I should have mentioned that I have a very complex and confusing last name that foreigners like yourself would naturally do their best to avoid.

Congratulations on emerging so dramatically from the woodwork! Tom and I haven't seen each other since we staggered through London with my excessively heavy suitcase trying to get me on a plane for some damn place or another.

The short version of how I am is that I am living in New York, working as a producer of short, no-budget films and, you know, sort of trying to get things worked out.

The long version of how I am is basically this blog.

There's an email address on the main page - how are you?

EEK said...

I think Bill Gates is a great nickname. It could've been worse. There was this guy in college that I knew that everyone called 'Steamer'. I never discovered why, but I doubt that it was in regards to something good.

Anonymous said...

I gave you a nick name!!! It is BFF!