Let's start with my name. I'd be rich if I got a quarter every time someone has said, "Hey, that's my dog's name!" or "Hey, I have a brother/neighbor/boyfriend/friend with that name but he's a boy." or "Cody...what a great name...what's it short for?" Add to that the quarters for mail addressed to Mr. Cody and I'd be a millionaire. And just for kicks, throw in the time my dad and I greeted the car salesman when I was sixteen ("Hi, I'm Jody. Hi, I'm Cody.") or the time I got to stay at a big city college as a 10th grader and actually made myself at home in the guys' dorm only to discover about 8 hours later that it was not the girls dorm and you'd see that my name has been a fun quirk!
Shandy would be a very wealthy man indeed if he got a quarter for every time someone said, "Shhh...what was that?" or "Shanty?" or "[enter strange look here]". During high school and college and early on in our marriage and even now at times, he offers the name Joe for restaurant reservations. Just call me Joe. It seems that no one knows just what to make of him.
We met when we were in elementary school, were friends all through high school, dated on and off through college, and got married shortly thereafter. It wasn't until we were married and moved away and for the first time were meeting people as a couple that we discovered that our names - together - are even more confusing then they are apart. Everyone, and I mean everyone that meets us simultaneously assumes that I am him and he me. It comes in handy for my calling on his accounts or answering the telemarketers for him "Oh, hello Ms. Shandy, how are you today?" And vice versa.
So, just to give you an idea of a common occurrence for us, here's the latest. Shandy's taking a few classes this year to finish up his graduate degree. They will all be online, and for this first one he posted the profile photo below:
So another student in the class now refers to him as "Sandy". Exclusively. Like, at least 20 times thus far. Clearly Shandy is not that woman's name. It must be Sandy. So the other night Shandy/Sandy had to do a voice-over for one of his assignments. For some reason it made me laugh out loud to imagine the other student hearing Sandy and her deep masculine voice. Ah, I love a good laugh and - thanks moms and dads - you've supplied us with a few!
8 comments:
HAHA! I always thought Shandy's "code name" was Todd. Why did I think that? I feel like I've known Shandy long enough that it's not odd as a name to me anymore. Though I think his middle name is funny.
For the record, you were the first person I really knew that was named Cody, so it's not that odd to me as a girls' name. When I hear the name "Cody", I think of a beautiful, funny, interesting, loyal, GIRLY friend of mine. YOU!
hugs,
elisa
You think that because he re-named himself Todd Leonard in elementary school...so Todd still comes around every once in awhile. :) You've just known us too long!
Too funny! I never considered all the angles. It gave me a good laugh tonight.
Oh the pressure of baby naming...I really like Samantha but thought of the boyish confusion with Sam.
I can't believe they put you in the boys dorm. Eeeek! How awkward. I hope you didn't find out as you were walking out of those big shower rooms.
Ahh, I remember the story of you being in the boys dorm! :)
And truth be told, because I know you, (Mr. Cody!) I never assume a person is male or female simply according to their name! :)
Oh, and after reading the first comment, I am curious to know what Shandy's middle name is?!? :)
No, Katie, I didn't find out in the shower...yikes! And Megs, his middle name is just an L. That's it. No actual name. So that has it's own stories :). Good times, good times!
Your brother in-law said trying being a kid named Earl:)
So, for whatever random reason I was looking at your blog post with my three oldest kids, and I mentioned to then that Shandy (and I moused over his picture) has a sister who is married to Earl (who Owen has met).
Leah (4.5 years old) blurts out, "That's Shandy!! I thought Shandy was a girl!!!" So I asked why, and she said it just sounds like a girl.
Thought it was appropriate to the post. ;)
Andrea
But, Leah also thinks that "Cody" sounds like a girl's name.
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