Shirley! Shirley, Shirley bo burly, banana fana fo FIRLY, fe fi mo Murley... Shirley!

The naaaame game!

Ever since I can remember (excepting Jimmy Walsh, my kindergarten boyfriend who dumped me for a girl named after canned goods), I've nicknamed the men in my life. For when they're in that introductory / try before you buy period. The names are not intended to be harmful in nature. Should they make it to the purchase phase, they are apprised of the nick, and ever after known by their rightful moniker. Starting with Butterworth (derived from his early morning maple syrup-pancake breath), and ending, most recently with Big Ben (a large English chap doubling as a large English monument).

So my friends, in these little journal entries do not be alarmed. Names have not been changed to protect the innocent, nor alienate the guilty. This is how I refer to them in casual conversation. At work even.

There will be some adjustments to my usual drill. Unless the candidate distinguishes himself early on in the eharmony arena, I will refer to them using only their first initial. This is handy for you, the lone reader, in that it gives you a method of determining my initial like, dislike or overall blah feeling toward the gentleman in question.

I may even open the polls and ask for write in candidates. We must keep this process amusing for all parties.