Nicknames

So in the comments for that last thread about looking like Trey, my pal Amber reminded me that I was once nicknamed Schroeder. It got me thinking about all the many nicknames I've had over the years. I think people should have more nicknames. Here are a few of mine, in chronological order (leaving out such elementary school gems as "Gnarly Varley" and "Eeore"):

Sherbet - Randomly assigned to me by my good friend Anne Sawyer back at the New York State Summer School of the Arts (NYSSAA). We were all standing around one day, and she said "Can I nickname you Sherbet?", and I said, "sure." Probably my coolest nickname.

Schroeder - Presumably becuase of my terrible posture while playing piano. Or maybe it's after the German chancellor? I think I have a bit more personality than the German chancellor, though maybe not as much as the Peanuts character.

Erwin, Ethan, etc. - As a camp counsellor at Skye Farm camps, my favorite campers to work with were always the developmentally disabled group ("special needs camp" as it was called). One of my all time favorite human beings, Jimmy, was a high functioning older camper there. He loved everyone, and he couldn't quite get my name right, so he called me by a set of variations - Ethan, Erwin, Evan, etc. Now when I see my friend Karina, who was my co-counsellor that year, she still calls me Erwin, and I still call her Kawinter. :)

Ludwig - When I first joined the Bandersnatchers, Skidmore's male a cappella group, I impressed everyone with my music theory and arranging skills. So much so, in fact, that they cruelly tormented me. "Where is the new arrangement? Work, Ludwig, work!". Bastards.

Ace Freedom - My funk band superhero name. Technically, I was introduced at shows as "Ace Freedom, the Celtic Connection". This was in the band Beefstyle Tradition ... other band member nicknames included "Mercury Zephyr" (the drummer, named after my car), "Reggie Smash" (bass), "Starchild" (Jed, the afro-sporting jewish lead guitarist) and "Pericles Jackson" (Dylan, the latin major lead singer). "People, don't you fret - don't you know, we gonna free tibet."

Actually, now that I think of it, the nickname was first coined during my short stint in the avante garde prog metal band Facial Head. So there.

Liam - Coined from the scene in Spinal Tap when their rival band mistakenly calls their manager (Ian) by the name "Uh ... Liam?". That's what I'm known as by my pals in M Headphone.

Mr. V - That's what my students at Aim High called me. Made me feel like I was on Welcome Back, Kotter or something.

Maybe I should embrace the latest nickname that was assigned to me last night by Billie Ledbetter, the leader of a swing band I'm subbing in for. He didn't quite get the name "Ian", and thought it was "Iron", so he just started calling me "Iron Man". Close enough.

Any suggestions for new nicknames? (Keep it clean, this is a family blog.)

And what are your nicknames?

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