Spike, Mook, Snorkel... I'm definitely feeling the odd man [sic] out. What's a chick gotta do to get a cool o' moniker? And, more importantly, will I be bumped from the Relay Team by someone like a Swampfox simply because of my lack of a pseudo?

(Still) Peggy

-- Peggy Dickison (Pdickison@aol.com), February 28, 2000

Answers

A couple of other "names" of interest....

Dave Linthicum has been known as "Legs" -- a reference to his running speed.

Gene is sometimes called "Mean Gene," a name he picked up at Mean Gene's Hamburgers in little town in Illinois.

There are several orienteers who have been referred to as "flypaper" over the years. This name generally gets applied after someone follows a stronger orienteer around most of a course and gets a good result ("they stuck to them like flypaper"). I won't name any specific people, but I've known a few "flypapers."

Dan Walker or Rocky Mountain O' Club (and originally from KC) picked up the nickname of "disco." I don't think he is very fond of it.

Does Peggy need a moniker?

-- Michael (aka Spike) (meglin@juno.com), February 29, 2000.

While Swampfox has not yet been formally approached about joining OK this doesn't indicate that our elders have not been keeping an eye on him. Should there come a time in the future (and I'm speaking hypothetically here you understand) that some sort of arrangement takes place (one that would alter the face of OK no doubt), then certainly OKers might expect minor shake-ups. Such an event would be unlikely unless arranged well in advance of any event in which the Relay Team participates. Not that I see any of this as a distinct possibility... Such a future event would not be entirely unwelcome, however.

-- Mook (everett@psi.edu), February 29, 2000.

Yes, Peggy does indeed need a new name! I have a few in mind. Do other people have suggestions? Does Peggy have a pet name that we should be using? Peggy?

-- Mook (everett@psi.edu), February 29, 2000.

I will be in Sweden during the US Relays this year, so nobody anywhere need fear bumping by me!

But the question Peggy raises about nicknames is fun because just in the past day or so I have been wondering if Fritz has a nickname. I haven't heard of one, and Spike didn't mention one. I do have a suggestion for Fritz, from the excellent Possum Trot race. I think he should be known as Rooster! What a hat!

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), March 01, 2000.

Fritz has traditionally been known to OK as Clogs. The name stems from his footwear of choice and an encounter with a stranger at Lacleeds??? Landing in St. Louis...

"Are those clogs?"

Occasionally Fritz is also known as Prince, his real middle name. I'm not sure if anyone besides myself uses that name however.

-- Mook (everett@psi.edu), March 01, 2000.

Prince? Prince the artist? I didn't think the one formerly known as Prince went around in Rooster hats, and how come he's not running around in purple frocks anyhow??? Has anyone ever seen him witha raspberry beret?

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), March 01, 2000.

It seems like nicknames arise on the spot, from some incident or person. They have to arise spontaneously, I think, and the issue can not be forced. Therefore, we all have to spend more time following Peggy until something happens to suggest the perfect nickname!

Which reminds me: I do not know the origin of "Snorkel". Since I don't understand the name, I cannot yet accept it as a substitute for "Dan". Can Mook explain the derivation of Snorkel?

Mary Jones (also nickname-less. Is there a gender bias here?:)

-- Mary (maprunner@juno.com), March 02, 2000.

On my o' suit, the name will be 'Fritz.' The clogs and rooster hat will come and go (despite being a rooster by the Chinese calander)... and I'll stay away from the name Prince because of the subtle implication of never being King. I did think about 'psycho' and numerous others, but Mary is right. The name comes spontaneously, cannot be forced, and somehow sticks. As everyone will continue to know me as Fritz, so be it. Besides, my birth name is Frederick, so I guess it's just that the nickname started long ago.

Always,

-- Fritz Menninger (fpmenninger@hotmail.com), March 03, 2000.