I'm a name snob.

I am.
Is that bad?

I don't mean to be.
And really, for a girl named "Laurel", I don't really have a right.
I mean, it's not like my name is cool or anything.
I really don't think it is.

I just have feelings about certain names.
Am I the only one?
You know, sometimes there is an experience connected with the name that gives it a negative association.

LIKE, for example, in Middle School there was a red-head named Brittany. She was so not nice. I have never held it against red-heads (much to the relief of my friend Adam...yes, Adam...you just got a blog "shout out") but girls named Brittany (yes, Amanda, including YOUR beloved) just typically don't sit well with me (if any of you are named Brittany, I'm totally kidding).

And then there was a Jamie and wowzers was she difficult...and so for the longest time I didn't like girls named Jamie...but then I got to know my own cousin (who I adore) and then met two of my other dearest friends...Jami & Jaime (seriously, how many ways are there to spell this name?!?), and now I like the name.

I'm no longer a snob about the name "Jamie".

But, there are other names.

Like there are a few boys names I now could never use for my own offspring because of boys associated with those names. (We won't go into that here.)

And then there are other names that just...you know what I mean?

I realized tonight after listening to the third voicemail from a potential blind date (that I know I need to call back...I promise I do...I know it takes a lot for a guy to call...and takes even more to call THREE TIMES without a return call) that maybe I'm a name snob.

Could that be it?

I mean, I admit, I also have a thing for voices...and I can almost always tell by a voice if there is a connection or not (I'm rarely wrong)...and so maybe it's the voice that isn't working for me.

And I also have a thing with hands...the last guy that held my hand? Yeah, totally thought I liked him until that. I looked down and thought, "this hand doesn't look familiar" and sure, it was oddly small, but there was just something about his hands that weren't familiar.

Is that weird?
Am I weird?

So, sometimes it's a voice or the hands...
But, in this case...I'm pretty sure it's the name.

I don't dare write it here...you never know who knows who...and I certainly don't want to offend anyone.

I just have this name in my mind of the guy I'll end up with.
Now sure, that name has changed over the years...but I've had it in my mind for a while now (and I got a "wrong number" a little while ago from a guy with that name. I so wanted to say, "um, maybe this ISN'T a wrong number...do you believe in love at first name?" and his voice!OH MY! His voice!) and I guess I'm just kind of hoping...

Of course, I'm kidding.
Well, not about the name snob thing.
There's no kidding about that.
I think I am one.

I don't mean to be.
Do you think less of me now?

I'll be back.
I have a call to return.
(and I promise to put my name snob-ness behind while we're talking...but I can't promise to overlook the voice too. That is a lot to ask of a girl.)