An Avuncular Epiphany

Some of my friends (old and new) have conspired to bring me to a point where I have had to transcend to an avuncular state, leading to much introspection about life and the various mysteries it still holds. During one particular self analysis phase a couple of months ago, I realized that this phase, which is going to be forever btw, has the potential to rise at least a few embarrassing moments, unless I do something about it.

This phase came to its head sometime last week when the shiny silver motorola started buzzing with the advent of a text message that read "It's a boy!!! Name (***insert random in-vogue sanskrit name***). 7.5 lbs". Then I had an epiphany¹, or to internalize what Frank Maiers once said (via Answers.com), a spiritual flash that would change the way I viewed myself.

So, in a change that should rank right there with Intel's logo change², I am letting go of the nick aNTi. Unlike other changes of this kind, this is not about the subject, i.e. me. It is about you all (Gabby, you, Mr.G and the Maharaja are included too). Because I don't want any kid to go Ok, so, here is uncle. Where is aunty? after being introduced to me and later being scarred for life after hearing the reply - Yes dear, this is aNTi. He is the uncle too.³

Now to choose an alternate nickname. That was a tough task. I was tempted to become Superman, but then that would entail a much bigger change, i.e. my tagline, something that my already overdrawn creative juices cannot withstand right now. Then I remembered that mystery Namibian fast bowler !Kabbo.

If you have seen Gods Must Be Crazy, you must remember the weird clucking noises that Xixo (played by this guy called N!xau) and the other Sho "tribespeople" made while conversing with each other in the native tongue. While the prospect of people making clucking noises (to pronounce the "!" in words and names like N!xau) while referring to me made taking a Sho nick an attractive proposition. I was actually going to post pics showing how to move your shoulders like a chicken's wing while mouthing the nick aloud.

But then the amnesia suddenly disappeared and I remembered the embarrassment in 2003 when someone gently reminded me⁴ that the Cricinfo piece from one year earlier was actually was a joke made on All Fools day. And since the Sho reference is way too obscure, I had to drop the nick with the clucking sound.

Finally I decided to take a cue from that master of name changes, Prince and decided that I could just choose myself a symbol and tell people that the symbol was called TBloFKAa or The Blogger Formerly Known As aNTi. But the presence of the letters F and K one after the other, made be do a rethink and so the symbol and the acronym was dropped in favor of the phraseology.

So there you have it. This blogger as you have known him in the past has ceased to exist.

[1] Yes!!!. Finally got to use the word on a post!

[2] I know..I know. No one noticed the change.

[3] A dig that the likes of Gabby would surely love to indulge in, bah.

[4] Haloscan comments are not available any more, so thankfully, no one can embarrass me about that again!