A JULIE by any other name . . .is still a friend!

I have the most southern name on the planet. Tammy Jo. I love it actually. My Mom always wanted people to call me both names but I put a stop to that at 1st grade roll call. “Just Tammy is fine, thank you.” (OK, not really, most of my family still calls me that and a few of my college friends!) Also, interesting to note that my Mom briefly considered naming my sister something with “Jo” in the middle as well, but someone (THANK YOU whoever you were!) convinced her that Farmville, was a far cry from Petticoat Junction (ok, not that far a cry, but still) and she reconsidered. (My sister was instead given the name Mariea Kae-beautiful, but a spelling nightmare! Most people would have spelled it Maria Kay but my mother isn't most people, and certainly my sister is like no Maria I have ever met!) The only two names I do know of, that are at least as southern as my own, belong to my two aunts, Peggy Lee and Linda Gail. Don’t you think they go with Tammy Jo like peas in a pod? Trust me, with names like these when we said we were from a town named Farmville, no one was surprised! Folks just nodded and smiled a knowing little smile that somehow said, "Well of course your are, sweetie pie!" My Mom on the other hand got this amazingly regal, timeless, long, and beautiful name, Ann Victoria. I have always loved it. My grandmother is Lelia Christine and my great-grandmother is Lelia Virginia. I am both grateful and appalled by the fact that neither my grandmother, nor my mother, her two sisters, her sister-in law, my own sister, or my cousin Shell named their daughters Lelia (pronounced leel-yuh) Appalled, because it is such a beautiful, and unique family name to pass on, and grateful, because I have ALWAYS wanted it to be the name I give to my own daughter. Lelia Victoria Todd, Lily for short. The worst possible outcome of this wretched disease would be if it robs me of the chance to do that. (In which case I will just insist that Charlie use it if he has a daughter!)

So, back to my name, Tammy. When I was growing up, Tammys were EVERYWHERE. There were at least 4 in my high school and 3 or more in my sorority. But in the 5 years I lived in DC, I did not meet a single one. It is a southern name, proved to me beyond a shadow of a doubt when I moved to Charlotte. They were EVERYWHERE and THEN SOME. I met one on every street corner, the clerk at the grocery story, the gal who did my nails, the hairstylist in the next booth. In the first year that I lived here I bet I met a dozen. In 2001, there was a flyer stuffed in my mailbox from another Tammy Jo Oakes soliciting the opportunity to wash my windows. I am not kidding.

With the exception of Tammy Faye Baker, and Tammy Wynette (of Stand by Your Man fame) I don’t know of a single Tammy over 50 or one under the age of 35. No one names their daughter Tammy anymore. Most of the mothers of the Tammys I know were inspired by the Debbie Reynolds movie, Tammy and the Bachelor and the hit song, Tammy that was a part of its soundtrack. One of THE most special moments of my wedding day was dancing with my Daddy to that song. He sort of hummed/mouthed/sang the words to me while we danced. When I looked across the dance floor at my Mom dancing with Jason, she was doing the same thing, just sort of singing along under her breath, and watching me dance with my Dad. The photographer snapped a picture of them at just that moment. It is one of my favorites.

Sorry. I completely digress, because based on the title of this blog; you might guess that it was supposed to be about JULIES, not TAMMYS. But, I give you the Tammy stories as way of background because I realized something really odd this week. I have A LOT of friends named Julie. And just like Tammy, no one names their daughter Julie anymore. (Julia, on the other hand, is another of those classic, regal names that is generation-less. My mother-in-law is Julia. There is Julia Roberts, my boss’ daughter Julia, and my friend Kelly’s youngest daughter who is only 6. Julia is timeless. But it is a completely different name than Julie.) Crud, I’m still digressing.

Anyway, here are my JULIES (in no particular order): First, there is my adorable neighbor, Julie Scott. She is a nurse at CMC and has worked many times with Dr. Kamerer’s patients. She took the time to stop in to see me at home the night before my surgery and to tell me what a great surgeon we had chosen. She really eased Jason’s mind as well. She stopped in too while I was in the hospital and she was on duty . . .just to check in and brighten my day (didn’t mind her visit because she KNEW not to stay too long!) Then there is my old neighbor, current friend, former bunko queen, and fellow cancer club member Julie Sparks (no relation to Charlie) She is always positive, shares my wiseass sense of humor, and gives amazing honest advice and opinions. She also just happens to be an all around terrific Mom and friend. As great Moms go, there is also Julie Schwarzenegger (I probably spelled it wrong sorry!) She is Sloan’s mom, great photographer, eternal optimist, and creator of the funniest Halloween costumes ever. Her son Sloan, is one of the “Gateway Boys”—the group of kids including, Gage, and Zach, and John Cole, Blake and Charlie, who started preschool together at the age of 18 months and still share their birthday parties even though they are all in different schools and classes now! There is also Julie Carothers, computer guru in my office, and Julie Brewer, Kelly’s sister, Julie Hartman, my “rush crush” from my sorority days, another sorority sister, Julie Romognoli, two old work colleagues, Julie Shrom and Julie Diamond, and the original Julie in my life, Julie Dawn Walker Riggan: dear old friend (40 years + since church nursery school!) field trip partner, sharer of science projects, keeper of the Honeycomb Hideout, sleepover queen and co-conspirator in many of my youthful transgressions. Also, cheerleader extraordinaire, elephant lover, and sharer of home rooms, Sunday school classes, dance recitals, confirmation classes, and the balcony at Farmville United Methodist Church . . . and currently…. fabulous Mom, daughter, wife and especially friend!

Where do they all come from? Why are they all nice? I have never met a mean spirited person named Julie. Did you guys have a song and a movie too? Why don’t I know about it? Too weird. I have wracked my brain but I do not believe there is another name in my life so well represented. What is the point, you ask? There is not one really. It's just a goofy observation from someone with a lot of time on her hands, who is using it mostly to think about all the cool people in her life. (Incidentally, I also know a lot of Scotts and Susans too, but no where near as many as my Julies) So, a little challenge for you today: If you are named Julie, do you know who you were named for or why? Will you share? If you are named anything at all, is there another name that occurs in your world like Julie does in mine? Just curious. Humor me. I’ve got time.