I am a fan of nicknames and short-forms.  I call my kids Bubbas (Drew) and Goose (Casey).  No idea why….the words just came out of my mouth one day and stuck.  I call reservations ‘resos’, appetizers ‘appys’, bedtime ‘BT’, and conversations ‘convos’.  I like pedis and manis, lol’s, and ‘za.  That might be why I prefer to be called ‘Ash’, rather than ‘Ashley’.

My full name is Ashley Jan Worobec.  ‘Jan’ is for my mom, Janis, and ‘Worobec’ is my married name.  I used to be a Swelin (sounds like Sundin, as in “Swool-een”), but I wanted to have the same Surname as my children; I’ve proudly been a Worobec for nearly 7 years now.

When you call me Ash, I feel a sense of familiarity and fond recollection of my childhood.  I’m the only female grandchild on my mom’s side, and my brother and all my cousins call me Ash.  I feel like you know my history.

When you call me Ash, I feel like it’s my best friends calling me Ash.  In fact, the annual girl’s trip of Ash/Sarah/Shan is affectionately called the ‘ASS Tour’.  I feel like you know that we’ve been touring nearly every year since ’98.

When you call me Ash, I feel like we lose the formality of full names and shift to the casualness of nicknames.  The Jennifers, Williams, and Roberts out there regularly get Jen, Bill, and Bob.  I feel like an ‘Ash’.

When you call me Ash, I feel like you know that I’m a tomboy at heart.  I love sports and barefeet and being outside far more than I love crafts and high heels and air conditioning.  I feel like you know my interests and my passions.

When you call me Ash, it might be just semantics to you, but it means a lot to me.  I identify as an ‘Ash’ more than an ‘Ashley’.  I feel like you know me, the real me.

Call me Ash.