Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Boyfriend nomenclature

"I can't go on being boyfriend number 2," said boyfriend number 2 to me recently.

"I know, I'm sorry," I reply, "it's just a consequence of the original name of the blog."

Long time readers will recall that until November 2006 this blog was called "Things I can't tell boyfriend number 1". At the time when I started this blog however, there was no intention to start numbering boyfriends. But having devised the name boyfriend number 1 for my main boyfriend in London, when he wouldn't go on holiday with me in summer 2005 and I went with another guy instead, it seemed natural to call the other guy boyfriend number 2.

"The readers know that you're called 'P', if they look back at some of the old posts", I continue, "so perhaps I could start referring to you as 'boyfriend P' instead?"

"Hmmm, maybe," replies boyfriend P, "lets discuss it later."

I've said before that I don't like the boyfriend numbering scheme that I've accidentally devised so indeed, it's time for a change! Henceforth, I'm going to refer to the guys that I call boyfriends as follows:

Boyfriend S – the guy formerly known as boyfriend number 1
Boyfriend P – the guy formerly known as boyfriend number 2
Boyfriend R – the guy formerly known as boyfriend number 3

Although the original scheme was infinitely extensible, the new scheme is clearly limited to the number of letters in the Western alphabet. None the less, with only 3 of the possible 26 letters taken, I think I've got enough room for expansion for the time being!

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I finally got to reading the entire blog! Thanks for a great read, I'll be coming back regularly!

Anonymous said...

God, this got me cracked up! Haha... room for expansion, indeed. Are they in anyway serious boyfriends?

GB said...

Wow Ethrim, I'm glad you enjoyed reading my blog :-). And YES legolas79, boyfriend P and boyfriend S are definitely very serious boyfriends!

GB xxx

M. Knoester said...

Who would want to be boyfriend X, though? That sounds too sinister. Unless you're going by their initials and you find a Xavier...

Superchilled said...

I think boyfriend X would be better than boyfriend Z... And I'm probably not going to become boyfriend T, unless GB upgrades me from Zero class to economy or above for his next trip to paradise... ;)

Anonymous said...

GB, Perhaps it's just the lawyer in me, but an alphabetical scheme as devised is also infinitely extensible. After all, after Z, you can always begin AA... Hope that helps you sleep a little more soundly at night. X

GB said...

I think Trevor is right SubtleKnife, boyfriend Z sounds like the bottom of the barrel! But boyfriend X would be a man of mystery, don't you think?

And yes glhairyfxxker, I suppose I could extend via double, triple initials LOL! I'll bear that in mind :-).

GB xxx

Anonymous said...

Why not just give the boys proper names ?

GB said...

Well badabing, my long-time readers already know from the old posts that the name of the guy that used to be called boyfriend number 2 is 'P', and the name of the guy that used to be called boyfriend number 3 is 'R'. However, in the past I've mentioned other guys with those names, so saying e.g. 'boyfriend P' distinguishes him from the other guys called 'P'. That makes sense doesn't it?

GB xxx

Anonymous said...

GB don't confuse us all! Just give them names or leave the numbering! Its worked all this time!

GB said...

I'm just reverting to their names that I've used in the past 'Anonymous', whoever you are. And in any case, if you look in my profile which is displayed at the top of my right-hand side bar, it tells you who's who!

GB xxx

Anonymous said...

All this talk of numbering and designation - is this why your avatar's gone all mathematical on us ?

GB said...

Unfortunately 'Anonymous', whoever you are, my holiday with Boyfriend P in South America is over now so it's back to work at the bank tomorrow. So I've switched the Avatar from Rio to sums. If I can't be on holiday, then neither can my Avatar!

GB xxx

MadeInScotland said...

ahoj GB and happy new year.

So with the change in nomenclature, may we ask, are all 3 BFs on equal footing? Are there any/either/all what you would describe as your partner? Your life partner?

I understand the change in naming is to deal with the preconception that goes with the ordering of 1, 2, 3. So, does the BF formerly known as BF3 have the same status as BF formerly known as BF1?

Given the egalitarianism, does that mean that there is no longer any importance attributed to the BF that you live with? Might you, for example, move in with the BF formerly known as BF number 3 in his place...or is there still an implicit order?

Despite the change in nomenclature is there still a priority in terms of significance to you? Or is it simply, as you suggest, a change in nomenclature (and nothing more).

They always say "look to yourself" to learn from yourself.

ahoj

GB said...

Well czechout, when I'm being honest with myself, boyfriend R isn't really a boyfriend. He's a guy that I get on well with, and also have a bit of fun with every now and then :-). But I do think of the other two as genuine boyfriends. I've made statements to this effect before, so there's nothing new here, just a change of nomenclature.

GB xxx

LucRenta said...

This may be a small step in the wrong direction :)