The Increased Tolerance of Pet Names ...

**By Tracy Statema **

So after hanging around some good ol' southern folks the past year or so, I have discovered that I have picked up one major habit. I called everyone darling or hun. It has invaded my everyday speech – I often answer my cell phone "hey darlin" (please note I have caller ID so this is not quite as random as it may appear). lol

I have, however, managed to avoid using it at work. In fact, my former boss used to call me Hun quite often and it grated my last nerve. Maybe because it was attached to a request that was usually of a personal nature and nowhere near my job description!!

But it did get me thinking – about the pet names we call people and those that people use for us. I am a big girl – not self deprecating just stating a fact. And I am not what anyone would ever call cute. In relationships with men I have never used pet names like snookums or hunny bun etc. Nor quite frankly has anyone dared to use them on me.

So it kind of shocked me the other day when reading through email and texts to discover I was being called "doll" "babe" "sweetie" and "baby girl". What was even more shocking was that I didn't mind it at all. In fact, it made me smile…a lot! More than that it kinda made me feel special! (now granted I have been neglecting any form of male attention for a long time so that could be part of it too!!) lol

Just rambling today..but hey isn't that what a babe does??!! LMAO