“What is the most annoying question people ask you?”
I found this question on a list of questions to ask to get to know someone. This one stuck out, well, because I get two major questions asked when people first meet me.
- What kind of name is Ticia Rani?
- What are you?
So, let’s answer question#1- Ticia Rani is…stupid, drug-induced, a burden dropped on me for life, and it’s MINE. It may be weird and silly and flat out moronic even, but I have claimed it as mine. In an odd way, it has given me permission to create the definition of that name for myself. I don’t have to fit into a cookie cutter image of a Mary, Janet, or Carol. I get to be a Ticia and no one knows exactly what that means.
A funny thing happened many moons ago over said name…
I had joined the Air Force and was filling out 3 1/2 tons of paperwork BY HAND when a very large, very snarly Sargent snatched up my paperwork and thumbed through it quickly. He then proceeded to tear up a large portion of this paperwork while screaming-
“We don’t take f@#$!&g nicknames in the United States Air Force. It’s time to grow the f%$# up, little girl!”
I then silently handed him my birth certificate, SS card, and drivers license. His response…? He handed me a fresh stack of documents and another pen and walked away.
Um…Thanks. Rumour has it there is a story behind my name but I’ll stick with drug-induced.
*** Before anyone gets their panties in a twist- I am very proud to have served in the USAF and to our country.***
#2- What are you? Human…? Okay, so, my mother has auburn hair and green eyes and stands a whopping 5’2″. My bio brother sports blonde hair and blue eyes and I’m not sure how high that shit pile is stacked. Then there is little ol’ me- dark brown hair and eyes, my skin tone if deep olive and I stand 5’8″. I mirror my father in many aspects but did not grow up with him active in my life so no one saw where my “looks” came from. I stuck out like a sore thumb in my mothers family. Being as I wasn’t around my father’s clan much, questions were asked.
Are you, like, adopted? No. I wish I had been because that would explain sooooo much. But, no.
What are you? I am Irish, German, and Native American. Funny- my brother and I share the same parents but I took after our father’s side whereas he took after our mother’s. No one ever asked him where he came from or what he was. Well, I have asked many times what the hell he is but have never been given a definitive answer. Alien. I claim extraterrestrial of some sort. Probably from a very nasty species of subterranean creatures. That’s just my guess.
Here’s the thing- I feel like my name gave me a bit of freedom to become all the things I wanted. I got to create the image. I wasn’t named after someone so was not required to emulate them. No- I was given something fresh and new and all mine. I’m good with it. I was tortured as a kid for carrying such a strange moniker but grew stronger because of it. As for what I am. I am a human, female, strong, talented, creative, loud-mouthed, opinionated, determined, selfless, selfish, admired, hated, and loved. I am not limited by my skin tone or genetic makup. I am advanced for seeing value in ALL aspects of my life.
So, what are you?
Until the next journey into the weird and unusual world of Ticia…
Find joy. Be joy. Enjoy.
New Ink. Used Ideas. 