If This Weblog Were A Novel

If this weblog were a novel, we wouldn't have this problem.  But it's not a novel, it's my life, and I don't have access to the twists and turns of the plot when I write posts.  I've got no way to know what's foreshadowing and what's irrelevance.  So I just tell you the stuff that strikes my fancy as it happens.  I leave a lot out, and I include things that aren't full of drama or meaning.  We'll see where it takes us.

So anyway, from time to time I mention a friend or two on this weblog.  Most frequently, I mention Housemate, who has lived with me since 2002, who was my college roommate and has been a steadfast and very close friend since 1992.  I mention her because we live together, we exercise together, and we have conversations during which I almost always learn something.  She's a frequent companion, a dear friend, and the person with whom I most frequently have personal insights. 

And now she's moving out, along with 517 (who has himselve been a housemate for the last 6 months, and a frequent companion for a year before that).  I'll have a new housemate, who is a relatively new friend and an interesting person in her own right, but who is not Housemate. 

What's the naming convention here?  Housemate has other nicknames: Agent 1, Bueno, Wibber or Wibs, Wila, Thelma, Shifty Bob.  I could refer to her by an initial, as I do with others.  I don't particularly want to call her Ex-Housemate.   That's clunky and awkward (as I discovered when the character once called "Boyfriend" on this weblog became "Ex-Boyfriend" and joined a group of other shady characters, indistinct from one another).   

So: what to call Housemate now that she's not my housemate?  What to call the new housemate, so as not to confuse her with the person formerly known as Housemate?  Suggestions welcome. 

Comments

[will]

Do you have a chart for those of us who are new?

You could go with Newbie or fresh for the new housemate, but I would suggest something more personal to her so you do not have the same problem when she becomes ex-housemate.

Exhousemate could become neighbor. Or Gladis if she stays in your business.

[Jeff]

Housemate I and Housemate II?

[Dan]

Hmm, what to call housemate, now that she isn't, and "person formerly know as Housemate" isn't really viable. You could call her 517+, and acknowledge them both, and generally women are the better halves of a couple....hence the "+".

I'd agree with Will about not calling the new housemate something housemate related, to prevent future issues regarding naming... Newbie seems a bit awkward...as she won't always be a newbie. Does she have any distinguishing characteristics...like haircolor or eye color that you might use?

[MT]

Outhouse-mate?

[MT]

First Edition?
Mate 1.0?
The Graduate?
The Ghost? (of housemate past)
First responder?
The Reject?
Jetsam? Flotsam? (does she float?)

[ogged]

You can't just change her name, that's against the rules. At most, you can do something like Housemate (Emeritus) or some such. If people haven't been around long enough to know that Housemate no longer lives with you, tough. But now you know not to give the new housemate a name based on something contingent.

[Littoral]

Mrs 517?

[alkali]

Given that Housemate is going off to get married, I propose "Housemated."

[Amy]

I don't think you can do better than "Shifty Bob" although Housemate (Emeritus) made me laugh.

nhm could be new housemate

housemate could stay as housemate (though picking up from one of the other commentators, hm1.0 could work).

[turboglacier]

The Artist Formerly Known As Housemate (choose a symbol for all future references)

[prince of torts]

perhaps you could merely refer to Housemate's replacement as "sequel"

[dgm]

you could come up with a formula like those ones that figure out your porn star name or your soap opera name, like "take the name of your favorite cartoon character and the last name of the primary author of your contracts textbook."

however, i'm also partial to "shifty bob."

[wab]

Agent 1 sounded most appealing to me most, but "shifty bob" is also cute. As for for the newcomer, I like variants of the numbering convention: Agent 2, HM2, etc.

[Notorious BLT]

I concur with many that Housemate has graduated and should hereto be referred to as "Shifty Bob". Maybe in the first few weeks of mentioning her you could identify her as "Shifty Bob (formerly Housemate)" and regular readers would be updated and feel comfortable with the transition.

As for the nickname of the new housemate, I would avoid any house connotation in the new nickname so when she does move out you don't have to change her nickname too :-)

There are many ways to get a nickname. I like your method of putting fun/cool/zany nicknames on paper in a hat and pick one at random allowing fate to name her.

Then you could have a blog contest where you ask readers to come up with the story of her nickname.