I realized yesterday at my ultimate game that somewhere along the line I've stopped thinking of myself as 'Kathy'.

I introduced myself as Kathryn, and some of my team mates asked me if I go by anything shorter. The first time they asked, I told them that they could call me Kathy, but it felt so foreign and strange as it rolled off my tongue. It also felt strange when they called me Kathy, because not many people do these days. The next time somebody else asked, I responded with Kat, and that's what seems to have stuck.

Jeremy always preferred Kathryn. Mike always preferred Kat. I tend to use Kathryn for formal communication anyway -- mail, email at work, etc. -- and I guess I've gotten used to most of my friends in Seattle referring to me as Kat or occasionally Kathryn.

Strange. I've somehow lost my childhood name.