Conversations With Friends

So I have a tendency to be a solitary person when entering a new job.  I like to scope people out, listen to what others say about them and watch the interactions between everybody.  Usually the people who talk about others are the ones I stay away from; wasn't always like that but I like to think I have matured a little.  Once I have gotten to know who I can trust, I like to welcome them into my world with open arms and hope that they do the same.  In the past Harmonica and Tam have been two of these people and I have been the one to benefit from our friendships.  Where I work now, I have Columbus.  Every morning Columbus comes into my office and we catch up on the happenings of each others lives from the night before; trust me when I say one of us always has some sort of drama to share.  We use my office because I'm away from the rest of our department and for the most part we don't really care for the people in our department; so gossip always makes an entrance into our morning reports.

I didn't get my normal report this morning because Columbus' mother came to town for a visit and she took the day off.  However, she and I were blazing up the text message system on our iphones catching up.  Here is just a brief glimpse of what was said:

Columbus: So how was work
Me: Like a graveyard
C: I bet because it was so pretty outside no one wanted to be there
Me: Probably
(more chit-chat about her day with her mom and aunt)
C: How was your day
Me: The most exciting thing was the new paper cut I got from a folder.  I had to get a new folder for one of the 2008 vendors because I bled all over the old one. That was the highlight.
Me (again): And I didn't tell you that to make you feel bad.  Just pointing out how unnecessary it was for me to be here today.
Me (again): This is the most conversation I have had all day.
C: OMG.  I am cracking up over here
Me: Glad I could entertain

Now as an average reader of my blog (I know you are out there), you are probably scratching your head as to why Columbus, her husband and I find this funny.  There are many mitigating factors that have become a bit of a back story to what I was hired to do and what I actually do and Mr. & Mrs. Columbus are privy to this back story and the thought of me running around my office, cussing up a storm while bleeding all over the place from a paper cut just has then rolling in the aisle.  I have to admit it is kinda funny.

P.S.
When Mr. Columbus said "She needs to blog that", I realized that I didn't have a nickname for Columbus.  We texted about it for a minute and...

Me: I need a nickname for you for my blog.  By now I have usually given you one but I have failed in this part of our friendship
C: Loser; LOL
Me: LMAO (doesn't take a lot to keep us entertained)
C: Ummmm, I dont know what my nickname could be
Me: So far all I can come up with is Columbus, for the obvious reasons
C: Gotcha
Me: What about Sookie...but it could only be read like the way Bill says it on the show and I can't figure out how to write it that way
C: use u's?

So there you have it dear readers, two challenges of sorts

1. Give me some ideas for a nickname for Columbus

2. Figure out how to spell Sookie the way this guy says it - Bill