Why I prefer Melanie to Mel

It all started when I was eleven…

Right this story is dedicated to Cat Marie Van Norman.

This is the story of why I prefer my full name, to the shortened Mel.

Photo by Hello Revival on Unsplash

Once upon a time I was 11. I was late to the game of developing crushes on boys. So when it happened at 11, it came on full-blown-like.

Jonathan from NKOTB — Image courtesy of Page Six.

All of a sudden I had crushes on every boy around me. AND actors. AND singers. Every week I crushed on a different member of NKOTB. Oh Jonathan…

But there was one actor who I totally crushed on, not only because of his cuteness overload, but because of his name.

HAWT — I mean look at ‘im. Picture courtesy of Pinterest.

Mel Gibson was this hottie pottatie that I couldn’t get enough of, back then. He was the bees knees. He was more than a cutie patootie. He was a hottie pottatie. The ultimate in cuteness. No other prize was more valued, than being a hottie pottatie.

Aaaaaaand, he had my name. Sort of.