The Girl with the Weird Name.

Growing up, with an odd name, was very very hard. People, especially my teachers, can’t seem to get it right.

Let me tell you the story where I had the most bizarre experience with my name. we had a new teacher, and what all new teachers do, they’ll call out each student’s name from the name list, just to get to know who is who.
Suddenly, he called out, Michael.

Everybody was confused. Who could this person be? Never heard of a student with the name Michael before, especially in an all-girls school, SM St. Francis Convent, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

“teacher, there’s no one here with the name Michael.” Someone said.

Confused, he tried to read the name once more, “Georgina Michael Labidin?”

Then everybody burst out laughing. It’s actually, Georginni Michelle Labadin.

Yup, that's right. My name is Georginni.
If you google that name, I will be the first link that pop out from the search page. #ExaggerateMuch

My name is so weird and uncommon, people aren't even sure if this name was male or female. In emails, it is very common for me to get a correspond beginning with "Dear Mr Georginni".

see, I am not kidding.

I am female, by the way.

Even looking for a cute keychain with my name on it? IMPOSSIBLE! Never have I ever seen a keychain with the name Georginni on it. If you have one with my name on it, take all my money! Kidding... don't take my money.

Even when creating a username for this Steemit account, no one has taken up the username @georginni. #LuckyMe

Among my friends, I am more known as Ginni. But that name is completely oblivious to my family, because there’s no such person with that name, only Lovey.

Lovey?
I know, right.
There's no Lovey in Georginni.
No Lovey in Michelle.
Not even in Labadin.
Maybe because I am just Lovely. Hah!

This year, on 6th of June, I am finally turning the age of 27. The age where everybody actually thought I was when I was merely 20.

I know I know… I look old…
Not old… but… rather mature.

That’s the usual reaction that I would get whenever I tell someone my age. And they will always make certain that they did not mean that I look old, but rather mature.

Now fellow Steemians, did you know that "mature" is just another word for OLD. The only difference is that it’s much nicer and politer.

Growing up, I have always been so chubby, that’s another polite word for FAT. And I was tall too. Yes, I was consider tall for my age when I was in primary school. Hah!

And I often pondered, why do I look so mature for my age? When I said I was 8, they thought I was 10. When I said I was 15, they thought I was 18, and when I said I was 20, everybody thought I was 27!

Is it because of my height? Is it because of my size? Or is it genetics? Then came one fine day, the question that had always been hovering inside my head for the past 20 years of my life, was finally answered. It was the day when I decided to go for a swim, hard as it is to believe it, yes, I do swim, occasionally, and even though I was not graced with a fair skin tone, I still wanted to put on some sunblock.

So, as I was applying some of the sunblock on to my face, I started to read the description at the back of the bottle. And right there, it says “unprotected exposure to the sun can cause premature skin aging.” No wonder! All my life I have been standing under the sun being roasted, without any protection at all, nothing other than just with the clothes on my back of course, all those activities I did under the sun, with not a layer of sunblock applied to my face, I was actually making myself look older!

Let me tell you about the activities that I did that has the most critical sunlight exposure:

I love music so much, I wanted to join a club in my school that involves music or musical instruments, so I decided to join the marching band. Being green and naïve at that time, especially in a Chinese school and was just starting to learn the alien language, I had no idea what exactly do marching bands do, all I knew was, they play music there, and so my whole primary schooling years, I played musical instruments while marching under the hot blazing sun.

In my secondary school, it was mandatory for everybody to join a uniform unit. I told myself then, no more marching! So, my choices were: Should I join karate or taekwondo? Maybe I should join this club, never heard of it, maybe it’s not well known, so less activities! O… How wrong I was… I graduated from school with the title “Commander of Kadet Remaja Sekolah” in my school resume.

In conclusion, I blame the sun for being the catalyst to my aging looks. Even though deep down inside, I know its genetics. But if I can put the blame to anything that is under the sun, why not just blame the sun itself.

When I finally realized that the sun was to blame for my aging looks. For the past 7 years in my life, skin care routine is a must and my holy grail. My goal is to reach the age 50, and people think I'm still in my late 30s. Then I can sheepishly and proudly answer, “oh please, I’m 50”.

As a proof of progress, this year when I say I am 27, they go: meh… that’s about right.

Sooner or later, I will reach my goal.

Note to self to prevent premature skin aging:

1. Skin care is the Holy Grail.
2. Drink a gallon of water a day, because water is the Fountain of Youth and the Elixir of Life. I am not exaggerating.

Do you agree?

And for those who are in their 50s but still look like they are in their 30s, what is your secret?!

with much love,
@georginni