My partner and I just got to Wroclaw, Poland. I’m at a little bar having a beer, and there’s this little gnome statue nearby. Apparently, Wroclaw has over 1000 gnomes?! Apparently they’re an homage to the Orange Alternative, which was an absurdist anti-authoritarian movement in the Stalinist era.
People keep coming by with tourist maps. Feels almost like a scavenger hunt. I’m really enjoying being out here.
I think the best ones stem from deep shared history. One time, I spilled a little blue paint on the toe of my shoe. For a few months whenever I wore those shoes my partner would occasionally say something like “here comes ol’ blue toe” just to get a chuckle out of me. It was stupid and perfect.
Eventually, that transformed into “blue guy” with occasional mutations: big blue guy, big blue, or just plain “blue”.
We have other nicknames for each other too, but that one has been around for years and is one of my favorites.
A key is being able to lovingly poke fun at each other, and not take yourselves too seriously. Sounds like you’ve got both of those things, so just keep an eye out for an opportunity to make your own!