Am I a laughing stock?

It’s probably you constantly referring to the house as something that it’s not that’s wearing a bit thin

We all "Towers" the in laws, they have a big family so being the top of the chain, thats what the family say. Or "Surname HQ".

I have been known to Chez our house but only with close friends and when my best friend comes over to stay I'll joke if she would like her "usual suite" (the office with a day bed in it) but that's about it. I wouldn't put it in a card though sorry.

I expect it got old very quickly.

That was my first thought.😂😂

I think the fact that you ALWAYS use it takes it beyond a joke and into a 'thing'. But so what? If they don't like it, they don't like it. If you do, you do. You probably at this stage do get a few eye rolls but I wouldn't imagine anything malicious.

Oh you have to lean into it now OP. At least get a sign made.

I think people are probably laughing about it but it doesn't mean you're a laughing stock or that people don't like you. You obviously don't take yourself too seriously so don't let people having a laugh at you bother you - embrace it. People definitely need something to laugh about these days!

Your sister on the other hand does seem to have an issue, but there's probably more to that than you being a bit silly/cringy.

That’s a bit mean of them. I used to live in a flat above shops that had no front door on the street (eg, official address was 123 high street but the entrance was actually on a back road called eg the lane, it was a couple minutes walk from the high street down another road to access my front door. I never got post delivered & had to order taxis from ‘the lane’). Anyway I had very long hair when I moved in & jokingly nicknamed the place ‘rapunzels villa’ like the fairytale because there didn’t seem to be an entrance. I didn’t refer to it as such except to the landlord who thought it was hillarious & he had a little plaque made for my gate (his son had a sign shop). It made me happy & I thought harmless, but now I’m wondering if guests I bought round were laughing at the cringe, especially when I had short hair a few years later

Sometimes a joke can wear thin when it's been heard several dozens of times

This is exactly it!!

Its funny when it’s said every now and then but when it’s said too much (especially when you’ve called it that yourself) is when it gets cringey.

Its like The Sherminator off American Pie.

I have a nickname that people call me and even that I rarely use myself but to give myself a nickname and use it all the time would be a bit too much.

I don’t understand the reaction though.
It’s not that deep.
If you enjoy using it, then carry on but just know that other people don’t find it funny.

To be honest, though, if OP always calls it Jackson Towers, it does kind of suggest that it's how she wants it referred to and it would make friends feel awkward not to follow suit - for fear of offending her.

I know it's not quite the same thing, but it could come across as when somebody gives their baby a truly awful name and then everybody deliberately keeps referring to him/her as 'the baby' or 'the little one', because they simply cannot bear to call them 'Rainbow-Moonflower'.

I can see that you mean the X Towers in a humourous way. I guess it was amusing to friends/family in the beginning but the joke has worn a bit thin, and instead of finding it funny, it's been overused and lost that in the process. Your sister was unkind, not by telling you but in the words she used and the way she told you. She could have said something (a long time ago!) in a much more sensitive manner. I imagine, she just got fed up, and decided to be brutally blunt. All your friends/family must be very good actors, if you've never suspected anything. You now know, so just stop using the phrase, but I would let it be known that you'd have appreciated it more if people had told you once it became annoying, rather than letting it get into a situation where you sister felt she needed to be unkind to make her point.

It’s fine and, tbh, this would make me do it even more! Fuck them. I say this as someone who has a stone dragon guarding our townhouse - I don’t care if people think it’s wanky or cringey - I like it, its presence pleases me and therefore it stays.

Funnily enough for years we've jokingly called our house (name of road) Towers, only because it sounds like something from an Enid Blyton book!
If family visit they may put a Facebook post saying 'spending the weekend at (blank) Towers. Most friends know what they mean !

I don't think you are a laughing stock at all, as they are still in touch with you. It's just a joke that went stale. I'm guessing you won't want to use it any more anyway. It's natural that your pride is dented but the sting will fade.

I think we re all guilty of being a bit twatty sometimes. I know I am. Especially to people we trust and feel comfortable with. Look... The whole towers thing probably got quiet eye rolls, but in a sort of indulging way - you sound like a lovely person who is likeable.

Compare and contrast this to your sister/mother's behaviour. Now that smells that resentful twatty. You aimed at welcoming people with your twattiness, they aimed at hurting people. Awful lot of hurtful twatty posts on mumsnet too. I know what version of twatty Id like to be friends with.

Christ people lack a sense of humour these days - it's a joke and one I'd not be bothered by

Our NDN call their house (a 3 bed semi) "Street Name Manor" it is a joke, they even have a sign on the house with the name, everyone knows it's not a manor house, it's a piss take because they have a long drive. I think your family are mean.

I think it’s the fact it’s gone on and on for years that might have made it wear a bit thin.

As a joke it’s funny a couple of times. Saying it over and over again could get quite grating.

That said, anyone who actually likes you probably isn’t fussed - your family sound a bit mean.

I’d stop doing it though.

Yeah it’s embarrassing sorry . I’d cringe if someone sent me an invite and put meet at whatever towers.

A joke...that you've been saying for years, and seemingly everytime you refer to your house. Can you not see how tedious that would get, even if it were funny at the start

When I got home I rang my friend and asked her if the towers name annoys her

This is a little odd Op

in any event, what did you expect her to respond given you’d cornered her like this.

The fact you behaved like this would indicate maybe there are other issues at play here

@Cucy That's a bit of an unkind post. (At 10.06.)

@Cucy That's a bit of an unkind post. (At 10.06.)

Nah I cba with such boring fuckers in my life. It’s hilarious

I’m a bit embarrassed for you, OP. I too have a 3 storey townhouse and wouldn’t dream of calling it that - unless I was directly referring to the chaos (like Fawlty towers!).