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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Am I a laughing stock?

814 replies

CovidHeadache · 31/10/2025 09:03

I jokingly call my house “surname towers” so for example if my surname was Jackson, my house would be called Jackson Towers. I’ve called it this for years, it’s very very lighthearted as I’m sure everyone knows. We host a lot of social events and I use the name in invites for example “birthday party, Jackson towers”, “Strictly finale party, Jackson towers” etc
In Christmas/birthday cards “love from A, L and all at Jackson towers”

All my friends and family know I call the house this and some call it this name too either in replies or just in general.

Anyway, last night I’d popped to my mums and my sister was there, we were talking about taking the kids to a Halloween event tonight and I said “why don’t you bring them back to the towers afterward and we can have a little party?”

My sister then said “I’m sorry but can we stop with this towers bullshit, it’s so cringy”. I said “It’s a joke! And you’ve never complained before!” My mum then said “not to your face maybe”. They both started laughing and my sister then said “no I’m sorry, someone needs to say something, people have been ripping the piss out of you for years for it, just give it a rest now”.

so to cut a long story short, turns out almost my entire family have been slagging me off for it for years and my sister hinted that my friends have too.

When I got home I rang my friend and asked her if the towers name annoys her and she said “no course not” so I asked if she knew if it annoyed anyone else to which she hesitated and then said “not annoy as such”. She wouldn’t elaborate further.

Now I’m pretty thick skinned and can mostly laugh it off if I’ve been a dick but this time I’m a bit upset, I keep trying to tell myself I’m not bothered but I can’t stop thinking about it. Have I been a laughing stock for years? If so AIBU to think someone might have mentioned it before now?

OP posts:
HandmadeNanna · 04/11/2025 14:05

CovidHeadache · 31/10/2025 09:03

I jokingly call my house “surname towers” so for example if my surname was Jackson, my house would be called Jackson Towers. I’ve called it this for years, it’s very very lighthearted as I’m sure everyone knows. We host a lot of social events and I use the name in invites for example “birthday party, Jackson towers”, “Strictly finale party, Jackson towers” etc
In Christmas/birthday cards “love from A, L and all at Jackson towers”

All my friends and family know I call the house this and some call it this name too either in replies or just in general.

Anyway, last night I’d popped to my mums and my sister was there, we were talking about taking the kids to a Halloween event tonight and I said “why don’t you bring them back to the towers afterward and we can have a little party?”

My sister then said “I’m sorry but can we stop with this towers bullshit, it’s so cringy”. I said “It’s a joke! And you’ve never complained before!” My mum then said “not to your face maybe”. They both started laughing and my sister then said “no I’m sorry, someone needs to say something, people have been ripping the piss out of you for years for it, just give it a rest now”.

so to cut a long story short, turns out almost my entire family have been slagging me off for it for years and my sister hinted that my friends have too.

When I got home I rang my friend and asked her if the towers name annoys her and she said “no course not” so I asked if she knew if it annoyed anyone else to which she hesitated and then said “not annoy as such”. She wouldn’t elaborate further.

Now I’m pretty thick skinned and can mostly laugh it off if I’ve been a dick but this time I’m a bit upset, I keep trying to tell myself I’m not bothered but I can’t stop thinking about it. Have I been a laughing stock for years? If so AIBU to think someone might have mentioned it before now?

I don't understand. Why shouldn't you have a nickname/joke name for home? Our family home was always known as "Hospitality House". Not a name we gave it, rather my brother's friends who always knew where to get a cuppa and cake no matter what day or time. Wasn't long before everyone was calling it "Hospitality House".
I have friends who invite visitors to "The Mansion". Reason being it is a tiny 2 up 2 down Cottage. Their own joke. Nobody has criticised or laughed about it.
Sounds like your family and so called friends need to grow up.
Keep on calling your home "----Towers"

TeaRoseTallulah · 04/11/2025 14:07

AutumnClouds · 04/11/2025 12:23

Double down is from betting, so it means increasing your commitment to whatever even more rather than pulling out.

Thanks!

Member869894 · 04/11/2025 14:08

I would find that hugely irritating and cringy

Member869894 · 04/11/2025 14:08

I would find that hugely irritating and cringy

AutumnClouds · 04/11/2025 14:16

I need to turn notifications off for this thread, I find it depressing that people don’t understand a bit of light ironic whimsy, and think that OP genuinely has pretensions above her station! While we’re on betting I bet that the mean family members and posters putting the boot in don’t read books, and that OP does.

nomas · 04/11/2025 14:17

AutumnClouds · 04/11/2025 14:16

I need to turn notifications off for this thread, I find it depressing that people don’t understand a bit of light ironic whimsy, and think that OP genuinely has pretensions above her station! While we’re on betting I bet that the mean family members and posters putting the boot in don’t read books, and that OP does.

It's horrible, isn't it?

I would ban these family members from my home.

AutumnClouds · 04/11/2025 14:23

nomas · 04/11/2025 14:17

It's horrible, isn't it?

I would ban these family members from my home.

I’d banish them from the ancestral hearth

nomas · 04/11/2025 14:26

AutumnClouds · 04/11/2025 14:23

I’d banish them from the ancestral hearth

Hahaha! Hope OP is still reading, long live Jackson Towers.

elviswhorley · 04/11/2025 14:33

They sound horrible. You sound nice and unserious.

FrostAtMidnight · 04/11/2025 14:36

AutumnClouds · 04/11/2025 14:16

I need to turn notifications off for this thread, I find it depressing that people don’t understand a bit of light ironic whimsy, and think that OP genuinely has pretensions above her station! While we’re on betting I bet that the mean family members and posters putting the boot in don’t read books, and that OP does.

Someone up the thread put it well- "It's evident that a lot of people on this thread think the single most important thing a person can do is make sure they have no personality at all, for fear that someone else might not find it to their taste."

Squirrelmirrel · 04/11/2025 16:34

FrostAtMidnight · 04/11/2025 14:36

Someone up the thread put it well- "It's evident that a lot of people on this thread think the single most important thing a person can do is make sure they have no personality at all, for fear that someone else might not find it to their taste."

So true!!

WhamBamThankU · 04/11/2025 18:57

Very embarrassing for you to try and make it into a ‘thing’

Mothership4two · 04/11/2025 23:30

Not sure what is embarrassing or cringey about having a longstanding and lighthearted jokey name for your home? It's just a joke. They aren't doing anything immoral or that is hurting anyone else. We are all different with different values, opinions, sense of humours and ways of living. Why be judgy?

AIBU threads seems to bring out the snarks. OP has said she's upset. Why then double-down on something that is really insignificant except to the OP? Seems, to me, to be being mean just for the sake of it - bit like OP's jealous family

Someonelookedatmypostinghistorysoichanged · 04/11/2025 23:47

Jackson towers must rise above the miserable gits and just keep saying I know to rake the piss but I don’t care, 🤷‍♀️. Those that did take the oiss will be cringe 😬 for sure.

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