Changed names and Cell phones

We have a friend who recently changed his name, and without us knowing so it caught jon off guard when he called rhet and got jude. I have a friend from high school, and junior high in fact, who always went by chris instead of his first name, rocco. we lost contact for a couple years and now he is solidly rocco, and in my mind solidly chris. I called him a while back and was left with the awkwardness of his awkwardness of me calling him by the only name I know him by. So I'm not sure how to proceed in communication. It's like in the morning before you've said a word to anyone and that first "hello" comes out in a squeak and a cough and full of hesitancy. I don't really like that.

Along similar terms, my cell phone and I are developing a tense relationship with one another and I am losing any interest and confidence in talking on the phone. I'm almost sure it originated when a friend told me she couldn't understand the message I had left on her phone. But now I'm left doubting if I am heard. And I have no control over the clarity of my communication at that point. I used to talk on the phone for hours with jon and now apart from my Sunday calling to my family, I'm more than hesitant to carry on a conversation.

So I suppose both of these small paragraphs should be apologies for my own projected awkwardness and instead I've really just presented an excuse. What really should happen is you should visit me in portland. And then we can get coffee and talk face to face. I'd like that.