Meeting my Google twin
Jesse Claeys the journalist meets Jesse Claeys the curler
By Jesse Claeys Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, April 04, 2008
Jesse Claeys is a winner.
Not me, the other Jesse Claeys, the Canadian one. He's 16. He likes rap music. He's secured a few youth curling division champions up in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Up until a few months ago I'd have told you I was the world's one and only Jesse Claeys -- the masculine spelling of my first name combined with the completely unnecessary vowel in my last name making for a unique combo not to be found elsewhere. I was wrong. Google broke the news to me.
I am Jesse Claeys the Iowa journalist, whose articles end up on obscure Web sites to be dissected and bashed by disapproving bloggers.
He is Jesse Claeys the Canadian boy, whose name landed on the Internet due to his impressive curling skills (think shuffleboard on ice).
The two of us were born 13 years apart in different countries yet are connected by a shared name. I found him and, at the same time, crushed a certain aspect of my individuality by simply searching for "Jesse Claeys" on Google.
I felt, for some yet-to-be-defined reason, the other Jesse and I should get to know each other. I sent an e-mail to the "info" address of the Pembina Curling Club, where Canadian Jesse's name appeared, stating as much.
I waited.
Janice, Jesse's mother, responded a few days later, agreeing that it might be interesting to get the two JCs on the phone together.
I'm really not sure why it sounded like a good idea. I guess I was trying to answer some sort of question about what's in a name. Do names matter? Is he a sort of a mini-me just because of the name our parents gave us? Do we share certain traits? More important, does he also think the song "Jesse's Girl" is cool in a slightly lame way?
"I've heard that old song," the other Jesse said from his home in Winnipeg. "I don't really like it."
Old? Don't really like it? We had much to discuss. By topic, here's a bit of what we learned about each other during our 30-minute telephone conversation:
* Our names: He's Jesse Joseph James Claeys. His mom told me she wanted to name him after the famous outlaw Jesse James, but to ease her then-husband's objection, she added Joseph. I'm just Jesse Claeys. That's it. He has two middle names and I don't have any. I wasn't named after anyone in particular. According to my parents, the name Katie went out the window when I escaped the womb as a boy and my mom instantly nixed my dad's next picks -- Jabe and Kelly Blue.
* Tale of the tape: Other Jesse is 5 feet 5 inches, 120 pounds. I'm 5 feet 11 inches, 180 pounds. I'd like to think we'll end up the same size when the curling Claeys finishes growing.
* Body modification: Canadian Jesse has his left ear pierced. I don't. We agree we'd like to get some sort of tattoo someday. Neither of us knows of what.
* Employment: Other Jesse has never had a job but is considering getting one in the near future. He has his sights set on something in the food and beverage industry. At his age, I had been working for two years as a grocery bagger at Pierce Street Fareway, a house painter and a groundskeeper at Marketplace Mall.
* Cars: I'm on my fourth, he has yet to purchase one. He is a fan of older Chevys. Well, well, my arctic brother, my first car was a 1966 Chevy Nova.
* When we grow up: Other Jesse seems to live and breathe curling. His dream is to become an Olympic curler someday. He's thought about colleges and careers and hasn't come up with anything solid. He may join his mother in the family accounting business. What about being a journalist? "It's sounds sort of interesting. I'd have to get my English marks up to do it." English is his least favorite subject in school. Turns out we're both still trying to figure what to do when we grow up. I, too, would like to be an Olympian.
* Ideal hometown: The Canadian said he'd like to live someplace warm as an adult. Like where? "Maybe someplace like British Columbia," he said. He's sticking in Canada. I'm sticking in the States.
* Girls: We both like them. Does he have a girlfriend? "No." Has he ever had one? "Um ... kinda, I guess." Is he pursuing any? "Not really." I've been with mine for more than a year.
The conversation went on, revealing more and more similarities and differences. We both like swimming, and our parents divorced when each of us was around 5 years old. He likes the movie "National Treasure." I couldn't get by its plot holes.
In the end I learned we really had only two concrete things in common: a name and an interest in getting to know the person with whom we share it. We agreed to try and stay in touch from now on.
And to continue to hate everyone who misspells our precious name.
"What do you think about people who spell Jesse with an 'ie'?" I asked.
"That happens all the time. It makes me real mad," he replied. "Real mad."
We agree spelling Jesse with an "ie" is the same as calling us girls. Neither of us likes it.
The American Jesse Claeys can be reached at (712) 293-4221 or jesseclaeys@siouxcityjournal.com
Not me, the other Jesse Claeys, the Canadian one. He's 16. He likes rap music. He's secured a few youth curling division champions up in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Up until a few months ago I'd have told you I was the world's one and only Jesse Claeys -- the masculine spelling of my first name combined with the completely unnecessary vowel in my last name making for a unique combo not to be found elsewhere. I was wrong. Google broke the news to me.
I am Jesse Claeys the Iowa journalist, whose articles end up on obscure Web sites to be dissected and bashed by disapproving bloggers.
He is Jesse Claeys the Canadian boy, whose name landed on the Internet due to his impressive curling skills (think shuffleboard on ice).
The two of us were born 13 years apart in different countries yet are connected by a shared name. I found him and, at the same time, crushed a certain aspect of my individuality by simply searching for "Jesse Claeys" on Google.
I felt, for some yet-to-be-defined reason, the other Jesse and I should get to know each other. I sent an e-mail to the "info" address of the Pembina Curling Club, where Canadian Jesse's name appeared, stating as much.
I waited.
Janice, Jesse's mother, responded a few days later, agreeing that it might be interesting to get the two JCs on the phone together.
I'm really not sure why it sounded like a good idea. I guess I was trying to answer some sort of question about what's in a name. Do names matter? Is he a sort of a mini-me just because of the name our parents gave us? Do we share certain traits? More important, does he also think the song "Jesse's Girl" is cool in a slightly lame way?
"I've heard that old song," the other Jesse said from his home in Winnipeg. "I don't really like it."
Old? Don't really like it? We had much to discuss. By topic, here's a bit of what we learned about each other during our 30-minute telephone conversation:
* Our names: He's Jesse Joseph James Claeys. His mom told me she wanted to name him after the famous outlaw Jesse James, but to ease her then-husband's objection, she added Joseph. I'm just Jesse Claeys. That's it. He has two middle names and I don't have any. I wasn't named after anyone in particular. According to my parents, the name Katie went out the window when I escaped the womb as a boy and my mom instantly nixed my dad's next picks -- Jabe and Kelly Blue.
* Tale of the tape: Other Jesse is 5 feet 5 inches, 120 pounds. I'm 5 feet 11 inches, 180 pounds. I'd like to think we'll end up the same size when the curling Claeys finishes growing.
* Body modification: Canadian Jesse has his left ear pierced. I don't. We agree we'd like to get some sort of tattoo someday. Neither of us knows of what.
* Employment: Other Jesse has never had a job but is considering getting one in the near future. He has his sights set on something in the food and beverage industry. At his age, I had been working for two years as a grocery bagger at Pierce Street Fareway, a house painter and a groundskeeper at Marketplace Mall.
* Cars: I'm on my fourth, he has yet to purchase one. He is a fan of older Chevys. Well, well, my arctic brother, my first car was a 1966 Chevy Nova.
* When we grow up: Other Jesse seems to live and breathe curling. His dream is to become an Olympic curler someday. He's thought about colleges and careers and hasn't come up with anything solid. He may join his mother in the family accounting business. What about being a journalist? "It's sounds sort of interesting. I'd have to get my English marks up to do it." English is his least favorite subject in school. Turns out we're both still trying to figure what to do when we grow up. I, too, would like to be an Olympian.
* Ideal hometown: The Canadian said he'd like to live someplace warm as an adult. Like where? "Maybe someplace like British Columbia," he said. He's sticking in Canada. I'm sticking in the States.
* Girls: We both like them. Does he have a girlfriend? "No." Has he ever had one? "Um ... kinda, I guess." Is he pursuing any? "Not really." I've been with mine for more than a year.
The conversation went on, revealing more and more similarities and differences. We both like swimming, and our parents divorced when each of us was around 5 years old. He likes the movie "National Treasure." I couldn't get by its plot holes.
In the end I learned we really had only two concrete things in common: a name and an interest in getting to know the person with whom we share it. We agreed to try and stay in touch from now on.
And to continue to hate everyone who misspells our precious name.
"What do you think about people who spell Jesse with an 'ie'?" I asked.
"That happens all the time. It makes me real mad," he replied. "Real mad."
We agree spelling Jesse with an "ie" is the same as calling us girls. Neither of us likes it.
The American Jesse Claeys can be reached at (712) 293-4221 or jesseclaeys@siouxcityjournal.com
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Rock on JC wrote on Jul 9, 2008 8:23 AM:
Someone wrote on Apr 4, 2008 6:37 PM:
No one in this article shot up a school.
No one in this article lost a job.
No one in this article had their house burn down.
No one in this article is campaigning for political office.
No one in this article was hurt by a vicious dog.
No one is complaining about the cost of gasoline, the cost of food, potholes, or what the mayor did now.
There was not one mention of the impending doom of mankind due to global warming.
I for one found it rather refreshing. "
RE: Candle Chick wrote on Apr 4, 2008 5:13 PM:
I google people all the time. In my bed. You know, on a laptop... "
Nice Essay wrote on Apr 4, 2008 4:04 PM:
OMG! wrote on Apr 4, 2008 4:00 PM: