That's a Choice: Camp Wannaklot

This email turned blog is part of series called: “That's a Choice.”

Why “That's a Choice”? Because naming is nuanced and SUBJECTIVE. Of course it does require more than creative thinking-- there is actual objective strategy and linguistics involved, but no one can deny the subjectivity of it. 

So, “That's a Choice" is merely my (professional) opinion on names in the wild.

The name in question: Camp Wannaklot 

You know how if you’re normal, you can survive a cat scratch, paper cut, or popped zit?

Well, my husband can’t. I mean, he caaaan, and has, and does – thanks to some very expensive, life saving medicine – but he has a rare clotting disorder called hemophilia.

In my correct opinion, Chayse is pretty perfect except for this one flaw. Which is kinda a big one since less than 1% of his blood clots, but he's FIIIINE! Modern medicine! He's a musician. He golfs. All safe, no to low risk of injury. knocks on wood 

I like to the think God compensated for the shitty blood by making him nice, hot, smart, talented, and HOT (he reads my newsletter) and supportive! (wink) 

Wanna see? Of course you do. 

Activations took the human out of it. Literally. Who approved this!? Not even “Activated” which one could rationalize as the verb you feel post-meditation… but “Activations” which just sounds like AI for the various mediation categories you can choose from.

Mmm, love a man with a medic alert. LOL

Stick around for more Chayse lore. I'm sure it'll only be a couple weeks before I have a new story about someone’s beloved Nana putting the moves on my man. (This happens OFTEN.)

Anyway, aside from Chayse being the most handsome and talented man in any room with the highest/lowest golf handicap (sorry Chayse, idk which is the correct compliment), he’s also the sweetest, great with kids and volunteers! Awww!

Last week, he spent all week as a counselor at a camp for hemophiliacs. There were 97 campers and I still can’t decide if I should be happy about that. Community and camaraderie for folks who can’t clot?! Love it! 97 kids from just the ages of 12-17 who can’t clot?! That’s SAD!?!

Chayse spent his summers there as a kid, and he LOVED it. A whole week where hemophiliac kids could be “normal” kids and do dangerous camp stuff – rock climb, ride horses, swim, fish (hooks are SHARP)– with the safety and security of well trained nurses on stand-by! 

He even learned to self-infuse at camp when he was 8ish years old. Can you IMAGINE? A KID learning to stick a butterfly needle in a vein at CAMP!

And that camp is called…

Camp Wannaklot.

Wanna. Klot.

Sit with it for a sentence…

For kids who want…to…clot.

It’s hilarious if you have a sense of humor, but kinda a giant “HA HA EFF YOU, YOUR BLOOD SUCKS” if you don’t.

As a naming expert and SEVERE hemophiliac’s wife (did I mention less than 1% of Chayse’s blood clots?) I love the name. Chayse wants to clot a lot. Hahah

Here’s why Camp Wannaklot works: 

1. Phonetics (what makes it sound good)

Is it weird to say I love plosives? They're punchy. Percussive. Memorable. And actually comedic gold! The “K Rule” is a well-known concept in humor writing. /K/ sounds are inherently funny. (Thanks for my name, M&D!)

Pickle > Olive 

Back to Camp…

“Camp” kicks off with a /k/ sound, so does “Klot” and bonus – it ends with another plosive /t/. 

Also, repeating the /k/ sound is alliterative-ish. It adds cohesion and rhythm. 

2. Wordplay (why it sticks)

It's FUNNY.

“Wanna” = casual, youthful, eager

“Klot” = play on “clot,” the thing hemophiliacs can’t do (if I haven't made that clear enough)

So it’s simultaneously ironic, hilarious, heartwarming and aspirational. 

It makes the joke before anyone else can.

3. The Psychology (why it lands emotionally)

A. It's an inside joke. The name builds a shared identity. Only people who get it (patients, families, caregivers) fully get it. It creates instant belonging. A “you’re one of us” vibe. (They even call us normies “clotters” as a slur. LOL)

B. It gives power back. Naming a camp after the one thing you “can’t” do? That’s reclamation. It turns a disorder into a badge of honor. It makes the unfunny…fun. In a genuinely funny, very specific, smart, irreverent way. Humor is healing.

The Branding (why it feels iconic)

You don't need a visual of the logo to know this place feels like a real place in a coming-of-age movie. “Camp Wannaklot” could absolutely be a Netflix original—quirky, heartfelt, niche but universal. It's instantly visual. It has memorability built-in. You hear it once and you remember it. You talk about it. You wish you thought of it.

Sooo as you can see, the name “Camp Wannaklot” is: 

• linguistically satisfying 

• emotionally intelligent 

• delightfully irreverent 

• and lowkey brilliant

dusts hands

And naming is way deeper than “what sounds good.”

Naming is where meaning starts.

P.S. The same facility used for Wannaklot, also hosts camps called…

Camp Carpe Diem (for… epileptics)

Camp WeKanEatIt (celiac disease)

…and this one… this one is baaaad lololol….

Camp No Limb-itations (amputees…)

🤣🤣🤣

If you don’t laugh you’ll cry?!