'H' as in 'Jorge'?

There's a language out there I just don't speak well. Actually, there are A LOT of languages out there I don't speak well, but one that is more obscure and less recognized is what I will call the "Airline Confirmation Number" language.

Thankfully, confirmation numbers have come a long way. The numbers are shorter, there is no punctuation and that one little number has become very functional, from making check-in a cinch to checking the status of a flight.

We know the drill, say the numeral clearly and for alphas say the letter with a word to follow to clarify the 'M' from the 'N' and the 'T' from the 'P'.

Since it's not a language I speak often, when I do, I get a little bit nervous and I stumble through my words. In the past I have said:

"My confirmation number is the number 3, 'A' as in 'apple', 'P' as in 'Philip'..."

Uh, doy Miriam. How about "'P' as in 'Peter'"?

This morning I had to give my number over the phone to cancel a flight and I said:

"The number is 'M' as in Mary, 'J' as in, um, 'George', 'F' as in 'Philip', 'N' as in 'no', the number 7, and 'Z' as in 'Xylophone'."

Argh! I'm an idiot! It's so frustrating! Seriously! If it's not a common language you speak, then it isn't easy to come up with simple words to describe your letter!

And then for some reason I feel like I have to say a name, but when I can't think of a name I get all flustered and I say the first word that comes to my head. Like for 'S' I always want to say 'Shannon' but that's just not clear, so the next word to pop into my head is 'squeaky'. I've said "'V' as in, uh, 'vivacious'," before. Ugh! So embarrassing!

'J' as in 'Juan' may only work in certain parts of the world. Be careful with that one.