Alpha, Bravo, Charlie...

I have a very doable challenge for you this week: learn the phonetic alphabet! I found this graphic on Pinterest a couple of years ago and thought "hey, this is what the cops are using on all those TV shows!" You know, when they are relaying a license plate number and say "Charlie" or "Foxtrot" amidst the numbers. So freakin legit, am I right?! These specific words are chosen because they're pretty specific to that letter and/or that letter's sound.

*Disclaimer, some people use beta instead of bravo. Either one works.

I soon printed off this list and put it up at my desk at work so that I could learn it, pretty much just to say that I knew it (#guilty). However, I referred to it on a few phone calls when spelling or clarifying email addresses and it was extremely useful. The person on the other end of the line made no mistake knowing which letters I was using! I don't know why I was surprised that it worked well, but it was such a cool little, "I'm totally an adult who can be articulate on the phone" moment.

To memorize it, I just read through it a few times a day, and tried it without looking the third time. Then, practice using it by spelling your name. Use only the "code" words, as opposed to saying "V as in victor". For example, I would say, "My name is Meagan." They'd be all, "How do you spell that?" And I'd go, "Mike echo alpha, gamma alpha november." Now try your license plate number. Seriously, say it out loud...it's so cool! Why doesn't everyone always use this?! Beats me. It's resourceful and easy to understand no matter who you are. 

Next time you see me, I challenge you to a phonetic alphabet battle. *Insert fist emoji here* We'll just start going down the list, maybe altering between us every letter, and the first person to forget the word associated with that letter, loses! Now start memorizing and go impress your boss.

Let me know how it goes in the comments!