You can call me Perry.

It’s a name that denotes a kind of curiosity, and a sprightly joyous attitude. Tons of optimism, but also an undertone of realism.

And my name actually comes with a theme color that symbolizes those traits. It’s got a ton of Blue in it. Not the kind of Blue that makes you think of sadness, dive bars and greasy spoons. It’s a more positive shade of Blue that represents big open thinking, corporate stability, and clean skies. My theme color has a bit of Red in it too. Not the bloody tone of tragedy, nor the palette of passion. But a nice warm Red, like a hug, a warm fire, or a sunset.

Let me be more specific. My theme color has the perfect mix of Blue tranquility shot through with Red energy. And if you want to be even more specific, you could look up the RGB value, and you’d get 102/103/171. It’s a color in the pink/purple family, but don’t you dare call it violet. And if you call it lavender I’ll punch your lights out.

Why am I so touchy? Well, actually, I lied, sorta. This color isn’t my theme color. IT IS MY COLOR. Or, to put it another way, I AM THAT COLOR.

You can call me Peri. And I’m kinda famous.

This week the Pantone Color Institute chose me, ‘Very Peri,’ as their official color of 2022. They say that I am the perfect tone for this moment. Their spokesman said – with a straight face – “As we move into a world of unprecedented change, the selection of ‘Very Peri’ brings a novel perspective and vision of the trusted and beloved blue color family, encompassing the qualities of the blues. Yet at the same time with its violet red undertone, ‘Very Peri’ displays a spritely, joyous attitude and dynamic presence that encourages courageous creativity and imaginative expressions. The color represents the global zeitgeist of the moment and the transition we are going through, touching on how color trends in the digital world are infiltrating our real life. Simply, it’s a shade popularized in the digital realms of gaming and CGI, appearing futuristic yet calm at the same time.”

Wow, really? I’m blushing. I didn’t know I could do all that.

So I guess I should back up. Now that you know more about me, and why I’m so famous, I suppose I should start over, and re-introduce myself. Here goes…

The name’s Winkle. Peri Winkle. ‘Very Peri.” Officially I’m Pantone 17-3938.

I am the Color of the Year.