Ode to a "cracker"

I use the word "cracker" a lot.
It's something I started doing a while back. It seemed to make people laugh, so I kept doing it.
At this point, I use it like a term of endearment:
"Hey, what's up cracker. How's your day going?"
I say it to Nathan:
"Can you please help me with the dishes, cracker husband o'mine?"
He calls me cracker, too.

But I notice some people get a little huffy when I call them that. But really, I don't mean any harm, and there's no malice behind it. But I think I'll endeavor to stop saying it. (I may have to go to crackers anonymous: "Hi, my name's Melissa and I say cracker." "Hi, Melissa.") It seems when I say it outside of my house, it only gets me in to trouble.
So, I'm a reformed cracker user. In public anyways.