One year I wanted my name embossed on my high school yearbook, so I filled out the form and paid extra.
You've probably already guessed what happened. The exciting day came when yearbooks were handed out, and I recieved mine - beautiful black cover setting off the gold lettering of the embossing - but with a name that ended in "z." I didn't want a yearbook with somebody else's name on it, so I went to the office to exchange it for one with no name on it. The response of the secretary was that I couldn't have a different one and that I had probably spelled my name wrong on the form.
Huh?
I know God has a sense of humor, because since marrying I now have a last name that does not have an "s" on the end but that people want to pronounce and spell as if it does. My standard line has become that it is OK to pluralize my name when I'm pregnant - but not otherwise! It's the only thing I've found that sticks in their minds and causes them to remember.
I was married at 21, so I guess when I hit 42 I will have achieved balance with this issue - having spent half my life saying, "There's an 's' on the end" and another half my life saying, "There's no 's' on the end."
My brother-in-law had the following posted on his blog today, and in exploring it, I found out I actually am plural. Are you? (You're still not allowed to spell my name with an "s" on the end, though!)
I just went back and checked my maiden name, there are only 6 of those in the US. I wonder if my clones have had the same problem I have?
7 comments:
Just for your information. No one else in the U.S.A. has your dad's name and you mom has several others with her married name.
I'm with you cousin. I went from the "s" switching to a "z" at the end to now the inserting of a "l" in the middle. Why couldn't we have found wonderful husbands with the last name of "Smith"?
P-
You know, I thought my married name WAS common and that no one would have trouble with it, but I have found there are lots of variations! I guess even with something like "Smith," there is always "Smythe."
Perhaps the best is to have a last name SO bizarre that people HAVE TO ASK, "How do you spell that?" and therefore get it right rather than just making false assumptions!
Although if they even got it wrong on my yearbook when I had filled out a form with the correct spelling, maybe there is no hope after all!
Sigh . . .
I thought my first name was common, but my international tickets were issued wrongly and now I'm going through a whole long hastle trying to get it fixed...Sigh....
No way!
How could they get Tony or Anthony wrong?!
Unbelievable!
Hey, there are none of me! I don't exist!
And you're right--when you have a weird last name people have to ask how to spell it and it is therefore rarely misspelled. It does, however, get old having to spell it for people. :)
Uh-oh, does this mean you are my imaginary friend?
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