Names

I spent an hour and a half in the Social Security Office yesterday waiting to change my name. Last year, after 6 years of marriage I finally changed my name at that same office. I did it because I needed to get a new driver’s license and they wouldn’t give me one because my full name wasn’t on my social security card. So I thought I might as well add my husband’s last name while I was there. I decided to hyphenate. I knew that it was obnoxious and kind of long but I figured it was a compromise between keeping my old name and dropping it all together. My husband actually thought it was silly and has never wanted me to change it at all.

After I changed it I discovered how very irritating it was. First it was really, really long. So long that it didn’t all fit on the college form or on the ID printed from said form. It is also weird sounding; two long last names don’t exactly roll off the tongue when you mash them together. When I make phone calls to my kid’s schools I have started introducing myself as Marie Hislastname. It just takes too much time to explain to frazzled secretaries that even though my last name is different I actually am Collin’s mom. After doing this for a while I realized that I could use my “married” name socially whenever I needed to even if it wasn’t the one on my driver’s license. So yesterday I went back to the Social Security Office and had the hyphenation removed. I am back to my maiden name and it feels great. So unless it is on a binding legal document you can call me whatever you want. I really don’t care. Unless it is Mrs. Hisfirstname Hislastname. That drives me nuts.

Oh! If you comment on my blog please don't mention any of our last names. Or where we live. Thanks!