Apr 292009
Hello, darlings, I’m back! And I appreciate your patience with my absence. Frankly, the past few weeks have been darn rough. In the first month everything was new and I was recovering, but we began well-rested and with plenty of adrenalin in reserve. This second month actually felt worse because the newness of the adventure wore off and the exhaustion was more cumulative. But she’s growing more organized by the day, and everyone says it gets easier around the third month. We can survive four more weeks, right? Fingers crossed!
Wallaby says “yo”.
In other news, last week I finally legalized my married name. (Had planned to do it before the baby so we’d all have the same name on the birth certificate, but when do I get anything done on time?) So far the biggest adjustment has been remembering to sign forms and whatnot with the new name — it’s like that weird transition of updating the year every January, but many, many times over!
I never wavered about taking Mr T’s last name, but now it feels a little strange. My maiden name was unusual, and I was the only person with my particular name combination. Somehow it feels validating to search census records for your name and get a result of “1”. Apparently I wasn’t always so unique — over the years a few people have contacted me to ask whether I’m “the Tara P_____ who grew up in Missouri” — but she must have changed her name or gone deep underground, because both Google and the census were all me, baby. And now there are 5 others with my new name in the US alone.
Then again, maybe that’s not all bad. The other night I did a farewell search of my maiden name, and the amount of personal information available on Google is a bit disturbing. Old professional records and publications are great. But Facebook profile (now belatedly set to “private”)? Random comments on message boards? My law school application essay?!?? I might prefer to hide out in a slightly larger crowd….
I’m curious, how about you? Have you ever changed your name, and how was the transition? How many of your name twins are lurking out there? (And have you ever met one???)
Right now, there are 646 people in the US with my name. When I change my name after getting married, however, there will only be one other person. I’ve never met anyone with my same name, but once I get married, my sister-in-law and I will have ALMOST the same name. I’m Julia and she is Julie.
With my maiden name, I was one of 657. With my married name, I’m one of 5 – much better.
According to the link there are four people with my maiden name, and three with my married name. Unfortunately since getting married, I share my first and last name with my sister-in-law. It basically felt like I took her full name (rather than just my husband’s last name) when we got married!
I’ve changed my name legally, but haven’t gotten far with changing it anywhere else (credit cards, insurance companies, etc). I should probably get on that one of these days.
my name twin is a professor at NYU who’s very well published. you really have to dig in a google search and know what you’re looking for to find me-myself.
Wow, I never thought of winding up with the same last name as someone in your new family — and what a coincidence that it happened to TWO of you! (Well, “almost” for Julia….) Bet that can get confusing at the holiday get-togethers.VR, I think I like your Google situation. Showing up enough to verify that you exist in the modern world, but people would have to know you a little and work for it….And Becky, I’m totally with you on the finances and whatnot. My checks show both last names (First Maiden New) and I have credit cards in both names, so half the time I’ve signed with my legal name and half not. But it’s surprising how little the banks seem to CARE whether you’re using a legal name, as long as it matches their records!!
I despise what google has on me.as for your beautiful baby; it gets easier. My oldest can babyisit my youngest now, and when we go on trips they can roll their own suitcases. Just another 15 years or so.. you’ll see.
Actually, I would have had the same name as my SIL too, but she changed hers a couple years before we got married.That would have been incredibly annoying!