So today I found out that one of my friends has changed his name to an entirely different name. This is because he’s not happy with having his stepfather’s last name. I didn’t quite get why he changed his first name too, but I suppose he figured he might as well do a complete job of it. I’ll ask him for the reason later.
Anyway, it got me thinking about how important our names are, and how they define us. I was never crazy about the name “Kevin”, mainly because most of the Kevins in movies and on TV were losers. The only Kevin I kind of liked was the one from The Wonder Years. I could identify with that guy.
I liked my last name though. It seemed quite unique, yet was easy enough to spell. Good marketing potential. 😀 Would I have turned out differently if my name was Michael Shing Kwok or John Lin Soo? Probably I’d be a dentist by now.
Now that my friend has changed his name completely, we are expected to just start using his new one, and forget about the old one. It’s almost as if someone died. I keep catching myself trying to use his old name, and then when I say his new name instead, it feels like I’m overcompensating. I guess I’ll get used to it eventually.
My installation of Windows XP decided to die yesterday. Actually, it didn’t just die: it was murdered. Murdered by Microsoft forcing me to install Service Pack 2, which is supposed to be bug fixes. Anyway, it resulted in Windows becoming unbootable. This turned out to be quite inconvenient, given the huge pile of work I was supposed to do yesterday. I reinstalled it, and have begun reinstalling all of my other software too. This isn’t my favorite procedure, and it feels like a failure. I’m usually able to fix anything computer-related, so having to reinstall Windows on my own machine is slightly humiliating. Anyway, now that everything is fresh and new, I’m in the process of discovering the things that I had before and now I’m missing. Fonts. I’m figuring that out about fonts right now.
In other news, I have broken the seal on getting ready for my elemental exhibition. I had been procrastinating like crazy, but yesterday I finally took some photos up to a place to have them printed at 20×30. I wasn’t sure how long it would take, so it was important that I got them there by yesterday. Today I took a walk to the framing place. The guy there could hardly speak any English (he’s from Iran), but I managed to find a frame style I liked, so I’ll bring the prints there next week. There’s a lot of money to be spent on printing and framing soon. I hope this pays off…
There’s a lot in a name… I was almost a Stephanie. Thankfully my mother had a friend who was pregnant at the same time and popped first and named her poor daughter Stephanie, so Danielle it was for me.
I really like my name, it suits me. What makes me nuts about it are the people that insist my name is Daniela. argh. Anyhow it’s a bit of a shock to have someone just change their name, it’s such an important identifiable part of someone.. so I understand the weirdness you’re experiencing.
I’m happy you’ve started the ball rolling on the exhibition *clap* It’ll pay off 🙂
and as far as I’m concerned, you’re still the computer god :worship:
🙂
Yes me again! I remembered on my way in that I had to go through this too (not myself.. well you know I’ve changed my last name a couple of times 😛 but I digress!)
I have a friend that changed his name completely, the reason it didn’t dawn on me before was because the name change was largely overshadowed by the fact that he also changed his gender 😛
I guess this is the challenge to your senses really. Realizing that the people who hold dear are more than the ‘accessories’ they come with, that there is this seemingly invisible ‘thing’ that makes them unique and important to you that you cannot really give form. We find comfort in things like names, and gender and physical appearances. Identifiable features that I guess we catalogue people by in our memories.
My friend is the same person but with better legs then me, better boobs then me and a whole new life. The adjustment process is a bit awkward, it is like a mourning.. I’ve lost my male friend (and when I say male, I mean male.. he was the poster boy for testosterone, made this all more surprising). I have pictures of him and I refer to him as if he’s gone because really, that version of him is.. it was a bit sad at the beginning. But, it does get easier and you’ll fall back into sync 🙂
Ok I’ve been up for a really freaking long time and now I’m rambling incessently.
See I can understand changing your last name. But to me first name is something that grows deep deep inside of you, and if you try to take it out it’s roots are gonna take a lot of stuff with it while leaving. hehe mmm plants analogy
And there’s nothing wrong with having to reinstall windows. honest! we will love you just the same 😉
and i can’t wait for the exhibition, it’s gonna give you so much positive energy 🙂