May 1, 2007

naming schemes

I have my last name which is constant and has reputation in some crowds. I have my middle name which is legacy. My first name can vary depending on company.
I have my legal name that I use for work, government and banks. It's not my identity though. My legal name did not come from the person, but the city he named after himself and more from the library there and what it allowed. I was given this name to conceal my religion and heritage from the place my family was living at the time. The culture could tell who you were by your name.

My middle name came from a certain plant that grew around an oasis in the same desert I was born in and its ability to adapt to change and to survive.

I think of myself by my nickname which I've always gone by. It wasn't until I was 4 or 5 that I realized it wasn't my actual name. It is often thought of as a girl's name but I've met more guys than girls with it. My nickname comes from where I was born, in a desert. My first hairs on my head were the color of the surrounding sand. I was almost called Dusty.

It still throws me off when I get mail addressed to my legal name.

I can go the rest of my life without hearing any songs from Grease and at least I'm not called Sue.

1 comment:

Jan Bosman said...

I promise never to call you Sandra D.