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Friday, February 1, 2008

What's In A Name

An encounter at the gym this morning as I was leaving had me thinking about my name (Maureen) all the way home. A name, by the way, I happen to like (and prefer to the names my parents WERE considering).

Over the years I have been surprised by the number of people who know my name when they see me. People who I swear I have never seen before. This morning, however, it occurred to me (finally) that they didn't know me either because they weren't saying, "Hi Maureen" they were saying, "Good morning." But when you're unsuspecting, not lip reading, and routinely going about your business, the two sound an awful lot alike.

Another thing about my name that I can't believe I am about to admit here...spell check always identifies it as incorrectly spelled. Do you know what the correction is?

Manure.

Have a good day. And make sure to see the new poll. Do you like your name?

Splurge:

Ava and I are going to stop over to the mall so that I can get some facial toner. (When I stopped in to pick up some lotion last week, the girl at the counter had a fit when I told her I didn't use toner. Apparently, it's like one of the most important things you can do for your skin. Funny though, the reason why I'm going back this week is because I had to save up enough money after my trip there last week when I nearly spent my life's savings on five other things that she said were the most important things you can do for your skin.) Any way, we're going to pick up facial toner and then ride the carousel. Does that sound like the perfect start to a weekend or what?

6 comments:

LobotoME said...

whatever happened to $5 oil of olay facial cream? everytime i go to the spa - they say, you need monthly facials, anti-wrinkle cream, ya da ya da ya da...which would cost roughly $300 month. I think I will have to live with wrinkles. I always think I look pretty good for 29..woops I mean 31...until I talk to the estheticians. :)

ps - does anyone still call you MO?

RunLikeMama said...

Hi LobotoME...

Not in Maryland, but still in Norwich. I don't think anyone has ever called me that in MD, come to think of it...

LobotoME said...

I like Maureen but I think I will always know you as MO. Plus it is shorter to type...

hope you have a great weekend with the fam!

J :)

Barbara McGuire, Certified Personal Trainer, Instructor said...

My name has some history behind it - (from what I'm told) my parents were smashed when they decided what to put on my birth certificate. They were closing the a bar one early morning(Valley house) when somebody put a nickel in the jukebox . All of a sudden Rod Stewart belted out " Wake up MAGGIE I think I got somethin' to say to you!!IT's late September lalalallala back at school (mom was singing along) she doesnt always know the exact words but tries to pretend she does. Anyway, the name Maggie stuck although both families HATED the name and protested it. My parents were considering Marjorie (which again interesting because my sister calls me Marge. )My maternal Grandma on a regular basis made sure I knew how she detested my name. She would follow it up with the same story about her mean old Aunt Maggie.
My grade school gym teacher Mr Carson did not believe MAggie was my legal name and insisted I do 10 pushup for fibbing to him. "It has to be Margaret!!" he bellow." Nobody names a kid Maggie!! "
When I worked at a nursing home later on one of the residents HATED my name so much she changed it to "Christine." I would be busy passing out meds and thinking about everything I needed to do for the shift the" floor was buzzing with people, nurses and family members visiting. I would forget about my new name and she would start yelling at the top of her lungs ""CHRISTINE!!!!!" It was only then I would turn around startled- there about 6 wheelchairs deep see my friend Edna hollering at ME ! Oops I had forgot about my new name and she was pretty upset accusing me of ignoring her. I would quickly make her, her special drink - cranberry juice, fiber lax powder and a splash of Orange Juice and I 'd get a big smile and a list of chores she needed done NOW!
My name has brought me some ups and downs and somehow it's a topic for conversation - usually, I get the question "IS your real name MArgaret?" " Does anyone ever call you Peggy?" No to both.

The End
Maggie McGuire - Koterba

Barbara McGuire, Certified Personal Trainer, Instructor said...

Special problems arise when one is given a first name to continue a family line, but is known to all by his middle name. I, for example, am J. Philip. The J. is for John, my dad's, his dad's, and his grandfather's first name. their middle name was Percy and my parents declined to lay that one on me. I, however, had no problem naming my first born son John Percy. I think he likes it ok, I know I do. When one's name begins with an initial, most forms , applications ,etc. want first name, middle initial and make no exception. The issue was most clearly expressed by a career NCO to a naive draftee at the reception center: "Don't give a s*** what they called you, private, its last, first middle initial. So it was John in the army, j.p. at the dental office, a constant mix up at the dr.'s office. Oddly, no problem with New York state during a long career, J. Philip was allowed. Now, in retirement, a little pt.-time job with the bank brings me full circle. Although I've lived in this small town for over 35 years as Phil, the evil H.R. dept. insists the bank will only recognize me as John. This is , they explain, because on my ss card John appears before Philip so the bank must know me and pay me as John. I actually like the reasoning of the sargeant at FT. Dix better. The bank deposits my paycheck into my account, where I am J. Philip. Yes, I really do like my name, I just wish I could use it.

pete said...

Well I'm kind of disapointed. Microsoft Word '93 does not give any suggestions on how to spell Pete or Peter correctly. In fact, as far as Word is concerned, my name is not a misspelling. Now it also says I spelled "misspelling" correctly which makes me wonder if it's working right because that just doesn't look right to me. But what do I know about speling? :)