Changing my name

I have been debating changing my name for a while now. I go by my middle name and always feel a little strange when people refer to me by my first name or when I am forced to use my first name like when I am traveling or whenever I use my debit card (banks insist that my first name appear on the cards, same with my driver's license, etc). However, it was never a big enough deal that I felt I had to change my name- until I started teaching.

At both schools I have taught for I appear in the class schedule by my first name. On the first day of class I re-introduce myself by my preferred name but there are always some students who continue to address me by my first name or to list my first name on their papers. And it drives me crazy. On the other hand I feel petty when I correct them- especially on papers. So I have been thinking far more seriously about going through the process of changing my name legally.

Then the other day at the airport the gate keeper (as I like to refer to the people that work at the gates) paged me to come to the desk using my first and middle name, which he mispronounced- he called me Michelle. And I realized that at least no one (well only one person so far) ever mispronounces my first name- Mary, so by changing my name I'd have to deal with that far more often. It's completely understandable that someone would look at Michaele and think Michelle, especially when they know that they are referring to a female. I used to let it go when people called me Michelle if I thought that I'd never see that person again, but I learned that you just never know. For example, a bank teller once called me Michelle and I didn't bother correcting her because it was not a bank I went to all that often. Bu then i got a job near the bank and started going there all the time. The teller called me Michelle for 3 years and because I didn't correct her the first time I met her I never felt like i could and I honestly didn't care all that much. Then one day I made a deposit for my sister and she paused because the account was not mine and asked, "it is Michelle, right?" and I responded "Actually it's Michaele." She was mortified, "Why did you let me call you Michelle all this time!" Then I was embarrassed.

So what's worse, being called a name that feels a little foreign or being called the wrong name and having to correct people all the time? Blurg, this was more complicated than I thought It'd be.

The biggest thing holding me back was the fact that I am named after someone. Would that be disrespectful? I decided that the best way to deal with this was to take her (Baba's- my grandmother) middle name. When I mentioned this to my mom she told me that Baba had chosen her middle name (I assume she chose it when she was confirmed), so it seemed right somehow to chose the same name she had picked for herself.

Then, this morning a friend sent me a link to this article about a woman who changed her name and reinvented herself. So who knows, maybe after I change my name I'll become a rockstar! Or maybe I'll just approach the coming year (which I have been terrified about because my funding ends this year) with more excitement over the possibilities instead of with terror over the possibility that I will end up on a street corner with a cardboard sign reading "Will lecture you in history for food" (I don't think I'd have many takers).

So here's to a new name, a new year, and endless possibilities (that sounds a little corny, but it's the holidays so corny is more acceptable).

Follow up post

I have no words.

Have yourself a gendered little christmas...

Sometimes I wish my critical feminist eye had an off switch and I could just sit back and enjoy popular culture and take it at face value. Sadly it does not.

I remember working at Desert Star during the Christmas season and singing along with Eartha Kit's Santa Baby (the best version of the song btw). I still like the song but at the same time it niggles at me (I don't think I have ever actually used the word niggles before). Then today I heard a more recent version of the song- sung by Michael Buble and at first I liked that a man had chosen this particular Christmas song that seemed to exclude male singers but as I listened the song started to annoy me. The changes to the song are telling. As a christmas gift to you I will end here and simply share the songs with you instead of yammering on about them.

Christmas Music

This is not a christmas song.


Neither is this.




Nuff said.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for Mr. Rusty and that my mom was willing and able to come celebrate thanksgiving with me. It's been a lovely day with tasty food and good company!

I think Rusty had a good day too-

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

Normally I would post an adorable picture of Rusty in costume, but I have decided to forego that particular tradition as Rusty does not really seem to enjoy it and I felt a little mean, but perhaps next year I'll ignore his pained expression.

I also just had my first tricker-treaters- who goes tricker treating in an apartment complex? I was not prepared. Luckily I have fruit snacks so I didn't have to turn them away- but fruit snacks are a rather lame 'treat' to hand out. If Rusty had only been in a costume- his cuteness may have made up for it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am very thankful that my dad was able to come to Virginia for the holiday (Rusty's pretty excited about it too).

Now I just need to convince him that he wants to go to the White House of the Confederacy while he's here-I've been meaning to go for a while and it's always more fun with someone else!

Happy Halloween!

It's probably not fair that I dress Rusty up for Halloween, especially considering that I don't dress up myself- but thems the breaks...



In case you can't tell- he is a fish, though it kind of looks like he is being eaten by a fish.



And here he is curling up for a nap on his costume- so it serves two purposes- how handy!

Happy Easter!

Rusty got a haircut yesterday. I never know what to expect when I go to pick him up, they always say they will do it the same as the last time- but he always looks different....

BEFORE



I think this is the first time he has gotten mutton chops...

AFTER



Happy Easter!

(Belated) Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

It was an odd Christmas for me- traditions had to be shifted a bit to meet everyone's schedule- so Christmas felt rather un-Christmas-like. The only tradition I managed to fulfill was getting sick. It seems like I am sick every year for Christmas- a glance back at photos of the recent-Christmas past reveals me with a red nose- every year. I have to say this is one tradition I wish I could fore-go.

I've also been feeling rather blah. I had hoped that reaching the milestone of being done with course-work would be more exciting- or maybe more fulfilling somehow. I mean it's a major milestone- it should be exciting right? Well, it just seems kind of anti-climatic. This may be because I now feel the pressure to dive headlong into reading for comps- which is terrifying. Everyone is giving me advice on how to approach the readings but I haven't really figured out a system yet which is a bit frustrating and the whole process feels very intimidating. It also doesn't help that I still have my language exam hanging over my head. Don't even get me started on that- I'll save my rant on the language exam for another post- right now I'm trying not to dwell on it as it makes me very angry and it's counter-productive to fall down that particular rabbit-hole.

So for me, it was a rather strange, somewhat melancholy Christmas- that was made better by being in the company of family and friends... and of course Rusty.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I wanted Rusty to be thankful today too- which is why there is no picture of him dressed up as a turkey.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Here's the inspiration for Rusty's costume...



I personally think Rusty is much cuter!





Not surprisingly, Rusty wasn't too fond of the costume- here he is attacking it before I even put it on him....



And here he is trying to get it off...



And here he is celebrating his freedom...

Happy Easter!!

Happy Easter from Virginia!



My sister and nieces sent these ears to Rusty. As you can see in the pictures below- he didn't love them, but I thought they were cute.





I also got Rusty an Easter outfit (he didn't like the one I got him either).





I also got him a toy to make up for the outfit- but I couldn't decide between two super cute sheep so I got both, Rusty couldn't decide between them either. (Sorry about the heavy breathing in this clip- I'd make a great (if slightly congested) obscene phone caller).

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I didn't want Rusty to get pinched so I got him a St. Paddy's Day t-shirt. As you can see he wasn't overly fond of it.



He didn't mind it once I took him for a walk though...







The sheep thought he looked snazzy.



He was especially happy that the squirrels are back. Can you see the squirrel in this picture? (Rusty didn't)



I'm glad to be back in Virginia- but not too happy as I am sick. Rusty guilted me into taking him for a walk (it was the first time it hasn't been raining when I was free since we've been back-he hates the rain so we haven't been able to go for a walk). I felt better after seeing how excited he was to run around but now I feel worse- ugh.

On the bright side- I was offered a summer job today- yippee! I don't have to be destitute this summer! (Now I just have to decide if I really want to accept the offer- long story).

The Grande Illumination

Sorry, I have been remiss in posting. I don't have much to say because I have been relaxing (reading fluffy books and watching TV-basically enjoying the much needed break from school) which is nice but isn't very exciting. I realized that I never posted on the Grand (Grande?) Illumination. Earlier this month a bunch of my friends and I went to the Grand Illumination in Colonial Williamsburg. The crowd was immense and it was freezing but it was fun all the same. Most of the pictures I took didn't turn out so well- but here's a fairly good one.



I went back during the day and I took some more pictures of the Christmas decorations.

Merry Christmas!

Have a Patrick Swayze Christmas!

Last night I was invited to a viewing of Mystery Science Theater, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. It was so awesomely bad I had to share...

Only at Christmastime ....

I was walking through the parking lot, back to my car after going to the Hallmark store, and almost got ran over by Mrs. Claus. I guess she was running late to pick up her husband.

Happy Thanksgiving

Rusty and I went for a walk around campus and took a couple pictures, I don't think I've ever seen an actual holly bush (is that even the right name?)

Thought I'd also include some of my Christmas/ Thanksgiving decorations...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I'm pretty sure Rusty doesn't really like his costume- I don't think he's happy with his new haircut either- they went a little (ok a LOT) heavy on the puppy perfume. 

Here's a before picture.

He really doesn't like having his picture taken, even without the costume.