Amanda the Great by Amanda El-Dweek for October 07, 2024

with this, imagine how Chinese names are addressed and dealt with (a single stroke wrong and you’re out)

Hey, don’t take life so serious, hon…it ain’t no how permanent.

I’ve got one of those names that most people get wrong, written or vocalized. A thicker skin is required.

You will learn, over time, to expect less from people.

My last name is almost always misspelled and mispronounced. It’s how I know mail or a phone call is from someone I don’t know. The sad part is my daughter married a man with a last name even harder to spell and pronounce than mine.

My last name starts with an “I”. So many times, I have to say, “No, not E or A”

I sometimes get called, Miss Campbell, or Gimbill!

I have a very simple name and still people get it wrong. People!! It is probably just a notice about your vehicle warranty, anyways.

Or getting addressed as “Mr.” when Mr. died 30 years ago.

Both my madien and 1st married name were problematic for people to spell correctly. I expected that, but my last name now is simple, and still people get it wrong. It’s 4 letters and similar to the “Big Mac”, you see a hamburger is easier to remember apparently.

Two of my doctors are from India, so I don’t even try to pronounce their names.

I get very irritated by people who decide to shorten my first name. It is two words! Not one!

All my life people could never pronounce my name correctly! The second G is silent and I’m not a gigilo!

But not the most important part.

There was a PE teacher at my high school who didn’t read well. He unintentionally gave many people nicknames by the way he read the roll.

I have similar experiences with my maiden name

Ever gotten “Daniel L. Dweek”?

When I was very young, Marion Van Cleef lived next door to us. She was the mother of actor Lee Van Cleef, Jr. (Yes, I met him once.) My folks had taught me that I had a first name, a middle name and a last name. So I reasoned that she did too. Since I wanted to be respectful—and that meant taking the trouble to be correct—I always spoke of her and addressed her as “Mrs. Cleef.” They tried to dissuade me, but I wanted to be correct! P.S. She had been a concert pianist. Wonderfully intelligent lady and very most polite!

I used to get mail for Huckle B. Hiroshima all the time. It seems to have dwindled off.