What's My Name??

I've always secretly enjoyed hearing people massacre my name. It's really not that hard "Mary-Leah". It's hyphenated, yes. But is that such a hard thing? I remember once I had to spell my name when I was opening a bank account. I said "M-a-r-y-hyphen-capital L-e-a-h" and when I received my first statement it came to "Mary'Leah Bryson". Apparently the bank teller didn't know what a hyphen was! Another time I had to say my name over the phone. When I received the mailing I had to provide my name for, it came to "Mary Lee O'Gordon". I really enjoyed that one! Top of the mornin' to ya! Once when Jeff said my name to someone they replied "Oh, is she Hawaiian?". Aloha. Mahalo. Molokai. Kauai, Maui, Mary-Leah. Yep, that makes sense. Now that I'm Mary-Leah Moore, people constantly ask me to spell my last name. Moore? Really? How many ways can you spell "Moore" in a last-name context? Today, however, was the prize winner. I received a coupon from Bath and Body Works in the mail. It came to.......Maryjo P. Gordon. What the hell? I'm not even sure how you could get that from Mary-Leah Gordon (which means they've had my name for a long time, since I've been a Moore for over two years). Yes, it's funny my name. Sometimes I get mail to "Mary Moore" which makes me laugh because that's my aunt's name. I used to get mail for "Mary Bryson" which was my grandma's name. I can't even put my name down on a restaurant waiting list without it getting mangled. And you should see the stares when they say "Name please?" and I say "Jeff". I mean, it's easier. Not exactly gender neutral, but easier. Maybe I should just start going by "M". You know, in that sort of one name, celebrity, mysterious kind of way. Just "M". I like it! I've taken to signing my emails "M-L" in the past few years. And sometimes people will call me "M-L". I don't mind that. It's better than Maryjo P. Gordon. By a long shot!