What's in a name?

I just hung up the phone with the florist.  When I was placing my order she asked me my name.  I proceeded to tell her it was Patti Stephas.  The florist asked me how I spell that.  I said s-t-e-p-h-a-s.  She said, "No, how do you spell Patti?  I or Y?"

I started to laugh.  No offense, but why would I care if the order slip had my name spelled with an i or a y.  This is not a court document.  It does not matter.  Patti is not my legal name anyway.  However, person after person will ask me how to spell Patti.  It amuses me.  And, it reminds me each time of how much I have always hated my name.  I do not feel like a Patti.

I am certain that many people share my distaste for their names.  I hear people say occasionally that they don't enjoy being called by their full name or this nickname or that.  Well, I don't like being called Patti.  I really don't like being called Pat.  And, I also do not maintain any fondness for the name Patricia.  I want to go by my middle name:  Annie.

I have already decided that if I move to a different city or even a different job that I am going to begin introducing myself as Annie. Changing what people call me will be simple.  I have an agreement with my husband to join me in my madness.  He will call me nothing but Annie from the minute we step foot into our new home.  When people from my former life call me by Patti, I will tell my new friends that only people from my childhood call me by that name.   There, done.

For now, I will just imagine how great the future me will be.  I suppose I could encounter the problem of people asking me about my new name, whether I spell it with a y or i or ie.  I don't care.  It will be worth it.  I will be new and feel new and probably leap tall buildings in a single bound with my new name.  So, in this blog, I will be Annie.  It will be good practice.  I will let it settle in and see how it feels.  Annie.  I like it.  Welcome.