Just a brief blog, bleat of protest. My name is a pain. There is nothing I can do about my name. My name has caused me problems almost from the time I could pronounce it, but, it is not my fault!
Oddly enough I didn't name myself, that privilege belonged to my misguided parents.
This latest rant comes about because your name is how people recognise you or think they recognise you and they make assumptions accordingly.
At weekly intervals, or thereabouts, someone or other around the blogosphere refers to me as a male.
I am a female, have always been a female, never wanted to be anything else (until now, that is), but, but, my name is Ray.
My parents were Welsh, which might excuse them in some circles, and I was their firstborn so they were still of the impression that there was something wonderfull about little girls. My mother when tackled about it said "we thought, ray of light, ray of sunshine".
Yuk!
Had they any idea how I would turn out they might have thought twice, though 'thundercloud', 'miseria' or 'pain in the ....' might not have been acceptable in the wider world.
I am tired of explaining my name to the curious and wish to state once and for all I am a woman, there are those in the world who could should they be questioned closely testify to that statement, and I wish to be known henceforth as MADAM!
Well, I'll be.
ReplyDeleteWho'd of thought it.
Thanks for letting us know.
Not you too surely!
ReplyDeletePS
ReplyDeleteLest there be further misunderstanding I would point out that there is no indefinite article before MADAM!
It's a lovely name, Madam!
ReplyDeleteI was named Penny. Not Penelope, alas. There was a cartoon character back in the early 1960's named Penny who talked on the phone all the time and wore her red hair in a ponytail....ugh.
ReplyDeleteBut when I started my blog I decided that I could be Penelope after all.
But Madam Ray sounds good to me.
Hi Anita and Penny
ReplyDeleteOnly joking Madam is almost as bad as Mr.!
Just thought, perhaps foolishly, that if anyone actually read my blogs they might have picked up on the fact that I have many times mentioned my widowed status. (for those, and there are some, who don't know, men who have lost there wives are widowers).
Now I'm having to explain that too......I rest my case!
I'm really sorry. I think I must have subconsciously missed the gender cues. I've just seen Ray and presumed....well you know.
ReplyDeleteI feel really bad...
Please don't. It's a very commonly made mistake
ReplyDeleteIt's just that my basic blog material is very female in tone and I kind of expect people to pick up on that.
That doesn't mean I'm about to come over all fluffy and pink. Not my style!
Interestingly, despite your unusual name, I picked up at once that you're a woman, Ray. It may have been the mention of your late husband in one of the first popsts I read, but I've never been in any doubt.
ReplyDeleteThanks Perpetua. Good to know I'm not that ambiguous. I don't aim to have a particular gender slant to my posts but thought there were plenty of clues.
ReplyDeleteHowever, we live and learn.
so you think you've got it bad Madam!! I was named after my father's favourite dog 'Judy' AND the amount of people who can't pronounce 'th' so I am often called Judiff that's why I stick to Judy. Anyway a good rant gets it out of your system!! lol take care, Judyx
ReplyDeleteJudy
ReplyDeleteWhat an honour. to be named after your father's favourite dog! Is your bark worse than your bite would you say?
As you say a good rant does get it out of your system, (until next time it happens anyway)!
Yes, okay, that gets rid of the gender problem. But what about the fact that every time I see your name I think of a pair of sunglasses?
ReplyDeleteThat dear MP is your problem, not mine.!
ReplyDelete