Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!eagle!mhuxi!houxm!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!uiucuxc!deb
From: deb@uiucuxc.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: family names - (nf)
Message-ID: <3063@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 30-Sep-83 23:42:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.3063
Posted: Fri Sep 30 23:42:33 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 3-Oct-83 05:21:55 EDT
Lines: 27

#N:uiucuxc:22800013:000:1255
uiucuxc!deb    Sep 30 08:43:00 1983

when i got married i took my husband's surname.  when i got divorced, i
kept my (ex)husband's surname for a year or two.  it seemed a hassle (personally
and professionally) to change my name everywhere, and besides, "what's
in a name?" right?  WRONG

a lot of my feelings/ideas/etc.,etc. were tossed about after i got divorced.
that included a re-evaluation of myself in relation to my family.  i 
suddenly realized that i carry a lot of traits which reflect generations
of personal growth from both parents' families.  those traits matter and
what i do with them during my life matters.  i somehow (hard to define)
care about my life's reflection on my family's past and keeping my family
name helps me to keep some of that in perspective.

i happen to carry the middle initial of my maternal grandmother's maiden
name... i think it was coincidental but i like it just the same.

(as an aside, i never knew many of my father's family, but recently had
 a chance to visit with several of them for a day.  i was amazed at the
 many likes, dislikes and attitudes that i had in common with them!
 some of this i clearly gained from my father, but certainly not all.)

btw, i don't like the term 'maiden name' so i say instead 'family name'

debbie k. hudson