.what's in a name?.

This week in my Feminist Memoir class, we devoted most of our time to writing with prompts and examples from other memoirs.  It was comforting therapy for the week I was having so far (which turned out fine in the end), and I really enjoyed having to sit down and write, getting to share and hear others' stories.

One of the prompts made us first list all the verifiable facts about our name - how it's spelled, what it means, who else shares it, how we get it, etc. - and the second part required us to take the "creative leap" and make connections, writing about our names from the "inside out."  I enjoyed it so much I had my own Eng 101 students do in class yesterday and I can't wait to read them when I get their midterm portfolios on Monday.  Here's what I came up with! (Try it - it's fun!)

My name is Jade. J-A-D-E.  Most often when I tell people they call me Jane or Jada.  But it's Jade like the color, the stone, the Chinese buffet down the street.  Mom got it from an 80's movie she adored when her and Dad were dating, but I can never think of the title*.  The theme song was "Endless Love" - and that's their song too.  For the longest time our car tags said JDE-ISRL for my name and brother, Israel's and people thought we were Jewish. I'll never forget being stopped in a drive-thru when we were on vacation and having someone ask if it stood for Judea-Israel.  But it's just Jade. J-A-D-E.
*I've since figured out (by asking Mom) that the movie is in fact called, "Endless Love" also...

I love my name, 
but I hate having to introduce myself. 
I've almost come to the conclusion 
that a green-colored name badge would be a good hint.  


"Hi, my name is Jade."  
"Hello Jane" - 
it always goes the same way.  


I'm left wondering whether I should rudely interrupt 
and spell it out - J-A-D-E, not J-A-N-E! 
Other times I make the mistake 
of putting the emphasis on the "duh" sound 
and people mistake it for Jada.  


Most times I let it slide, 
hoping they'll eventually figure it out, 
but other times I do interrupt with a proud correction 
of the name given to me by two love-struck parents-to-be, 
who heard the name in their favorite 80's movie.