Last Name

My family will probably hate me for this post.

To understand, you have to know that I'm not the biggest fan of my last name. And that's the part they're not going to like.

Using it to identify my photography and putting it up on my blog took a lot of courage. The fear comes from years of teachers (and pretty much everyone) mispronouncing it, horrible nicknames that rhyme with it from back in middle/high school, and its general lack of coolness. But there is only one me, and even though it's vogue to use your middle name as part of your business name, mine doesn't jive...so the lesser of two evils is to use my first and last name to identify my work.

It could be cool. It's French, and French is cool - I've always embraced that part - but...ugh. I've never been able to embrace it attached to me. The people I share it with, yes, but the name...not so much.

Until last week. Ben saved my last name (he really is a superhero, no?)

He found this.

By my estimation, fizzy wine is cool, and since my last name is on it, that, therefore, makes my last name cool. I remember something like that from 9th grade Geometry, so it must be true.

Just because I'm sure you want to be able to pronounce the name of the wine correctly so that you can order it the next time you see it on your favorite restaurant's menu, here is your pronunciation guide: it's very easy, just say "rain all" and put the emphasis on rain. That's it. Not so hard, really.

In all truthfulness, I do like that it's unique. So maybe I'll let it stick around a little longer, and by the time I learn to love it, it will be time to change my last name. Heaven help me if that makes it worse!