deb@uiucuxc.UUCP (10/01/83)
#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