By Any Other Name
Jun. 19th, 2008 03:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ciroccojYou know what's kind of weird about this whole law thing right now? The Law Society of Upper Canada only accepts certain kinds of ID as proof of who you are, and driver's licences and student cards don't count. They accept birth certificates and Canadian Citizenship cards, both of which have me listed as Claudia Ximena. I went by Claudia as a child, but utterly loathed the name and changed it to Jimena (its alternate, Anglo-friendly spelling) when I entered high school. That was a long time ago. I've been Jimena ever since.
So here I am, dealing with LSUC to do my bar exams and do this course, and they've got me down as Claudia. I not only have to pick up documents and check ticky boxes bearing that name, I also have to sign it a lot. And respond to it while they're checking attendance. And introduce myself by it during role plays.
So strange, after twenty-five years. I no longer hate the name - in fact, I think it's quite pretty (probably because the only Claudia I've known other than me is Claudia Schiffer), but it doesn't belong to me any more. I have less of a connection to it than I do to Cirocco Jones. I can't read John Varley's Titan series without a disturbing sense that I'm reading Real People Fic based on me, but the name I used for the first thirteen years of my life is totally foreign to me.
Weird.
So here I am, dealing with LSUC to do my bar exams and do this course, and they've got me down as Claudia. I not only have to pick up documents and check ticky boxes bearing that name, I also have to sign it a lot. And respond to it while they're checking attendance. And introduce myself by it during role plays.
So strange, after twenty-five years. I no longer hate the name - in fact, I think it's quite pretty (probably because the only Claudia I've known other than me is Claudia Schiffer), but it doesn't belong to me any more. I have less of a connection to it than I do to Cirocco Jones. I can't read John Varley's Titan series without a disturbing sense that I'm reading Real People Fic based on me, but the name I used for the first thirteen years of my life is totally foreign to me.
Weird.
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no subject
Date: 2008-06-19 10:00 pm (UTC)I had to go through more paperwork than you can imagine getting my name 'corrected' on all of the necessary forms when I was about 19. I don't know what you have to do, but - if it'll make you feel better, do.
Lastly: Thank you for hosting my incredible fangirl/squee buddy while she is off having her squeetastic experience. If she explodes from delight, just make sure you get all of the pieces back in the box before sending her home ;)
no subject
Date: 2008-06-20 02:19 pm (UTC)Yeah, it's a pretty name. It's just not my name ;)
I had to go through more paperwork than you can imagine getting my name 'corrected' on all of the necessary forms when I was about 19. I don't know what you have to do, but - if it'll make you feel better, do.
Well, Chris keeps telling me to do it, but I don't really mind all that much. Now if I end up having a lot to do with the Law Society and they insist on using my first name, I'll probably finally get off my butt and change it legally. And make Chris very happy :)
Lastly: Thank you for hosting my incredible fangirl/squee buddy while she is off having her squeetastic experience. If she explodes from delight, just make sure you get all of the pieces back in the box before sending her home ;)
LOL! I will :D :D :D :D
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