I finally got my passport.
I would like to be happy about this, but I'm not. They misspelled my name, so now I have to send it back to them and then wait 10-12 more weeks to get a replacement. Plus, the birth certificate that I need to send back to them to prove the correct spelling of my name hasn't yet been returned to me. Your government at work... sharp, efficient. Good thing I don't need it for the two trips coming up over the next few weeks.
This was the last thing I needed to find out after getting home from work at 10:45pm. More hassles for me. Super! Can't wait. And the other "last thing I needed tonight" was my husband interrupting my ranting about it to tell me to "Get over it." He quickly apologized, which was good, because I wasn't just ranting about the damn passport. The passport was the last straw. There were a lot of other aggravations piled on ahead of that one. But I poured some wine and wrote in my blog, and I'm OK now.
This isn't the first time I have had problems with my name being misspelled on a government-issued document. I once received a replacement social security card with my first and last names so horribly butchered they were nearly unrecognizable. Missing so many vowels they resembled Czech names. I don't understand how this happens. Why were they typing in my name for a replacement card? Isn't it already in their labyrinthine database somewhere? I won't give away my last name by telling you how they got it wrong, but my first name was written as "CHNSHE". Can I buy a vowel, please?
7 comments:
What? Keep the darn thing! You could be like Jason Bourne and have an alternate identity! :P
I'd have thought Homeland Security till you gave the spelling on your first name.
With further thought, maybe that's still the case. I think they have a really super, top-secret program that spins letters, kind of like a boring slot machine that gives you a new international identity. II may be on to something here.
Just how sure are you that this is a mistake?
Fermi, Chnshe. That other name. The all end in a hard E. Coincidence? I think not.
First, Fermi, yes, you know me (check your Flickr email ;-).
Fermicat: Your government at work... sharp, efficient.
Me: Also leaning heavily toward evil these days. Ha?
Fermicat: He quickly apologized, which was good, because I wasn't just ranting about the damn passport.
Me: Do you mean to say that you scared your poor husband into apologizing just to avoid being attacked? ;-)
Fermicat: I once received a replacement social security card with my first and last names so horribly butchered they were nearly unrecognizable. Missing so many vowels they resembled Czech names.
Me: As someone whose last name is Czech, I ROFLMAO at that. Most people of non-Czech ancestry don't know that about Czech names. Or are you of Czech ancestry?
Fermicat: My first name was written as "CHNSHE".
Me: Your government computers at work --- with zero human oversight.
LL - I'm thinking I don't have the requisite spy skills to enjoy the Bourne benefits!
dave - the passport mistake is much more benign. Just one letter in my middle (formerly maiden) name incorrect. But I am a stickler for details (it is part of what I do for a living - everything needs to be correct in written records). I can't let this slide.
younameit - I checked and responded via Flickrmail. I'm not remotely Czech, as far as I am aware. Mostly Scottish, English, and German with a little American Indian probably mixed in there somewhere because of how long my family has been in the southeastern USA. Sometime I will do a post on what I know about my confederate ancestors. We've got a colorful past. PDM's family are relative newcomers to this country, but his brother dug up the family roots in Italy. I could post about that sometime as well.
So, there is still hope for you in the area of genealogical research (whether you agree with me or not - ha). That's great! Once again, I recommend the best and most inspiring genealogy application of all time: Reunion: http://www.leisterpro.com/
P.S. This darned Blogger won't let me create a URL-linked word anymore (because I'm not logged in?).
So, how do you pronounce the government's version of your name?
My sister is in our college alumni database as Michigan Lastname. You'd think somebody at somebody would think "Hmm, that's weird. Maybe I should doublecheck this." But nope, she gets mail addressed to Michigan Lastname.
Beware of younameit and his geneaology-ness...he's addicted. ;-)
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