Initial Problems

Most of the time, people's initials can be used as a convenient shorthand for that person. Unfortunately, mine are more commonly used as shorthand for something else.

The classic example in work life would be where I was asked to comment on a document and just initial each section that I thought was okay. Shortly after submitting it I received an irate email from the document's author demanding to know why I'd scrawled "BS" on every section.

You'd think people would be able to work out that it was my initials, but I guess if it appears someone is saying that your work is bullshit, you respond without thinking.

People have suggested that my parents didn't think this through when they named me. In fairness to them, when I was born my initials were the much more innocuous BH. My mum was widowed, she remarried and her second husband formally adopted me, which changed my name.

If you're wondering if I have a middle name that I could use to change the initials, I do. It's John. Doesn't help, does it?

This is post 27 of 31 for WeblogPoMo2024. My goal is to write and publish 31 posts in 31 days - with no set theme or plan.