Hello, My Name is Matt Adam!
Back in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at UCSD, we always wore name tags during our Large Group meeting. After the meeting was over we had fun with them, switched them around, stuck 20 people’s nametags onto someone’s back, etc. If you walked around UCSD late Thursday night, you’d likely find a few groups of Christians with one or two who forgot to take their name tag off. It was mildly embarassing, but at least everyone you met felt like they knew you.
I haven’t been to a Large Group since 1999, and I’m now beginning to wonder if I didn’t switch name tags with Matt and forget to take it off in all that time.
And now it is time for The Airing of Grievances! I have been called Andrew (by people who know my brother), Alan (by a near-sighted highschool teacher), Aaron (by Matt’s parents - Aaron was Matt’s old roommate), and David (by my father-in-law - I can’t explain that one). But by far, the name I have been mistakenly called more than any other name is Matt.
At first it made sense. I lived with Matt for four years. Senior year in college, Matt and I were among the most vocal people in InterVarsity and known as friends and roommates. We were each other’s best man. I can understand that people who don’t know us very well, or who met both of us at the same time, might get our names mixed up (though I wonder if anyone ever called him Adam?).
But after I got married, it continued. I would introduce myself to people saying, “I’m Adam.” “Matt?” “No, A-DUM.” (And let me tell you, I don’t like emphasizing the last syllable of my name - too many bad childhood memories). When we went to Thailand last summer, it happened no less than three times on a single Sunday morning! Tracey (who shares a similar issue with the name Stacey) began calling me by my new assumed name on a regular basis (oh, she thinks she’s so funny).
But maybe it’s just the way I say it. Maybe I need to enunciate more when I say, “I’madam.” Maybe there was some minor language barrier with the European missionaries I met. But today, the name-calling has crossed over from the realm of Explainable Error to Uncanny Coincidence when Mark Sides responded to a comment of mine on Ray’s blog and called me Matt. Not once, but twice.
Now, I don’t blame Mark. I wasn’t lying or typing through my teeth when I told him, “No worries.” It’s not his fault. In fact, he may just be God’s latest vessel in the Campaign to Tell Adam That His Name is Really Matt. Or maybe he saw my name tag through the Internet. I just don’t know anymore. Maybe when we get to Thailand I should just tell people my name is Matt and see what happens. The worst case scenario is that it would save time.
Incidentally, I do want to bring attention to the comment thread in which the Grievance occurred. Mark brings up an excellent point that he, Ray, myself, and others are slowly learning to drop our political defensiveness and be more careful with our language. Because, as he points out, we are often saying the same thing on lots of heated issues even though we come from different political viewpoints. This goes back to Mark Roberts’ article on the Church and Politics where he describes his vision of the Church as a place where all political viewpoints can be discussed and acknowledged without judgment or condemnation. That article’s worth a read (or even a re-read).
To answer your question, here, in a public setting: Yes - I have been called Adam before. I don’t think I’ve been called Adam as much as you’ve been called Matt, but it happens not infrequently.
It’s not like we even look that much alike.
-M@ (Tracey calls me “Hat”; she’s a laugh riot, that one)
Ok, Adam, go figure. The name I have been called almost as often as Walt is Art. I can understand people at church who mixed Art Cotant and me up but people at work and customers who don’t know Art Cotant — why did they call me Art? Could be my skills, such as mediating, are an art and not a talent ;-). What do you think?
Matt is better than Mama Laird’s name for you…
Thanks for my laugh of the day. =^)
Tracey says I’m Sean. It changes between I “look like Sean” and “you’re the sound guy.” But more than that, I’ve been called Jon almost as much as my own name on first introduction. It was kinda explainable because my brother’s name is Jon, but when I got into social circles that he had not been in, it was just weird. To conclude, I agree.
For some reason, people call me Steve. It happens over and over and over again - even by people I’ve never met in person. :-)
All righty, people. Here’s how it goes: Matt — Yes, you’re Hat, but that was instigated by Kathliene. I’m just a happy, happy glommer-on to that one. :-)
James — Of course, I plead not guilty to calling you Sean, BUT, s’possible I’ve forgotten the trangression. I DO remember telling you you sorta reminded me of my nephew, in which case I should start calling you Jordan. Hmmm …
Lucinda — I don’t know you, but with a name that cool, how could I call you anything else?
Rick — We’ve never met, only through blogging, but you definitely seem like a Rick to me, if that’s good news to you. Besides, the only Steve I knew well is … well, dead.
Art, er, Walt, Mr. Patriarch — There seems to be a whole letter “A” hubbub in the Heine family, in which case, if we ever meet, I’m sure I’d end up calling you Art … or Andrew … or Adam. But hey, as a fair trade, I guess you could call me (cringe) Stacey. ;-)
And Adam, Adam, Adam — Admittedly, you’ve been a variety of things. Andrew? Yep. Matt? Yep, on purpose. Peaches, (he he) also on purpose. And Coco, don’t remember why. Never David, though. That’s one’s a head scratcher for sure. But of course, any name, whatever name — it’s always with the love. All about the love.
Did I miss anybody? Whhewwww! That was weirdly cathartic.
Hugs ‘n’ kisses (Because I’m just that kind of gal, eh?)
Tracey, er, Stacey
I think in all of this analysis (and catharsis–can someone clean that up?), you all have overlooked something: the very real possibility that I am simply a bonehead!
Mark (almost never mistaken for anybody else because, hey, I’m too boring)
I was always called Joy or Jonathan….
I understand that. My mom got our names mixed up too ;-)