The Daily Ping

FROM: Chris [E-Mail]
DATE: Saturday January 3, 2004 -- 10:01:09 am

I frequently get three copies of the same American Express junk mail, delivered on the same day, to 3 different spellings of my last name.

I also get a lot of junk mail to ODonnellWeb...so much for the Domain database not being used for commercial purposes.

FROM: Dave Walls [E-Mail]
DATE: Saturday January 3, 2004 -- 10:52:49 am

Oh yeah.

When I had to sign for the "customer card" at a supermarket in Virginia to get the savings, I noticed that they didn't check ID, but all fields on the form had to be filled. Somewhere in Virginia, some poor soul with the number 867-5309 is getting calls for someone named Calvin Broadeus.

For-shizzle my nizzle, Food Lion.

FROM: Rob Wiltbank
DATE: Saturday January 3, 2004 -- 10:54:09 am

Wallbanger, Wolfgang, Wiltbang... along with about 4 or 5 other variants. Dunno what's so hard about a two sylable name that, individually, create two perfectly normal words.

FROM: Paul
DATE: Saturday January 3, 2004 -- 11:48:17 am

My last name always gets butchered. And no one is sure how to spell my wife's first name (there are so many variants.)

By far, my favorite was when I got mailings for "Apul."

FROM: Dave Walls [E-Mail]
DATE: Saturday January 3, 2004 -- 12:45:20 pm

Rob --

You know I butchered your name for at least the first month or so after I met you, Rob Wilbanks. ;p

FROM: Robert [E-Mail]
DATE: Saturday January 3, 2004 -- 12:57:55 pm

My last name, an Americanization of a Polish name, has an "e" at the end that should be spoken. Up until I was about 16 every single person who spoke it who didn't know me assumed it was silent. I don't know what got the world to suddenly find the inspiration not to make that mistake any more.

Oh, but folks still pronounce the first syllable, "so," like its "zuh." I hate that!

FROM: jk
DATE: Saturday January 3, 2004 -- 5:09:22 pm

I wouldn't know where to start. My name is also an Americanization of a European name, yet people ADD letters that are not even there! Especially the people with ADT. They add an m and a t.

The folks at Costco misread my handwriting and had the first syllable as "Krap" on a recent cake order.

FROM: Monica
DATE: Saturday January 3, 2004 -- 10:57:57 pm

Nick got a sale notice from JC Penney's, addressed to "Turkish Kitchen or current resident".

FROM: Rob [E-Mail]
DATE: Monday January 5, 2004 -- 11:13:34 am

The Washington Post insists my last name is Carven and they refuse to believe otherwise.

When I sent flowers to Sarah one time (online, so it was actually typed out), the little card said it was from Bob. Which I never ever go by.