Finally...someone gets it

There are two spellings of my last name Blaz--one with an "s" and mine, with a "z". It just depends on who your family is which spelling is "correct." But, in my family, both spellings exist and that drove my grandfather crazy to no end. They didn't always have that last name; they had a Japanese last name, Haniu, which my grandfather, his brothers and youngest sister had changed after WWII. My grandfather was afraid of lingering anti-Japanese hatred (sad) so they had their last name legally changed to their mother's maiden name.

Since the day I came home in kindergarten with a star on my paper for spelling my last name wrong...I was too afraid to tell Sister Catherine she spelled my name wrong (hey, I was only FOUR), I've had to spell my last name when someone has to write it down. Even then, even when I spell very slowly, people still write "Blas". To confuse things even further, we have Ms. Blaz (me) and Mrs. Blas (the teacher next door) at work!

Today I met a friend of friends. She asked what my name was. I answered, "Vera Blaz." She said, "Oh, with a "z"! I could have kissed her...sweat and all! (I totally kid...I can barely stand my own sweat.)

Finally, someone gets it! When I think about it, though, I realize that I still would have had to spell my last name for everyone had it stayed "Haniu"...and I would be forever correcting anyone who had to say it.