I had to renew my passport this week. It’s a total pain. Not only did I have to renew it, but I had to expedite it and change my name. Yeah, I know, I’ve been married for almost ten years, and I haven’t bothered to update my passport. Name changes are a total pain especially when you have assets that you have to change. I did life hodgepodge fashion; I went to college, bought a house, bought other things, adopted pets, and got married and took my husband’s last name in a way. I was delayed in the whole transition. It took me awhile to change my social security card. Only this year did I actually change the title on the house, and that’s only because we decided to refinance. After today, I think I have everything changed to the name I’ve been using for about a decade. However, I wouldn’t be shocked to find some lingering account like a Blockbuster card that I haven’t transitioned. I guess it doesn’t matter, who rents movies anymore?
There should be warning signs that tell you have much of a pain it will be to change your name. Better yet, there should be a sassy packet that you get with your marriage license that magically helps you update your surname, if you so desire. Instead you get married, opt to change your name, and realize how much your name is everywhere. You have to update it with you employer which typically results in an updated email address. You have to change all of your bank accounts or merge them with your spouse, both of which require lots of time. You have to review titles and other ownership documents and update them. By the way, utilities are the worst. They demand the most paperwork to prove a name change or add a spouse.
About have way through the name changing process, I almost decide to go back to my maiden name. But once you are at that point, you may as well just finish it. This week I fully transitioned to my married name. Now I am no longer traveling to foreign countries with one of the most common names in the United States. That should help me get through security without all this extra questioning. Apparently there are naughty folks named Amilicious that have bounced about the world, creating havoc, and causing problems for all the other sassy gals named Amilicious. It’s not easy being generically sassy.
For those considering changing your name, I recommend thinking about the considerable amount of time it will take to do it. You may opt out of doing so.