{{{Dana}}} Glad you're home, sorry for the sad circumstances.

awww!

I'm glad you're home.

And not on the plane.

Seriously, 45 minutes waiting for a gate. In New Orleans!

How is Jamaican naming complicated, ita?

People tend to randomly not go by what they're officially named, so it's hard to remember what the real name is. Also with the lack of marriages and great number of bastards, siblings sharing last names can't be assumed. I know what to call my mother's siblings, for instance (and at least they all have the same last name), but I only know the real first names of less than half of them. I have no idea what my father's siblings' last names are, but I am pretty sure about their real first names.

So it goes. I still check the family tree to spell my mother's full name.

{{Dana}} Glad you're home.

People tend to randomly not go by what they're officially named, so it's hard to remember what the real name is.

My Jamaican Aunt goes by Cindie. I think her official name is Vernelle, but I've always been unclear on that part. (I mean, I could ask Mother, but I'd still probably forget by the time I got off the phone.)

People tend to randomly not go by what they're officially named, so it's hard to remember what the real name is.

I am fairly sure my mom's legal name isn't the name she uses at all. At one point a few years ago, I tried to get her to change it legally because she was annoyed that there was an issue with a car lease or bank account using the name she uses and not, oh, the legal one. No idea if she did or not.

My mother's pretty good. What she goes as that's not her given name she only goes as to her side of the family, so we're clear. But I don't know how to spell her entire middle name nor her maiden name. My father never officially told us he was being called by his mother's last name, and that was only to non-family. Family called him Moore. Merely because he has a brother named Leston...Les. I dunno what Les' last name is.

Les and Moore! Okay, it's good my sister's twins were fraternal. For them. Bummed me out because of all the wasted experimentation options. But clearly I am only good around kids that I have to answer to other adults for. I think Les and Moore is hysterical.

When Mom married Dad, she wanted to use her maiden name as her middle name. But, he thought it was rather cute that her actual middle name gave her the same initials as him, so he convinced her to keep it (even though she really hates it--Agnes is a family name that she does not like at all). When they divorced, she started using her maiden name instead.