What Is My Name?

I've been married to the king now for almost six years... some of his family still can't grasp my name. Now I can understand if I insist they call me by my Chinese name but hello... Karen is hardly a name that anyone in this country can say is 'foreign'. Well, of course the in-laws live in Arkansas; maybe everyone there is named Bubba and Bo lol! (Ok, I know they're not so no crazy emails from Arkansas folks!) It irritates me when my father-in-law's wife keeps calling me 'Sharon' - and then goes on to tell me about her 'friend' Sharon who works at the local clothier and how great she is. I Don't Phucking Care!! She does this practically every time I see her... thankfully, I have not seen her in eons. No love lost. I try to cut down the number of visits to her house since she called me 'huge' to my face under our roof - can you imagine what she'd say under hers!? The other person who deliberately messes up my good name is the six year old niece. It was funny (well not THAT funny) the first time she 'mistook' me as Gram-Mimi (of all people) - the above mentioned person she calls her 'other' grandmother. I'm not childish, 'fighting' with a kid... but omg, you should see the look in her eyes when we make her say my name right - which she does (immediately) when presents are at stake.

I will turn 37 in a few days. Nah, I'm not too overly concerned. Not that it would help anyway. So, as tradition goes, I get a personalized card made SPECIALLY by Mimi. Whoop-d-doo! As usual, she sends the card addressed to me - Mrs Bruce Ryan. Come on already!! Can't she just write my bloody name on it? Even people who send junk mail addresses it correctly. Shit! Just 'coz she has no identity doesn't mean that other women don't. Not to say she's wrong but it's a personalized birthday card for crying out loud! Not that this is anything new however. This is the card she sent me last year when she thought I was black. This year, I'm apparently an eight year old white boy lol! No, nothing wrong with that... except I'm a practically middle-aged Chinese woman lol.

Some people will probably say I should at least appreciate the fact that at least someone remembered. I did reflect on it for a little and like the don't-send-me-invitations-if-I-don't-know-you issue, the I-really-don't-care-about-you issue, I realize that no, why should I appreciate it? She doesn't really care about me in any shape or form - trust me, she doesn't. ...and yes, it's a two way street here. So no, not the slightest appreciation on my part. Besides, the computers at the local retailers too remembered that my birthday falls on the month of May. At least they sent me shopping coupons - now those, I appreciate. Ok, not really lol! They too, will eventually end up where this card is. I'm just saying... if you know me at all, you wouldn't bother sending me a birthday card. Send cash lol! ...like dad does - he obviously knows me best lol!