What's in a name?

Yes, that's the line from "Romeo & Juliet". But it has significance for me, as I am changing my name. Because what is "in" my name is some confusion.

As some of you may already know, I started out as Debra with a well-respected local Chicago agency. People often called me Debbie, Deb, or Debs both in person and online. After I went independent, someone wrote a review, with a new profile, as Debbie. Eventually, my Debbie & Debra profiles on TER were merged but by that time I'd begun calling myself "Debbie" in my ads and linking to the newer profile with the more-recent reviews & contact information.

So my TER profile came to be Debbie/Debra.

Then I left the business and did not return for 5.5 years.

Believing it would be easier to rebuild from where I'd left off, rather than start anew, I was Debbie once again. When I joined TER, I tried to use that name as my user-name (handle) but it was unavailable. As were a few combinations of my name & stats. Since my email account was always "the nooner girl", I decided to use that. It wasn't taken, it was different.... and I really didn't think I'd be using it enough to matter.

Little did I know! LOL.

As I like work-related things to be simple & cohesive, I kept the "Nooner Girl" moniker for my website, advertising, and all other related review & discussion sites that I have joined since.

I like the name because it reminds me of a running laugh at my old agency. To me, it is humorous & cute, with no real meaning.

Unfortunately, I have recently discovered that others have taken my name quite literally. That is, by thinking that I am ONLY available around mid-day. Sigh.....

I don't blame anyone for this interpretation. I too can be quite literal much of the time. But it does not mean that, as I am actually available during most of the daytime hours. As it only started to get mentioned to me recently, and this perception has since been confirmed by several regular friends, I can only imagine how many others have thought this over the past 15 months or so. Miscommunication is something I work hard to avoid, so it's a total face-palm moment for me to realize that I've been giving the wrong impression all this time. Doh!

And thus... it is time for a change. I already asked TER for the name-change, and they agreed.

I'll be editing it here on my site momentarily, and then slowly but surely changing all of my ads too.

So without further ado: Debra Hollander.

I'm coming full circle by going back to "Debra" once again. I always liked it better than Debbie, to be honest.

Hollander? This is an homage to Xaviera Hollander.

If you haven't read her book "The Happy Hooker", I highly recommend it. She also authored a Penthouse magazine column for many years, and this was how I first became aware of her at a young age. That is, by stealing my father's magazines and reading her words in utter fascination. LOL.

She is now living in Amsterdam and owns a Bed & Breakfast called Xaviera Hollander's Happy House.

I love that!

Perhaps I'll have to plan a visit.......

xoxoxoxoxoxo