"You know what they say, A after K period"

In my life I've never been able to buy any personalized pencils, pens, or bicycle license plates like my brothers, sisters, cousins, and friends could ! Why? Because apparently not enough people use the spelling R-e-b-e-k-a-h. Ever since I've been using word processing programs spell check constantly put that little red line under my name, trying to force me to change it to "the other way." I'm so glad they made it possible to add words to the dictionary in Word! I think my own grandmother even spelled my name wrong until I was 3! (I don't know if I can actually prove that, but I think I remember seeing a birthday card from one of my early years for a granddaughter Rebecca, apparently born on the same day as me, Rebekah). These are things I came to accept years ago. I doubt my Mom and Dad realized what they we're doing on that eventful May eleventh, back in 1984 (their names are Dan and Debbie), but I'm sure it affected them too when I was too young to speak, or spell rather, for myself.

Ever since I was around 15, I've had to spell out my name for anything and everything. Think of a time when you've had to give your name over the phone or to an office receptionist for some reason, most likely a lot of people are like me, and they have to spell out either their first or last name, so why am I complaining? I'm not the only one, right! Now, I have to spell out both my first and last name, and correct the pronunciation of my last name, something I quickly stopped doing because it did no good. But I guess that is no one's fault but my own for getting married and legally changing my name.

I have no solution for my last name. As my husband's grandmother, Jane once said "for the rest of your life you and your kids are all gun [sic] be named toolos...or tooloose..." (remember it's spelled Tullos), but as for my first name, Rebekah, there is a bigger issue to deal with. That issue is the debate of K's versus C's. I am no linguistics expert, but according to my research the letter K was around first, from the Greek letter Kappa. When taken into Latin, Kappa was changed to the letter C, and many uses of K disappeared. However, the rule was (and should be) that K is used when it is followed by rounded vowels, such as the letter /a/ (like in the name Rebekah, for example). The Romance languages (e.g. Spanish, Italian, French) chose C over K, and so did the Celtic languages (e.g Welsh, Irish, Scottish Gaelic). English, is the only Germanic language to use the hard C in addition to K, but I think most people agree that the English language has terrible phonetics. So to me, the solution is clear. Those that speak English should take a vote and and either chose between the two, like the Romantic and Celtic languages have done, or establish better rules for their use, especially following the rule I just made up: "you know what they say, A after K period!"

I realize that there will be no vote, no real solution, but people can take the time to ask how to spell others' names. Never assume you know how to spell someone's name. Have you noticed what they're naming kids these days? I repeat, we have to stop assuming we know how to spell people's names! If you're like me and you have a name spelled "differently" I think you will agree that it means a lot and says a lot when someone does or does not spell your name correctly. I know it is something that I will think about when naming my children in the future.

One More Step

In my life I feel like more often then not I've given up when I probably could have done whatever it was that I was going to do. There were some things, however, that I was always going get second place doing, and those things usually had to do with my older brother, Daniel. So that's why I can't believe I just completed a half-marathon. I don't really feel that different, well, except for the pain in my legs. The difference I'm actually referring to is the feeling of accomplishment that I think I'm supposed to have. I know many, many people have completed half-marathons, and some of those have completed it multiple times. Then there's the fact that it's only half of a marathon, so should I even feel that special?

Two years ago, my husband, Paul completed his first half-marathon, and I thought about doing it then, for a very short time and backed out because I didn't think I could do it. I doubted my abilities again this year, when I considered a half-marathon in April. I didn't "want it," so naturally I wouldn't be able to do it. Having said all of that, I should feel really good about myself since I backed out twice because "I couldn't do it," and now I've done it (something my older brother Daniel hasn't done, I might add. I think I have an inferiority complex).

I'm not just writing this to talk about me doing something I didn't think I could do. I want to encourage others to do the same. It might not be completing a race. It might be going back to college, when you think it's too late for you. It might be pursuing a career in something you think you couldn't ever do, because you're not smart enough. Maybe there is someone in your life that you've wrong, or they've wronged you. Settle it! It could be anything. All it takes is one more step to get closer to your goal! There's a saying that comes to mind. "There's always a million reasons not to do something." Live your life with one less regret! I have many regrets, but not completing a half-marathon because I had 3 kids, and I'm too old and out of shape isn't going to be one of them!