Meryl's Notes Blog

That was a pretty exciting Survivor finale though I was not too thrilled with the results. Either way, I am ready to watch Survivor II. Can’t believe they are going to re-run the whole thing again with comments from the castaways as well as added footage. I think I’ll pass. I don’t have much time for TV anyway.

I have to get on a soapbox. In talking with one of the perfect, know-it-all mothers the other day… she discussed her child’s perfect spelling test… how her child got an excused absence when they went out of town (perfect attendance, my foot… like who friggin’ remembers or cares if you had perfect attendance in 2nd grade?) I admit, I have competitor’s blood flowing fast and furious in my veins, but I try so hard to keep it low-key or buried. Well, to hear a mom talk this way just makes my blood boil. Even teachers have told me, the point is for your child to compete with herself and not others… you want to see your child make improvements. I agree, but oh, the pressure I get from mothers like this @)#$(. I guess this mom uses Bunny from Baby Blues (currently, my favorite comic strip) as her model of a perfect mother. One of S’s funnier comments made it to the Baby Blues web site.

I had a letter to the editor published on Friday, August 26. I am so fed up with people not respecting my name. I make every effort to respect other’s names by spelling and pronouncing the name correctly. Most of all, I make sure I call them what they wish to be called. PLEASE DON’T EVER CALL ME “MRS. EVANS!” OK, ok, if you’re my daughter’s young friend, then call me Ms. Meryl, instead. If the link to the letter is broken, here it is in its full glory:

Don’t abuse Meryl

I wish to thank Sharon Van Buskirk for her Aug. 17 letter on the continuous mispronunciation of Beryl. The same goes for Meryl and Cheryl.

You’d think with a famous actress like Meryl Streep whose name I’ve yet heard mispronounced by Hollywood, that people would say my name right. Instead, people address me as “Merle” even after I correct them with “Mer-ril like Cheryl or as in Meryl Streep. Two syllables, not one.”

Let’s show respect for people’s names by learning how to correctly pronounce the name, spell the name and address the person.

MERYL EVANS, Plano