Social Saturday - Open Thread Thursday - What's in a Name?

Social Saturday - Open Thread Thursday - What's in a Name?

Perhaps I should head this post Social Media Saturday because it feels right for me to respond to the Open Thread Thursday on Saturday… that is just the way I am, I guess. Anyway, What's in a Name?


I already posted an Examiner.com article that states I subscribe to Bart Brenner's Manifesto. Today, however, I want to take the theme of "What's in a Name?" one step further. As many of you know, over the past twenty-some years or so I have not only gotten into the family history and genealogy 'game' but I earned my Ph.D in Management at the University of Arizona (UA), had a successful fifteen years as a college professor and administrator, and, caught the 'writing bug'* as well as the 'genealogy bug,' so to speak. In our GeneaBlogging world, that is really not so unusual… many of us have and have had two or three careers going as we work our family history and genealogy passion. But it does tend to complicate the "What's in a Name?" question.

You may have noticed I've adopted an approach picked up in my Marketing studies (that was my minor at UA) - branding. At Emporia State University, where I taught for 15 years, we had at one time three "Dr. Smith's" in our Department. To distinguish us, the students began to call me "Dr. Bill" along with Dr. Faye and others. I kind of liked it, Googled it and found it was actually distinctive, if not unique, and have adopted it in my 'after-life' writing process.

I do write novels, short stories, book reviews, non-fiction, and trade journal publications articles as well as family history and genealogical stories. The "Dr. Bill" branding has been very useful, to date, and I plan to continue it. I've even considered writing a memoir of the experience with a "Becoming Dr. Bill" working title.

More than you probably wanted to hear - but this is my reply to "What's in a Name?" A lot, it seems to me.  ;-) I look forward to reading your replies to the question as well.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

[*The Author's Resource Center (TARC) in Tuscon, Arizona, in 1987.]