Dorothy

It is my real name. The name I never use on my blog.

For most of my life, I was certain that I was named for Dorothy of the Wizard of Oz, the classic that now celebrates its 77th year. It was released in August of 1939.

Dorothy Gale. The Wizard of Oz.

I arrived in the 50’s, in early December.

Every year, just before Christmas, Oz was released in movie theaters for a single showing.

I never missed it. It was my guaranteed birthday gift.

Decades later, my mother revealed that she wasn’t thinking of Oz when she picked my name. There was a personal connection.

It was the name of her best friend, a lovely lady known as Dot.

It was also the middle name of her only sister, my most-loved aunt.

I was never fond of the name, it always seemed so old-fashioned. To make matters worse, when it came time to pick a middle name, a Catholic tradition that occurs during the year of Confirmation, I looked to the patron saint of the day of my ceremony.

I chose Agnes.

Not a soul outside of my family knew this until I went to college, and my ID card reflected the only middle name I ever knew. When friends saw it, they started calling me Agnes.

I was known for 4 years as “Ag”, and it was the inspiration for my internet presence and e-mail address that came much later.

I embraced my full name when I entered the professional world. Dorothy would be taken more seriously. And it seemed to work for me.

When I started creative writing, and later, this blog, I was certain to remain anonymous. If anything were to be published, it would not be done in my true name. It was mostly to protect my family’s privacy, and the tragedies of my birth family. It allowed me to be as candid and unfiltered in my writing as I desired.

I turned to a comic figure for the name of my blog. The late Chris Farley brought his motivational speaker character, Matt Foley, from Chicago’s Second City theater group to Saturday Night Live.

His approach was to motivate young people to change their life, or they might end up like himself, thrice-divorced and living in a “van by the river.”

It is classic sketch comedy that I was proud to honor here, and in my “About” page.

I choose to keep my blog anonymous, at least for now. Some day that may all change.

Until then, please call me Van. ❤️