It pays to be a SNODGRASS

I always dreamed of being a "CRYSTAL BLOSSOM SMITH"  or "CRYSTAL BLOSSOM JONES"

I would play that game that all girls play.  You know, the one where you "try on" the last name of the boy you are interested in at the time.  I would say it out loud to see how it sounded, to see if it flowed.  Sometimes I would even practice writing my signature with my new pretend last name.  

I just always wanted a white, excuse me, caucasian last name.  No more BERUMEN!  No one can ever pronounce it and it's just a blah sounding name (sorry daddy).  

I couldn't wait for the day when I got my new white last name! 

Now I can remember the first email I received from Mr. Scott Snodgrass.  I only knew him as Scott so when I saw his funny email address I thought perhaps Snodgrass was a nickname or a play on words or something.  

I actually asked him if that was his real last name, and he laughed and admitted it was and told me I could thank his dad for that one.    

After we exchanged a few more emails, I thought it was probably a good idea to try on the name Snodgrass, just in case, and to help me decide if there were going to be any further emails exchanged!  LOL, just kidding babe. ;)   

Then the day came when Mr. Snodgrass and I decided to join forces in this world, decided to become one!  We got on the same cell phone plan, got a joint bank account, and thought about what to do as far as changing names.  Scott even suggested at one point that he take on BERUMEN!   

Gosh NO, I've been trying to get rid of that name for quite some time, no use in making him one too.  Then we had a friend see what names he could come up with using letters of our last name combined.  

GRASSMEN...GASBERNS...NODGEN...UMENASS...you get the point.  

BUT in the end I became CRYSTAL BLOSSOM SNODGRASS.

It took a while to get used to, and a while for the reality to set in that I will never be a SMITH,  I will NEVER be a CRYSTAL BLOSSOM JONES.  I only get one trade, only one NEW last name.  

All that to say...

Last week was the first time I realized that it pays to be a SNODGRASS!

It all started two weeks ago when Scott called the radio station to win some tickets to an Astros game and a nights stay at some swanky hotel.

The radio station was taking caller nine every hour and at the end of the day all they picked was one person, one caller number nine, to be the final winner.  

Scott was so excited that he was finally caller number nine that day!  We turned the radio on that night and waited eagerly for them to announce the final winner.  

The radio host said, "ok now we are going to announce the winner...hahahahahaha, what a funny name!"

I immediately started screaming and jumping up and down!  We had won, what other name could they have possibly been talking about?  What's more unusual and unfortunate than the name SNODGRASS?  

Then the host said, "Scott Snodgrass, it sounds like SNOTGRASS (never heard that one before) hahahahaha, what a funny name."  The other radio host joined in and for a minute or two they just ripped on the name SNODGRASS.  

Then one of them said, "but actually our winner today is mark brandon."  

WHAT?  REALLY?  YOU JUST MENTIONED OUR NAME ON THE RADIO TO MAKE FUN OF IT?  WOW, WOW!  

So we didn't win.   But the host came back and said that he felt bad, and if he ever saw Scott's name on the list again he would pick him as the winner.

All day monday Scott and I listened to the radio.  We had our cell phones in hand and ready to go.  We tried desperately every hour to be caller number nine.  

"You're caller five, you're caller two, you're caller six, sorry, we already have a winner" is all we got.  The last hour to try Scott and I both called.  

Scott was caller number nine.

That night we waited for them to announce the winner and sure enough the host mentioned that he promised the next time he saw the name SCOTT SNODGRASS,  he would be the winner. 

We won!

That day I thought to myself...this would have never happened if our name was SMITH!