Question. If one never changed their SS card after marrying because they weren't/aren't sure they want to legally change their name, but she uses her husband's last name most of the time, and it's the one on her paycheck and W-2. Is that going to be a problem when she files taxes? She will of course use the name SS has for her on the return.

Is that going to be a problem when she files taxes?

I never changed my name with SS, but for all paycheck type things, I use Amy MaidenName MarriedName, and that seems to be okay.

I am giving away my old computer tomorrow and have just taken a turn at cleaning all the personal stuff off. I deleted all the internet stuff and mail profiles and documents. Anyone know specific other things I should do? Is there some way for me to unregister myself?

nevermind - I'm just erasing the harddrive.

Thank you, Ms. Friedan. You were very different than me and your life was different, but I still owe you.

Hmmm.... good name change question, Daisy Jane. I have no idea.

all of the daily drudgery of figuring out how to change documents (let alone changing a passport... I FEAR THAT) terrifies me about changing my name, which I want to do.

Today, parking was all snarled at school because they are filming on campus. I hear that it's the next Spider-Man movie. They are putting up huge scaffolding around the mansion. It must be so expensive to film on location.

Trudy, your stance on this strikes me as so cynical it's almost wrapping back around to naive. Publicists' jobs are to make their charges desirable to the public. No doubt some of them feed the paparazzi to do so.

However the idea that the paparazzi are always invited to fly over and take pictures of celebrities at home or to stake out their supermarket--why the fuck should someone have to send their assistant out to buy Midol? How is that the celebrity's fault?

Fact is, the paparazzi know there's a market for stalkeresque pictures, whether they're set up or not. They're not patsies in a great puppet show manned by celebrities and publicists. They're agents too.

While I do think it is going way out on a limb to say celebrities as a group want the paparazzi kind of attention and no way would I say they desearve it, I think we all know that there are certain types of people who want attention and go about getting it in odd ways. For these creatures, who I do not understand at all, it is enough to get attention, even if it is negative.

I refuse to wear my seatbelt.

Calling all libertarians! Rant opportunity!

I confess to enjoying the "Celebrities are just like us!" features in magazines, with the pictures of people walking down the street with coffee or whatever.

Does that make me a bad person?