My first talk as Dr. Arvay!

My colleague DP, who is a personal as well as professional friend, beamed and introduced me with, "I believe I have the honor of being the first person--ever--to introduce Dr. Arvay Henson! The crowd burst into polite, restrained, engineer-applause. After I gave my talk, which had nothing whatsoever to do with my PhD research, several attendees congratulated me.





I've decided that, after seven years of fantasizing about it, I don't, after all, like the sound of "Dr. Henson".

Dr. Henson sounds serious and intimidating and unapproachable (my real last name is ethnically Chinese and sounds even more serious and intimidating than "Henson"). Dr. Henson sounds like someone who wears tailored suits and would raise an eyebrow at me when I approach her with peanut butter on my scarf and dog hair on my sweater. Dr. Henson sounds like she'd lose respect for me for peppering my speech with California "likes".

I don't want to be Dr. Henson.

So I'm still going to go by "Arvay". Maybe Arvay, PhD, but still Arvay. :)

Edited to add: There's still snow in May! I'ma go skiing this weekend! :)