Thursday, October 2, 2014

Klaus, please close the door after Miroslav Klose and Santa Claus come in

I think I'm having a quarter-life crisis. 

Oh, did I just say that--I mean--did I just type that? Yes, I did and sure I typed it. I could see it in the first line of the post. I'm having a quarter-life crisis. Quarter-life. In search of identity and self-esteem I've found that conflicts lie between myself and society and in other times I have to fight with myself since there is a conflict in me. I've also realized that trivial things are sometimes so potential to cause (maybe not so great but) significant problems. Well it's just like you realize how a cute yellow banana peel could lead people to their death. 

So what's my problem? 

Well it's actually a simple thing, not really bothering yet shaking me like riding wooden roller coaster fifty times a day. It's about my nickname and I'm pretty sure I have a nice name and there's nothing wrong with "Klaus" but in other occasion there are moments involving the matter of name that make me question myself like..


Most of times when I introduce myself to new people, I mention my name and they would be like.. 


Yes, I am! What's wrong with the name "Klaus" that people think of it as something strange, like they never hear the name even once in their lifetime? Often times I have to say it twice or thrice to make them sure that I, did, say Klaus. Actually it's not a really big problem, for I realize that such name is quite strange and rare. I bet there are just a few people named Klaus living in my city but probably more in the country so that's why the name becomes rare, strange, and unique at the same time. When people know me, they'll call me Klaus which means that they recognize my name. There's no problem regarding my name when I speak of the way people call me or address me in oral conversation but the problem regarding my name mostly lies in the way people write my name. 

Back when I was a freshman, people knew my name and called me properly. But once people came to the moment when they had to write down my name, there the problem was. A classmate has once texted me and it seemed like he didn't know how to spell my name so instead of typing Klaus as K-L-A-U-S he typed it as C-L-A-U-S-E. In other time, a friend who studied German texted me and addressed me as K-L-O-S-E and I was like H-W-H-A-T-?-?


I bet she texted a wrong person. 

When I was in Kuala Lumpur my auntie took me to KLCC and I found Starbucks. There I ordered my favorite drink and, just like what they do here in Indonesia, the barista asked me for my name so I mentioned it. Guess what? He didn't get it and thought that my name was Cloud. 

CLOUD? I am Cloud Strife? 


There's nothing wrong with my name but the way people spell it sometimes becomes a problem for me. The name is Klaus and it's spelled K-L-A-U-S. When people misspell the name, it could be something funny that I can laugh at every time I remember the moment but sometimes they do it in such a formal situation and I'd be like "Seriously?" Some have even misspelled my name, resulting on a very big question about my identity. 

"Am I Santa Claus?" 

Oh please! My name is Klaus and it's spelled K-L-A-U-S. Don't spell it as C-L-A-U-S because I'm not Santa. Don't spell it as C-L-A-U-S-E because my name is a proper noun and it's not a clause since my name does not contain a verb and to make a clause, my name has to at least have a subject and a verb. Don't spell it as K-L-O-S-E because I don't play soccer. Well just.. don't misspell my name. 

Again. It's spelled K-L-A-U-S. Klaus, in German spelling. 

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