GG's signature: a lesson for parents-to-be

["Heesen household (Mark, son Jeff, & Kenny)" <mrh@inx.net>]

In regards to the following there is a lesson for parents-to-be:

>"The National Library of Canada has a website called "The Glenn Gould
>Archive" where what I believe the authentic signature of GG is shown.  GG
>was a perfectionist; can someone tell me why the signature shows the first
>name written with one n?"
>
>The web site does use the authentic signature of Gould, with only one N.  We
>at the National Library of Canada had assumed that, being a busy man, Mr.
>Gould adopted the use of a single N in his signature as a matter of
>convenience and speed.  He even had a rubber stamp made (which is in his
>archive) to stamp cheques and other items with, and this too has a single N
>in the name "Glenn."  However, the lawyer for the Gould estate, Mr. Stephen
>Posen, told a symposium in San Francisco earlier this spring that Mr. Gould
>grew concerned that he might write too few or too many "loops" in his
>signature when he was writing quickly if he continued to use 2 N's, and so
>(if I remember correctly), being a perfectionist (as Sigmund correctly
>pointed out),Gould decided to drop the second N completely, lest he confuse
>anyone or spoil any documents.
>


First of all, how could Mr. Gould possibly think that he was eliminating
confusion by signing with ONE n ?  I think it's MORE confusing that way.
Confusion being:  just HOW DO YOU spell his first name?

The lesson for parents-to-be is:

Be considerate when you choose a name for your child.  I gave in to my wife
in naming our first son Jeffrey.  I wanted just "Jef".  Yes, with one "f".
I was thinking about how much easier it would be for him, throughout his
life, to only have three letters for a first name.  But, normal convention
had its way. And Jeffrey is sorry it did.

Hen-pecked in NYC, Mark Heesen