Am I having an identity crisis?

[TheFallenMadonna]

I have been married for nearly 8 years. I changed my surname to that of DH when I married. I thought long and hard about it at the time, but haven't really given it much thought since the decision was made.

The other day I was at an OU thing and I had to give someone my name, and I gave them my maiden name. And I didn't even realise that I had until I read back what they'd written down.

I've never done this before.

Weird.

Why?

DH reckons I need to ease up on the psychoanalysis

A while back someone asked me my phone number and I rattled it off, put the phone down and thought "what????" because I'd given them one from years in the past.
I'm not having an identity crisis, just losing my mind

That is of course another (more likely)explanation...

Because the OU course is for you, not someone's Mum/ Wife/ scullery maid etc and your maiden name represents you, in your own right.

You see, that is what I was thinking

But I have used both names professionally.

Perhaps I'm reverting to the identity of my previous student existence.

I acquired my 'maiden' name when my mum married and my dad adopted me. Previously my surname was my mum's maiden name. So I have the same surname as my (half, but I can never think of them like that) brother and sister. I have always (consciously at least) associated surnames with family, rather than individual, identity, which is why I didn't really mind changing it again when I married.

I suspect I'm thinking about this too much. Probably because I have an essay due...