I grew up thinking that “Michael Dickman” was an unusual name. So in the late 1970s when it was time to publish my first paper, I went with my first name and last name only. A short time later the professor who was submitting the paper called me into the office. “There’s another chemist named Michael Dickman,” he informed me, “an organic chemist in Canada, who has published papers before you. We need to change your name.” So I added my middle initial, and from then on published as Michael H. Dickman. But, what an odd coincidence, I thought. Both of us chemists, publishing papers. It gave me an undeserved feeling of pride in my name, a feeling that us Michael Dickmans weren’t just nobodies, we were making a difference in the world.

Fast forward a couple of decades to the advent of the internet and searching with Google or various predecessors. Another Michael H. Dickman author popped up, involved with learning or leadership or both. And then there was a Michael Dickman who published poetry, and one who was in Minority Report, the movie based on a Philip K. Dick story. Oh, wait, those last two are the same person, and he has a twin brother Matthew.

Well, at least the twin wasn’t also called Michael. So now I’m like, “Get off my lawn, you kids!” Because middle initial.