our last name is very entertaining...

At least it seems to be. It is pretty long, it doens't mean anything funny, it's jutst very long. 15 letters long. So every time someone asks us for our last name, checks our ID to get on base or sees it on a credit card they seem to follow the same little ritual:

1.) They look at it in total disbelief.

2.) They're still looking, trying to make sense out of it.

3.) They start trying to pronounce it: "Rhy...Rie...man...men..schnied...schnay..."

4.)They usually give up and ask:"How in the world do you pronounce that?"

5.)Even if they do not follow the first four steps exactly, that one is always the same:"Oh my gosh, that is one lonoog name!" Really? You think so?

6.)Some of them ask me for my maiden name and then tell me that my husband is lucky to have found someone who will voluntarily deal with that 15 letters every day, lol.

And still we're never gonna change it (well maybe ask us again in another 10 years or so ;)). It's a very old name, we have a fancy crest from the 15th century and Tilman Riemenschneider was one of hubby's ancestors. Doesn't tell people here much, in Germany that's the first thing people ask: "Are you related to THAT Riemenschneider?"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilman_Riemenschneider
We saw some of the altars he made and are totally fascinated, especially since they are about 500 years old now.
This name, even if it's a pain sometimes, okay pretty often, is part of our history, of who we are as a family and of where we come from.
So I have to admit that I love it, I really do :)