I am (not) the Hanna Andersson
One of this blogs followers, Sarah, recently sent me an email with this photo of a bus shelter in Portland, Oregon:
Sarah and her husband were there for a short vacation and when walking around the city she spotted this and took a picture to send to me over here in Sweden! She wrote:
- It has your name on it! I just had to take a picture of it and send it to you. (It’s silly, I know. But I couldn’t resist.)
My name on a bus shelter!
I am amazed that someone walking around almost on the other side of the world, would think of me and remember me like this! Wow, right? Then she took the time to snap a picture and sent it to me – that’s just pretty cool to me! I think this story illustrates how blogging and the internet makes the world smaller and cozier at the same time it expands our minds and widen our horizons! When I asked about named bus stops Sarah explained it further:
- I live in Seattle and none of our bus stops are named that way. The bus stop in the picture is in Portland, Oregon. I don’t think all of their stops are named either. On the glass wall of the bus shelter are ads for a children’s clothing store (by the same name) that carries clothes “inspired by their Swedish heritage”. So, maybe the store made a donation or paid for the building of the shelter – like a community service kind of thing… The shop is located about half a block from that stop.
To be or not to be a brand
I have been asked just few times during my blogging years if I actually am the Hanna Andersson of the American clothing company for kids. Let me just state here that Hanna is a very common name, and Andersson is the second-most common surname in Sweden (and not uncommon in the US either, being one of the most common surnames in Canada)!
I may spell my name the same way as the company/woman but it is not me, and to me it is rather obvious that this blog is not associated with a big brand company!? First if I were her I would not be calling myself iHanna… I would either use the same logotype, colours and font with a link to the company site or not write out my whole name at all to be more anonymous online! I think if you are famous it is rather obvious from your blog/site/brand who you are, or you’re not the namesake of the famous person!?
The power of blogging
Though, through this blog, I’ve become a bit famous too without selling Swedish children’s clothes to American parents! That, to me, is the power of blogging! Welcome to our silly wonderful world! A super big thank you to Sarah for sending me the pic and making me smile!
This is too awesome! I love your bus stop. Don’t be so humble… let’s pretend they named it after you…
What an awesome reader to send that in! That’s the best part of blogging. All the crazy connections…FUN!
oh, this story is so funny :)
Actually, I was beginning to wonder if there were a connection because almost every single time I come for a visit, there it is at the top of the page – Hanna Andersson.
So thanks for clearing things up for me!
Not only are you famous, Hanna but you are well loved! The responses you receive from your readers makes that obvious. And may I say, it is well deserved.
Makes you wonder if that clothing company ever receives phone calls, emails or other communications wondering if they’re related to YOU!
:)
Now you have to go to Portland Oregon and get a photo of you under that sign!
With the number of people in this world, it would be a surprise to not have someone else with your name. On Facebook alone, there are at least 7 other women with the same name and surname as me.
And yes, I think you are kind of famous now in the blog world!
Hugs,
Sophie
i thought, maybe you were the same hanna andersson that makes children clothes when i first stumbled across your blog also.
I have an uncommon name (in combination with my surname) and I would be delighted to see my name on a bus-stop! Like TJ said, don’t be so humble … and yes, blogging/Internet does this and that’s why I love it so much! Isn’t it wonderful and magical that I type something here for a Swedish girl that I never met… ?!!!
Jag h?ller med TJ, g? omkring l?t det vara din h?llplats, d?pt i din ?ra ;)
My name is “Linnea” and often I have to tell the story about Carl von Linn?.
In Denmark there is af book about “Linnea i malerens have” – a book about Monet.
The most common confusion is about a shoe-company called “Linea” – I often has to tell that I have nothing whatsoever to do with them;-)
Hehe. I always smile to myself, and truly, when I see the clothing store, I often have this thought: Hanna Andersson the clothing company can only WISH they were the real Hanna Andersson, the artist and book maker and self-publisher, and blogger!
I asked if you and the Hanna of the clothing co were the same so thanks for clearing that up. You could have founded the company and then sold it and gone back to Sweden! Anyway, I love the Hanna Andersson clothing co and I love your blog. I am participating in the postcard exchange as of yesterday so I have 10 days in which to make 10 postcards! My mind is spinning!