Editor’s note: Sybil Adelman Sage, one of the first women to break into television writing, is currently working on a fictitious memoir titled Diary of an Overachiever: Mensa Model Finishes First in NYC Marathon After Solving Economic Problems and Proposing Health Plan Praised by Democrats and Republicans Alike. 

A poll was taken as Sarah Palin stepped down from her post as governor of Alaska, and it showed that 40% of Americans have a negative opinion of her. I can say, with full assurance, that my approval rating is higher than Sarah Palin’s. To be fair, it may be because I have zero brand recognition so fewer people have a strong opinion of me. A brand is defined as the identity that flashes to mind when someone hears a name. The universal response to my name would be, "Huh? Never heard of her. Who is she?" It’s conceivable a branding expert might not want me as a client.  

The other day, this appeared on my Facebook Wall:

"Are you the Sybil Sage that did ‘Wall Text?’ If so, you are awesome. I just wanted to tell you that."

My response: "Why would you think I came up with ‘Wall Text?’ Wish I had, but I’m not that inventive."

Her reply: "The name of the artist that did wall text is Sybil Sage."

Me: "It’s someone else!"

Googling my name has never turned up anyone else, which is why I grew curious about having an accomplished namesake that was unknown to me, the one a stranger called "awesome." Adding "Facebook" next to my name, I searched, hoping to find the "Sybil Sage" who deserves to be ahead of me on Google and probably resents that I’m taking up space that should rightfully be hers. Again, I was the only one to come up. I was baffled.

After giving it considerable thought, it struck me that she hadn’t been referring to the Wall on Facebook, but wall text I’d written years ago for a Bad Girl Art Show at the New Museum in Manhattan. I e-mailed, now a bit sheepish, to tell her that, yes, I was, in fact, that "Sybil Sage."

You know you’re in serious need of branding when even you have never heard of yourself. With effective image polishing, my status could be elevated from "nobody" to "has-been."