Why the Nicknames, Avatars?

[mbauer]

Originally Posted by Wad Cutter

Nicknames or Avatars, we who fly in flight simulations call them call signs as in what the real pilots use. In real life other pilots give you a call sign. Mine is the name of a special bullet which was used by my Dad for target shooting. It would cut a clean hole through the paper target. My Dad and I didn't get along to well and I regret it very much. For me it's a way to reach back to him. He's gone now.

like the 225grn wadcutter for my 45! Your dad was right on the money!

Mike

[sqwarsh]

hehe sqwarsh came from, who remembers webtv? you sat there for hours putting in names to be told it was "in use". after I typed it in and was accepted I had to laugh at how ridiculous a name had to be to be original. now I use it when i have to avatar pic is supposed to be "sir not appearing in this film". love that movie. for some reason the avatar pic doesn't show.

Brian

[rickstef]

Brian,

You have a picture as your profile picture, not your avatar, there is an avatar tab in your User CP

Rick

[sqwarsh]

LOL thanks Rick. What would I do without you

[legion]

The avatar I use is the Core Stalker, a third party unit from the game Total Annihilation, which I designed (but never released). I predominantly use TA unit pictures as avatar.

The nickname is a different beasty (literally!). Originally, I started with the nickname 'Nishoba', a rare Magic the Gathering creature. Then it became 'Nekio15', then N15 (hence my earlier website's url). My current nickname is a little bit anonymous, but is related to the Roman legion and the biblical figure Legion. I think I used it for about 10 years now, 15 year if you count the early bits.

[JohnM]

Nickname ... JohnM ... simply first name plus Last name initial.

Avatar ... Believe it or not, but that really is me! The picture went viral and there has been much discussion about it on many, many forums. I could tell you exactly where and when it was taken, and by whom, but, as with many of the places I "visited" during my long army career, officially "We were never there!" The unanswered question has always been "Why is a British Squaddie carrying an M-16?" The answer to that is given in another thread on this forum.

As to my signature ... Johnny ... I just got used to being called that ever since I started school 60 years ago. My real name is Yiannis ... pronounced ... ee-yan-ee. Johnny is pretty close, and it serves well in concealing my ethnic origin. I'm not ashamed of being born Roma, but in many UK circles it is best not stressed.

Johnny.

[whulsey]

Its just me, nothing fancy and a semi-recent photo. I'm usually the one behind the camera.

Wayne

[grifco2000]

Hmm, mine is the brand name of an old siren manufacturer used here by the St John ambulance service the "Grifco" had to add the 2000 to get it accepted on another forum as unused. I had one of these when I first started collecting old ambulance gear but it was stolen when i was 16 from a display I had put up for a local history organisation and haven't been able to get another.


Brian

[JohnM]

Know the feeling Brian ... I've got an old manually operated Klaxon horn. It was removed from a Model T Ford, many years ago, and has been fitted to most of my motors since. I haven't had it fitted for the last year or so and it waits patiently in my shed.

Four times in the last year I have saved it from kidnap, by checking out my two son's car boots before they leave.

Johnny.

[mbauer]

Time for another bump.

Still a great thread.

Mike