So how did you choose your username?

[Maeve]

Last edited Sun Feb 21, 2021, 03:46 PM - Edit history (1)

Since we have the chance to change, why did you originally pick what you did? Here's my story.

Maeve was the queen of Connacht (west coast of Ireland). She and her husband disagreed over who was the richer of the two and so counted their possessions. Equal, equal, equal...until it came to their cattle herds. He had one great bull that she had no match for, so she attempted to gain one from Ulster, the Great Brown Bull of Cooley (Donn Cuailnge). The king refused and so a great battle was fought which ended in much slaughter and the death of both great animals. (The story is known as an epic, The Tain)

I entered the political online fight because I was outraged by the stupidity of Dubya and his crew...and took on the name of the first great Irishwoman to go to war over a large amount of bull.

And I'm sticking by it.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. My username has been a mantra of mine since childhood.

I recognized hypocrisy from my parents, whom I decided had no business utilizing it as role models. (I was a precocious child.) I recognized hypocrisy on the playground and in the classroom. And I just don't have the patience for disingenuous discourse. (Excuse the alliteration.) I believe I even cited my distaste for hypocrisy in my HS yearbook entry.

When I joined DU, it was an easy choice for me.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

2. Mine was the first initial of my first name and a part of my last name.

I changed it to reflect what my MOS was during my career in the Marines.

[snowybirdie]

3. Were an old Irish family

We have several Maeves In the younger generations. A beautiful name.

[Turin_C3PO]

4. I'm a fan of sci fi and fantasy so

I combined the name Turin from Lord Of The Rings with C3PO from Star Wars. Yes, I know I’m a nerd Thinking of changing it to something more clever but I’m undecided.

[Maeve]

8. And that's not a bad thing!

My eldest kids have middle names from the LOTR (Arwen and Eowyn)

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

25. I know a young woman whose first name is Eowyn

And used to know another young woman named Goldberry.

[Maeve]

31. Another daughter is mad that we didin't name her Shana Galadriel

Which Hubby wanted, but I nixed for Caitlin...who knew her grade school would have a whole army of Caitlin, Katelyn, Catelin, Katlynns, etc??

[Turin_C3PO]

27. Love those middle names!

[PatSeg]

45. My son used names from his favorite

sci fi and fantasy movies and shows for various pets over the years. We had a cat named Cortana. Now he has two dogs, named Ender and Starbuck (not the coffee, Battlestar Galactica). When his wife was expecting twins, they considered the name Arya if one was a girl. Well, they had boys and his penchant for sci fi names is now officially limited to only pets.

[FarPoint]

5. Mine is based on my love of Star Trek....

First episode of Next Generation is " Encounter at Farpoint Station".

[PatSeg]

46. Oh yes

Your name always jumps out at me. Great choice.

[FarPoint]

72. Thank you....

I'm going to keep it too...That first episode was very good too! Had Q in it...addressed issues of freedom...


Snip> Plot....

In 2364, the new flagship of the United Federation of Planets, Starfleet's USS Enterprise, travels to the planet Deneb IV for its maiden voyage. Enterprise is to open relations with the simple Bandi people who have somehow been able to tap immense energy reserves and construct Farpoint Station, much to the surprise of the Federation. Enroute, the Enterprise is met by an omnipotent being who identifies himself as Q, a member of the Q Continuum and declares that humanity is being put on trial—posing in appearance as a Grand Inquisitor—and deciding that their actions in their upcoming mission will be used to judge their worthiness and determine their fate as a race. Before letting the ship resume its course, Q warns Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) that he is destined to fail.

As the Enterprise arrives, the crew members explore the offerings of Farpoint Station and establish relations with their Bandi host, Groppler Zorn (Michael Bell). The crew becomes suspicious when items they desire seem to appear out of nowhere moments later, and are unable to identify the power source that feeds the station. Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), an empath, senses a being with powerful yet despairing emotions nearby, and the crew discover a strange labyrinth beneath the station, but Zorn does not offer an explanation. As the Enterprise crew continues its explorations, a large unknown alien craft enters orbit and begins to fire upon an older Bandi settlement near Farpoint Station, and abducts Zorn. Before Picard orders the ship's phasers to be fired at the craft, Q appears to remind him of humanity's trial and prompts Picard to send an away team to the alien craft. The away team discovers the craft has passages similar to those under Farpoint and they are able to free Zorn. Their actions cause the alien craft to transform into a jellyfish-like space creature, and Picard is able to deduce the mystery of Farpoint Station. He confirms with the apologetic Zorn that the Bandi found a similar lifeform injured on their planet and, while attempting to care for it, they also exploited its ability to synthesize matter to create Farpoint Station. The creature now in orbit is trying to help free its mate by attacking those who hold it captive.

Though Q goads Picard into punishing the Bandi, Picard refuses, instead ordering the Enterprise to fire a vivifying energy beam onto Farpoint after the station is evacuated. The beam allows the land-bound creature to transform back into its jellyfish-like form, and it flies into orbit to join its fellow being. As the crew watches the reunion of the alien creatures, Q reluctantly tells Picard that they have succeeded in their test, but hints that they will meet again.

[PatSeg]

86. What a great series debut

For the time, it was practically flawless and they managed to introduce most if not all of the series main characters in one 2-part episode. It was really quite unlike anything else on TV and broke new ground in many ways, at least to me. Most importantly, they didn't try to imitate the original Star Trek series. The Next Generation is still my favorite of all the franchises.

I think it was Star Trek that got my son hooked on science fiction when he was a kid, something that we really bonded on.

[electric_blue68]

160. Great debut 2 parter. Very clever idea.

[NurseJackie]

6. We had the television on and we were watching Showtime.

[lamp_shade]

7. I looked up from my desk and chose the first item that caught my eye.

That was a couple of years before I even joined DU.

[tblue37]

33. I love lamp. (Steve Carrell)

[thx64536]

9. THX-1138

I originally wanted to choose ITY2525 but that one was taken on gmail. Plus every other year mentioned in the song.

So I decided to use THX-1138 because I like the movie and I essentially haven't left he late 60s early 70s spiritually in my mind.

But THX1138 was also taken gmail so I decide use THX64536 because my first computer was an Atari-800 and it had 64K of RAM.

[True Blue American]

18. Welcome to the board Thx64536

Wish I could send you a cup of coffee!

[central scrutinizer]

63. A pox on you for the ear worm!

Zager and Evans are from Nebraska, where I grew up, and that song was played a lot on the radio in some sort of state pride homage. Got sick of it pretty quickly.

Welcome to DU!

[Dave in VA]

10. It's my name

and where I have lived for 68 years.

[luvs2sing]

11. I chose mine because..

I love to sing! Pre-pandemic, you could find me rehearsing with as many as six choirs or small groups any week. Luvs2sing is my identity as well as my screen name. It’s my life.

[HAB911]

12. HABANERO, my passion. 9-1-1 was my job

Growing habanero chiles and engineering E-9-1-1 PSAP sites, Public Service Answering Points like Emergency Operations Centers and police stations

[enough]

13. Around 1970 I had an anti-war political button with the single word ENOUGH.

Designed by Jules Feiffer and had his signature. I lost the button but I’ve always thought it was a great one-word political statement.

https://www.buttonmuseum.org/buttons/enough-feiffer

[electric_blue68]

161. I might still have mine. Got a bunch of political buttons.

[True Blue American]

14. I know mine is long but it seemed to fit

How I felt at the time and my disgust at how far Republicans have pulled our Country down.

Obama and Biden were such a relief. Then down again. One of the cable stations just showed an orange haired, made up freak hugging our flag. I gagged, honestly after what he has done that is what cable shows?

When this snow and cold breaks they will be turned off. Looks as if that will be next week.

[nuxvomica]

15. Maeve, your name always reminds me of that tale

The Tain is a wonderful epic story. It would make a great movie, especially the scene of Cú Chulainn's warp-spasm.

[Maeve]

38. I'm glad! I do tell tales from the Tain

I don't do really long stories, but there are so many good parts of that epic. (Assume many of you know I am a professional storyteller specializing in Irish tales)

[seaglass]

53. Maeve I did not know that about you.

I love storytellers.

Do you have a podcast or are there storytellers you know that have one you would recommend?

I went to Ireland about 30 years ago when I was a travel agent and my most memorable experience was listening to a professional storyteller.

I listen to short stories via The Moth but would love to hear longer ones. Such an underappreciated talent.

[Maeve]

56. I prefer in-person telling

Which has really sucked this past year--all my festivals were cancelled, but at least three are looking to reopen this year, so that's something. I've recorded a couple of tales for various reasons but am never happy with watching myself.

ps--check your inbox

[nolabear]

77. You're the second professional storyteller I know.

I’m a writer/poet myself and have always loved spoken word so I end up knowing others who do that sort of thing. My friend Mary Ann Moorman (AuntMama onstage or on the radio) has been a fixture in the PNW for years though she’s a southerner and most of her stories come out of that background. I’m also mostly Irish but have spent far too little time exploring that.

[Pas-de-Calais]

16. ,,,

Ancestry home location of my father’s side of the the family for YEARS

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

17. N_E_1 for Tennis...

From a great song by Cream, Anyone for Tennis. Deeply cynical and sarcastic the song represents the government’s ability to have a situation or problem right in front of them then flippantly dismissing them. Plus I used to be a very good tennis player and love the sport.

[central scrutinizer]

19. From this

[Maeve]

23. That's one I recognized! Hubby's a big Zappa fan

Little green rosetta....

[Turin_C3PO]

24. Great record!

One of my favorite Zappa albums.

[Maraya1969]

20. I actually volunteered for a place like Joe Exotic and helped the big cats.

Maraya was a snow leopard that I adored who literally died in my arms.

1969 was just a number I made up.

[nolabear]

80. Hey! I almost worked for someone in the more responsible part of that field.

Many years ago. Dr. Michael Bleyman. At least I think he was more responsible. He was in NC and his rescue might still exist, though things are far different in that world now, and should be. I worked for the NC Museum of Life and Science and ran their wildlife program, and he wanted to hire me away. He had quite the compound. I stayed where I was, though. I liked the variety and the gov’t. interference. We had good standards.

Good to know a fellow critter helper. Lord, that was so long ago for me...

[TigressDem]

21. Love cats (tigers are just BIG kitties) and love my country.

Felt like a "mama bear" about protecting our Democracy, but more fierce and fast was needed.

[scarletlib]

22. A mishmash of "The Scarlet Letter" and "flaming liberal"

In the 1990’s when Compuserve and AOL entered the scene, I went online. You had to have a name. I chose Scarletlib because I wear the letter of a flaming L proudly.

It has nothing to do with Scarlet O’Hara which is frequently assumed. I hate that movie and the book which I read.

[mopinko]

26. i was making political buttons when i signed up.

i called it pinkobuttons. kept my sanity, such as it was, through the w years. i quit shortly after obama was elected.
i dont make buttons anymore, but i will always be a pinko. so, no change for me.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

28. Because we are all just Bozos on this bus.

And since I can't think of anything better, I'll stick with it.

Choosing a user name must be a lot like choosing a design for a tattoo. I've never pulled that particular trigger.

[Maeve]

32. Also a fan of Firesign Theatre

Shoes for Industry

[Throckmorton]

50. Shoes for the Dead

[edhopper]

61. And there is cabage

all over the highway.

[Throckmorton]

144. In Mystic Connecticut

[edhopper]

145. Bob Hope joke

A grasshopper walks into a bar. The bartender says; "hey, we got a drink named after you."

Grasshopper says; "You have a drink named Throckmorton?".

[hatrack]

69. "Antelope Freeway 1/512th Mile"

[Baitball Blogger]

29. I saw a documentary of sharks and seagulls working together

to decimate a baitball of fish. The fish kept clumping together, thinking that their numbers would give them protection, but it didn't. They tried to escape the sharks by jumping out of the water, where the seagulls would catch them. And then, the fish would fall back to the water, where the sharks would get them. By the end of the documentary, all the fish had been eaten.

And I thought to myself, that's what I'm experiencing here in my city in Florida. It just felt like honest and decent people were getting picked off by sharks and hungry seagulls. To me, Florida is one big baitball, so I named myself Baitball Blogger, because I knew I had a lot to write about my Florida experiences.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

30. I once worked for a company that did not allow employees to publish articles under their own names.

So I took "Fortinbras Armstrong" for a pseudonym. "Fortinbras" means "Strong arm".

[hlthe2b]

124. I thought you were a Hamlet fan...

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

165. Oh, I am a fan of Hamlet, as well as most of Shakespeare.

That's where the "Fortinbras" came from. I also speak French, so I knew what it meant.

[UpInArms]

34. Mine was, and is, descriptive of how I have been

For so long

Definition:

Very upset or angry about something.

[Maeve]

35. Pretty much had that one figured

[UpInArms]

40. Thanks for being on this journey

With me (and all of DU)

[Maeve]

42. It has been my pleasure and my privilege

I have met (virtually, anyway!) so many people who understand where I am coming from and who have taught me so much about the rest of America. It's been a great 20 years!

[ProfessorGAC]

36. Laziness!

Back in the early AOL days i was moonlighting as an adjunct for a Chicago area grad school teaching organic mechanisms & phase behavior to night students.
The school gave everybody an AOL account reading "ProfessorXXX" at AOL, with the Xs being our initials.
When I stopped doing that, I got a hotmail account so I didn't have to pay for AOL. I was too lazy to come up with a different handle.
Then when I joined DU in 2001, I was also too lazy to come up with a clever screenname. So, I just carried it over, again.
And, now I'm too lazy to change it!

[PatSeg]

49. When I first signed onto DU in 2004

I had a login that was assigned to me at a job a few years previous and I pretty much used it for everything at the time. It was really rather forgettable and meaningless, so when we were given the opportunity to change our names in 2008 (I think), I went with PatSeg which is closer to my name and seems more personal to me.

I've made a lot of friends here over the years and I wanted to be seen as an actual person, not some anonymous login.

[ProfessorGAC]

112. Makes Sense

But, at least my actual initials are part of my name. So, it's a tiny bit less anonymous.

[PatSeg]

116. Oh, I agree, definitely not anonymous at all

I like your name. I just assumed you were a professor or an academic of some sort.

[ProfessorGAC]

127. Scientist, Not An Academic

I taught a few highly specialized classes over a few years in chemistry programs.
I wouldn't call myself an academic. Spent WAY more time taking classes than teaching them. Maybe 25 or 30 fold!

[PatSeg]

129. Well, it's a good nickname

for anyone involved in education in some way.

[tblue37]

37. It's my name and a number I like.

Last edited Sun Feb 21, 2021, 01:20 PM - Edit history (1)

When I first joined DU, there was already a tblue, so I had to add something to it. We used to call each other "cuz" because of our similar names, but I haven't seen her here for years.

[Hugin]

39. I chose the name I have now to escape from...

the smearing of the root word of the previous name by the right-wing noise machine.

In many ways it doesn't fit me, but, nothing else in my life ever has fit. I'm used to the situation. It's like I'm out of sync with the bulk of humanity.

I would change it. I can't come up with anything else.

[stonecutter357]

41. I am a freemason , And the 357 is not for the weapon , It is a secret ...

[Wawannabe]

107. Tell me all the Mason secrets!

I am very curious!

[ChazII]

115. Try checking Google.

My son and father were Masons. I am in Eastern Star.

[Wawannabe]

118. Oh. I've googled.

No secrets. Even learned about the women’s org in Londen I think

[mwooldri]

43. It chose me. Unix user name on uni computer.

Usernames limited to 8 characters.

[Phoenix61]

44. My one and only tattoo is a Phoenix and I like the year 1961. nt

[Meowmee]

47. I think it should be how did you choose your name

I love cats and I do cat rescue. Meow sounds like the mandarin word for cat, but is pronounced slightly differently. I like the double meaning. No need to change it, I don’t feel the need to have a political sounding name here and I like it.

[Maeve]

120. You are right--spelling before my second cuppa is a mistake

And sometimes my editing skills fail me....btw, we tell folks the cats own the house but it's in our name for tax purposes.

[Meowmee]

153. Yes I knew it was an error, lol

I always have tons... yes the cats rule here too 😹

[blaze]

48. Mine is related to work

I used to work in heating and air conditioning.... blaze was just one of the words that went thru my mind. No idea there was right wing media with the same name.

I want something new, but my imagination is lacking...

[greatauntoftriplets]

51. Mine is for my niece's triplets, who were babies when I joined.

They're now 20 years old and college sophomores, believe it or not. Strange college experience for them, of course, thanks to the pandemic.

Today, I have seven more great-nieces and nephews, but I'm sticking with my name. I really don't want the longest username here ever.

[Maeve]

52. Good to see you again!

I'm spending less time on DU and more time playing games and relaxing in real-time, now that there is less to worry about with adults in charge again. So I don't see my friends as much...but that is always changing....

[PatSeg]

104. Wow, what a reminder how much time

has passed. 2001 still seems like only a few years ago, but babies born then are now adults. That really makes me feel old, well lots of things do I suppose.

[Tikki]

54. Tikki was my late doggie. When I signed up it was suggested to use a name you wouldn't

forget and I wasn’t sure how often I would post here.
Ha ha...I post nearly everyday for almost 20 years.

The amazing Miss Tikki crossed the Rainbow Bridge some years back but
I am proud to share her name.

Tikki

[Nevilledog]

55. Very complex methodology.........

I had a dog named Neville.

[hunter]

57. It's my name, all lowercase because I'm lazy.

There are people in my family who eat animals they've shot but here in the 21st century I'm mostly vegetarian.

[Wounded Bear]

58. It grew out of my totem animal...

The bear is a hibernator, that spends a lot of time "in the cave" away from his fellows. I'm a loner and have been for most of my life. Married twice, divorced twice so I figure I'm not really good at that. As for the 'wounded' part, aren't we all if we've lived any time at all? There are some more specific reasons that I won't disclose here, but that's about it.

[bif]

59. Funny story there...

When I signed up back in 2000 I thought I'd have to type in my user name and password every time I logged in to DU. So I purposely picked as short a user name as I could think of. Silly me. The computer remembers that info, but I stuck with the same name. If I ever changed my name, I think I'd use a capital B.

[hlthe2b]

60. I believe in delivering, maintaining and improving health, so while my name reminds me to

maintain behaviors that keep me healthy, my work is guided by the hope that everyone might be considered "healthy to be" (hlthe2b).

[Thtwudbeme]

97. After two decades, I JUST "got" your name

I always wondered.

[hlthe2b]

125. So, can you let me in on your secret?

[Thtwudbeme]

158. 1996, Portland Oregon

My roommate worked at Intel (everyone was tech in Portland then!)....and I set up my first ever email account on dial up. The prompt was "who is the owner of the account?" and I thought...."well, that would be me."

And! That was it

[hlthe2b]

162. Love it!

[edhopper]

62. The painter

and my cat, both named Hopper.
And I am lazy about hitting the shift key.

[smirkymonkey]

96. One of my favorites!

Many of his paintings were of my old neighborhood, especially his most famous one. Good choice!

[edhopper]

111. Thanks

[Danmel]

64. Mine is a combination of my kid's names

Dan and Melanie

[gibraltar72]

65. Mine was the old trademark of the company i worked for with my race car number added.

[intheflow]

66. I chose my name while trying to keep perspective about the 2004 election.

I wanted to remind myself I am living intheflow of time, as in a river where the current moves me along. In the face of such unceasing motion, I need the reminder to balance the good with the bad, as both good and bad happen continuously, as I was unduly focusing on the bad at the time. I'm keeping it because I still need the reminder!

Incidentally, over the years, I have been told multiple times that people assume my username is referring to a menstrual flow. Ew, NO!

[Hortensis]

67. I've gardened for decades, but at the time I chose this name

I was the volunteer "accessionist" (kept records of the plants) for a new arboretum and up to my eyebrows in even more Latin plant names than usual. Hortensis means "of the garden" and was available.

[GemDigger]

68. It's what I do for a hobby.

I love digging in the dirt to see what can be found.

[many a good man]

70. Quote from my grandfather (b. 1905)

He grew up dirt poor, half-Irish and half-Native American in the shanty towns of Cleveland. His father found work in the steel mills but became permanently disabled so my grandfather had to drop out of school in 7th grade to take his place on the line. His first week on the job he witnessed a co-worker killed by a bar of white hot steel that cut his body in half "like a hot knife through butter." His widow went to the Paymaster's window the next Friday to collect his last paycheck but was turned away, saying the company lost money when they had to slow down the production line to haul away his corpse.

This inspired him to take up progressive politics where he would eventually become chairman of the Democratic City Club of Cleveland and campaign manager for a long time member of Congress. He drove Adlai Stevenson around town during his campaigns in the '50s and sat on stage when JFK campaigned there.

He never forgot his roots and without fail at the end of every meal he would pick up his napkin, wipe his mouth and exclaim "thank the Lord for that last bite, many a good man would make a meal of it."

[PatSeg]

101. What an incredible story

Thanks for sharing.

[tenderfoot]

71. Because I'm new at everything

eom

[nolabear]

73. I grew up near NO and lived there for years. And I love bears.

I did wildlife rehab when I was in my 20s and I loved the black bears particularly. And I identify more as time goes on. Enjoy life. Sleep when you need it. Eat good things. Don’t sweat the big butt.

So I guess New Orleans is my heart and ursine are my butt. Hence, nolabear.

[Leith]

74. I got my name from an album that I was listening to

when I signed up for another message board. That album was The Proclaimers' Sunshine on Leith.

[sakabatou]

75. The name of the sword used by the character in my profile pic

[HipChick]

76. I wanted to be Hip and I'm a chick

so...

[Crunchy Frog]

78. Love Monty Python, and love frogs. Pretty straightforward.

[Greybnk48]

79. I couldn't think of anything clever, so Grey for our African Grey,

Last edited Sun Feb 21, 2021, 08:15 PM - Edit history (1)

who is no longer with us; B and K for my husband and my first initials: and 48 for both of our birth years.

I just basically looked around the room where I was and mashed together the people and pets I saw!

[AndrewRN]

81. Mine is pretty obvious... don't think any further explanation is necessary :) N/T

[Trailrider1951]

82. When I first got into DU, I was very much into mountain biking

My name comes from my love of riding challenging single track through the woods. 1951 is the year of my birth, so that is the name I chose when I joined in 2004. Now that I'm older, my trail of choice is the Foothills Trail that runs through Pierce Co., WA, around half a block from my house. Not as challenging but a great ride on a sunny Sunday.

https://www.piercecountywa.org/1384/Foothills-Trail

"What a long, strange trip it's been."

[boston bean]

83. My mother suggested it to me.

[MurrayDelph]

84. It's based from my college days, 45+ years ago

Back when D&D was a new thing, Murray the Elf was my favorite character..

[iemanja]

85. Mine was a play on Bain Capital

Because Romney was running against Obama at the time. I wanted to be a bane to him in order to defeat him--hence BainsBane.

My current one is the Afro-Brazilian goddess of the sea. I had a version of this name when I first joined DU in the early 2000s, but I had spelled it wrong. This time I used the correct spelling.

[KentuckyWoman]

87. Mine isn't very imaginary so....

I moved to Ohio in 2018 but I don't see any reason to change it.

[Brother Mythos]

88. Mine is my "Holy Name."

[Talitha]

89. Mine is a star in Ursa Majoris (UMa).

Ursa Majoris (The Great Bear) is the northern constellation that contains the Big Dipper. Talitha is the 'toe' of the Bear's front leg.

[Politicub]

90. I like bears -- gay community variety.

But I considered myself more of a "cub" way back when .

And, then politi because politics (it wasn't the most original choice). And the portmanteau politicub was born.

I wouldn't mind changing it, but can't think of anything else. I'll probably stick with it, though. The pressure to come up with a good, lasting name is too stressful.

[PurgedVoter]

91. Texas, and the Brazos County purged me three times.

Republicans don't have to cheat to win in my county, but they like to stay in practice.

[Ms. Toad]

92. Toads have been my buddies for as long as I can remember

I am lucky enough to be able to be real life face to a number of identities that are often invisible (rape survivor, lesbian, sister of a person on death row, etc.). Making some of my invisible identities public has resulted in threats - incluing death threats, and including threats from people who discovered both my work and home address. So in social media I carefully choose my name depending on whether I want anyone landing on my posts to be able to trace it back to me in real life (or to my other online identities).

Partly it depends on how freely I want to be able to speak/how carefully I am willing to guard my words to minimize the reaction of others. I lurked for nearly 4 years before joining, so I had already seen cyber-stalking by folks on the other side of the political aisle. I had also seen quite a bit of bullying within DU based on gender identity and sexual orientation (I joined before the LGBT purge - but not before the animosity that led to the purge). Most places on social media it's pretty easy to track me back to real life (or to other online identities), but both because of internal politics here, - the stalking I experienced on MIRT by trolls (one particularly vicious troll) - and the tendency of conservative groups to fixate and stalk individual DU members I prefer to make it more, rather than less, challenging here to connect me back to real life.

So - my goal was to choose a name that would be unique to DU. Toad (without any additional words or phrases was taken ) as were several other variations that contained toad. Additing a title wasn't - so that's what I did. It's possible I'll change the title to the gender neutral version, but otherwise I doubt I'll change.

[hlthe2b]

128. I've always been an obsessive animal lover, but it was only when I saw my father in later years

sitting out on the patio talking to his assembled group of little toads, did I see him in a totally different light. Talking and sometimes mumbling to those little toads, he could open up about what was bothering him with no one to judge, just as it seems your screen name affords you that security. Your explanation of your screen name brought that fond memory back. Thanks for sharing.

[Ms. Toad]

131. It does.

In a similar time frame I joined an online forum designed to encourage cross-cultural/political/gender boundaries.

Their (cis-white-straight-male-mentally "healthy"-wealthy-crime-free-liberal) philosophy was that real names encouraged honesty and civility because anything you said could be verified, and you could be held accountable for any incivility. So to join that community I had to agree to use my real name. I decided it was worth it because I liked the idea of encouraging communication with people we don't necessarily agree with. But I also wanted to make the point that real names discourage the diversity that is necessary to make that kind of platform something more than an echo chamber.

I think the experiment lasted about 2 years. I was, by the time it morphed into a different existence, STILL the only open LGBT community member. (One other gay male joined with such a laughably fake name that it doesn't count.) A handful of people with mental health issues joined and were able to participate. I don't remember anyone with a personal history in the criminal justice system who was willing to be open about it, and so on.)

And - while I was open in that community about most of the ordinarily invisible parts of my life - I felt compelled to scrutinize every word in every post I made in that forum in a way I don't need to when my identity/home address is not available to every right-wing neer-do-well via a google search.

So - yeah - quite a bit of similarity to your father. Not using a name that can be traced to my real identity or other on-line personas allows me the freedom to speak more freely.

[mvd]

93. Hi Maeve!

My username consists of the first letters of my first, middle, and last names. It is simple and I have used it a long time. No need to change it.

[A Brand New World]

94. I chose my username after President Obama was elected.

I had another one but cannot for the life of me remember it. I felt like we were in A Brand New World with the election of Obama but little did I know in 8 short years we would be in absolute hell. I will continue with this one as I believe President Biden will bring us back.

[Quixote1818]

95. Don Quixote was a favorite novel of many of the Founding Fathers

I LOVE the concept behind the novel ranked by most critics to be the best ever written.

Worth a read about the Founders love of the book and how the characters parallel the spirit of the US, grappling with things like reaching for the stars - Don Quixote and also staying grounded when needed - Sancho

The Impossible Dream of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Ben Franklin and Alexander Hamilton
https://wizardofads.com.au/mmm/the-impossible-dream-of-george-washington-thomas-jefferson-john-adams-ben-franklin-and-alexander-hamilton



I am also a big Gordon Lightfoot fan:

[smirkymonkey]

98. Mine was kind of a joke name for GWB, who I thought at the time was the worst person

in the world and was the reason I joined DU in the first place. Little did I know that someone would come along to make him look benign by comparison. I almost now remember him fondly after 4 years of the orange shitgibbon and his family.

I'm not sure if I should change my name, since it has been me for so long. Any opinions?

[PatSeg]

99. I like your name

It always reminded me of a site called The Smirking Chimp that I used to visit a lot.

I joined DU because of GW Bush, as well. I'd actually forgotten that he was called a "smirky monkey". That damn smirk was absolutely infuriating.

[beaglelover]

100. I have 3 beagles and love them so much!!

[Claire Oh Nette]

102. I needed to be incognito

Clare O'Nette made me laugh. It's the name I use on my best friend's Netflix account. It made her daughters laugh.

I did play some really horrific clarinet in 4th grade, tho...

[Peacetrain]

103. Loved the song

[Mossfern]

105. Great names!

I have a love for nature, especially primitive woodland plants. I love moss and I love ferns. As a matter of fact, I'm known to swoon over mosses when I unexpectedly come across them, and even considered converting my lawn to a "moss lawn." Just picturing a woodland setting near a small stream brings me immediate peace. It's the go to place in my mind when life gets a bit wild, and boy, has it been wild for quite some time!

[LeftInTX]

106. Mine is obvious

There are always threads about Texas. Other DUers know I'm in TX

If I ever get out of this state, I will change it.

But, I think I'm stuck here the rest of my life. I've been here 39 years. All our grown kids and grandkids are here. Hubby born and raised here.

[SoonerPride]

108. I kept the same user name I used to post on sports message boards

Member since: Mon Jun 5, 2006

I was posting a lot on an OU football message board from the early 2000s and when I joined DU I kept the same name

“Sooner” for the Sooners football team
And “Pride” because back in the 1980s I was in the school marching band the Pride of Oklahoma.

And it also had a double meaning of being proud of being a Sooner.

When I joined DU and kept the same name I didn’t really take too much time to think of any political connotations of the user name.

If I were joining today I probably would be somewhat more clever about my user name. I thought about changing my name and then thought oh why bother with it.

C’est la vie.

[Polybius]

109. It's a mythological video game

Polybius

[Wawannabe]

110. This

https://democraticunderground.com/1018946049

Coming up on 4 years in WA.

I am planning to go further north now...and AK is legal now too...

So, may change my username to AKwannabe

[Neurotica]

113. It's my ŤIncrediblesť superhero name and superpower

Many years ago, we took our kids to see « The Incredibles » in the theater. While driving home, my husband said we should each think of a superhero name and superpower. Then he started laughing hysterically and almost drove off the road. He had come up with one for me — Neurotica — because my superpower is that I can worry people to death! I didn’t disagree, but countered that there are an awful lot of things to justifiably worry about! The kids loved the entire discussion, of course!

[FSogol]

114. FSogol

I won't change my name, but here's what I wrote about it in a DU thread back in 2013

Father Sogol was a character from the unfinished novel: "Mount Analogue: A Novel of Symbolically Authentic Non-Euclidean Adventures in Mountain Climbing" by René Daumal. Daumal dropped dead while penning the novel. In the novel, Father Sogol is the leader of the expedition to climb the mysterious mountain that unites Heaven and Earth. Like the fictional character, I am an engineer, writer, hobbyist philosopher and (now retired) high altitude mountain climber.

Sogol wants to wake people up so they can experience life more fully.

They "called me that because of a turn of mind they noticed in me
which led me to reverse, on a trial basis at least, any
statement proposed to me, to invert cause and effect, principle and
consequence, substance and accident. `Sogol' is a rather
childish anagram and somewhat pretentious, but I needed
a name with a good ring to it, and it reminded me of a rule of
thought which had served me well. Thanks to my scientific and
technical knowledge, I soon found jobs in various laboratories
and industrial plants. I readjusted little by little to contemporary
life, but only externally, it's true. For when you come down to it,
I can't bring myself to fall in with this monkey-cage agitation which
people so dramatically call life.'' - Father Sogol

When the net first came along, I posted as Father Sogol, but people scorned me as an actual religious figure, so I shortened it to FSogol.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1018&pid=297779

[Progressive Jones]

117. My real name is Joe, but for many years some close friends have called me "Jones".

It was a nickname bestowed upon me by one of those friends.
Never got an explanation. He just started calling me "Jones" at some point in our early 20s.
Everyone else picked up on it.

So, I slapped "Progressive" in front of "Jones", and there you have it.

[PCIntern]

119. In 1988 I had to choose a username for this brand-new computer thingie,

and I had no idea what to do, so I looked down at my bookcase and there was a book which I had purchased so that i could understand the workings better of a desktop computer and the software/coding, since I had only worked with mainframes and teletype machine remotes. The title of the Book was:

PCINTERN

I figured, what's the diff and used it. It doesn't matter, the rest is history, right? I became active on the Usenet Groups and then Yahoo and Raging Bull, and was a contributor for years. (Yahoo discontinued their boards and erased all those thousands of posts I made. Grrrr. Raging Bull as well. thousands of hours of work gone forever.)

[skip fox]

121. My parents and my heritage chose it.

[Doc_Technical]

122. Firesign Theatre - Mark Time

[Vinca]

123. Vinca is a common perennial plant with pretty lilac/blue flowers. Aka periwinkle.

Not terribly exciting, I know, but that's the story. It grows all over my yard.

[lame54]

126. I chose one - denied, then another - denied...

Several more -denied

"This is so f-ing lame."
Typed in lame
Wife added 54(her age at the time)
Accepted

[Elwood P Dowd]

130. I was also denied the first couple of names I submitted back in 2003.

Finally said to hell with it and picked the name of Jimmy Stewart's character in the movie "Harvey".

[Maeve]

134. I have always been very fond of that pooka

And his friends

[ironflange]

132. It was used as some character's last name in an old NatLamp, if memory serves

It just sort of stuck in my mind. You'll bump into ironflange here and there on the net, it's probably the username I use the most.

[denbot]

133. My old gamer name..

Bots, were another name for NPC’s or non player characters in early computer games. I think Doom II was the first game I combined part of my real name with bot and sine democat was taken in early 2001, denbot it was..

[GulfCoast66]

135. The place I love the most and the year of my birth.

[MustLoveBeagles]

136. I chose this name because Beaglelover was already taken

[tonedevil]

137. It's what I have used since the mid 90s.

Tonedevil is a play on my name and also refers to playing guitar.

[Skittles]

138. Skittles was 25 pounds of solid back feline fur

he passed away on my fifth anniversary on DU

yes, he was named after the candy

[AKwannabe]

139. Hi Skittles

It’s my favorite candy. I can’t stop eating them when I get started. Have to buy the small bag. Bought a big bag- Once...

[Skittles]

140. I love them too

I also think of my moniker in memory of Trayvon Martin, whose trip to the store to get some Skittles and iced tea led to his senseless murder by a gun humping piece of shit

[AKwannabe]

141. ...

[George II]

142. During the bush era I tried to sign up on Free Republic to comment about him....

I tried a few derogatory names for him, all were rejected. Then I realized I was there because of the second bush, so chose George II. It was accepted. But after only TWO posts there I was banned anyway!

I decided to use it elsewhere and it kind of grew on me.

[Kingofalldems]

143. My name is reality based.

[theneworiginal]

146. I was going to be theoriginal

But someone already had that.

[countingbluecars]

147. I have owned several

blue cars over the years. Also, Counting Blue Cars by Dishwalla was one of my favorites songs at the time.

[Hekate]

148. Love your origin story & would love to hear your storytelling...

At the time I joined DU in 2002 I’d recently finished a graduate program in mythological studies.

Before I started that program I’d spent years dealing with an unruly adolescent daughter, which got me to thinking about Demeter and Persephone. Looked at from one point of view — in my case, askance — the daughter had dragged her mother through Hell. I wrote poetry about us.

When I started writing papers it seemed natural to delve deeper into the mythology of Demeter and Persephone, and a very rich mythology it is.

But as with so many goddesses, they are part of a triad, and Hekate is the third one. I asked myself if I wanted to continue with researching the mother-daughter myth and decided to take a different path. Hekate is not a mother, and one of her names is Eldest, because she’s from the Titan brood that predated the Olympians.

So when I came here I took Hekate’s name.

But in deciding to become very politically involved, I also took another road, away from writing about mythology. And that was also Hekatean, for she stands at the road where three ways meet, and as Frost noticed (in talking about only two roads) when you choose a path, you can’t really return from whence you started.

[AwakeAtLast]

149. I was originally known as WakeMeUp

I had a three-year-old, teaching full time, with a husband in Basic training post 9/11. I wasn't sleeping much. Plus I had been raised in Southern Illinois in one of the reddest counties, around some of the most conservative people. Dubya forced me to seek different answers, which led me to DU.

Name Change Amnesty #1 came along and I was no longer as tired or in the dark politically, so I made a change to reflect physical as well as political improvement.

I will keep it!

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

150. Mr. Show. nt

[BluesRunTheGame]

151. It's the title of a song that came to mind after "the former guy" won in 2016.

[CRK7376]

152. Place and Time

A very special place and times in my life.

[Solly Mack]

154. I was born this way.

[ecstatic]

155. When President Obama won the election

I changed my username to ecstatic, because I truly was. Prior to that, my username was a little more bitter / confrontational.

I'm not going to change my username again. I like it... it's low-key and I'll always remember how ecstatic I was when President Obama won the election, both times.

[jml510]

156. My name plus my hometown's area code

[Raine]

157. I love the rain 💦 but it's rare in Southern California

so when it rains here it's special and I get in in happy mood whenever it rains 💦 that's why I chose Raine as my screen name.

[róisín_dubh]

159. I was a la izquierda...

as I'm a historian of Latin America, and it means "to the left."

My new username means little black rose, and was a kind of code name during a period when speaking about Ireland was considered a crime by the English. I grew up in a staunchly Irish republican family (and neighbourhood, 26+6=1 and all that) and I draw great pride from being Irish American; I now live (and will likely spend the rest of my life) in England. So it's a thumb in the eye of conservatives, Tory or Republican.

[MichaelSoE]

163. Michael Son of Edward A tribute to days of old when people identified with their lineage

I also considered MichaelSoesow ... son of Edward, son of William

[mucifer]

164. Half moose half lucifer. Just a silly name.

[Dagstead Bumwood]

166. Happened to have the funnies from the Sunday paper beside me when I was signing up

and looked to it for inspiration. So, I took Dagwood's name and swapped out the last two syllables. I guess I could have just as easily been "Mary Worth." Maybe I need to take advantage of this name amnesty and come up with something more imaginative.

[electric_blue68]

167. My usual music site's political off-topic sub-forum was slowing down...

In Late Spring '20, so I went looking for a full political site bc drumph's awfulness plus covid was driving me round the bend - I needed more political talk.

I remembered this site's name when I didn't have good internet acess from nearly 20 years earlier, and here you were! I think I tried a few names that didn't work.

Then I thought of blue as the Democrats color, plus as an artist there once was a gorgeous bright royal blue colored pencil I remembered - so I added the electric in.

Finally it was early June when I joined and that is the time of the anniversary of RFK's assassination that remains a searing chapter in my life when I remember, or am reminded of - he being such a contrast in empathy to drumph so I added the number 68. (I'd already begun
following politics a few years earlier)

And there you have it.
It's been interesting reading people's stories. 👍