# invitation to become a member of DRAFT



## erik.van.geit

Hello, dear member of this board,

recently some members decided to replace their anonimous avatar by their "real face"
it is a pleasure to see who we are talking to 

to become a member of *DRAFT*
(*D*isplaying *R*eal *A*vatars on *F*orum *T*eam)

the only requirement is ...
to display your own face as avatar 

_we love you the way you are_

God bless you!
Erik

to change your avatar
Click *User CP* on the Blue Toolbar then "Edit Avatar"
or simply use this link: Edit Avatar


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## Norie

Erik

I'm afraid I can't join the club.

The reason is because no puffins that I know can use a camera.


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## Oorang

You think that was hard... try it with paws.


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## Norie

Paws?Pah?

Try typing with the tip of your wings.


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## erik.van.geit

Hello, dear member of this board,

recently some members decided to replace their anonimous avatar by their "real face"
it is a pleasure to see who we are talking to 

to become a member of *DRAFT*
(*D*isplaying *R*eal *A*vatars on *F*orum *T*eam)

the only requirement is ...
to display your own face as avatar 

_we love you the way you are_

God bless you!
Erik

to change your avatar click "profile" on top of this webpage


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## Oorang

Uhm that's  little more love than I am strictly comfortable with.


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## atmospheric

OK, I qualify...this is me before the loss of hair. Please send my badge care of the British Embassy.


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## Felix Atagong

Do I qualify?
OK, I admit you can only see the lesser ugly part of my face, so instead of being a real DRAFT I could apply for FART (facial avatar reasonably true)  :wink:


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## kjharve

Unfortunately, this suit is my life support system. I would have to die to show you my real avatar!


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## erik.van.geit

> Do I qualify?
> OK, I admit you can only see the lesser ugly part of my face, so instead of being a real DRAFT I could apply for FART (facial avatar reasonably true)  :wink:


let's say you're a special case 


> I would have to die to show you my real avatar!


yes, sometimes we have to die to come alive


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## barry houdini

Hi Erik,

This is the best thread I've seen in 2006, still laughing   (not at the faces, you understand).

I wish you luck with your campaign, although I won't be joining you - I haven't even worked out what an avatar is yet


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## erik.van.geit

we have not the same sense of humor, but that's the way it is: luckily for the world we are all different 

when watching this world I see most of the people don't like (or dare?) to show themselves just the way they are and they show up plenty of excuses to explain this behaviour, or just make a joke
it's not only plenty of nick-names but also nick-behaviour (admit mine can be too)

perhaps some don't show their real face or (email)address because they are afraid of spam, phone calls, etcetera ?
(currently my websiteserver has crashed, but normally there is my homeaddress, phone, ....)

my mood is a bit dissapointed when seeing all those lies which are send into the world
some "facts" which are presented as "science" are in fact big lies to let the business-world generate money
some people call you friend as long as they can take profit from the relation

my dream is to get an "open" world, without "xlVeryHidden Sheets", without passwords
I prefer a thief would take some of "my goods" rather than having to protect my home constantly with alarmsystems and keys

_*so my goal remains to encourage people to show them the way they are,
because that's what makes the world so beautiful*_


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## RichardS

I'd put my face on the Board, but I don't want to scare Westphalia away!


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## erik.van.geit

> I'd put my face on the Board, but I don't want to scare Westphalia away!


really ?


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## onlyadrafter

DO I QUALIFY ANYWAY?


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## erik.van.geit

> DO I QUALIFY ANYWAY?


like most of the others you seem to laugh with this, while I meant it as "serious"
you can read how you can qualify
don't you dare to show who you really are ?


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## Joe Was

Erik,

Saw your Avatar some time ago and then saw others using what appeared to be their real face, so I changed mine to the real thing as well. Like you I think it is good to put a face with the post, but I also like some of the non-natural avatars as well. I also like the use of the signature tags people use.

An alter-ego could be a good thing too.

P.S. I have always used my real name as well. Given a personal choice I take: Quality over quantity, Real-Natural over artificial-fake, Higher Purpose over criminal intent... With the exception of preferring a little added: fantasy, imagination and adventure.

A good day is when we: learn something, help someone and feel good, and if we get rewarded with a "thank you" or a "pay check" its even better.


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## erik.van.geit

> DO I QUALIFY ANYWAY?
> 
> 
> 
> like most of the others you seem to laugh with this, while I meant it as "serious"
> you can read how you can qualify
> don't you dare to show who you really are ?
Click to expand...

Hi, onlyadrafter,

rereading this after some hours ...
sorry if my message could have sound a bit rude, it was in fact not meant personal, you're not the only one who seems to have another choise about the avatars
what I've problems with is people who don't show their face, but just use a joke to "explain" it
so if somebody has a good reason why not displaying his avatar, I'm open to hear it

Joe,
we seem to agree on a lot of things 

warm regards to all,
Erik


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## fairwinds

This sounded like a fun idea from the start but:


> what I've problems with is people who don't show their face, but just use a joke to "explain" it
> so if somebody has a good reason why not displaying his avatar, I'm open to hear it


Respect other peoples need for privacy. No one needs to defend or explain that. If you have a problem with it, fix it. :wink:


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## Oorang

Eric, I have to agree with fairwinds. I think it's great idea to build community and friendship and the overall feel of the board. In fact it was such a good idea I switched avatars. But there are people who, for a host of very good and legitimate reasons, prefer to use an avatar. And there is nothing wrong with that. I think the idea in the original thread was to just issue an open invitation. 
Board regulars are almost like coworkers. We see each other everyday, so why not?  But I can certainly see why some people would not want to, and I respect that. But the idea was to create a more welcoming environment, not to alienate people over their choice of picture. Because after all it IS just a picture


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## erik.van.geit

fairwinds and Oorang,

oh, my english is to bad for this   
it needed two replies (fairwinds + oorang) for me to understand that my quote fairwinds used was not sounding how I meant it
I really respect the choice of people not to display their avatar: what I was trying to tell - hope this time it's better phrased - is that the people who prefer to stay anonimous don't express their reasons, but instead are kinda laughing at the concept (I don't feel respect when reading those replies)
isn't it a sign of our actual world that people seem to be embarassed with this kind of invitations ?
anyway perhaps I do not get the american humour yet


> I think the idea in the original thread was to just issue an open invitation.


that's it !

respectfully,
Erik


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## Andrew Fergus

Hang in there Erik - this is a noble cause!  I also agree we should respect peoples wishes to remain anonymous.

So why did I change my avatar?  Two reasons : I thought Erik had a good point and secondly, given I am on the other side of the world from 99% of the MrExcel members, I'm as good as anonymous anyway.  That said, the likelihood of meeting fellow countrymen is pretty slim unless I purposely seek them out when travelling.  And last time I checked, there weren't any stalkers on this forum.....

Andrew


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## Oorang

/me stalks Andrew


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## Joe Was

Oorang,
Great post, security issues, malicious intent, fraud and just plane meanness are real things to be fearful about on the internet, so I too respect any level of participation from members and like you, I weighed the avatar issue before I chose to post a real image.


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## Barry Katcher

I had no noble purpose in mind when posting my avatar.  Just thought it would help me pick up chicks.  I don't understand why it isn't working?


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## erik.van.geit

what a nice webpage with all these photos
this makes me feel among friends


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## Richard Schollar

Hmm, I feel the need to drag out a suitable photo - shame, 'cos I rather like the parsnip in my avatar...


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## Oorang

rofl... Maybe you could have a picture of yourself WITH a parsnip


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## Richard Schollar

No parsnips to hand, unfortunately, and truly crappy picture quality too! But do I qualify for membership of DRAFT?  

Richard


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## erik.van.geit

WOW, I scrolled up and down 20 times !!
only real avatars on this page
glad you joined us parsnip


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## Joe Was

The parsnip was cool, but the picture draws less questions.
You can always print the picture of the parsnip, cut it out and hold it / wear it or something?

Did you ever, settle on a PC design?


http://www.mrexcel.com/board2/viewtopic.php?t=194222&highlight=

I am going dual core and two Gb on the next desk top, and (?) one Gb for the next laptop.


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## Richard Schollar

Joe

Yeah, I went with an Athlon X2 3800 and 2Gb of RAM and a simple motherboard with integrated graphics.  300Gb and 80 Gb harddrives - I need to run both Windows XP and Linux/Unix.   Was meant to be building it this weekend gone, but the component supplier only sent me the drives and motherboard/memory - not the flippin' processor!  The boxes make attractive ornaments, however...

Richard


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## litrelord

Parsnip,

Tell the truth now.  Are you actually LBC radio presenter and occasional TV host Iain Lee?

http://www.lbc973.co.uk/showdj.asp?DJID=22847


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## Richard Schollar

Lol! Maybe a long lost relative, but nothing more I'm afraid


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## Jay Petrulis

Whaddya think of me?  Don't laugh or there will be roundhouse kicks for everyone.


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## Oaktree

Jay, it seems that you and I have our own "displaying other people's pictures as our avatars on the forum team".  DOPPAOAOTFT for short?


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## Jay Petrulis

Oaktree,

My last post doesn't seem right now that Chuck is gone.  So, before I join your newest group, care to have a little walk-off?

BTW, loved your Aladin Norris post.


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## erik.van.geit

> Whaddya think of me?  Don't laugh or there will be roundhouse kicks for everyone.


don't laugh
is this Jay Petrulis
or is it some guy you think everybody - me included - should know ?


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## Jay Petrulis

Eric,

My avatar when I made the post was a picture of Chuck Norris.  That was why I made the roundhouse kick reference.

The avatar from the post replying to Oaktree is a picture of Owen Wilson playing Hansel ("He's so hot right now!"), the character in the movie, "Zoolander."  Oaktree's avatar is of Ben Stiller's character, Derek Zoolander. 

My original avatar was of Hannibal Lecter.  Most recently, it was of Dr. Strangelove.


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## erik.van.geit

not one of these mentioned persons names or faces is part of my "library"
I've got no TV am not listening to radio and not reading newpapers   
but don't think I'm "missing" a lot  
also I wasn't sitting at this screen all day to check your avatars 

so still patiently waiting for new members


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## Oaktree

> So, before I join your newest group, care to have a little walk-off?



The only response to that is, and I quote, "I deserve to die if I can't beat Han-suck-a__ in a walk-off"


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## Oorang

Oaktree <====== Not an ambiturner.


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## Engineer Joe

zup...


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## erik.van.geit

> zup...


welcome, Joe !
"zup" is not in my dictionary


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## Cbrine

Erik,
  Translation:

I believe that zup... is a bastardization of whuz up, which in turn leads to What's up?

HTH
Cal

PS-This entire explanation maybe entirely incorrect.

PSS-I will soon be joining your little grouping of avatar enhanced indivdual's.  Just need some time with my home PC and the digital camera.  Hopefully for everyone's sake I will be fully clothed at the time.


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## Oorang

Which in turn leads to What IS up?


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## lenze

I've hesitated to join DRAFT for several reasons
1) I think the FEDs are still after me
2) I get TOO me emails from women as it is. If I posted my picture I would never get any work done.
3) I don't want to make other guys on the forum jealous.

I think I'm safe with this picture.   

lenze


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## erik.van.geit

> I've hesitated to join DRAFT for several reasons
> 1) I think the FEDs are still after me
> 2) I get TOO me emails from women as it is. If I posted my picture I would never get any work done.
> 3) I don't want to make other guys on the forum jealous.
> 
> I think I'm safe with this picture.
> 
> lenze


so this is really you ?


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## Oorang

Uhm, that is just NOT right   That's not DRAFT, that's a backside... it's like BACKDRAFT


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## Zack Barresse

ROFL!!

Just checked out this thread.  Wow, I missed some great conversations!  Had a good laugh at everyone's expense though, so thanks!  

Oh yeah, and I guess that means I'm a member too, eh?


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## Greg Truby

I'm still trying to find a picture of me that won't frighten the Newbies.  And anyhow -- until my Wheatshockers get knocked out of the tournie - I'm morally bound to use WU (the name for the Wichita State mascot).


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## Oorang

Didn't know they had a team  :wink:


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## Greg Truby

...and I thought that Ohio State did...


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## Oorang

Whoa now


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## Greg Truby

Well... now that I take a second look at yer picture, I suppose you can be forgiven for not knowing WSU had a team.  After all it has been 25 years since their last NCAA tournament win - were you even born by 1981?


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## Oorang

ROFL You're too kind, too kind. I am now and advanced 29 years of Age. So yes I was 4 in 1981. But they didn't have electricity back then so we didn't have anything to power the TV.


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## Gates Is Antichrist

Gates is the bane of civilized existence. This avatar is the bane of civilized existence. Ergo ipso facto the avatar is the AntiChrist's picture.  um ... I'm sure there's a point here ...


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## LxQ

let's see if it works... is there an initiation when one becomes of member of DRAFT?


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## Oaktree

> let's see if it works... is there an initiation when one becomes of member of DRAFT?



I think the hazing ritual has something to do with why whiteghost's avatar has the expression it does...


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## erik.van.geit

> let's see if it works... is there an initiation when one becomes of member of DRAFT?


the initiation was: reading the original post
apparently you did


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## Oorang

I think we should make him chug chocolate milk until it comes out of his nose. Then have him post the photos


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## Cbrine

ROFLMAO,
  I think I will do just that for my pic.    My momma said to trying something new everyday.


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## erik.van.geit

> I think I will do just that for my pic.    My momma said to trying something new everyday.





> PSS-I will soon be joining your little grouping of avatar enhanced indivdual's. Just need some time with my home PC and the digital camera. Hopefully for everyone's sake I will be fully clothed at the time.


still waiting patiently


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## sweater_vests_rock

thanks for the fun group, erik.


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## Jay Petrulis

OK, I am in.  Some people think I look like Helen Thomas.


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## Greg Truby

ROFL -  - exponentially scarier than your Hannibal Lector avatar!


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## Oaktree

Woah.  That's definitely NOT what DOPPAOAOTFT is all about!


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## NateO

Nice one, Petrulis.   

Not the scariest thing I have seen this week, though. This, dubious, honor goes to the following photograph:

<center>
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





</center>
 

Gooney goo goo!!


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## Greg Truby

All right Erik.  George Mason University took my Wheatshockers out of our country's college basketball tournament, so I'll bid farewell to my WSU mascot.  3,000+ digital pictures on my hard drive and this is about the best I can come up with -- hard to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear -- so to speak.  Don't know who is scarier now, me or Petrulis.


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## erik.van.geit

> Don't know who is scarier now, me or Petrulis.


There is nothing against the fact to love ourselves (but not to much  ) the way we are. You're just good   
with sympathy,
Erik


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## HalfAce

Man Petrulis, out of all your avatars that's definitely the one I like the best!  
(Jeez, just looking at it is enough to take the hair off my _mother-in-law's_ back!) [Shudder]


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## Greg Truby

> ...*with sympathy,* Erik



 Erik, that's funnier than you can possibly know.  If you were a native English speaker I'd almost be insulted.  Given that it's a second language for you, it's just plain funny!  Have a good weekend!


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## erik.van.geit

> ...*with sympathy,* Erik
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Erik, that's funnier than you can possibly know.  If you were a native English speaker I'd almost be insulted.  Given that it's a second language for you, it's just plain funny!  Have a good weekend!
Click to expand...

(it's my third language)
just checked my dictionnary:
first meaning of sympathy is the same as for my native language: meaning something like warm-brother-feeling
second meaning is less neutral but still nothing bad
...
fourth is rather: I'm so sorry for you, I can feel what you feel

is that last one your "american english explanation" ?


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## HalfAce

In English the fourth meaning you listed is the most commonly acknowledged use of the word.
(That's what makes it so funny... at Greg's expense of course! )  - but by all accounts he's a good sport.


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## Greg Truby

Yes, the humor is in the last definition you give there.  In English (at least here, can't say for the UK & Aus/NZ) "with sympathy" would typically be the way one signs a "Sympathy card" which is a card that one sends to someone who's loved one has died or who has experienced a tragedy.  Given my post, your writing "with sympathy" could have three possible meanings, all of them sarcastic.  One is "with sympathy" for my alma mater's basketball team having been eliminated; #2 is "with sympathy" for posting the picture that is indeed as scary as Jay's; and the third is that your "with sympathy" comment following your other comments could mean that you feel sorry for me in that it must be difficult to love myself or that it must be difficult not to love myself too much since I'm "just good".

The reason that it's "funnier than you know" is that I guessed correctly -- you meant none of the above -- you meant the first meaning you cited from your dictionary.  The humor was in the irony of that. Anyhow, humor is like a couple of other things in life, once you start to disect and analyze it, it loses a lot of its "oomph".


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## HalfAce

See, I told you he's a good sport.
(At least he hasn't kicked my a$$ over the comment I made here yet anyway...  )
http://www.mrexcel.com/board2/viewtopic.php?t=189040&start=50


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## Greg Truby

Actually, Dan, I saw that and chuckled when I read it because I was thinking much the same thing!  We have no way of knowing whether Westphalia's really that cute or not.   But like I said in another post, IMHO Kristy & Tracy are our reigning beauty queens.  To Excel geeks like our crowd here, those two are drop-dead gorgeous.


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## HalfAce

To be honest, when I wrote that I hadn't seen your photo yet. I was just going by
something you wrote a while ago concerning pink spandex.
(Took me 4 days to get a good night's sleep without jerking awake with a start!   )

One of these days I'll have to join Erik's "club" myself...  

Dan


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## erik.van.geit

> One of these days I'll have to join Erik's "club" myself...


you'll get all my sympathy then


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## HalfAce

> you'll get all my sympathy then



And it will be well deserved...


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## Oorang

For some reason I had always pictured Greg with a cowboy hat.


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## Domski

I'm in, although I will miss Berk!!!


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## Jay Petrulis

> Man Petrulis, out of all your avatars that's definitely the one I like the best!



Are you flirting with me?   

I'll try to find some others that capture the real me.


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## HalfAce

Gawd... just the thought of that makes me want to poke my eyes out!

(Can Colo write an html for posting VBA in braille?)


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## erik.van.geit

> (Can Colo write an html for posting VBA in braille?)


blind people use a special "read-rail" and special software which is very expensive
it uses "dynamic pegs" which are raised out of the rail 
since not knowing the exact word in english (knowing the Dutch word because one of my jobs is learning music to blind people) the link is Dutch


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## elyzianz

hi there erik,

could i be a member of this group...


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## erik.van.geit

> hi there erik,
> 
> could i be a member of this group...


you already were 
your photo is familiar to me: we must have met already in some thread


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## sweater_vests_rock

> To be honest, when I wrote that I hadn't seen your photo yet. I was just going by
> something you wrote a while ago concerning pink spandex.
> (Took me 4 days to get a good night's sleep without jerking awake with a start!   )
> 
> One of these days I'll have to join Erik's "club" myself...
> 
> Dan


i dunno, the dynacism of your light switch should not be lightly dropped.


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## HalfAce

Yeah, the switch kind of works for me on two different levels.
Most folks think it has to do with what I do for a living.
For me it's a ray of hope that one of my teenage daughters will notice (and perhaps
spread the word throughout the house) that "Hey!... these things have TWO positions!)


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## Greg Truby

> Are you flirting with me?
> - Jay P.



Daµµit Petrulis, I almost choked to death on a sip I took of coffee while reading that!  Yer a friggin' hazard to society, ya know that?



> ...it's a ray of hope that one of my teenage daughters will notice...that "Hey! these things have TWO positions!"
> -HalfAce


Dan,
Lemme know if that works.  Last week I think literally every light in the house was on - with the possible exception of the garage...


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## erik.van.geit

after about 16772 posts Andrew Poulsom displays his "real" avatar 
http://www.mrexcel.com/board2/viewtopic.php?p=987702

Welcome, Andrew !!


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## SlinkRN

Am I a member of the club even if I let my husband join me? I have to give him credit for acting interested when I figure out some code (mostly with the help of this board!)  Thanks for the idea Erik!         Slink


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## erik.van.geit

WELCOME !!!


> .. acting interested ...


that's the most beautiful thing on earth
(if it's real intrest and not "acting"  )


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## HalfAce

Hi Slink,
Your husband still acts interested when you get some cool code figured out??
My wife gave up feigning interest long ago. (As well as my kids. - though on occasion they will at least try - probably afraid maybe I'll take their cars away or something...)

The fun part is that now my wife has a new job that requires her to learn/use excel!!!


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## lenze

> The fun part is that now my wife has a new job that requires her to learn/use excel!!!


I suspect that your Honey Do list might get longer   

lenze


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## samantham

> My wife gave up feigning interest long ago. (As well as my kids. - though on occasion they will at least try - probably afraid maybe I'll take their cars away or something...)
> 
> The fun part is that now my wife has a new job that requires her to learn/use excel!!!



My boyfriend acts interested when I talk about excel, but then again... I've also used excel to design his reciepts for when he goes to trade shows as a vendor, and have done a few other things for him in excel for his business. 

Though we somewhat have an unspoken agreement... He can tune me out after around 10 minutes of excel/work talk if I can tune him out after about 10 minutes of listening to him talk about A. his car and car parts (he drag races as a hobby) or B. building a poker table/other poker stuff that doesn't concern me (since we are both part of the local poker group).


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## HalfAce

Drag racing eh?   Tell him if you want to tune him out, I'll talk with him.
I spent many a year (not to mention dollar!) at drag strips in an earlier lifetime (late sixties & early seventies) all up & down the west coast from L.A. to Palmer, Alaska.  
What kind of car does he run and what class does he run it in?
(Among others I had an 11 second / 128 Mph Mustang for my daily driver when I was in the Army.
It was cool. It would pass anything on the street but a gas station!)


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## Smitty

> Among others I had an 11 second / 128 Mph Mustang for my daily driver when I was in the Army.



Weren't those attack helicopters of your just a wee bit faster? 

Smitty


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## samantham

> What kind of car does he run and what class does he run it in?
> (Among others I had an 11 second / 128 Mph Mustang for my daily driver when I was in the Army.
> It was cool. It would pass anything on the street but a gas station!)



You WOULD ask me that, wouldn't you? 

I know it's a Cutlass... I can't remember the year, or how fast it goes. I'll ask him tonight when I get home though.  Right now it is in parts in our garage. He hasn't had it out in a few years (it's an expensive hobby and he started his own business which is where ALL his money has gone). He sold the carb yesterday to a buddy of his for $400.00. He hated to see it go, but he needed the money more than the carb (especially since he doesn't think he'll be able to get it out this year either, since he will be traveling quite a bit this summer).


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## HalfAce

Smitty:
Ahh yes. The helicopters. 
The ol' AH-1G (Huey Cobra) was a little faster (about 180 knots wide open) but they didn't lay rubber near as well.  
Although... while pulling wheelies and generally embarrassing Corvettes on the boulevard was loads of fun, the Cobra can jump clean off the ground! (And shoot stuff!!!)  


Samantha:
Tell him to be careful. That’s how it all ends, (slowly but surely).
Next thing you know it’s a station wagon and a pick-up, then you have to wait for retirement to start a new project.
(Which thankfully is only a handful of years away…)


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## erik.van.geit

WOW, this is a real chat, a little off-topic
(see how this thread started !)
http://www.mrexcel.com/board2/viewtopic.php?t=199272&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0
but intresting 

invitation to Samantha to read the purpose of this thread
(the other fellows know it already, but are still hesitating   )

very kind regards,
Erik


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## samantham

> invitation to Samantha to read the purpose of this thread
> (the other fellows know it already, but are still hesitating   )
> 
> very kind regards,
> Erik



Erik,

I've read the purpose of the thread... I just don't have any photos of me on my work computer, or on the computer I've been using at home that are clear, of me not wearing a mask from a costume party or more recent than high school (and I don't think you want to see a photo of me that is 10 years old, with me wearing my cap and gown). Oh, or gothed out for a night of clubbing. :D


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## samantham

> Samantha:
> Tell him to be careful. That’s how it all ends, (slowly but surely).
> Next thing you know it’s a station wagon and a pick-up, then you have to wait for retirement to start a new project.
> (Which thankfully is only a handful of years away…)



Lets see... He already has 2 pick-ups, and 3 cars (not that they RUN, mind you... He just has them). Not to mention the Mitsubishi Expo he is currently driving (though it is falling apart around him - literally! no front bumper, can't open the passenger side doors unless you want the rear passenger door to fall off, etc.). I don't see either of us driving a station wagon (I have a 4-door sedan which is as close as we are going to get, I think).


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## HalfAce

See?... it's starting already!   
It's time for him to grab on fast & hold on tight.
You've got to be careful not to let work get in the way of life.
Just keep repeating the mantra:
"This is not a job, it's just a way to afford new parts."  

Maybe it's time to call Chip Foose for some overhaulin'...  
(... on the Olds, not the Mitsubishi!)


----------



## Greg Truby

OK - here's a suggestion that sure to placate our chairman of the DRAFTboard :wink:...let's have Samantha's hubby click a snapshot of her standing in front of his favorite car and maybe we can get Dan to put up a picture of him in front of his favorite vehicle.  Or barring that -- dig up a picture of him and this Mustang or with a Huey and scan it in and use that...just a thought...


----------



## Zack Barresse

I'll second that!


----------



## LxQ

I'd rather second the cap and gown picture motion...


----------



## Greg Truby

Well...the «goth» thing does sound interesting...(I'm so old that at first I thought it was a typo  -- it wasn't until I just re-read it that I realized it wasn't )


----------



## HalfAce

Please, Greg...
DRAFTboard and Huey in the same post???
(Conjures up a lot of bad memories.)  

Don't know where any of the old pics are that include me and any aircraft.
Could probably come up with some of my old hot rod pictures but I can't think of any that include me in those either. (At least not that I can be seen.)
I too would vote for the cap & gown picture. As for the goth reference, I knew right off what that meant. My youngest daughter went through that for a while. (But she seems to be better now.)


----------



## Greg Truby

> ...DRAFTboard and Huey...bad memories...
> -HalfAce


 My sincerest apologies if there's an ounce of veracity in that [which I'm guessing there is].  Sometimes those of us who have never fired a weapon at an enemy (nor had an enemy fire a weapon at us) are not as discerning as we might be. Not to sidetrack Erik's thread here, but I'm deeply obliged to those who have shouldered a weapon on our nation's behalf.  Apologize for not thinking that one through better.


----------



## HalfAce

Oh, man. I didn't mean to make you feel bad. (Now I do.) 
I was pretty much just pokin' some fun at your expense. 
While there is a little veracity in what I said, it's only a very little.
I remember more of the good times of those years than the bad.
(_Some_ stuff for which we'd _still_ be in Levenworth if they ever found out about!)  

I do appreciate the sentiments though and for those it's directed to, I say thanks!

Dan


----------



## samantham

> As for the goth reference, I knew right off what that meant. My youngest daughter went through that for a while. (But she seems to be better now.)



I'll have to see if I can manage to get the cap & gown and a more recent photo to animate, and be small enough in file size to use as my avatar.  

The goth thing is a phase I went through as well... Mostly for the dancing and clothes! I will admit to still owning a few pairs of the boots (knee high vinyl with 6" heels = yum!) and some of the clothes (comes in handy at Halloween - InstaCostume!). And yes, I CAN dance in the 6" heels - mostly because they have 3" platforms! 

As for my boyfriend taking a pic of me in front of his race car... The car is in pieces in the garage (the area where the engine should be, is currently being used as storage for empty boxes and the engine is in pieces on the work bench (under more empty boxes).


----------



## Greg Truby

Dan, no worries.  And on the bright side?  If you do end up in the calaboose at Fort Leavenworth, I'll come see ya.  It's only 10 miles or so as the crow flies...


----------



## HalfAce

As long as you're not talkin' conjugal visits...   

(and no Jay, I'm not flirting with you - or Greg)  

I'm sure most of the stuff we got away with had a statute of limitations of some sort and I'd imagine 30 years or so would cover it.
(Although there might be a few things.....)


----------



## Smitty

> (Although there might be a few things.....)



I have no idea what you might be talking about! 

Could be part of the reason for not accepting Erik's kind offer?

Then again, I haven't either...

Smitty

(There's a time and a place for everything...It's called College...)


----------



## Oaktree

Ok, Erik---you've twisted my arm enough so that I'm in.


----------



## Barrie Davidson

Oh how I miss El Tigre!!


----------



## Greg Truby

So I believe the question becomes... is that Matt's own version of "blue steel"?

<sup>edit</sup> You know it's a little scary what you get if you put _Zoolander Steel_ in Google's image search...   <sub>/edit</sub>


----------



## erik.van.geit

> Ok, Erik---you've twisted my arm enough so that I'm in.


did I ?

anyway it's nice oaktree !!

EDIT: my post 7707 and this topic got 7707 views


----------



## Oaktree

> So I believe the question becomes... is that Matt's own version of "blue steel"?



Greg, the world isn't ready for that just yet.


----------



## Joe Was

I really like having a face to put with the text!


----------



## NateO

I wasn't too sure about this DRAFT movement, at first... But I stand corrected, this thing has taken on a life of it's own, it's like a revolution of sorts!!!  

Kudos.


----------



## erik.van.geit

> I wasn't too sure about this DRAFT movement, at first... But I stand corrected, this thing has taken on a life of it's own, it's like a revolution of sorts!!!
> 
> Kudos.


thank you for the encouragement 

The personal touch in all things - even when business - is an enjoyement for me. If this thread can contribute to bring people a bit shorter together the goal is achieved.

best regards,
Erik


----------



## MarkAndrews

I dont have any decent pics which can be shrunk

However - I do have two pictures of me at a recent car show - Top two pics on the left

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g176/RMA666/DSC00032.jpg

http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g176/RMA666/

[Edited by admin ~linked to picture instead of displaying it]


----------



## erik.van.geit

suppose you're the one in the middle 

one can use "Paint" or another program to cut your head out of this
if you want me to do it, just email a picture (click email-button below my posts)


----------



## MarkAndrews

> suppose you're the one in the middle



Yes, thats me!

I was very happy that particular day - I wonder why!!   

Check my other pics out......

I'll have a mess with Paint when i get chance

M


----------



## HalfAce

Man... you young shave headed guys have all the fun!


----------



## MarkAndrews

> Man... you young shave headed guys have all the fun!



Wish i was young mate! 28 next year.............


----------



## HalfAce

Well, I guess it's all in how you look at it.
I figure 28 to be a great age.
Old enough to know better and still young enough to do it again.


----------



## Greg Truby

> ...Wish i was young mate! 28 next year...
> -Mark Andrews





> ...I figure 28 to be a great age...
> -HalfAce


Dan, 

I couldn't agree more.  Oh, to be 28 again with the knowledge I have now... But I suspect that when I'm 60 I'll think "oh, to be 40 again with the knowledge I have now..."



> Youth is wasted on the young.
> -George Bernard Shaw


----------



## HalfAce

Greg, the sad truth is I'm already thinking, "Oh to be 40 again..."


----------



## MarkAndrews

Keep your eye on my page..........

More pics to go up soon!


----------



## erik.van.geit

> Keep your eye on my page..........
> 
> More pics to go up soon!


And I keep an eye on your avatar


----------



## MarkAndrews

> Keep your eye on my page..........
> 
> More pics to go up soon!
> 
> 
> 
> And I keep an eye on your avatar
Click to expand...


****, I knew there was something i needed to do at home last night........

Apologies - will do at some stage this week


----------



## ktab

Erik, I hope your tread will make more of us to follow. 
You know, not only Meden Agan was written at Delphi oracle, but also Gnothis Afton, (know yourself). 
Keep on motivating, we backup good ideas 

Kostas


----------



## erik.van.geit

Kostas,

Thanks for joining 
Greetings to your beautiful son.

Erik


----------



## Oorang

Η άγνοια είναι ευδαιμονία

(Hope the translator got that right)


----------



## Joe Was

Greg,

At 50 I now know what that quote [Youth is wasted on the young. 
-George Bernard Shaw] means.

I am found of:

So many women so little time...

of course it works and has meaning with just about anything in place of "women." Like: Beers, Books. Problems, Countries....


----------



## Richard Schollar

Greg/Joe/HalfAce

Do continue: this thread is making me feel positively young...

Richard


----------



## Oorang

rofl. I am looking at 30 here in about 9 months, I am starting to consider carefully what I want to do with what time I have left so I can be where I want to be in my later years. If I had been a more focused youth I would be a bit farther now


----------



## Smitty

> If I had been a more focused youth I would be a bit farther now



Wouldn't we all? 

Smitty


----------



## erik.van.geit

> If I had been a more focused youth I would be a bit farther now


Perhaps for one activity or occupation. Now you've got an entire palette to choose from  That's what makes man beautiful


----------



## ktab

> Η άγνοια είναι ευδαιμονία
> 
> (Hope the translator got that right)



It's nice to see how much culture this forum has; not only sharing knowledge.
You know, there was several (147) mottos written at Delphi oracle,short but wise. They were given to the temple by the "7 wisemen" of ancient Greece. 
Just to know some of them most popular (translated):
-know thyself
-nothing in excess (these 2 are the most popular; written on the left and right of the temple entrance)

-Live according to your income
-Your knowing a thing is nothing, unless another knows you know it
-However exalted our position, we should still not despise the powers of the humble
-Judge of a tree by its fruit, not by its leaves
-The success of the wicked tempts many to sin
e.c.t. e.c.t.

P.S. the translator got it perfect


----------



## HalfAce

> If I had been a more focused youth I would be a bit farther now


Oorang:
I believe it's philosophical remarks such as this at 29 that
in fact _constitutes_ a more focused youth.


----------



## Oorang

Thanks for the kind remarks


----------



## GJB

Hello All,

I've been here on the board now for bout 4 months, ever since I started a new job where my current assignment is creating a complete inventorycontroll application in excel. I've learned a LOT in my time here and thought well let's join DR FAT err DRAFT 

See you all around,


----------



## erik.van.geit

WELCOME, <font face="Courier New" size="+1" color="blue" style="background: url(http://www.balloondoggies.com/vonpookie/misc/sparkle.gif)">Gertjan</font>
Now we can see who we're talking to


----------



## sweater_vests_rock

oorang. 

central ohio?  we're not too far 

cheers. ben.

ps.  you might recognize that blue background as being from my most excellent KY DL photo


----------



## Oorang

I'm about 2 hours from you. I live in the Columbus Area. Been through Cinci a few times as I have family members in KY.  Went down to the fossil beds then crossed over to Indiana to make some purchases.


----------



## Joe Was

Gertjan,

Good Tag!

Though the idea and basic code for windows was borrowed by MS from Apple, who was given it by Zerox's Palo Alto Research teem [along with the mouse and network] when Zerox's management thought it was useless for a company that only handled paper.


ktab,

I like them all, how true!

"-The success of the wicked tempts many to sin"

Justice is not blind, she is asleep!


----------



## Gates Is Antichrist

> M$ Windows: A thirty-two bit extension and graphical shell to a sixteen-bit patch to an eight-bit operating system originally coded for a four-bit microprocessor which was written by a two-bit company that can't stand one bit of competition


Surely there's a place there for the half-cooked implentations, or the half-a$$ed developers  (Unless that's giving too much credit   )


----------



## Oorang

Easy now. For starters if you all hate microsoft so much why are you all using their product? There ARE other spreadsheets on the market. The answer is simple, it happens to be one of the best spreadsheet products on the market.  If you think I'm wrong, prove it by not using the product and picking something else.


----------



## Gates Is Antichrist

...and starve.  Reality, ya know


----------



## Greg Truby

> ...why are you all using their product? ...


Because I changed employers and my current employer is an MNC and Excel files can be e-mailed more readily all around the globe.  And while some may indeed hate MS, I don't.  But let's be honest MS is very, very seldom truly innovative.  I can remember when the Apple II came out - so I here's what I remember about MS's offerings <ul>[*]DOS? It was a clone of someone else's OS.[*]Windows 3.1?  Was in response to the Mac (which implemented Xerox's PARC-created ideas).[*]Word? Was a clone of WordPerfect.  How much has MS exceeded WordPerfect?[*]Access?  Paradox was years ahead of it.[*]Excel?  Was in response to Lotus-123 (Or VisiCalc if you want to go way back).  Even as recently as the mid-90's QuattroPro had a lot of innovations.[*]X-Box? A clone of Sony's Playstation.[/list]There is something to be said for commoditization of an idea and that's MS's strength.  But it's gonna take someone like Google with their spreadsheet to really give MS a kick in the britches and get them to explore new ideas with Excel.  

Now - to get a _bit_ back on-topic (Hi, Erik) is it just me or is there a paucity of African-American (or even African) members of DRAFT?


----------



## Richard Schollar

Jesus Greg - I thought you sounded mature, but I didn't realise quite what an old geezer you really were!  Love the beard/hair combo!!


----------



## Greg Truby

Well until Petrulis can come up with a humdinger of an avatar, (or for a couple of days at least) I'll be our token African American.  Most Americans (or at least those that weren't asleep during American History) will recognize that portrait as being Frederick Douglass; one of our country's most important historical figures.

<sup>edit</sup> GIA - Oh good heavens, what have I done!?!?! ROFL! <sub>/edit</sub>


----------



## Joe Was

Rich, Miss the AKA Parsnip!

'***********************************************

"Location: Earth, Work Assignment from hell"

Reminds me of my favorite bathroom wall quote [from the third floor physics labs, bathroom]:

Question: Is there intelligent life on Earth?
Answer: Yes, but we are only visiting!


----------



## Gates Is Antichrist

There can only be 1 Token.


----------



## Greg Truby

Oh, that is funny.   But on a [somewhat] serious note - it is rather interesting, isn't it?  Lots of implications nestled in that observation...


----------



## erik.van.geit

> <sup>edit</sup> GIA - Oh good heavens, what have I done!?!?! ROFL! <sub>/edit</sub>
> .


  what do you mean, Greg ?


----------



## sweater_vests_rock

for a brief time, GIA was mr t.



> <sup>edit</sup> GIA - Oh good heavens, what have I done!?!?! ROFL! <sub>/edit</sub>
> .
> 
> 
> 
> what do you mean, Greg ?
Click to expand...


----------



## Richard Schollar

> Rich, Miss the AKA Parsnip!



Joe, The White Carrot will ride again someday!


----------



## erik.van.geit

> for a brief time, GIA was mr t.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> <sup>edit</sup> GIA - Oh good heavens, what have I done!?!?! ROFL! <sub>/edit</sub>
> .
> 
> 
> 
> what do you mean, Greg ?
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...

would it be long to explain what "GIA" and "mr t" are ?


----------



## Richard Schollar

> would it be long to explain what "GIA" and "mr t" are ?



GIA = Gates Is Anti-Christ

Mr T - Eric, are you seriously saying you've never watched the A-Team???!?!!  You haven't lived, 'You crazy foo'!!!'


----------



## erik.van.geit

you refreshed my memory
(I never whatched TV for years, don't know if the A-Team is still on TV here)
thanks 

time to refresh others memory
(don't know if I'm joking or serous speaking   )
http://www.mrexcel.com/board2/viewtopic.php?t=199272&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=40
Cbrine Posted: Thu Mar 16 


> Erik,
> ...
> I will soon be joining your little grouping of avatar enhanced indivdual's.  Just need some time with my home PC and the digital camera.  Hopefully for everyone's sake I will be fully clothed at the time.


it can be dangerous to promise things


----------



## Greg Truby

As Ben was good enough to point out, after my observation about the lack of melanism in DRAFT-members' avatars, GIA was good enough to replace his _Alfred E. Newman_ avatar with a lovely very blinged-out _Mr T_ (no grill work though).  [If you're still having trouble remembering the guy, just do a Google image search on "Mr. T".  I got 608,000 hits when I did so.]

Unfortunately you were probably asleep, but GIA later had a true flash of comic genius and based on my volunteering to 'be our token African American', he put up _Token_ from the animated series _South Park._  What the meaning of his current sheep's head avatar might be I am not comfortable speculating on...


----------



## erik.van.geit

Thank you, Greg,

everybody talking about avatars should paste it within his post, so later on everybody can understand what we were talking about 

greatngs,
Erik

PS: will change keyboard now
it's a new one but the "i" doesn't work properly
if somebody knows how to repair ths


----------



## Gates Is Antichrist

> the meaning of his current sheep's...


No albinistic meaning, mind you - just being the high end target M$ market...

I'd take any of these fine gentlemen developing my spreadsheets or writing compilers:


----------



## onlyadrafter

> PS: will change keyboard now
> it's a new one but the "i" doesn't work properly
> if somebody knows how to repair ths


Eric,

Fixing the keyboard is no problem, don't know when I can come round though, my calender has no 2's!


----------



## Gates Is Antichrist

drafter - it gets worse, pal - apparently every one of your two thousand four hundred and fifty-eight posts have been stolen and replaced with exact duplicates.

_(More Steven Wright theft)_


----------



## Norie

Gates

Is that lipstick on the sheep?

Or perhaps blood?


----------



## Gates Is Antichrist

Okay, I think I've sufficiently soiled Erik's kind and genuine quest, and hope that it returns to topic.  I got my star for screwing around and ought to get back to real work.  Last blast here, I hope:

Actually Truby's the genius.

Norie, refer to "Axis of Countries That Want Sheep to Wear Lipstick."

And as for MISTER T! : A-team, well yeah ... but how 'bout that slow motion roar in Rocky III?

_(I admit it!  I watched a Rocky sequel! More than one even!)_


----------



## Greg Truby

GIA - I assume you mean this?  If so, then I am *sooo* glad that I refrained from speculating as to the meaning of your be-lipsticked ewe avatar -- I had not a mote of an inkling that 'twas simply a comment regarding the current geo-political landscape (though I must confess, I am now curious as to how life in Scotland, New Zealand and Spain has changed under this new political alignment...)

Erik - don't fret, sometime soon I'll sort through some recent pic's and see if I can find any DRAFT-worthy ones... (though I kinda like ol' Mr. Douglass at the moment)


----------



## erik.van.geit

> Erik - don't fret, sometime soon I'll sort through some recent pic's and see if I can find any DRAFT-worthy ones...


dangerous promise ?
I don't think so: you're honest
I saw it on your face


----------



## Greg Truby

> dangerous promise?
> -e.v.g.


Well, that's gonna depend... dangerous to whom?  To myself?  No - I hafta shave this face every day anyway (ok, maybe not on weekends nor during my bearded winter months).  Dangerous to an unwitting mouser-by that stumbles across a thread I've posted on?    Most definitely.  Indeed I would suggest Bill consider taking out some type of insurance policy to protect against someone suing him for "pain and suffering" from seeing it or perhaps even "excessive anxiety" at even pondering the possibility.  [If not to protect _against_ me, then to protect me -- Petrulis has already shown his willingness to emblazon Helen Thomas across over two thousand posts -- a wreckless threat to the net-based citizenry that really should not go unchecked.]


----------



## mplees

wow, such an august group! By the way, I'm the good looking one sat on the shoulder of that odd looking individual.........I wonder if ****atiels & puffins are related? I think we should be told!


----------



## Oorang

/me looks vaguely disturbed.


----------



## Greg Truby

Well, Erik, as promised (or as threatened, perhaps) I think perhaps I've found a picture that can be edited to a point where it won't scare off the newbies.  My five-year-old daughter and myself on a boat ride a DisneyWorld a couple of weeks ago.  Gonna miss ol' Fredrick Douglass though...


----------



## erik.van.geit

> Well, Erik, as promised (or as threatened, perhaps) I think perhaps I've found a picture that can be edited to a point where it won't scare off the newbies.  My five-year-old daughter and myself on a boat ride a DisneyWorld a couple of weeks ago.  Gonna miss ol' Fredrick Douglass though...


this is really sweet and nice


----------



## Gates Is Antichrist

Well, at least SOMEone's playing fair...


----------



## Greg Truby

Erik -- I'll switch back when Petrulis halts his ocular ambushes.


----------



## erik.van.geit

> Erik -- I'll switch back when Petrulis halts his ocular ambushes.


to all switching avatarguys (not talking to HalfAce which has a patented switchable avatar)
perhaps put the avatars you'r talking about in your posts as fixed images
how will we be able to laugh in the future

perhaps I'm wrong
in this context it's really funny to read
"_My five-year-old daughter_" while seeing a witch

fact is: some people don't switch regardless the circumstances  :wink:


----------



## Greg Truby

> ...seeing a witch...
> -e.v.g.



Good heavens, man!  No, that's a terrorized old man.  But perhaps this latest will do a better job of summarizing my reaction to Jay's latest...


----------



## TrippyTom

Is that a young Jedi?


----------



## Jay Petrulis

> Erik -- I'll switch back when Petrulis halts his ocular ambushes.



Never!  George "the Animal" Steele to the rescue.


----------



## Greg Truby

Shucks, Jay, compared to HT -- that's positively cuddly.  Off the top of my head I can think of only one countenance more harrowing than Helen's and no you haven't used it and no, I ain't saying who it is...


----------



## TrippyTom

Is the back o' my head good enuf?


----------



## Patience

Well - I have tried to join DRAFT - but can I get an image down to 6kb??? NO! Arghhhh. I don't know why I am having problems.

So I 'm sorry - you'll have to deal with Morrissey as my avatar until I can figure this out.


----------



## Greg Truby

Yeah, that can be a challenge.  I have been using Paint.NET to edit photos since it allows one to reduce the quality of the image being saved.  

If anyone has a good recommendation for another [free] photo editing program, please feel free to tell us.


----------



## Gates Is Antichrist

Greg for poor men using Paint that's menu Image / Stretch/Skew - at least w/ "Paint 5.1" that I have with XP.

It doesn't auto-synchonize so if you just want to reduce or enlarge, without stretching or skewing, watch out that both parameters are changed identically.

This is all in the case that you don't have access to a "real" program, vs. the crap Microsoft passes off 

BTW am I mistaken or wasn't your picture black & white earlier? (Not a commentary,lol - read the question literally)


----------



## Greg Truby

> BTW am I mistaken or wasn't your picture black & white earlier?
> -GIA



Nope, (you're not mistaken) I can't decide whether B&W or color makes me look thinner.


----------



## Gates Is Antichrist

I remembered because it's an intriguing artsyish B&W pic too (I-M-completely uncultured-O).

Now lock the %$!!ers down so Erik doesn't have to scold you!


----------



## erik.van.geit

> Well - I have tried to join DRAFT - but can I get an image down to 6kb??? NO! Arghhhh. I don't know why I am having problems.


My image was brought to less dan 6kb using ...
Paint   
there is an option "save as Jpeg"
success !!


----------



## Oorang

/me pities the foo


----------



## Richard Schollar

Thought I'd add a new piccie which includes a shot of my son.

Richard


----------



## Greg Truby

That's a really great picture, Richard.  Ya know, it wasn't until Erik and his daft movement (oops, d*r*aft movement) that I realized just how few pictures of me I had that I would be willing to show to the world.


----------



## erik.van.geit

Oh, that's a beautiful shot Richard !

together with Gregs awesome photo we can start a Children's Garden :wink:

Is it just me or are there more people adding "real" pictures those last months ? Some "old" members like Krishnakumar changed their avatar.
I Love it !    (sometimes the beauty of the face but mostly the light which shines from the inside)


----------



## PA HS Teacher

I haven't been around much the last few months.   When I started coming to the board again recently, I noticed a large spike in the number of real faces.  Now I know why.  Erik you can count me in.


----------



## sweater_vests_rock

> Is it just me or are there more people adding "real" pictures those last months ? Some "old" members like Krishnakumar changed their avatar.





> When I started coming to the board again recently, I noticed a large spike in the number of real faces.



i definitely agree.  i see a _lot_ more real faces in here since you started DRAFT, erik.  to be honest, you were about the only real pic i encountered until i saw your link!


----------



## Greg Truby

Hmmm, interesting thought, Ben.  I joined a little over four years ago.  The only forum members that I can recall using images of themselves for avatars back then were Nate and Barry (Katcher). (You shoulda seen Nate's pic back then, looked like he was still in high school. )


----------



## NateO

Heh. Yes, there was this commentary from three years ago:

http://www.mrexcel.com/board2/viewtopic.php?p=269109#269109

I think that was the first 'real' avatar I used...


----------



## erik.van.geit

After two weeks of absence ...



> I haven't been around much the last few months. When I started coming to the board again recently, I noticed a large spike in the number of real faces. Now I know why. Erik you can count me in.


Welcome, PA HS Teacher !

WOW, Nate, you've made post 200 !
This thread was started as an honest try to make our life more beautiful by adding a human touch on the board. I don't know about statistics, but it seems like this must be a top-ten-thread !? (readers, posts)
Enjoying all those real faces


----------



## Gary Drumm

Intresting thread.
I like seeing the faces of real people, but a few are objectionable, one in particular is lude. I avoid reading threads with his responses, because his expression is suggestive and pornographic.

I rather like Fair Winds, and Just Jon, I think by their tone of responses on the board, that they look somewhat alike.

I envision Aladin as being a slightly gray haired professor, with Clark Kent specticles.

I'm glad Eric post his pic, as I too am missing some hair on top.

I don't think I will do a photo, most rookies probably feel the same way.
We like to see you hero types however.

Thanks Mr Excel for what I consider to be one of the greatest web sites / forums around.


----------



## HalfAce

> but a few are objectionable, one in particular is lude. I avoid reading threads with his responses, because his expression is suggestive and pornographic...
> 
> ...I envision Aladin as being a slightly gray haired professor, with Clark Kent specticles.



 You've got me curious about whom you mean in the first part.

As for Aladin, I can asure you there is only a very little (if any) gray hair and no specs.
(At least not that I saw.) He is a heck of a fisherman though...


----------



## just_jon

> I rather like Fair Winds, and Just Jon, I think by their tone of responses on the board, that they look somewhat alike.



Why, that's a_ horrible_ thing to say, and if I were fairwinds I _should sue for slander!_


----------



## Patience

The trials go on. I tried to upload a file from Photobucket, but it wouldn't have it. It told me:



> General Error
> 
> Unable to upload file
> 
> DEBUG MODE
> 
> Line : 250
> File : usercp_avatar.php



Whatever that means.

So I deleted Morrissey, thinking that he might be in the way. But nooooo, and now I can't get Morrissey back. I tried to upload the file from my Pc, and I get the usual 'Your File has to be smaller than 6KB' stuff. So now I have no avatar. Unless I can upoad Morrissey fro my PC, rather than Photobucket.

Now, if I am told that the image is larger than 6Kb I know it is lying, because it worked from the URL before...

_*goes off to try and resurrect Morrissey from my PC...*_[/quote]


----------



## Patience

Well, the same file that I was using before (Morrissey) that I had uploaded to Photobucket from my machine, will now not upload direct to Mr Excel from my machine, as it is 'more than 6kb.'

I am not technical genius, but I didn't think that uploading an image to Photobucket made it shrink in size.

You'll just have to believe me when I tell you I am gorgeous.


----------



## Greg Truby

Patience,

Yes, you can upload directly from your machine.  That's the only way I have uploaded my avatars as a matter of fact...
<hr />

Gary, 

The only picture I have ever seen of Aladin.  As for Fairwinds looking like Jon -- I ain't touchin' that one with a barge pole...

And as for the _"one in particular is lude",_ if you mean Barry K. you've just got to get to know him a bit.  I'll admit when I first saw that pic, I found it "unsettling".  But now after seeing it for a couple of years I find it... unsettling   But Barry's a good chap.  If you mean someone else, then I haven't seen the avatar.


----------



## HalfAce

Greg,
Yeah, I'd seen that pic of Aladin too and I suppose if one _had_ to they could mayhap use it to pick him out of a line up, but in truth he doesn't look near that haggard in person.   
I have some photos (somewhere around the house) of us barbequing in my backyard (with Brian from Maui no less!) that would confirm he's actually more photogenic than that picture implies.
And on top of being a heck of a fisherman, I'd have to say he's got to be without doubt one of the most extremely interesting and enjoyable people to talk to that I'm ever likely to meet.
You ever get the chance, I highly recommend it. He and his wife both, along with Brian and his family, very, very nice folks.


----------



## Greg Truby

Dan, 
BBQ'ing w/ Aladin and Brian! How cool is that?!  
I notice that you are still resisting the draft :wink:
I have a sneaking suspicion that I may find your new signature quote extremely "profound" in a few years!   Over the weekend we celebrated Gabriel's tenth birthday.


----------



## sweater_vests_rock

how do all of you guys hang out?  alaska and missouri are not particularly close to the netherlands. 

btw, do you mean grilling or barbecuing?  i just wanted to point out that they are not the same thing 



> I have some photos (somewhere around the house) of us barbequing in my backyard (with Brian from Maui no less!) that would confirm he's actually more photogenic than that picture implies.


----------



## HalfAce

*Greg:*
a) EXTREMELY cool!   I absolutely enjoyed their company and that of their families. Would do it again in a heartbeat.

b) I'm too late for DRAFT. I shoulda done it when I still looked like myself. (Now I look like my dad. - And he don't 'do' excel!)   

c) Ahh. 10 is a good age, both to be and to parent.
My youngest will be 16 in January.
My middle leaves for college in about two weeks (  )
And my oldest was just in town visiting for the week with her two young-uns.
My granddaughter is 4 and my grandson is 2.  
They just took off thismorning to head back home.   


*Ben:*
If it's any consolation, Brian's from Maui, not Missouri. 
Although I do go to Missouri on occasion to visit my dad and one of my brothers. (Was there about 8 or 10 months ago.) I'll have to look Greg up next  time I go.
I somehow got wind (actually, Brian told me) that he and Aladin were thinking about a fishing trip and was able to con them into coming here for what has to be (literally) the best fishing (and the best fish) in the entire known world. (Ever hear of Copper River Red Salmon? - We live near the Copper River...) Also have Alaskan King salmon, Silver salmon, King crab & a host of others.

I guess I wasn't aware there was a difference between grilling and barbecuing. Whatever it's called when we slap some salmon, shrimp, deer and moose steaks on the barbeque grill, that's what we were doing.
The food, the atmosphere and the company were just plain awesome.


----------



## Greg Truby

Dan,

I'm one exit south on I-29 from KCI.  So if you're flying in to or out of Kansas City by any chance, do let me know and at the very least we can meet for a bite to eat somewhere around here.  (Bit hard to come by moose steaks 'round these parts, though. ) 'course I keep meanin' to PM Shades and meet him for a beer or something sometime and I ain't got around to that either...


----------



## HalfAce

I usually fly into Springfield. Is that anywhere near?
(And howcome Shades gets a beer and all I get is a bite to eat???)  

Next time I make the trip I'll definitely let you know.
Maybe I can bring a few moose steaks down. Enough for us & Shades together. It's been my (considerable) experience that moose meat & beer go quite well with each other.


----------



## Brian from Maui

Erik,

Sorry to have hi-jacked this thread, but I do have photo's of Aladin, with some hula girls, washing dishes, brewing Turkish coffee, cooking, but not one with a fish!    

Dan and his family were very gracious and wonderful host, especially to people he had never met.  Cordova is beautiful and so are Dan and his family, along with Aladin's wife.  It was a once in a lifetime experience!  Now if I could only get Barrie Davidson to go fishing....


----------



## Greg Truby

> ...And howcome Shades gets a beer and all I get is a bite to eat???  ...
> -HalfAce



Well, that would be 'cause I was thinking your flight might get in during working hours and I try to limit the brewskis 'til after 5:00. 



> ...I do have photo's of Aladin, with some hula girls, washing dishes, brewing Turkish coffee, ...
> -Brian from Maui



Ummm, did I miss a link in there somewhere, Brian?  You and Dan keep _claiming_ to have photos of Aladin, but you both seem to keep "forgetting" to post any pics or links to pics.  We know there was beer and now we hear of hula girls.  Perhaps Aladin has some photos of y'all that are keeping you two "forgetful"???


----------



## HalfAce

> ... I do have photo's of Aladin, with some hula girls, washing dishes, brewing Turkish coffee, cooking, but not one with a fish!
> -Brian from Maui


But if I'm not mistaken, didn't we get one of him standing in the river fishin' in his skivvies?  
(I wouldn't swear to it but if we did it'll never make the internet - unless Aladin himself posts it.)
Nobody's ever had a more fun & friendly group of guests. We had an absolute ball.
I can't wait to go visit Brian & family in their part of the world.
I'd go now but I'm afraid I'd never come home. 
I can only hope that someday I'll get to visit Aladin's part.
As Ben pointed out, the Netherlands are not particularly nearby.

(I don't really know if Aladin has some photos of us that are actually keeping us "forgetful", ...
but he _does_ know where we live!)


----------



## erik.van.geit

> As Ben pointed out, the Netherlands are not particularly nearby.


Dan,

If you ever get there: you must know that I'm a "neighbour" of Aladin. My house would be open to you. Then can check if my avatar is "real" !

warm regards,
Erik


----------



## HalfAce

Hi Erik,
Thanks very much for the invitation.  
My wife & I are looking at a (hopefully fairly long) trip through Europe when we retire. That's still a half dozen years off but when we do I will definitely come look you up. Would love to see your area.
And whatever you do, if you find yourself heading toward Alaska I certainly hope you'll let me know. Our house would be your's as well for as long as you like.


----------



## Patience

> Yes, you can upload directly from your machine. That's the only way I have uploaded my avatars as a matter of fact...



But why would an image that loads perfectly well from an URL not load from this PC?

 _*Bes confused*_

Edit - I have just posted my query in the About the Board Forum.


----------



## Greg Truby

Patience, you might consider posting editing your post to include a link to your other thread in the About the Board forum.  That way people looking to help you or people with the same problem can find it more quickly; especially as time goes on and the thread drifts down the list.


----------



## hatman

Erik: this is a great quest!  I just spent a while reading the whole thread, and as mentioned by a coupl eof other people: I have noticed more real faces in th elast few months than ever before.

Obviousky, I am a pretty recent addition to the MrExcel forum (compared to many of the venerable gurus who have graced not only this topic, but this forum in general), and I am finally starting to feel a little bit more like one of the gang.  I have always felt that the most inviting posts have real live faces associated with them: it just seems more personal.

I guess I have always been a member of DRAFT and not known about it... started using this avatar back when I was a member of the Arador Armour Library (www.arador.com)... but alas, the message board was hacked, and not been rebuilt.

Slightly more recently than Arador, but still pre-dating MrExcel is this:
http://www.mailleartisans.org/members/memberdisplay.cgi?key=2137

I like the consistancy of using the same (life-like... yeah, that's me) avatar and username wherever I go... people know who I am and recognize me when they see on other forums... and if you really want to knw who I am, just look in my profile: it's no secret.


----------



## erik.van.geit

Paul,

thank you for this nice reply 
now we now who you are

warm regards,
Erik


----------



## hatman

> Paul,
> 
> thank you for this nice reply
> now we now who you are
> 
> warm regards,
> Erik



It was a nice reply because you have made a refrshing and heart-warming contribution to this forum, trying to make it a human place DESPITE the fact that it depends so heavily on technology for both our ability to communicate and our reason for being here.

So you found the picture that my avatar comes from, huh... I forgot that it was in there.  I haven't changed much, though that picture is about 10 years old now.  Here is a slightly newer one, or check out the whole website.


----------



## Oorang

I always wondered what you would look like in street clothes.


----------



## hatman

> I always wondered what you would look like in street clothes.



C'mon, I know you know enough of the lingo to realize we refer to "street clotes" as "mundane garb"


----------



## lenze

OK Erik, the Feds are no longer after me, the emails have slowed down, and my ex-wife has found me, so I guess I can join your club.
Are you happy now??

lenze


----------



## erik.van.geit

So Happy to see the first guy who tried out Table-It
<font face="Courier New" size="+1" color="blue" style="background: url(http://www.balloondoggies.com/vonpookie/misc/sparkle.gif)">WELCOME TO DRAFT !!!!</font>

you're changing your house ? (imagination seeing your photo)


----------



## hatman

> OK Erik, the Feds are no longer after me, the emails have slowed down, and my ex-wife has found me



So is it Paranoia when they are REALLY out to get you?


----------



## texasalynn

ok so I have joined the Draft!   :wink:


----------



## hatman

Pretty precocious young lady, aren't you?  Shouldn't you be playing with dolls rather than surfing in the dangerous waters of the internet?


----------



## texasalynn

nah!  I got bored with the dollys


----------



## Greg Truby

Lenze,

Statute of limitations ran out?  Nice pic BTW.  Was gonna say something the other day and forgot. 

<hr />

<s>Axxx...</s> (whew...used your *real* name there and had to go back and edit before clicking "submit"...)
A.Lynn,

My goodness, but I'm impressed! You read and write well beyond your grade level!  [Actually, in taking a second look at that pic, looks like you're what, somewhere around two-ish?  Well before kindergarten in any event...]


----------



## texasalynn

Thanks Greg!  But is that your current pic?  Almost looks like a younger Roy Rogers.  Where's trigger?  I thought you had a different pic a while back


----------



## Greg Truby

"Roy Rogers"??? Be careful there or you are going to give away your age...  _I_ can remember Roy and Trigger from Saturday morning TV reruns, but I'm not sure how many of the pups around here have ever seen Roy & Dale...

Yep, switched to that pic a while back.  Cropped and de-colored version of a pic from our trip to Disney World earlier this summer...


----------



## hatman

> "Roy Rogers"??? Be careful there or you are going to give away your age...  _I_ can remember Roy and Trigger from Saturday morning TV reruns, but I'm not sure how many of the pups around here have ever seen Roy & Dale...
> 
> Yep, switched to that pic a while back.  Cropped and de-colored version of a pic from our trip to Disney World earlier this summer...



heh, heh... my wife looked at your pic, Greg, and said "Isn't that Gregory Peck in To Kill A Mocking Bird?"  I just had to laugh.

BTW: Isn't Roy Rogers a Fast Food Chain?  And isn't Trigger an action that Raises and Event?


----------



## Greg Truby

> ...Isn't Roy Rogers a Fast Food Chain?...
> -hatman



Well, up in Maryland, maybe.  (There is a connection, though.)  Down this direction in Missouri we have the museum instead.

_Gregory Peck,_ huh?  I'll take that as a compliment.


----------



## HalfAce

> I can remember Roy and Trigger from Saturday morning TV reruns


Hate to admit it but I got you beat there Greg.
I can remember Roy & Dale (and Gabby and all the rest) from _before_ they were reruns!  

*EDIT:]*
Ok guys, I give in.
As far as I can tell there's nobody looking for me that hasn't found me already and I'm pretty sure the statute of limitations has run out on ...well, anyone else who may be, so this is who you've been dealing with.

My driver's license photo looks like a real mug shot so I used the one from my concealed handgun permit instead.  

(Happy now Erik?)


----------



## hatman

> ...Isn't Roy Rogers a Fast Food Chain?...
> -hatman
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well, up in Maryland, maybe.
Click to expand...


Umm, I hate to tell you this, Greg, but Maryland is MD... I'm in MA: Massachusetts.


----------



## erik.van.geit

> *EDIT:]*
> Ok guys, I give in.
> As far as I can tell there's nobody looking for me that hasn't found me already and I'm pretty sure the statute of limitations has run out on ...well, anyone else who may be, so this is who you've been dealing with.
> 
> My driver's license photo looks like a real mug shot so I used the one from my concealed handgun permit instead.
> 
> (Happy now Erik?)


Very !!
Like a pastor who feels his preaching helps 
Now the light is really staying "ON".


----------



## fairwinds

Just saw this one:


> Fair Winds, and Just Jon, I think by their tone of responses on the board, that they look somewhat alike.




FYI I do not look like Mr Magoo  
However I doubt that Jon does either


----------



## Greg Truby

> ...Umm, I hate to tell you this, Greg, but Maryland is MD... I'm in MA: Massachusetts.
> -hatman



Paul, I actually did know that (in spite of the fact that some the the states back East are smaller than some _counties_ in the West, we do still bother to learn them )  I got Maryland from the location of the Roy Rogers restaurant's corp HQ addy as listed in the link there.  

<hr />

Dan! Whoa. The MVP's are fallin' like dominoes now.  

<hr />

Erik -- you got Lenze & HalfAce in the same week!  I am most impressed.  Now we need Fairwinds (on a boat, of course) and Jon.  And if you get starl or von pookie DRAFTed and I'll be speechless.


----------



## hatman

> And if you get starl or von pookie DRAFTed and I'll be speechless.



Von Pookie ID change her avatar yesterday... bt I hope she doesn;t REALLY look like that.


----------



## Von Pookie

No, I am not, nor do I think I ever will be, Harold Lloyd 

Oh, and Greg?


> And if you get starl or von pookie DRAFTed and I'll be speechless.


Yeah...something tells me you're just going to get to keep talking your heart out, there


----------



## Greg Truby

Kristy beat me to it -- I was going to explain 'bout old Harold there.  And, I'm gonna go out on a limb and theorize that until von pookie masters photoshop to a point where her creative genius can achieve results unleashing her talents on photos of herself that will satisfy her exacting standards, she will continue to enthrall us with non-DRAFT-compliant avatars.  [Frankly, I egg pookie on -- I never know what she or Jay are gonna come up with next and that's worth somethin' :wink:]


----------



## Von Pookie

Nobody gets me; I'M THE WIND, BABY!

Actually, it's (a better copy of) this picture right here that I'm using in my stupid Icon Idea vs. Photoshop battle royale.

Stupid Photoshop, not flat-out letting me do what I think it should be. Grr.
Edit: Of course, if I actually knew what I was doing with Photoshop instead of clicking things and going "ooh, what does this do?" I would probably be getting a lot more done.


----------



## Von Pookie

You know what? This is stupid. Thsi thread has 25 pages, and just keeps growing.

...I'm making it a sticky thread.


----------



## Richard Schollar

Kristy, I miss the cat...

We'll never know if (s)he got to the end of the roll.


----------



## lenze

Actually, I seem to recall, and I could be mistaken, that several years ago Kristy did post some pictures on the board (probably the old board). Vacation, new house, wedding or something. Wonder if they're still around.

lenze

PS. Search fast, before she deletes them.

Edit: Too late. The link is broken. It was here. herehttp://www.mrexcel.com/board2/viewtopic.php?t=16580&highlight=pictures
and was when whe had dyed here hair red.   The piture was pre-red from her wedding recption.


----------



## Von Pookie

I can't remember if I did that here, or in the MVP-only area. If I'm remembering correctly, it's probably a picture from when I was in my friend's wedding.

A picture which *I* don't actually have uploaded anywhere, and don't really plan on posting, anyway.


----------



## lenze

Kristy, I found the link. It was in Max Cells Lounge. See edit of my post.

lenze


----------



## Von Pookie

Oh goody.  

Edit: HA! I still win.

That post is from 2002, so it's not the wedding thing I'm thinking of (the picture in that post would have been from *my* wedding "reception" thing--the ones I'm thinking of were from my friend's wedding last year).

Besides--I haven't had an account at that ISP for yeeeeeears now; makes sense the link's broken


----------



## HalfAce

> . . .clicking things and going "ooh, what does this do?"


Nevermind Photoshop, I still do that with excel!  

And as for the cat & the toilet paper (or 'mountain money' as my dad always called it),
that was actually our cat, Spook.
I'm still wondering how she got a picture of him doing that. 

Now for Fairwinds, I imagine if we ever get a photo of him it'll be a really small one waving down at us from the crow's nest of an 80' high mast and we'll still never know if he looks like Mr. Magoo. (I also wouldn't be too surprised if he can produce one of those mind boggling formulas of his that returns an image of what he looks like.)  

lenze, you're right. I saw those pictures too. (Nice house Kristy. Ever get it finished?) I just happen to know a guy in the electrical industry who can do all the wiring for you for the nominal cost of a plane ticket & a whole bunch of beer.


----------



## Greg Truby

Apparently, Pookie looks amazingly like Telly Savalas. 

And Kristy, I saw those wedding pictures.  Musta been due to the old lounge thing.  I think it was on a blog or something?


----------



## Von Pookie

> lenze, you're right. I saw those pictures too. (Nice house Kristy. Ever get it finished?) I just happen to know a guy in the electrical industry who can do all the wiring for you for the nominal cost of a plane ticket & a whole bunch of beer.



The house has been done and lived-in since last October. It hasn't been updated since a couple of weeks before we moved in, but there are pictures of the building process of our current house here:
http://www.balloondoggies.com (don't ask).

I think we finally got everything unpacked/unopened boxes shoved into closets in spare rooms around the beginning of February when we invited some family over to watch the super bowl in our 'theater' room.

That particular cleaning weekend was almost as bad as the one last month, where we cleaned out the garage so my father-in-law could park his car in there while they were visiting/staying with us. Except we didn't get around to doing the garage until the morning of his arrival...


----------



## erik.van.geit

Kristy wrote


> You know what? This is stupid. Thsi thread has 25 pages, and just keeps growing.
> 
> ...I'm making it a sticky thread.


Thanks, <font face="Courier New" size="+1" color="purple" style="background: url(http://www.balloondoggies.com/vonpookie/misc/sparkle.gif)">Kristy</font> !!!!

Again 10-15 posts in a few hours and al "close" to the topic: AVATARS  Is this about some need of human kind? (love, warmth, ...)

So, guys and galls, let us see who you are    :wink:   

<font face="Courier New" size="2" color="blue" style="background: url(http://www.balloondoggies.com/vonpookie/misc/sparkle.gif)">Groeten uit België</font>
Erik


----------



## Oorang

I am a commercial airline pilot.


----------



## Greg Truby

> I am a commercial airline pilot.
> -Oorang



Please confine your comments to making fun of HalfAce's (or Lenze's) avatars or complimenting Von Pookie's.

Thank you,


----------



## Oorang

Von Pookie's avatar looks like it saw HalfAce's for the first time?


----------



## Von Pookie

> Please confine your comments to making fun of HalfAce's (or Lenze's) avatars or complimenting Von Pookie's.


----------



## Cbrine

Kristy new avatar kinda scared me the first time I saw it.  I was hoping she really didn't look like that!!

Cal


----------



## HalfAce

> Von Pookie's avatar looks like it saw HalfAce's for the first time?


Hey.......
I resemble that remark.
I mean, I represent that re... well, you know what I mean.


*[EDIT:]*
OK, in view of recent remarks concerning my avatar, (plus the fact that my concealed carry permit needed to be renewed   ) I figured I would now update the photo.
A little cleaner shaved, a little nicer shirt, but (dang), still no better lookin'


----------



## erik.van.geit

> Kristy new avatar kinda scared me the first time I saw it.


surely yours will not scare us
didn't you promise to post your real one here ?


----------



## Cbrine

I was looking for a suitable picture when I posted(In anticipation of your comments Erik ) my comments.  That's when the meteor blasted through the roof of my house.  I was so distracted, I totally forgot about the picture.

OK,OK...I was actually studing for an exam, and didn't have time.  Now I've also pooched my home PC so bad, that I'm going to have to beg my office help desk guy to help me rebuild the dang thing.  AND THAT's NEVER A GOOD THING.(All my pics are on the partitioned drive.

Cal


----------



## HalfAce

OK, for those what saw it, I hope you got a good look as I have unDRAFTed myself. (Man, too bad we couldn't do that back in the 70's, eh?)
For reasons not unlike Joe's I have gone back underground to become invisible again.
I don't think my employer has much of a problem with the time I spend on the board here, (and well they shouldn't considering how they benefit from it!) but we are a member owned cooperative in a small town with some pretty petty malcontents - most of whom think we get paid way too much as it is - and would relish the opportunity to complain about how our employees spend their time.
If it became a problem for management then management would have to deal with it. There will still be some mopes in town that will suspect it's me - and indeed they'll be right  - but this just gives everyone some lateral movement towards plausible deniability, which is all my employer needs to be happy. 

I may look around for something a bit easier on the eye than my own mug - which I see Greg has done by the way (Woohoo! )  - but until then I am back to being an enigma.


----------



## Greg Truby

Well, shoot.  Sorry to hear that Dan, and 'twas a nice pic too (the new one).  


> ...which I see Greg has done by the way (Woohoo! )
> -HalfAce


Well, I was looking for something else and clicked into one of my photo folders and saw that pic of my daughter getting Ariel's autograph at Disney World this past June and thought... "I'm feeling pretty today"  so voilá -- a short-term whimsical change.

I have another where Ariana (my daughter) is getting Darth Maul's autograph and she's just smiling and chatting away like they're old friends.  Cute as heck (IMHO) but it lost too much shrinking it down.

(edit was homonym correction)


----------



## Oaktree

Greg: 

You mean that's not you on the right?


----------



## HalfAce

> nice pic too (the new one)


Well, thanks, but I kinda liked the old one myself.  

(And I figured your's was of your cute little one, was only wondering if the cute taller
one was her mom!)


----------



## PA HS Teacher

Half Ace,
   You should get a picture of someone else to throw them off.  Are there any individuals at a rival company that have done you wrong?  You could use their picture instead?  Or if you feel guilty about undrafting, you could put a picture of yourself from 100 yards out?  If not I'm sure Gary could contort your picture into something misleading.


----------



## HalfAce

Actually I'm considering a picture of the back of my head.
(But one at a hundred yards out would probably work well too.)


----------



## HalfAce

Actually I'm considering a picture of the back of my head.
(But one at a hundred yards out would probably work well too.)


----------



## Oorang

> Actually I'm considering a picture of the back of my head.


 


Actually I need to post a new picture myself. I am about 50 pounds lighter now than I am in this pic.


----------



## TrippyTom

Hey!

What's wrong with a pic like that?  :wink:


----------



## Greg Truby

> Actually I need to post a new picture myself. I am about 50 pounds lighter now than I am in this pic.
> -Oorang



Don't want to side-track Erik's thread too much here; but just wanted to say "congratulations, Aaron!"  Over the course of the last year and a half I have (a) lost 65 pounds then (b) gained back 20 and (c) lost 30, so I'm down a net 75 pounds.  So I know how much hard work and determination goes into it.  So, again, *<font color=blue style="background: url(http://www.balloondoggies.com/vonpookie/misc/sparkle.gif)">congratulations!</font>*

OK - back to discussing avatars...actually _TrippyTom,_ I thought of yours when HalfAce made that comment...


----------



## Oorang

Rofl I looked up TrippyTom's avatar and you're right.. It's been done  

(Thanks btw on the congrats. Congrats yourself! I used an optifasst program, did you do it on your own, or go with some backup?)


----------



## hatman

Greg, it might be nice if you stuck with an avatar for longer than a couple hours. What's it gonna be next? A picture of you jousting while your daughter holds your extra weapons?

(is this better?)


----------



## Greg Truby

Paul,

Yes, much better.  But like I said in the other thread, I'd need a draft horse to joust.  In spite of dropping over five stone, I still weigh over 20 ½ stone.  Which brings me to...

Aaron,

Did it all on my own through hundreds of hours of cardio and hundreds of hours of lifting weights and miles of swimming and cleaning up my diet.  Nothing Draconian on the diet.  No "program"; because sooner or later you have to "go back to normal" or the cravings will drive you to a gallon of ice cream at three o'clock in the morning.  So no "limiting calories" per se.  Just eating healthy food like fruits, nuts and salad instead of candy bars and avoiding sugar-laden beverages like pop or Kool-Aid.

OK - that's it for me for a while.  I've spent half my morning fiddly-fartin' around in the MrExcel lounge today!


----------



## Von Pookie

Only half? Amateur.


----------



## hatman

> OK - that's it for me for a while.  I've spent half my morning fiddly-fartin' around in the MrExcel lounge today!



Hmm, it's afternoon here in the NorthEast... but around lunch I decided it wasn't worth doing any real work today, so I'll be here a while yet..


----------



## HalfAce

> around lunch I decided it wasn't worth doing any real work today
> -hatman


It takes you that long?
I show up here at 6AM and usually by about 7 I come to that conclusion.


----------



## erik.van.geit

> around lunch I decided it wasn't worth doing any real work today
> -hatman
> 
> 
> 
> It takes you that long?
> I show up here at 6AM and usually by about 7 I come to that conclusion.
Click to expand...

6AM ?
that's early to be at the Office   

how do you define "real work" ?
sometimes I feel my real work is to encourage people to show their real face


----------



## hatman

I define Real Work as anything I can get paid for... if you are getting paid to get people to show their real face, sign me up: that's the best deal I've heard in a while...


----------



## Greg Truby

I rather suspect my best hopes lie in the other direction -- extortion -- I strongly suspect I have a better chance of people being willing to pass the hat and chip in a tuppence to pay me *not* to use any really close, in-focus photos for avatars.


----------



## JamieDuncan

Ok, i found a half decent pic, am i now a DRAFTer?


----------



## erik.van.geit

> am i now a DRAFTer?


according to the initial post of this thread YOU ARE 
WELCOME !!


----------



## Greg Truby

OK - maybe I'm reading in something that ain't there... but seems to me that you Brits are kinda using _"drafter"_ in a manner a bit different than what we Yanks are used to seeing.  Here a "drafter" would be someone that draws up an idea or a rough draft of a document or speech.  Or it might be used to refer to a _draftsman,_ i.e. someone that prepares building- or mechanical drawings for an architectual or engineering firm.  But between our member _onlyadrafter's_ sig and now Jamie's question; you chaps have me scratching my noggin wondering if _"drafter"_ is some type of slang word in the UK?


----------



## hatman

So here is what Dictionary.com has to say:


> 1. a drawing, sketch, or design.
> 2. a first or preliminary form of any writing, subject to revision, copying, etc.
> 3. act of drawing; delineation.
> 4. a current of air in any enclosed space, esp. in a room, chimney, or stove.
> 5. a current of air moving in an upward or downward direction.
> 6. a device for regulating the current of air in a stove, fireplace, etc.
> 7. an act of drawing or pulling loads.
> 8. something that is drawn or pulled; a haul.
> 9. an animal or team of animals used to pull a load.
> 10. the force required to pull a load.
> 11. the taking of supplies, forces, money, etc., from a given source.
> 12. a selection or drawing of persons, by lot or otherwise, from the general body of the people for military service; levy; conscription.
> 13. the persons so selected.
> 14. Sports. a selecting or drawing of new players from a choice group of amateur players by professional teams, esp. a system of selecting new players so that each team in a professional league receives some of the most promising players.
> 15. British. a selection of persons already in military service to be sent from one post or organization to another; detachment.
> 16. a written order drawn by one person upon another; a writing directing the payment of money on account of the drawer; bill of exchange.
> 17. a drain or demand made on anything.
> 18. draft beer.
> 19. an act of drinking or inhaling.
> 20. something that is taken in by drinking or inhaling; a drink; dose.
> 21. a quantity of fish caught.
> 22. Nautical. the depth to which a vessel is immersed when bearing a given load.
> 23. Also called leave. Metallurgy. the slight taper given to a pattern so that it may be drawn from the sand without injury to the mold.
> 24. Metalworking. a. the change in sectional area of a piece of work caused by a rolling or drawing operation.
> b. a taper on a die or punch permitting it to be withdrawn readily from the work.
> 
> 25. Masonry. a line or border chiseled at the edge of a stone, to serve as a guide in leveling the surfaces.
> 26. Textiles. a. the degree of attenuation produced in fibers during yarn processing, expressed either by the ratio of the weight of raw to the weight of processed fiber, or by the ratio between the varying surface speeds of the rollers on the carding machine.
> b. the act of attenuating the fibers.
> 
> 27. an allowance granted to a buyer for waste of goods sold by weight.
> –verb (used with object) 28. to draw the outlines or plan of; sketch.
> 29. to draw up in written form; compose.
> 30. to draw or pull.
> 31. to take or select by draft, esp. for military service.
> 32. Masonry. to cut a draft on.
> –verb (used without object) 33. to do drafting; work as a draftsman.
> 34. (in an automobile race) to drive or ride close behind another car so as to benefit from the reduction in air pressure created behind the car ahead.
> –adjective 35. used or suited for drawing loads: a draft horse.
> 36. drawn or available to be drawn from a cask rather than served from a sealed bottle: draft ale.
> 37. being a tentative or preliminary outline, version, design, or sketch.
> —Idiom38. on draft, available to be drawn from a cask rather than from a sealed bottle: imported beer on draft.



I figured they have been referring to definition 19  (heh heh)


----------



## Greg Truby

Yes, I too looked for clues at _dictionary.com_ prior to posting my question.  However, the text you quote is for *draft* not *drafter* so I thought I'd ask our friends across the pond for more info.


----------



## Aladin Akyurek

> Yes, I too looked for clues at _dictionary.com_ prior to posting my question.  However, the text you quote is for *draft* not *drafter* so I thought I'd ask our friends across the pond for more info.



It's I guess DRAFT'er, not drafter. DRAFT, being an acronym, Erik gets "drafter" by analogy to linguistic objects like drink+er, an unfortunate homonym of "drafter" you think of. Some would possibly construe DRAFT'er as close to draftee...


----------



## hatman

Great Scott!  I think I my have been DRAFTED!


----------



## erik.van.geit

> Erik gets "drafter" by analogy to linguistic objects like drink+er, an unfortunate homonym of "drafter" you think of. Some would possibly construe DRAFT'er as close to draftee...


Aladin,

correction  (the only chance to correct you once in a lifetime )
it's not me who came up with the term DRAFTER

but indeed, I would agree with this linguistic explanation
in Dutch - as you know - we've got a lot of those words

and ... if I dare to ask ... it would be very nice to see your AVATAR here

greetings from Belgium
Erik


----------



## onlyadrafter

Greg



> OK - maybe I'm reading in something that ain't there... but seems to me that you Brits are kinda using "drafter" in a manner a bit different than what we Yanks are used to seeing. Here a "drafter" would be someone that draws up an idea or a rough draft of a document or speech. Or it might be used to refer to a draftsman, i.e. someone that prepares building- or mechanical drawings for an architectual or engineering firm. But between our member onlyadrafter's sig and now Jamie's question; you chaps have me scratching my noggin wondering if "drafter" is some type of slang word in the UK?



Correct that is what I do - 



> someone that prepares building- or mechanical drawings for an architectual or engineering firm



Having re-read this whole post (yes - it is a slow day) the first mention of DRAFTER comes from Jamie Duncan on Page 29 to which Erik replied



> Quote:
> am i now a DRAFTer?
> 
> according to the initial post of this thread YOU ARE
> WELCOME !!


----------



## JamieDuncan

This raises the question of what exactly is DRAFT?

As far as I see it, you can become a member.
Now define member,

(n.) Hence, a part of a whole; an independent constituent of a body
(n.) One of the persons composing a society, community, or the like; an individual forming part of an association; as, a member of the society of Friends.

Now many nouns have suffixes, -er is one of them.
Think of it this way,

A person from New York, is a New Yorker (correct me if im wrong)
A lawyer is a person involved with the law

there are other examples but I digress,
can it not be said that a member of DRAFT is a DRAFTer?
A suffix is added to words of groups to define the singular
Draftish, Drafton doesnt sound right, draftee maybe but i still like drafter.

Any thoughts?


----------



## erik.van.geit

Jamie,

that's exactly how I felt your post
just what Aladin said about drink-er

you guys are learning this flemmish speaking guy a lot  
thanks !

any more DRAFTers around here ?


----------



## Oorang

/me looks for something dull to stab himself with.


----------



## JamieDuncan

would that not be dullER oorang?


----------



## Greg Truby

OK - so now it's a bit clearer; I was imagining the whole "double entendre" thing.  OnlyADrafter's sig read "Only a drafter but the best one at this company".  Taking that and adding Jamie's remark "am I know a drafter"? Made me wonder if perhaps the Brits used the term "drafter" as some type of a play on the sports-related definition of drafting (driving a car or riding a bicycle in the "draft" of a leading car/bicycle) meaning a person that rides behind, conserving energy only to try to pass right at the finish line.  However, it would appear that these we simply my own mad musings.

So, as to are we "drafters"?  No.  Erik is the one recruiting members to the movement, putting him in the role of *drafter.* We are *draftees,* so yes, Hatman, you've let yerself get drafted.

On a separate note: Nate is likely a _drafter_ but more in the sense of definition #36 in hatman's citation: he is probably more likely to be drawn [to] a cask of ale than to be found near a sealed bottle.


----------



## Von Pookie

Methinks Greg may need to step away from the board for a bit...


----------



## Greg Truby

> Methinks Greg may need to step away from the board for a bit...
> -v.p.


Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!


----------



## Von Pookie

That may be, but I'm not the one looking for deeper meaning into the word 'draft'


----------



## Greg Truby

So, you're saying "dafter" is a more appropriate moniker in my case?


----------



## Von Pookie

It's getting there, yeah. 

Oooh, idea. I *do* have the ability to set titles for users. They're oh so easy to change...


----------



## Oorang

hehe I want a title! 

Hey look I finally posted a new pic.


----------



## Greg Truby

Well, Oorang, you see it's like this -- I've already got the unofficial title of _Understudy of the Junior Grand Pooba._  So we could make you _Assistant to the Understudy of the Junior Grand Pooba._ But then the accusations of favoritism are gonna fly.  Some folks are going to cry and whine about getting "passed over based on seniority" even though they are much less qualified than yourself.  So then the EEOC is gonna get involved and there'll be an investigation and Mr.Excel's name will get drug through the tabloids... And all 'cause you wanted a friggin' title.  So, I'm sorry.  Now, please pipe down and get back to work; there are approximately 13,824 unanswered posts as of 3:06 CDT. 

Regards,

Greg
_Understudy of the Junior Grand Pooba_

PS (nice pic!)


----------



## hatman

> Well, Oorang, you see it's like this -- I've already got the unofficial title of _Understudy of the Junior Grand Pooba._  So we could make you _Assistant to the Understudy of the Junior Grand Pooba._ But then the accusations of favoritism are gonna fly.  Some folks are going to cry and whine about getting "passed over based on seniority" even though they are much less qualified than yourself.  So then the EEOC is gonna get involved and there'll be an investigation and Mr.Excel's name will get drug through the tabloids... And all 'cause you wanted a friggin' title.  So, I'm sorry.  Now, please pipe down and get back to work; there are approximately 13,824 unanswered posts as of 3:06 CDT.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Greg
> _Understudy of the Junior Grand Pooba_
> 
> PS (nice pic!)



Do you think anyone would get upset if I were assigned the title Ye Olde Newbie?


----------



## Oorang

Yes but could anyone complain if I was given the title of "Dispenser of Questionable Spelling?"


----------



## Greg Truby

> Do you think anyone would get upset if I were assigned the title Ye Olde Newbie?
> -hatman





> Yes but could anyone complain if I was given the title of "Dispenser of Questionable Spelling?"
> -Oorang



Hmmm, we'll take it up at the next meeting of the "Committee for the Assignment of Questionable Honorifics" which takes place on the sixth Monday of every month.  Although, Oorang, I must warn you that for quite a number of years, JIUK's had a hammerlock on the title you seek.  However, of late his grammar and spelling have shown some alarming improvements and some of his recent prose is dangerously close to error-free.  So you might just have a shot.


----------



## gingerafro

Curiously, having come to this topic second I have inadvertantly suggested Greg's title here.

http://www.mrexcel.com/board2/viewtopic.php?t=229536&start=10

As an aside (and I realise that I have pushed in on a new line of lounge chat), well done to Oorang and losing 50pounds.  Last time I did that was on the horses.  You deserve 2 Avatars with before and after shots.


----------



## erik.van.geit

> You deserve 2 Avatars with before and after shots.


gingerafro,
What can we expect on the Board from you ? A before or an after-shot-avatar or ?


----------



## Greg Truby

Ooohhh, Ginger, now you've gone and done it!  Erik's like an old blood hound once he gets the scent.  Might as well just dig up a digipic and make an avatar so he'll rest easy.

Erik, in case you're wondering, yes, that was a compliment.  Means you stay "on task" and don't get easily sidetracked (despite my best efforts!)


----------



## sweater_vests_rock

> Yes but could anyone complain if I was given the title of "Dispenser of Questionable Spelling?"



oorang.

you might be a nice guy, but i have to say i'm with greg on that one.  some of his stuff was absolutely unintelligble!  i remember replies to the tune of "i have no idea what you're saying, please use english"

that said, he is good at what he does.  hats off.

"most likely to have to revisit his solutions because they have errors"
(aka ben.)


----------



## Oorang

Well how about "Dances with Ascii"?


----------



## Cbrine

I knew a "Dances with Ascii", you don't look like him at all.


----------



## erik.van.geit

> I knew a "Dances with Ascii", you don't look like him at all.


and are you aware why you can write this ?


----------



## hatman

Because he has fingers?


----------



## erik.van.geit

> Because he has fingers?


because he can compare with the real AVATAR


----------



## Greg Truby

Nope - Cal can write this 'cause Oorang is a DRAFTee, unlike Cal whose countenance remains shrouded in umbrage.

<sup>edit</sup> Dang it! That's what I get for trying to use fancy words like "umbrage"!  I looked it up to make sure one of it's definitions was as I remembered "in shadow" and not just its better known usage as a synonym for "pique" and thus Mr. Van Geit beat me to the [submit] button! <sub>/edit</sub>


----------



## Cbrine

What are you talking  about, that is me in the picture with my cat.


----------



## erik.van.geit

> What are you talking about


http://www.mrexcel.com/board2/viewtopic.php?t=199272&start=44

just doing my job here  :wink: 

and taking care of my reputation
Greg:


> like an old blood hound once he gets the scent.


----------



## jcurtoys

I guess I qualify, Huh???


----------



## erik.van.geit

> I guess I qualify, Huh???


Janna,
Thank you for "signing up"

with all those males here, it was a bit one-sided
so I'm very grateful you answered my little request  
let's try to balance this more: Von Pookie, starl, women where are you ?!?

have a nice time at MrExcel   
Erik

PS: what's the meaning of the "twisted"icon ?


----------



## Greg Truby

> with all those males here, it was a bit one-sided
> -Erik



Better?


----------



## jcurtoys

Being the only women gives me the power doesn't it???


----------



## Greg Truby

> Being the only women gives me the power doesn't it???
> -jcurtoys


You're not the *only* woman DRAFTee.  There's TexasALynn and Westphalia and a few others I can't recall - and of course, now me.  You (we?) are just very much in the minority.


----------



## Richard Schollar

Do I qualify as an oppressed minority if I wear a dress??

I still ain't as stylish as you though, Trudy


----------



## jcurtoys

There are a lot of real women even in a dress wouldn't qualify


----------



## erik.van.geit

please gentlemen
stick to your DRAFT-etiquette


----------



## Greg Truby

A-hem.  Erik, just because you'd have to shave in order to look cuter than Richard in a dress is no reason to let jealosy make you all catty.  I think he looks just darling.  If only we'd've had digital camaras back when I danced the CanCan in a chorus line I could post something to rival it.  Besides, I believe _you_ were the one lamenting the paucity of maidenly avatars.  Suddenly you get a few girls to show up and we're not "pretty enough".  Typical male! Harrumph!


----------



## Greg Truby

Parnsip! You traitorous treacherous trollop!  One harsh word from the Chairman of the DRAFT board and you crumble like week-old cake.


----------



## Richard Schollar

It was all the offers I kept getting from amorous MrExcel posters - having to explain time and time again that I am actually a happily married *man* and not a beautiful, voluptuous, 6'3" Amazon was becoming a chore


----------



## Greg Truby

Yeah, well, I have to confess that a couple of days as a black woman and I'm ready to be my big, fuzzy self again.  Though I may get a whim and trot out the Oprah or Whoopi avatars I had ready to go at some point in the future.


----------



## hatman

AARRGH: Why not be a PIRATE?


----------



## Greg Truby

ROFLMAO!!!


----------



## Oorang

/me = Smugglin' Hubert Cutler


----------



## hatman

Greg Truby = Cap'n Bart Deadweight


----------



## Greg Truby

Aye, I thought to me own self that Cap'n Bart Deadweight was indeed a more worthy alias than my alternative of _Gregory Truby = Sweatin' Wallace Dawkins_


----------



## Cbrine

Calvin Brine = Rough Sailn' Hugo.

Cal Brine = Pirate Sam the Sword Test Dummy


I'm kinda partial to the Pirate Sam the Sword Test Dummy.


----------



## hatman

AARRGH! Pirate Sam the Sword Test Dummy be the handle that ye should be known by... it be a moniker that strikes fear into the hearts of men (and loosens the heartstrings of the wenches  :wink: )


----------



## Von Pookie

Let's see...entering my (real) first/last name, I get Pirate Jackie the Staggering Drunk.


----------



## hatman

That beats Decayin' Jane Hornigold...


----------



## Richard Schollar

I be Tiny Burt Dregg, and shiver me timbers if that ain't the name of a scurvy sea dog, aarrrrgggghhh!


----------



## Greg Truby

Aye, this pack of mongrel dogs realizes o' course, that Pirate Jim the Back-Stabber is going to curse the lot of us for not posting all of this on <s>Von Pookie's</s> Pirate Jackie (the Staggerin' Drunk)'s thread instead of sullying his DRAFT thread.


----------



## hatman

ARRGH, if you be referrin' to Scowlin' Wade Teach (the MVP formerly known as Erik Van Geit), then I be s'posin' that he be grateful for the traffic here-abouts, 'ssumin' that we be showin' our REAL mugs, even if we be nothin' but a bunch of Rabble Rousers.


----------



## Greg Truby

I know naught of any mvp by the name of *Erik Van Geit*.  I know only of *erik.van.geit*.


----------



## hatman

Shiver me timbers, you got a (peg) leg up on me with that one.


----------



## Oorang

erik.van.geit = _Pirate Jim the Back-Stabber_


----------



## Greg Truby

Um...yes...  ...scroll up five posts from this post...whom did you think I meant?...


----------



## HalfAce

An' I be Filthy Maurice Bonny

(The filthy part I can understand, but "_Maurice_"???!)


----------



## texasalynn

ok and I'm
Doubloon Swallowin' Beatrice
Eh?????


----------



## Oorang

> Um...yes...  ...scroll up five posts from this post...whom did you think I meant?...


Arghhh too much rum, me mate!


----------



## erik.van.geit

gentle-rats & laydizz,

You talks about names. Is kinda related to avatars.
Nicknames, nickatars, piratenames, piranhavatars

I hope Tiny Jim Teach is keeping an eye on this. or perhaps Tiny Hayley Teach.
(funny: moderator translated as Teach)

So yeh all still invit'd to show y'r face, be it hurt by hook or crocodile, doesn't matter as long it's yours   

Yarrr!
Cpt'n Erik


----------



## Darren Bartrup

Joined at last!

'Twas taken 940 years ago when I invaded this fair land with the Lord William the Conq'.

And for all you living in or near Sussex we'll be doing it again 14th-15th October at Battle Abbey - be there to defend yourselves you Saxon lowlifes.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.9065

http://hastings.vikingsonline.org.uk/


----------



## Greg Truby

Ah, lookie, someone for _hatman_ to play with...


----------



## hatman

M'lord, tis grand to see a fellow warrior in full battle regalia!


----------



## Darren Bartrup

Nothing like being woken at 8 in the morning for a day of mindless violence to clear the hangover (mind the children though - they're viscious!)


----------



## riaz

Is this a private party, or can anyone join in?


----------



## hatman

According to Erik's original requirements...


> to become a member of DRAFT
> (Displaying Real Avatars on Forum Team)
> 
> the only requirement is ...
> to display your own face as avatar


... you already are.  WELCOME!


----------



## erik.van.geit

OK, guys & galls,

my previous avatar was more than 3 years old
this is my "real" face at 14th of October
It's difficult getting a decent display reducing to 90by90 pixels.

Last week a friend took some pictures to put in local newspapers to anounce a pianoconcert - I will play "4-mains" (4 hands) with one of my best friends (former pupil), don't know if this french term "quatre-mains" is used in english.
One of the major requirements to play quatre-mains is, you should really like each other, because giving concerts means rehearsing together for many, many hours & playing very close to each other. It's about the same feeling you get when sitting with 3 on 2 chairs.

If you are in Belgium on 11th of March and like Mozart, Schubert or Debussy, let me know.

greetings from Belgium,
Erik


----------



## Oorang

Good pic I like it better.


----------



## gingerafro

> gingerafro,
> What can we expect on the Board from you ? A before or an after-shot-avatar or ?



...and 6 weeks later (page31), here I am.


----------



## Greg Truby

If that's what passes for an "afro" in the UK then y'all need some more brothers over there.


----------



## erik.van.geit

> gingerafro,
> What can we expect on the Board from you ? A before or an after-shot-avatar or ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and 6 weeks later (page31), here I am.
Click to expand...

thanks for joining !!
let's keep sowing, harvest comes soon or late


----------



## Richard Schollar

> If that's what passes for an "afro" in the UK then y'all need some more brothers over there.



To be fair, he never said the 'afro' was on his head


----------



## Greg Truby

:hacks:
:sputters:
:retching noise: 
:gags on _Wendy's_ "breakfast burrito":

Eeewwww!!!


----------



## Oorang




----------



## Richard Schollar

> :hacks:
> :sputters:
> :retching noise:
> :gags on Wendy's "breakfast burrito":
> 
> Eeewwww!!!



Got a hair caught in your throat, Mr Truby?


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

I'm in...!


----------



## erik.van.geit

yeah !

your signature


> Two heads are better than one!


obviously in this thread one is enough


----------



## Richard Schollar

Welcome in Jon!

OK, tricky question to answer, but how many DRAFTees do we have now?


----------



## erik.van.geit

> Welcome in Jon!
> 
> OK, tricky question to answer, but how many DRAFTees do we have now?


after a check on all pages of this thread, this would be my list
in order of appearance
Oorang
Felix Atagong
Joe Was
andrew93
Barry Katcher
RichardSchollar
Oaktree
Engineer Joe
lenze
firefytr
Greg Truby
LxQ
sweater_vests_rock
NateO
elyzianz
SlinkRN
ktab
GJB
mplees
PA HS Teacher
hatman
JamieDuncan
gingerafro
jcurtoys
riaz
Jon von der Heyden

if you're not in the list, let me know !

this makes 27 members (me included)
26 guys + Janna (jcurtoys)

surely there are a lot of others which have a real avatar
some might be shy to post here 

greetings from Belgium
have a nice sunday (mine already started)
Erik


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

Dankeje wel Erik, baie gaaf!

Rich (BFG) - 28 members ha ha!!!


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

*hic* happy sunday!  I got a good problem...two girls like me and are arguing over me   awsome!!

What about mortgageman?


----------



## Andrew Fergus

Hi Erik

How about starl's latest avatar, btrede, Westphalia and jmckeone?  They haven't formally joined the DRAFT but they qualify....

Andrew



> surely there are a lot of other potential members which have a real avatar


----------



## Richard Schollar

> *hic* happy sunday! I got a good problem...two girls like me and are arguing over me Smile awsome!!



These wouldn't be the same Betty and Flossy as last time?  You know, the ones on 4 legs who eat grass and go "Baaaaa" intermittently?


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

> These wouldn't be the same Betty and Flossy as last time?  You know, the ones on 4 legs who eat grass and go "Baaaaa" intermittently?



You're just jealous cos you don't get to have these problems anymore, what with the old ball and shackle...!  heh he


----------



## Richard Schollar

> You're just jealous cos you don't get to have these problems anymore, what with the old ball and shackle...! heh he



I'm very comfortable with 'her indoors' bringing me my pipe and slippers each evening...


----------



## texasalynn

ahhh - I'm not on the list?  Because I took off my pic? (BTW too many who know me and it might become an issue)


----------



## erik.van.geit

to all,
I displayed a list of DRAFTees who posted to this thread and have a real avatar (to my sense)
of course posting here isn't a requirement to be a member
this senctence was wrong in my previous post, and I changed it
_surely there are a lot of other potential members which have a real avatar_: indeed, they are not "potential" members, they are real members

I do not have in any way a patent or licence, nor do I have any mandate or power, just trying to use common sense  and pursuing the goal of contributing to the friendly appearance of this Board. For me a "real avatar" is one which you can reasonably expect from that it would allow you to recognize the "owner" in real life.

best regards,
Erik


----------



## Richard Schollar

> I do not have in any way a patent or licence, nor do I have any mandate or power



That joker Truby had me convinced I needed to wire my membership subscription to Erik by the end of the month too.  So, another $100 available to spend on face creams/body rubs/hair gel and other products to make me even more handsome


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

> That joker Truby had me convinced I needed to wire my membership subscription to Erik by the end of the month too.  So, another $100 available to spend on face creams/body rubs/hair gel and other products to make me even more handsome



You could buy a mask for $2.  

Revenge for the Betty and Flossy comment!


----------



## Oorang




----------



## Greg Truby

Nate's been terrorizin' society w/ "real" avatars since long before Erik joined the board and started the DRAFT movement.
That is Tracy's face in that avatar.  The rest is due to my prompting Barry K. into creating it for her. For as long as I've been here, that's the first time I've seen her using an avatar, so I think it's wonderful progress.  Baby steps...
Erik, why'd you let the cat out of the bag?  I almost had Richard convinced that for DRAFT members, the first face was free, but it was £100 for each additional face.  I was tryin' to get ya set up with a nice little subsidy... sheesh...


----------



## Richard Schollar

> You could buy a mask for $2.



Say, seeing as it's Hallowe'en tomorrow, you don't have a spare Von Der Heyden mask kicking about do ya?


----------



## Richard Schollar

...Say, come to think of it, a Truby mask to scare the little ones wouldn't go amiss either!


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

You don't need a mask - your smell alone could disperse crowds!


----------



## Greg Truby

** from dictionary.com **
*pars·nip* (pär'snĭp) 
n. 
A strong-scented plant _(Pastinaca sativa)_ cultivated for its long, white, edible, fleshy root.


> ...your smell alone could disperse crowds!
> -jon van der heyden to richard scholler


Ah, I see... so Richard's original _parsnip_ moniker was not due to a resemblance to white, fleshy roots; but rather based on being strong-scented... thanks for clearing up the mystery, Jon.


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

Exactly!  Or wikipedia.org:


> In the United States, most states have wild parsnip on their list of noxious weeds or invasive species.


and


> Some people can get an allergic reaction from parsnip, and parsnip leaves may irritate the skin.


which explains the rash I got after I saw him last.

I think you're out numbered here Rich!   

Arrr, just kiddin'!  We love you really


----------



## Greg Truby

> ..which explains the rash I got after I saw him last...
> -JvdH


  TMI there buckaroo, *TMI!*


----------



## erik.van.geit

> That is Tracy's face in that avatar.  ....so I think it's wonderful progress.  Baby steps


yes, babe steps indeed


> Erik, why'd you let the cat out of the bag?  I almost had Richard convinced that for DRAFT members, the first face was free, but it was £100 for each additional face.  I was tryin' to get ya set up with a nice little subsidy... sheesh...


if my understanding of this "english" is correct, we were almost partners in business and I missed the chance   
next time throw me a copy when emailing such messages  :wink:


----------



## Richard Schollar

OK people, I think it's time to return to the purpose of this thread and not allow miscreant elements such as Van Den Heyden and Greg to misdirect the topic.  Come on guys! Act your ages!


----------



## Oorang




----------



## Greg Truby

Tosh & tarradiddle!  Mr. Scholler had no problem with this thread meandering off course for a few posts until we touched upon the subject of his aromatic pungency.  Then suddenly he posts this bilgewater about his deep concern for not diverting dear, kind Erik's thread.  A tub of hogwash, says I...


----------



## gingerafro

> Act your ages!



Sorry Richard - by the way who is that carrying you around?  :wink:


----------



## Richard Schollar

I was merely trying to limit the embarrassment and humiliation which will undoubtedly be caused you, Greg, when the audience learns my 'aromatic pungency' as you so kindly put it had been caused by the inadvisable application of your very own recommendation for AfterShave.  I have now desposed of the the remaining contents of the bottle of Eau De CowDung - last time I take advice from a cowboy!


----------



## Richard Schollar

> Sorry Richard - by the way who is that carrying you around?



Everybody's a bloody comedian all at once...


----------



## Greg Truby

> ...I have now desposed of the the remaining contents of the bottle of Eau De CowDung - last time I take advice from a cowboy!
> -rscholler



OK, for the record, what I tol' ya wuz "beware the cow pies, 'cause yer gal will want ya ta knock it off'n yer boots"; not "we wear the cow pies, 'cause yer gal will want ta knock boots." Geez, less'n two fingers o' good ol' Missouri moonshine 'n' these city fellers' ears get all fuzzy...


----------



## hatman

Greg, you forgot the most important advice of all, for the city slickers:

"Dont' whiz on the electric fence."


----------



## Greg Truby

> Greg, you forgot the most important advice of all, for the city slickers:
> "Dont' whiz on the electric fence."
> -hatman


Well, generally speakin' we save that 'til it's too late. 

 100% true story, I did have a classmate back in junior high who lived on a farm and he got tired of his older brother pickin' on him.  So he waited 'til the weekend, when he knew his brother would undoubtedly be returning rather inebriated and he hooked a fence charger up to his brother's wrought iron bed frame.   Sparks flew in lots o' directions, from what we heard tell...


----------



## Oorang

Tough Love


----------



## hatman

One of my co-workers was just sharing a page out of his own teenage years:

Group of regulars around the campfire out in the back-40.  One new guy.  Everyone drinking.  Everyone decides it's time to make room for more drinks, so the regulars line up and point west... but the new guy goes a few feet away and points north.  My co-worker tells him "You don;t want to aim that way" and gets some colorful lenguage telling him to mind his own business.  What he did NOT know was that was the direction of the electric fence... which is why nobody else was aimed that way.  YOWSA!!  Quite electrifying... and painful, I am told.


----------



## Greg Truby

> ... and painful, I am told.


Yup, this is one of those bits of wisdom that I am prepared to take 100% on faith and have 0% inclination to find out for myself...


----------



## hatman

> ... and painful, I am told.
> 
> 
> 
> Yup, this is one of those bits of wisdom that I am prepared to take 100% on faith and have 0% inclination to find out for myself...
Click to expand...


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

Oi that's my story! 
Back in *Africa* as a boy my dad ran electricity through the fences, and they were *barbed*!!!  I know exactly what it feels like!  I also know too well that "water" conducts electricity...  Not an experience I wish on any 6 year old kid!


----------



## Cbrine

hatman,
  Two questions.

1.  Was this learned from experience?
2.  Were you wearing chainmail at the time?


----------



## hatman

1) Never tried this myself... only heard about it... and I agree with Greg that I will trust the experience of others

2)



		Code:
__


sub dont_whizz_on_the_Electric_Fence()

  dim item as person
  dim item2 as garment
  
  for each item in world.people
  
    if item.whizzing = true and item.whizzing.on = "Electric Fence" then

      for each item2 in paul.sasur.clothing
    
        if item2.type = scaMaille then

          msgbox item.firstname & " " & item.lastname & " is whizzing on an electric fence while Paul Sasur is wearing a Chain Maille " & item2.name

          exit for

        end if

        exit for

      next item2

    end if

  next item

end sub


Probably


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

Does Jellen's avatar qualify?


----------



## hatman

Since the man pays the bills, I believe that means that he is automatically a member of EVERY group here, regardless of technicalities.

Of course, he might be a little out of place at a meeting of the Albino Nazi Eskimo contingent of Excel gurus...


----------



## steve case

I had fun manipulating this photo. I have an old straw cowboy hat from a backyard wedding.  Best wedding I've been to.  Anyway it's a self photo done in the bathroom mirror, and I used the tools on good old Microsoft photoeditor to get the old time effect.  Yeah, it's me.
.
.
.
.
.
.


----------



## Smitty

> I had fun manipulating this photo. I have an old straw cowboy hat from a backyard wedding. Best wedding I've been to. Anyway it's a self photo done in the bathroom mirror, and I used the tools on good old Microsoft photoeditor to get the old time effect. Yeah, it's me.



And all this time I thought it was a lithograph of a WWI/II Brit.  (Seriously).

Smitty

Note: as for mine, Cyndi worked hard enough to get Calvin, she said she ain't doing schiznit for another one.  I'll see what I can do.


----------



## Von Pookie

> Note: as for mine, Cyndi worked hard enough to get Calvin, she said she ain't doing schiznit for another one. I'll see what I can do.


No offense to Cyndi intended but: that Calvin icon was *hard* to get?


----------



## Cbrine

It's not that getting a me & Hobb's picture is difficult, it's because we have some many pictures to choose from it's hard to get the right one to reflect Smitty's personality.


----------



## Greg Truby

> ...it's a self photo...and I used the tools on good old Microsoft photoeditor to get the old time effect.  Yeah, it's me.
> -StACase.


Stanley,

Up til now, I'd only been pulling the color out of some digipics to convert them to B&W.  But you've inspired me to play a bit more.

Regards,


----------



## Smitty

> No offense to Cyndi intended but: that Calvin icon was *hard* to get?



Wasn't hard to get Kristy; it was hard getting her to edit it. 

For some reason that my IS dept can't seem to figure out, Photo Editor is corrupt on my laptop, even moving from 2000 to 2003, so I had to have Cyndi PhotoShop it.  (She was not thrilled that I was interrupting her backgammon game as I recall).



> it's because we have some many pictures to choose from it's hard to get the right one to reflect Smitty's personality.



Yup

Smitty


----------



## Richard Schollar

I'm feeling a little back-to-front today - me thinks Mr Katcher has been up to his usual tricks!


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

Great improvement!!!


----------



## Oorang

rofl


----------



## lenze

> (She was not thrilled that I was interrupting her backgammon game as I recall).



If she plays for serious money, you really need to pay me a visit!!!

lenze


----------



## erik.van.geit

Greg reverted back to his "old" beard-avatar

hatman managed to put his nice family in the 60 by 60 pixels

anyone else changing to a christmas-period avatar  ?


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

Who's this strapping handsome young man? 



*Holiday Greetings to Everyone *

I wanted to send some sort of holiday greeting to my friends, but it is so difficult in today's world to know exactly what to say without offending someone. So I met with my attorney yesterday, and on his advice I wish to say the following: 

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, nonaddictive, gender neutral celebration of the summer solstice holiday, practiced with the most enjoyable traditions of religious persuasion or secular practices of your choice with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. 

I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make our country great (not to imply that England is necessarily greater than any other country) and without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee. 

*By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms: *

This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher. 

*Disclaimer: *No trees were harmed in the sending of this message; however, a significant number of electrons were slightly inconvenienced.


----------



## Richard Schollar

> Who's this strapping handsome young man?



I dunno Jon - you're standing in the way of him!


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

> This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal.



Right, that's the 1st withdrawal!  No greetings to you Richard!


----------



## hatman

> hatman managed to put his nice family in the 60 by 60 pixels



Umm, actually, it's 90x90 pixels... which makes it a little better, but not much.


----------



## Greg Truby

I'll repeat here what I explained to hatman yesterday...

As for the avatar: every year, 'long 'bout Thanksgiving-time I splurge and buy meself a new beard. (I know it's a new one 'cause each year the new model has a bit more white than the previous year's.) Since this is the only avatar-sized pic I've got of me w/ my beard, I figured I'd fly this one fer a while.

Paul, like the new Christmas pic; very nice.


----------



## Oorang

/me regrew face-fuzz too. Have to post it up soon.


----------



## hatman

> I'll repeat here what I explained to hatman yesterday...
> 
> As for the avatar: every year, 'long 'bout Thanksgiving-time I splurge and buy meself a new beard. (I know it's a new one 'cause each year the new model has a bit more white than the previous year's.) Since this is the only avatar-sized pic I've got of me w/ my beard, I figured I'd fly this one fer a while.
> 
> Paul, like the new Christmas pic; very nice.



Why Thanksgiving?  My father used to give up shaving for lent when I was a kid... man, was THAT a sacrifice.  if he didn't use a whistle to call them all together, it was sparse indeed.

And thank you for the compliment on the new pic.  I know you are only complimenting me because the ladies compensate for my ugly mug.


----------



## Greg Truby

Well... I wuz gonna suggest cropping that left border 'bout another 30 pixels er so more ta the right... but it bein' Christmas 'n' all, I thought I'd be charitable.

Why Thanksgiving? 'cause I ain't a big fan of shaving to begin with and I normally give my razor the holiday off.  By the time Monday after the holiday rolls around I've already got five days' growth, so why not start then?  A beard is too bloody hot in the summer time -- 104° w/ a beard? blech!  Actually, 'bout late January I'm gettin' tired of the thing; but I dislike shaving so much I'll normally stick with it another few weeks until some time in February when I wash it off.


----------



## Von Pookie

> anyone else changing to a christmas-period avatar Smile ?


There is no way I'm going to try to stick a Santa-hat on my little spastic kitten animation (it took me long enough to get that animation as it is, *now*. Hooray for the print screen button and semi-quick reflexes).

I was going to make a small Christmas-y icon, though. Shouldn't take too much. If I can manage to do it on the PC here at work, should be up sometime today 

Edit: And no, it still won't be a picture of me  (I don't think there are any pictures of me in my Santa Pimp Hat--and it still wouldn't be used, anyway).


----------



## Greg Truby

> Edit: And no, it still won't be a picture of me
> -von bashful



      And to think, all's Erik asked ol' Santy Claus for dis year was a DRAFT-compliant avatar from Kristy and she's grinched him again this year.  He's gonna be jus' awful sad.


----------



## Oorang

I think the nice <img src = "http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/tiere/animal-smiley-025.gif"> needs some <img src = "http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/weihnachten/xmas-smiley-031.gif"> spirit!


----------



## Von Pookie

Bashful has nothing to do with it. I just a) don't want to and b) don't like any pictures of me, anyway. So .

Oorang has the right idea, though. That's exactly what I'm doing--just not with spazzy cat.

Speaking of spazzy cat: 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





Can anyone tell me where he's from? (file renamed just for this. HA.)


----------



## -sam

> Speaking of spazzy cat:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Can anyone tell me where he's from? (file renamed just for this. HA.)



The old LucasArts video game _Sam & Max Hit the Road_


----------



## Von Pookie

Yay! Someone knows it! I'm not the only freak in the room (as it were)! 

And only one more week until Episode 2 of the second game comes out on Gametap. I'm getting impatient at this point...


----------



## HalfAce

> I ain't a big fan of shaving to begin. . .
> - Greg Truby


I hear that.
Last thing I should be doing first thing in the morning is holding a razor to my throat!


----------



## Oorang

> Last thing I should be doing first thing in the morning is holding a razor to my throat!


Well... I think Greg's married


----------



## Greg Truby

Aaron,

If'n yer marriage is such that the phrase "putting a razor to your throat" makes you think of the state of your union; then you need to get a fishin' boat, a tackle box and a big-*** cooler (or --better [and cheaper]-- find a good buddy that has all three).

Now, since this is Erik's thread and he does get a bit persnickety if I drift too far afield -- when can we expect a winter-issue avatar from you?


----------



## Greg Truby

Erik!

Merry Christmas!!!  Now if we can just keep her usin' this one!


----------



## erik.van.geit

thanks for showing me, Geg !

I presume you mean that  texasalynn tries to get closer to the DRAFT-idea ?

who is texasalynn on that pic ?
EDIT   1 mistress and some children


----------



## texasalynn

I thought that was better than the rear head shot of Fairwinds.  

And Erik - mistress?? hmmm I think not.  (Is a pic with the girls I use to teach)


----------



## Greg Truby

Erik,

While technically, you are quite correct:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mistress

And, given your proximity to the UK, where they tend to use "mistress" definitions 1-6 quite frequently, your use of the word is quite understandable.  Unfortunately, you can see by scrolling down to the definition provided by _American Heritage Dictionary_ we tend to focus on the licentious meaning. This would be the cause of A.Lynn's response.  Here, were we to use the term "mistress" we would use the longer form, "schoolmistress". 

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/schoolmistress

That said, I think it's a dandy, pic!


----------



## erik.van.geit

Hi,

You guys and galls in America live in a large area where everybody is speaking approximatively the same language. Greg you are correctly taking into acount we are speaking "British-oriented" english, although last years we see teachers allow more American-english (that's what my eldest son says anyway)

It must be funny sometimes to read my posts  :wink: What could be really confusing when you see me using a "wrong" word: you never know if it's on purpose or not, since I like to play with languages.   

About Dutch-speaking Belgians. (flemmish)
We get french in school from about 9-10 years old. (I grew up in Brussels and got it from 8) English from  about 13yo. My eldest sun who is 16 is getting German course now. You see the picture ? The one who really pays attention in the classroom can speak fluently 2-3 languages and can speak and understand a little bit german. That's why some companies like to have the heart of their business in our very little country.

greetings from Belgium 
Erik

Hmm: seems I went off-topic
any new members who want to present themselves along with a REAL avatar ?
<font face="Courier New" size="+1" color="blue" style="background: url(http://www.balloondoggies.com/vonpookie/misc/sparkle.gif)">WELCOME TO DRAFT !!!!</font>


----------



## Carin

Come on - show your face.


----------



## erik.van.geit

challenging post, Carin,
WELCOME   

since the last list was displayed, we can add *Carin *and a little-avatar *texasalynn *to the DRAFTEES-family



> Come on - show your face.


----------



## Von Pookie

> Come on - show your face



Don't wanna you can't make meeeee


----------



## NateO

> Don't wanna you can't make meeeee


Wanna bet, Pook?   :wink:


----------



## Von Pookie

That's cheating and you know it


----------



## Mark O'Brien

Got some photos of the Pookmeister there, huh Nate?   :wink:  :wink:  :wink:


----------



## Greg Truby

> ...you can't make meeeee
> -von grinchie



She ain't a-kiddin' neither, boys.  I was gonna hijack a pic of pook (a pook-pic?) and fly that as an avatar for a bit, but dere's nary a pic of herself on her buzznet nor livejournal site.  'n' she claims she ain't bashful. ...poppycock...

Erik - did you add Starl to your list of DRAFT members?  I think she counts.


----------



## Von Pookie

> Got some photos of the Pookmeister there, huh Nate?   :wink:  :wink:  :wink:


Not that I'm aware of, he doesn't...


----------



## Mark O'Brien

> Got some photos of the Pookmeister there, huh Nate?   :wink:  :wink:  :wink:
> 
> 
> 
> Not that I'm aware of, he doesn't...
Click to expand...


I think that's his specialty.


----------



## Oorang

Well Nate's a... resourceful guy.


----------



## HalfAce

> Well Nate's a... resourceful guy.


And in this day & age, nothing's impossible.
- Not to mention, if he does put one up just _saying_ it's you, you'll have to put one up of
yourself to prove his isn't!


----------



## Teleute

Hey!

Nice to see some other faces around here!  It certainly does make it feel more comfortable.  Not that I have a problem with avatars, mind you... that can sometimes be a more thorough expression of your personality than an image of your face.  Avatars that change frequently confuse me though, 'cause I identify the post by the avatar, heh.  For us ladies in particular, showing the real face online can be a scary thing, because standard reaction is either "omg hag" or "OOH **** SEXIFIED", neither of which is a desired response.  I like that it feels safe enough here to not have to worry about that.

And thanks muchly to erik.van.geit for the invitation!


----------



## Oorang

Well a lot of us are known on this board by people we also know professionaly. Therefore a certain amount of common sense is in order 


Edit:  But if you want to tell _me_ "OMG U R Teh Hawte!!1!"... It's ok, I understand. I have come to accept it as what happens when people are in my "Awsum Presents".


----------



## erik.van.geit

Hi, Welcome to DRAFT, Teleute !!


> For us ladies in particular, showing the real face online can be a scary thing, because standard reaction is either ...


to my sense what people tell about us, could change our *thoughts *about ourselves, but it does not influence in any way who we really *ARE*
Those are not easy-spoken-words: the last 7 months some people told I'm mad and other stuff of the kind: they even wrote it on an official paper to get rid of me. They didn't succeed to change the fact that I'm NOT mad.

enjoy the BOARD  
and have a nice last-day-of-the-year
Erik


----------



## Greg Truby

> ...It certainly does make it feel more comfortable. ...
> -teleute



Glad to hear that Oorang's avatar didn't give you such a case of the willies as to frighten you away.



> ... I like that it feels safe enough here to not have to worry about that....And thanks muchly to erik.van.geit for the invitation!
> -teleute



Correct, it is an invitation; not a requirement.  We are always pleased when someone feels comfortable enough here to post a DRAFT avatar, but we also don't want anyone to feel pressured into it (well, except Pookie. We relentlessly pressure Kristy.  We know it's futile, but we live in hope.)



> ...For us ladies in particular, showing the real face online can be a scary thing, because standard reaction is either "omg hag" or "OOH **** SEXIFIED", neither of which is a desired response.
> -teleute



I'm sure that probably is the case in most forums.  But if you hang here very much, you'll find that it's more of a meritocracy.  The sexiest avatar in the world won't boost our opinion of you if you post some horrendous VBA or crapola formulae.  Likewise, Erik's and Schollar's MVP status is proof that your mug can never be so shockingly appalling that good work can't overcome it.


----------



## Richard Schollar

> Likewise, Erik's and Scholler's MVP status is proof that your mug can never be so shockingly appalling that good work can't overcome it.



I have a blown up image of Greg in my study that scares my kids half to death - I tell 'em it's what the Boogieman looks like 



EDIT:  and stop intentionally spelling my name wrong Tru*d*y!


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

> and stop intentionally spelling my name wrong Trudy!



Oy!  Dicky!  This is a case of double standards!  How is it that you always spell my name?   :x  Considering - I think *Dicky* is very fitting!


----------



## Richard Schollar

I can't possibly imagine what you mean by that, _Van Den Heiden_


----------



## Oorang

Hey stop being mean to John Van Halen


----------



## Richard Schollar

> Hey stop being mean to John Van Halen


----------



## HalfAce

> the last 7 months some people told I'm mad
> - erik.van.geit


 I don't know about anyone else, but that would make me mad.


----------



## Oorang

> I don't know about anyone else, but that would make me mad.


 HalfAce, that _would_ explain why you've been licking the windows :wink:


----------



## steve case

Maybe  a thread should be started with our real names?  I just noticed over the last several days, that at least one poster thinks I'm Stanley.  

I'm Steve Case, no relation to that guy who owns half of Hawaii and dabbles in internet services.


----------



## erik.van.geit

well, StACase, here you go   
http://www.mrexcel.com/board2/viewtopic.php?t=252527


----------



## Greg Truby

> ...I just noticed over the last several days, that at least one poster thinks I'm Stanley...I'm Steve Case...
> -StACase



Uh, oops,  that'd be me! I would have sworn under oath that I'd seen one or more of your threads signed "Stanley".  'tis a shame, though, I somehow expected senility would be more fun...

In any event, I shan't forget again.  :wink:

And, ummm, Erik, I think most folks that have the mental horsepower of...oh, say, a parsnip... could figure out your real name.


----------



## gingerafro

I thought it was Bartholomew.  Erik - could you consider adopting this so as not to confuse me?


----------



## Richard Schollar

> And, ummm, Erik, I think most folks that have the mental horsepower of...oh, say, a parsnip... could figure out your real name.



You're cruisin' for a bruisin' Truby


----------



## Greg Truby

I actually went back and edited that message just for you, Schollår.    So glad you saw it.  



> ...Bartholomew...
> -gingerafro



As I recall, I was Bart, Erik was Jim the Back-Stabber. :wink:


----------



## HalfAce

> I somehow expected senility would be more fun...
> - G.T.


A bit of wisdom from my gramps. . .
"Senility... don't worry about it boy. When you go senile it ain't _your_ problem."  

And this brings up a question I've had for some time.
When somebody developes Alzheimer's disease, how would they know?


----------



## gingerafro

seems we've all suffered from a little 'DRAFT thread specific' Alzheimers over the last couple of weeks.

Anyway, during this time, everyone seems to be talking about 'tricks of gurus' and 'challenges of the month'  - neither of which I understand despite my best efforts to keep up.  I'll revisit them later when I'm a bit more experienced.

At least here I only have to show my face (or most of it - to cover myself if I change it) to join in.  

Haven't been to the 'reveal name' thread yet.  Don't want to give too much away.  Next it will be address, credit card and pin number.   :wink:


----------



## erik.van.geit

> seems we've all suffered from a little 'DRAFT thread specific' Alzheimers over the last couple of weeks.
> 
> Anyway, during this time, everyone seems to be talking about 'tricks of gurus' and 'challenges of the month'  - neither of which I understand despite my best efforts to keep up.  I'll revisit them later when I'm a bit more experienced.
> 
> At least here I only have to show my face (or most of it - to cover myself if I change it) to join in.
> 
> Haven't been to the 'reveal name' thread yet.  Don't want to give too much away.  Next it will be address, credit card and pin number.   :wink:


very nice post 
yes, there are different kinda threads to suit everyones needs

I hope we'll see some new <font face="Courier New" size="+1" color="blue" style="background: url(http://www.balloondoggies.com/vonpookie/misc/sparkle.gif)">faces</font> here the next days ...


----------



## Greg Truby

On the off chance that anyone (besides Hatman) is curious...

Since, unless one has escaped my notice, we still have no African American members of DRAFT, I decided to switch races for a couple of weeks for my (2nd) annual ode to Black History month. 

Been flying Fredrick Douglass (again) for a bit.  Was gonna finish the month w/ W.E.B. Du Bois.  But Paul inspired me to go for "two for one" since [he claims] it's "National Engineers Week".  So, my current avatar is Norbert Rillieux [1806-1894].


----------



## Oorang

You know now that you mention it... It _does_ seem awfully homogenus around here.


----------



## Greg Truby

> ...It _does_ seem awfully homogenus around here.
> ~oorang


Indeed, I'm willing to bet that all members of DRAFT are of the genus _****._<sup>1</sup> Or did you mean to say "homogeneous"? 
<hr /><sup>1</sup> Example usage: _**** habilis_ is arguably the first species of the _****_ genus to appear.


----------



## Richard Schollar

> ...It _does_ seem awfully homogenus around here.
> ~oorang
> 
> 
> 
> Indeed, I'm willing to bet that all members of DRAFT are of the genus _****._<sup>1</sup> Or did you mean to say "homogeneous"?
> <hr /><sup>1</sup> Example usage: _**** habilis_ is arguably the first species of the _****_ genus to appear.
Click to expand...



There is 100% certainty that you are a large, hairy Ape Greg


----------



## Oorang

Second


----------



## hatman

> Second



You claiming to be the second hairy ape around here Oorang?


----------



## Oorang

Heh, yah. I are baboon


----------



## TiffanyG

I love this message board. It can always make me smile!

 

TiffanyG


----------



## erik.van.geit

> It can always make me smile!


FINE !!
and what do you think would be my typical reply to this statement ??


----------



## TiffanyG

I give up......

Tiffany


----------



## Andrew Fergus

Hi Tiffany

Check out the very post in this thread.

Andrew


----------



## TiffanyG

I must be slow....what thread are you talking about?


----------



## TiffanyG

Oops, I mean what post are you talking about? 

I just meant I enjoy the board.....did Eric take it the wrong way?


----------



## Oaktree

Tiffany:

DRAFT is Erik's movement to encourage board members to upload real pictures of themselves as their avatars.  

We're glad you enjoy the board, Erik's just wondering where your picture is, since you posted to this thread.


----------



## Andrew Fergus

Hi Tiffany

As Oaktree has pointed out, the first post in this very thread you are reading now - see here:
http://www.mrexcel.com/board2/viewtopic.php?t=199272

BTW Erik won't have taken anything the wrong way - he's just teasing you in the hope of getting another DRAFT member.


Andrew



> I must be slow....what thread are you talking about?


----------



## erik.van.geit

time to explain ?


> It can always make me smile!


it's so nice when you tell us you're smiling
I was just wondering how your smile would look like in a real avatar


----------



## Greg Truby

So, Erik, if Tiffany shows us her smile - will we see a DRAFT of you with a big grin?! :wink:


----------



## erik.van.geit

> So, Erik, if Tiffany shows us her smile - will we see a DRAFT of you with a big grin?! :wink:


perhaps the inverse might work better (changed my avatar)
so, Tiffany, if you are still following this thread, you are invited to smile

I really do not have much pictures of myself.
This one was taken in the same photosession: is that what you call a "grin"?


----------



## Oorang

Erik, I like that picture _way_ better. Good choice.


----------



## Greg Truby

Oh good heavens, what have I done!? 

 × 10<sup>10</sup> 

Actually, I love it, Erik!!! But [imho] you shoulda held back until Tiffany gave in and became a DRAFTee.   But, there's no denying you met (and exceeded) the "grin" criteria!


----------



## erik.van.geit

> Oh good heavens, what have I done!?


you did 2 things (at least)
1. you started page 50   
2. you repeated a comment from a friend which knows me as a less serious person than the previous avatar



> × 10<sup>10</sup>


I hope this is not "with sympathy" 



> you shoulda held back until Tiffany gave in


I prefer the liberty: so only "kind encouragement" from my side


----------



## Greg Truby

> ...I hope this is not "with sympathy"...
> ~e.v.g.



Nope.  That, my friend, was sincere.  We use the LOL term and emoticon frequently; but it is rare that whatever-it-was *really* did make us literally laugh out loud.  You new avatar quite literally made me have to stifle a chuckle to avoid getting queer looks from my co-workers.  Keep "spreading the joy", Erik!


----------



## hatman

Erik, I must say that the Grin in your new avatar is infectious... I'm sitting here at work (the last place I want to be as I am recovering from an illness) and yet I can't help but smile.  

Thank You!

And Greg: Nice Hat!


----------



## erik.van.geit

> ...I hope this is not "with sympathy"...
> ~e.v.g.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nope.  That, my friend, was sincere.
Click to expand...

did you really think I didn't know ? :wink:
[breaking my own rules to not appear on a page in this thread more than once]
you called me "my friend" (again): you broke the ice: whenever you need an address in Belgium, feel free to come to Testelt !


----------



## meangreen

Well, I'm a man of my word, so here I am....

Thank you for all of your help.  How was piano practice?


----------



## erik.van.geit

meangreen, WELCOME to DRAFT   


> Well, I'm a man of my word, so here I am....


for those who want to know why you're telling this: see the bottom lines at
http://www.mrexcel.com/board2/viewtopic.php?p=1250244


> if you can figure this out, I will be forever grateful and to show my appreciation I will become a member of DRAFT.





> How was piano practice?


it was fertile   
next concert is March 4th (try-out) and 11th: 4-mains (four hands, so 2 players/1 piano) Mozart, Debussy, Schubert


----------



## Grizlore

mug shot added


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

Welcome!


----------



## erik.van.geit

Hi, Sly, fine you accepted the invitation !

Hi, guys and galls, gurus, visitors, guests, ...

In about 90 minutes this thread will be exactly one year old.
A warm feeling invited me to start it.
Who would have imagined this would be so popular? (it was made "sticky" at about 250 posts)

Coincidence: probably 500th post exactly on 1st anniversary... (this one is 499th)
Who's taking it ?  :wink: 

ENJOY   
warm regards,
Erik


----------



## RichardS

Actually Eric, yours is the 499th *reply*. so it is therefore the 500th *post* to this thread.

Sorry I haven't joined DRAFT, but I don't have an electronic photo of me (that I'm willing tio share).

Cheers

Richard


----------



## TiffanyG

I, too, am looking for a photo.........

TiffanyG


----------



## RichardS

I'm told I look a bit like this bloke, but not as tall. Could be a slight exageration, but it'll give you an idea. Do I qualify?

Richard


----------



## erik.van.geit

> Do I qualify?


you are missing the R to qualify
currently you would be a member of DAFT


----------



## Andrew Fergus

Very funny Erik!  I'm not sure if you were trying to be funny but were you aware of the meaning of daft?  I'm sure there was no malice intended but it made me laugh!

By the way, congratulations on the success of D*R*AFT.


Andrew


----------



## erik.van.geit

thanks for congrats and clarifications

 
aware of the meaning ?
No, not at all !
But now I can laugh with you


----------



## Oorang

That was all the more awesome for being unintentional


----------



## RichardS

And according to those who know me, probably quite appropriate.


----------



## gingerafro

Erik, I think you have the makings of an advertising tag-line

something like:
"If your avatar isn't real, then you're just being DAFT"


----------



## hatman

> Erik, I think you have the makings of an advertising tag-line
> 
> something like:
> "If your avatar isn't real, then you're just being DAFT"


----------



## KenCriss

*Ok, I've been drafted*

Cheers all you board members!


----------



## Richard Schollar

> Erik, I think you have the makings of an advertising tag-line
> 
> something like:
> "If your avatar isn't real, then you're just being DAFT"



Or:

"Don't be DAFT, just join DRAFT!"


----------



## Oorang

Welcome Ken


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

Indeed, welcome!


----------



## erik.van.geit

Welcome, Ken

seems like this thread becomes a forum on it's own 
Jon, that's a nice avatar. I liked the other as well, but this one is more "naturel". Seems like there is a grin-mode these days.
(I hope "grin" is nice english and doesn't sound like "daft"   )


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

Grin is the right word Erik.  Thanks mate.   

And the DAFT comment really cracked me up, hillarious!  Made even better by the fact that it was entirely unintentional.  Hehe 

Looking at Richards avatar I'd say that's more of a snarl than a grin.    Only kiddin' buddeee!


----------



## respree

> Hello, dear member of this board,
> 
> recently some members decided to replace their anonimous avatar by their "real face"
> it is a pleasure to see who we are talking to
> 
> to become a member of DRAFT
> (Displaying Real Avatars on Forum Team)
> 
> the only requirement is ...
> to display your own face as avatar



Erik, up until the time I clicked on your sig, that took me to this thread, I initially thought your 'nice avatar' comment on one of my threads struck me as a bit odd.  But now, after reading this thread, I understand the comment and context.

I think in terms of community building, it helps to make a better connection if people see who they're dealing with.  There are people on other forums whom I've known for years (and might go so far to call some of them my friends), but have a clue what they look like (although, I wish I did).

Anyway, I respect people's desire for privacy, but think your campaign for DRAFT is a good one.


----------



## erik.van.geit

Hi, respree, WELCOME to DRAFT



> Anyway, I respect people's desire for privacy


me too,
so I hope nobody will ever feel "pushed" to join when receiving a little "hint" from my side


----------



## iknowu99

aloha!


----------



## erik.van.geit

> aloha!



nice you joined: I was really curious *"to know you" *!!


----------



## Jaafar Tribak

> Do I qualify?
> 
> 
> 
> you are missing the R to qualify
> currently you would be a member of DAFT
Click to expand...


Hillarious  hahahaha    

As a non english native-speaker, this reminds me of some awkward situations I have unintentionaly put myself into for not knowing the nuances of the language when trying to socialise with english collegues.  

Can be embarrassing but I love the funny side of it


----------



## Greg Truby

Eek!  What the _____?  
Hmmmm...

Start | All Programs | Accessories | Accessibility | Magnifier | Magnification level up, up, up

Geez, I still can't tell.   Is that actually a mustache there under Aaron's [Oorang] nose?  And it almost looks like that just might be a hint of a goatee? Or is that just a smudge?


----------



## hatman

Looks like a mustache... but I can only tell for sure because it reminds me of one of my Ex-Girlfriends.


----------



## erik.van.geit

And do I see a beard too ?
Strange, you offer a closer look to your personality  and we are asking clarification  :wink: 

Greg, can you turn a bit your face, so we can check out your attributes. (suspecting these last words could put me _"unintentionaly in awkward situations")_: to speak with Rafaaj)

Hillary-ous Clinton-uous


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

OMG - Aaron, are you ok?  Are you taking something for it?    Only kiddin'!

I don't like having my picture taken - as this photographer discovered shortly after taking this pic!  Grrrrrr!!!!


----------



## Oorang

I feel fine... Do I look funny?


----------



## Greg Truby

Must be on his way to meet Richard for a pint.


----------



## Richard Schollar

Keep talkin' Truby and I'm gonna hafta beat you worse 'an if you were a red-headed step-child


----------



## Greg Truby

> I feel fine... Do I look funny?
> ~Oorang



Nope, I'd say ya look about the same.


----------



## hatman

> I feel fine... Do I look funny?
> ~Oorang
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nope, I'd say ya look about the same.
Click to expand...


I disagree: he obviously got contacts since he is no longer wearing glasses.  I can't quite decide whether he look sbetter with or without the glasses...


----------



## crosseyedanddrueling

I just posted my real face avatar....what the heck! maybe my sappy face will gain me some simpathy and the "Excel Gods" that frequent this site will be more willing to help me with my "Excel For Dummies" questions...I am now a proud DRAFT member!


----------



## erik.van.geit

WELCOME !!

to my sense your avatar suits completely your signature
(please bear with this english)


> If your not having fun....your not doing it right!


----------



## macleanb

*DAFT DRAFT*

I was just wondering if Richard Schollar's Dad knows he is running a sucessful IT consultancy from his back?


----------



## Oorang

What are you inferring?


----------



## macleanb

take alook at his pic - Richards the guy on the left, right?


----------



## erik.van.geit

> take alook at his pic - Richards the guy on the left, right?


   

now which guy are you: ready to show it?
remember the purpose of this thread


----------



## macleanb

That's unfair pressure!  And in retaliation - you get the only pic I have from my office phone book.


----------



## Peter_SSs

> take alook at his pic - Richards the guy on the left, right?


An interesting comment as some months back Richard modified his avatar briefly by carefully swapping the two heads in the picture and he *was* the one on the left for a while!

Erik: I know, I know... I'm thinking about it... but you can't rush these important decisions.


----------



## macleanb

I cant remember when - but I am sure Erik used to have a paler, less "well fed & happy" avatar ?


----------



## erik.van.geit

> I cant remember when - but I am sure Erik used to have a paler, less "well fed & happy" avatar ?


WELCOME as a "real" DRAFTee 

The previous one was taken for "very official" purposes. They made it at the company where I was hired to train people using my own Excelproject.
The current one was taken by a friend when I was preparing a pianorecital. Music in the air


----------



## Oorang

> I cant remember when - but I am sure Erik used to have a paler, less "well fed & happy" avatar ?


Yah I definatly like this one better.


----------



## Peter_SSs

OK Erik, since it is two years today since I joined the Mr Excel community, and it is a while since there has been a new DRAFT member, I thought it time to dig out a photo. I'm in.


----------



## erik.van.geit

nice, Peter !!

Recently I noticed again more members displaying real avatars, so they are already semi-DRAFTS.
Afraid (or hoping ) this could sound again as hilarious as "DAFT" a while ago 

To my sense you are the first formulaguru to post his real pic. Your example might inspire others.

kind regards,
Erik


----------



## Gates Is Antichrist

I haven't been monitoring the thread - but is something going on with NateO?


----------



## erik.van.geit

just a temporary desease
I've read somewhere else (think it was Richard Schollar) that he did take too much oestrogen


----------



## absquatulation

Am I allowed to join with this avatar? I normally do look quite yellow,  and a bit jaundiced. Doh.

Simon


----------



## shades

After all these years, I suppose I could provide something. Teaching at our National Convention in June.


----------



## Richard Schollar

Welcome to the club Shades!  A welcome DRAFT because you're no longer DAFT!!!


----------



## shades

Yeah, I have been called, daft, old, slow, confused, inconsistent (although not incontinent, yet), and a few other things. So, good that I am DRAFTED, eh?


----------



## goldenvision

I've changed mine from a dog in a pimp suit to my ugly mug.  Personally I prefer the dog


----------



## brian.wethington

Personally, it was not so much that I cared too much about having my picture on the internet... it was more along the lines that I did not want to take the time to do it before.. I am pretty much open with my realness. 

*Btw, this also pretty much proves how serious I am about my laziness as well.* 
LOL


----------



## erik.van.geit

> *Btw, this also pretty much proves how serious I am about my laziness as well.*


At MrExcel you started by doing what's necessary, but now you did the impossible. 
Welcome at DRAFT!!


----------



## brian.wethington

Thank you Erik.


----------



## hatman

Erik... I hope that I can still remain a member even though my face doesn't technically appear in this shot.  You see, Madeleine is just so PRECIOUS in this shot... 

I promise, I'll get my ugly mug back up in a few days or a week... 

Yes... before you ask, it's a real butterfly.  For those of you near Western Mass, this is the place we were at, for her Second B-Day.


----------



## Patience

I believe finally I have been able to upload a me avatar...

Edit: Yay! That is me on the left, btw.


----------



## erik.van.geit

Finally again a lady to join DRAFT!
Welcome, Patience


----------



## jofnn

I've updated mine... so can I qualify :D

lol


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

Welcome


----------



## ADAMC

Proud to be a member


----------



## schielrn

Figure I could maybe join.


----------



## hatman

A big WELCOME to both of you.

Patience... is that a photograph of someone in your avatar picture???!!!  I have to ask... wa sthe third party unable to make it?  Or has this photo just been shrunk so far that my eyes are playing tricks??


----------



## Patience

< bes confused... yes, it is me, with Jason Donovan, and a book with a face on it... Third party? Sorry, I don't understand!?


----------



## hatman

> < bes confused... yes, it is me, with Jason Donovan, and a book with a face on it... Third party? Sorry, I don't understand!?



I couldn't make out that he was holding a book.  I was referring to the picture that is on that book... with the resolution of the image, it looks like he is holding a photograph.  I was trying to figure out why someone would take a photograph of two people holding a photograph of a third.


----------



## Patience

Aha! Now your 



> wa sthe third party unable to make it?



makes sense!


----------



## lilredsrt

Ok, well I'm a definite newby but I figured I'd join in anyway.
Hope no one minds.
Pic my daughter snapped while we were driving in my Jeep with the front windshield down.


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

Welcome!


----------



## Richard Schollar

Welcome Lilredsrt!  Always good to welcome new members!


----------



## Stormseed

> yes, sometimes we have to die to come alive



that is indeed a witty response


----------



## Richard Schollar

Aha! Another DRAFTee   Welcome Stormseed!


----------



## Stormseed

> Welcome Stormseed!



It's a pleasure


----------



## erik.van.geit

Hi, Stormseed,
WELCOME!!

I noticed yours and other "new avatars" on the Board, probably due to the fact that a lot of people go into their profile these days, since the New Board is launched.

best regards,
Erik

NOTE:
I'm not the TOP1 poster in this thread: it is Greg Truby!
Did you guys already find out how easy it is to know that with the New Board software?


----------



## daniels012

I have n ever been able to figure out how to get my picture small enough.

I guess I got it!

Michael


----------



## Richard Schollar

Michael - welcome to the DRAFT!


----------



## daniels012

Thank you Richard,
You always have kind words to say.  As well as very good solutions to problems on this site.

Michael


----------



## Greg Truby

Is it my imagination or have Brian, Tom & Russell recently joint the DRAFT?


----------



## daniels012

Yes, I think you are right!  I know I have seen Tom for sure


----------



## caringsharingbristolbilly

Just a quick philosophical point (and I've only read the first 5 and the last 5 pages of this so apologies if you've covered this ground already)...

The reason why I'm a DRAFT-dodger is because (a) I'm not hugely active on here compared to some of the rest of you, but mostly (b) because I feel an avatar is actually more representative of someone's personality than their face. 

I say this for the same reason it drives me nuts when you meet someone and their first question is "what do you do for a living?". What I do for a living has little bearing on who I am inside. I work as a data analyst (since you ask  ) but actually I'm a frustrated film-score writer. I'm sure this forum is full of people who are frustrated actors, ballet dancers and artists.

So, what I'm saying is that picking an avatar is a very personal thing. You've picked it out of the trillions of pictures you could've chosen. It's far more representative of your personality than the visage that your genetics and no. of times falling off their BMX have given you. 

In a way, that's one of things I like about the internet. It's not the anonymity that makes it fun, quite the opposite. I think it gives us _more_ opportunity to be ourselves, away from the expectations and prejudices of others, than the outside world. 

Anyway, those are just my musings on the subject because I've got no work to do... :D

If you choose to show your face, I applaud you. If you choose to have an avatar instead, I applaud you equally. If you choose not to have either, well then you're simply not trying and I boo and hiss at you...  But at the end of the day, we're all showing who we are by trying to help people out and be civic-minded, and that's the best picture I have of everyone on here. 

Much love,
Alex.

PS. Oh, crap. I've just realised I've not even used my real name on here! Sorry Erik!!! :D


----------



## corinereyes

kjharve said:


> Unfortunately, this suit is my life support system. I would have to die to show you my real avatar!



I just read this, its really funny! What an informative forum this is! Happy New Year Guys... Em i already a member of the DRAFT?


----------



## erik.van.geit

corinereyes said:


> Em i already a member of the DRAFT?


Yes, you are 
When I saw your [SIZE=+1]<font style="background: url(http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/4327/sparklebi4.gif)" face="Courier New" size="+1" color="purple">eyes</font> [/SIZE]half an hour ago, it was my hope you would join here!

WELCOME, coriner*eyes *!


----------



## corinereyes

Thanks Erik!

I dont know why i became a spreadsheet forum addict, Can't find any cure..tsk tsk tsk


----------



## Stormseed

caringsharingbristolbilly said:


> but actually I'm a frustrated film-score writer. I'm sure this forum is full of people who are frustrated actors, ballet dancers and artists.



well, Alex...according to you I am a struggling and frustrated **** star ! LOL :D


----------



## schielrn

erik.van.geit said:


> NOTE:
> I'm not the TOP1 poster in this thread: it is Greg Truby!
> Did you guys already find out how easy it is to know that with the New Board software?


Erik,

How do you tell who is the top poster within a thread?


----------



## erik.van.geit

<TABLE class=tborder id=threadslist cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=6 width="100%" align=center border=0><TBODY id=threadbits_forum_23><TR><TD class=alt1 id=td_threadtitle_191726 title='Hello, dear member of this board,

recently some members decided to replace their anonimous avatar by their "real face"
it is a pleasure to see who...'>Sticky: invitation to become a member of DRAFT (
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



1 2 3 ... Last Page) 
erik.van.geit 
</TD><TD class=alt2 title="Replies: 581, Views: 63,001">Today 05:22 AM
by schielrn 

​</TD><TD class=alt1 align=middle>581</TD><TD class=alt2 align=middle>63,001</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

click on the number of replies


----------



## Richard Schollar

Ooh, ooh! Just had to post one more to trump Dan!!!!!  You are *soooooooooooooooooooooo* behind me HalfAce!!!!


----------



## Richard Schollar

...and Hatman gets overtaken - eat my dust Paul!!!!


----------



## Domski

Eric,

I've put this off long enough.

I'll join you....

Dom


----------



## Richard Schollar

Welcome to the club Dom


----------



## Von Pookie

erik.van.geit said:


> click on the number of replies



Now THAT is a neat trick that I didn't know about at all.


----------



## hatman

RichardSchollar said:


> ...and Hatman gets overtaken - eat my dust Paul!!!!



Huh, what?  When did this become a contest?  And how did I ever have enough time to post that many replies in any thread?

Though you have a long way to go to catch Truby... and what's he doing up there with Erik, anyway?


----------



## hatman

Von Pookie said:


> Now THAT is a neat trick that I didn't know about at all.



Neat trick, true, but have you figured out how he did it?


----------



## Domski

> Though you have a long way to go to catch Truby


 
You should know by now that Grand Master Truby is in a class of his own when it comes to heading off topic and generally whittering on  (no offence obviously Greg).


----------



## hatman

Domski said:


> You should know by now that Grand Master Truby is in a class of his own when it comes to heading off topic and generally whittering on  (no offence obviously Greg).



True dat, yo... Homey Gee.

That's part of Greg's Charm 

And somehow, he manages to do it without really upsetting as many people as one might expect...


----------



## Greg Truby

hatman said:


> ...and what's he doing up there with Erik, anyway?


Ermmmm, co-hosting?  I mean it's Erik's party 'n' all; but someone has to keep the guests entertained while they screw up their courage to join Erik's lil' club. 

And while I'm here... we'll be coming up on black history month again soon. Gotta do Frederick Douglas again; at least for a short while. But I need a good alternate historical black figure too. I've used W.E.B. Du Bois & Norbert Rillieux in the past. I entertained the notion of using Barack Obama since he's _making_ black history as we speak; but I fear it might be taken as a political statement. So, any suggestions?


----------



## Domski

Bob Marley !


----------



## hatman

Crispus Attucks.  Definitely.







He even kinda lookslike you, Greg


----------



## Oorang

Yes, well one can only hope the fates are a wee bit kinder to dear old Greg


----------



## Greg Truby

Thanks, Paul.  That's a definite possibility!  Good historical story and the name is certainly exceptional.  I'm also entertaining using Harriet Tubman.  But leaning towards a local hero here in KC, Buck O'Neil.  He passed away a few months ago.  But my son got to meet him personally when his class took a tour of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.


----------



## hatman

Greg Truby said:


> Thanks, Paul.  That's a definite possibility!  Good historical story and the name is certainly exceptional.  I'm also entertaining using Harriet Tubman.  But leaning towards a local hero here in KC, Buck O'Neil.  He passed away a few months ago.  But my son got to meet him personally when his class took a tour of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.



Yeah, the local hero is the angle that made me think of Crispus... being that it happenned right here is Boston (not that we consider Boston to be that close, being about 80 miles from my house).


----------



## Domski

He's got to be a yank then?


----------



## Greg Truby

Domski said:


> He's got to be a yank then?


Not necessarily.  Just historically significant.  The "black history month" is a U.S. thing, AFAIK.  I just noticed some time ago that there aren't a lot (ok, none that I've seen) black members of DRAFT.  So, for Black History Month (February), I try to fly an avatar that might prompt someone to learn a bit of history they otherwise wouldn't.  Don't know if it works for anyone else; but it does prompt _me_ to do something I normally don't.


----------



## hatman

Greg Truby said:


> Not necessarily.  Just historically significant.



Or did he mean that Cripus is a Yank?  That's also a not necessarily.  Not much is known about Crispus... he may have been passing through on his travels... he may have been an escaped slave... don't know.



Greg Truby said:


> The "black history month" is a U.S. thing, AFAIK.  I just noticed some time ago that there aren't a lot (ok, none that I've seen) black members of DRAFT.  So, for Black History Month (February), I try to fly an avatar that might prompt someone to learn a bit of history they otherwise wouldn't.  Don't know if it works for anyone else; but it does prompt _me_ to do something I normally don't.



Although I thought it was a little weird, the first time I saw the avatar adjustments, once I discovered the reason behind it, I thought to myself "That's kinda cool... never would have thought of it myself, but it certainly raised my own awareness, good for him!"


----------



## hatman

Jelly Roll Morton:






Dred Scott:





Rosa Parks:


----------



## Greg Truby

You know, I don't think I've ever seen a photo of Rosa Parks as a young woman. (Rosa Parks always makes me think of _Brown v Topeka Board of Education_ for some reason.) Is that MLK in the background?

"Jelly Roll" Morton?  A contemporary of "Fats" Domino & "Chubby" Checker, no doubt... 

And -- easy as can be -- my ulterior objective is attained: _Hatman_ has a [legitimate] five- to six-post lead on Schollār.


----------



## hatman

Greg Truby said:


> And -- easy as can be -- my ulterior objective is attained: _Hatman_ has a [legitimate] five- to six-post lead on Schollār.



Huh, what are you talking about?  

I'm just pluggin' along, same as Alladin and Norie


----------



## Richard Schollar

I


----------



## Richard Schollar

think


----------



## Richard Schollar

you'll


----------



## Richard Schollar

find


----------



## Richard Schollar

you


----------



## Richard Schollar

are


----------



## Richard Schollar

wrong,


----------



## hatman

Greg Truby said:


> You know, I don't think I've ever seen a photo of Rosa Parks as a young woman. (Rosa Parks always makes me think of _Brown v Topeka Board of Education_ for some reason.) Is that MLK in the background?
> 
> "Jelly Roll" Morton?  A contemporary of "Fats" Domino & "Chubby" Checker, no doubt...



I assumed that was MLK in the background, myself.  You can get two in one shot, with this one.

I think Jelly Roll pre-dated Fats Domino and Chubby Checker.  He helped to make them what they became (not just large).


----------



## Richard Schollar

Greg!


----------



## hatman

RichardSchollar said:


> Greg!




I think I interrupted you.


----------



## hatman

RichardSchollar said:


> Greg!




What were you saying?


----------



## Greg Truby

hatman said:


> Huh, what are you talking about?


 
I'm referring to Scholląr's quip here:





RichardSchollar said:


> ...and Hatman gets overtaken - eat my dust Paul!!!!


 
regarding posts on this specific thread.


----------



## Richard Schollar

No worries Paul 

Any ol' reason to pad my post count


----------



## hatman

RichardSchollar said:


> No worries Paul
> 
> Any ol' reason to pad my post count




It's people like you who make me look like someone else.

No, that's not what I meant.

It's people like you who make me look behind me.

No, still not right.

It's people like you who make me look... oh, whetever


----------



## Greg Truby

hatman said:


> What were you saying?


Scroll up, Paul. 
I figgered Richård would be feeding the baby or asleep in front of the tele... Damń it all anyway...


----------



## hatman

Is it just me, or have the last round of E-Mail notifications been linking several pages back in the thread, and not to the post that generated the notification?


----------



## Richard Schollar

***Richard (note the friggin' spelling!!!!) takes aim at Truby's head with a large marshmallow gun***

*Boom!!!!!!!!!!!*

Truby has been marshmallowed.  'Nuff said.


----------



## Greg Truby

hatman said:


> Is it just me, or have the last round of E-Mail notifications been linking several pages back in the thread, and not to the post that generated the notification?


On my e-mail notifications I get an argument _...goto=newpost_. 

It may be this _goto_ that - in conjunction with vbBulletin's tracking of the last post you read - is causing it to jump to a post higher up the thread that you might think. I also don't know what impact the mode (Linear, Hybrid, Threaded) would have.

You know, I'm beginning to fear poor ol' Erik's gonna need a good twenty minutes of soothing music to calm his nerves when he sees just how far afield I've gone this time...


----------



## hatman

So Greg, it just occurred to me that your location has a syntactical error in it... I think.  In the longitude notation, I think you use W or E rather than + or -.  By writing -94..W, I think you are implying +94..E (double negative), which puts you out in China somehwere.  As it stands, removing the negative, Google Earth is putting you somewhere in western Missouri (Platte County)... that doesn't seem right either.


----------



## Greg Truby

RichardSchollar said:


> ...(note the friggin' spelling!!!!)...


Fine. Henceforth thou art Richard. But don't come whining to me when Daniel Craig no longer invites you to "pop down to Mallorca for a long weekend of sand, surf and _chicas calientes_" and _Dancing with the Stars_ quits calling, asking for your expert handicapping on the upcoming season.



hatman said:


> ...In the longitude notation, I think you use W or E rather than + or -. By writing -94..W, I think you are implying +94..E (double negative), which puts you out in China somehwere. As it stands, removing the negative, Google Earth is putting you somewhere in western Missouri (Platte County)... that doesn't seem right either.


 
Yup, part of KC is in Platte County, Missouri. 

I originally put just: 39° 17' 15" N, 94° 40' 26" W w/o the minus sign. But if you put +94 degrees into mapquest you end up in north western China. So yes, a minus sign does inherently tell one West. I left the "W" just to clarify for anyone who wouldn't know this from the minus sign; but yes, I suppose one could interpret it as a double-negative. I reckon we'd need a cartographer to tell us if one leaves off the "W" when one includes the minus.


----------



## Domski

I think I may have been right to avoid this thread in the first place. Must work out how to tell my phone to not notify me when I get a reply from any of you guys


----------



## Domski

> I reckon we'd need a cartographer to tell us if one leaves off the "W" when one includes the minus.


 
I reckon we need a psychoanalyst to judge whether any of you are sane!!!!


----------



## hatman

Domski said:


> I reckon we need a psychoanalyst to judge whether any of you are sane!!!!



That may but I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.  Even better, I'd rather have a free bottle in front of me than a pre-frontal lobotomy.


----------



## Domski

I'd rather have a nice girl's bottom in front of me but hey, each to their own .


----------



## hatman

Domski said:


> I'd rather have a nice girl's bottom in front of me but hey, each to their own .



As much as I'd like to respond to this, I'm afraid that things would go downhill faster than the admins could keep up.  So I'll just close by saying that I'm a happily married man whose wife just happens to have a very attractive bottom.


----------



## Domski

Was not meant as a derogatory slur by any means! Just a preference against someone playing about with my, albeit small, brain.


----------



## hatman

Domski said:


> Was not meant as a derogatory slur by any means! Just a preference against someone playing about with my, albeit small, brain.



Just another example of sewer that my own mind lives in


----------



## erik.van.geit

_My english seems not good enough to understand the deeper meaning of all jokes on the last few pages. I hope you all had a good time _

_Let me quote the first post of this thread._
_(updated the last 3 lines)_



Hello, dear member of this board,

recently some members decided to replace their anonimous avatar by their "real face"
it is a pleasure to see who we are talking to 

to become a member of *DRAFT*
(*D*isplaying *R*eal *A*vatars on *F*orum *T*eam)

the only requirement is ...
to display your own face as avatar 

_we love you the way you are_

God bless you!
Erik

to change your avatar
Click *User CP* on the Blue Toolbar then "Edit Avatar"
or simply use this link: Edit Avatar


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

Nice tan Truby!!!  Been soaking up the sun in the Bahama's again eh?


----------



## Greg Truby

Jon von der Heyden said:


> Nice tan Truby!!! Been soaking up the sun in the Bahama's again eh?


Truth be told, I've always been this color. It's just that Schollar kept nailing me his marshmallow gun every time I got creative on the spelling of his name. It was only recently that we negotiated an unstable cease-fire and so I've been able to scrub up... 

If you want the actual scoop, you'll have to scroll back a page (or more depending on your settings). If you aren't American you might not recognize Dr. Martin Luther King. But I figured I'd fly his pic for the days between his actual b-day (1/15) and Martin Luther King Day (1/21).


----------



## Oorang

rofl At first I thought Greg was joking about that marshmallow gun... But then it turns out, that it's a real thing.

I wonder how hard it'd be to sell them to the military?


----------



## hatman

Greg Truby said:


> Truth be told, I've always been this color. It's just that Schollar kept nailing me his marshmallow gun every time I got creative on the spelling of his name. It was only recently that we negotiated an unstable cease-fire and so I've been able to scrub up...
> 
> If you want the actual scoop, you'll have to scroll back a page (or more depending on your settings). If you aren't American you might not recognize Dr. Martin Luther King. But I figured I'd fly his pic for the days between his actual b-day (1/15) and Martin Luther King Day (1/21).



Yo Greg... after all that talk about Black History month, and debates over whose avatar you would fly, I'm disappointed to still see your ugly mug on the 6th day of the month.


----------



## Greg Truby

hatman said:


> Yo Greg... after all that talk about Black History month, and debates over whose avatar you would fly, I'm disappointed to still see your ugly mug on the 6th day of the month.


A pox upon me for a forgetful lout! I was traveling on business all last week. And have been playing _"find the bottom of the e-mail inbox and run my 1,001 month-end Excel jobs"_ since then. Anyway that's the excuse I'm gonna go with. Thanks fer the reminder!

(Went with a pic of Buck O'Neil, BTW.)


----------



## hatman

So you decided to go with someone local

I suppose I'll join your group....  BTW: what are you calling it?

I'll also stick with someone local... which in my case is a yank


----------



## Greg Truby

hatman said:


> I suppose I'll join your group.... BTW: what are you calling it?


 
Up until now I was the only member of the club. As for a "DRAFT"-like acronym? I'm open to ideas. 

After pondering several, about the best I can drum up are:

BAM = Black Avatar Month     -or-
AHAA = Avatars of Historical African Americans.


----------



## hatman

Greg Truby said:


> Up until now I was the only member of the club. As for a "DRAFT"-like acronym? I'm open to ideas.
> 
> After pondering several, about the best I can drum up are:
> 
> BAM = Black Avatar Month     -or-
> AHAA = Avatars of Historical African Americans.



BAM!
That's got a certain pizzazz.

Displaying African Avatars Movement (DAAM) ?
Historical African American Avatar Month (HAAAM) ?
Someone Posing as an African American Month (SPAAM) ?


----------



## Greg Truby

SPAAM. I rather like that one; both the tongue-in-cheek acronym and the definition.

Also pondering:

Building Awareness by Means of Black Avatars Month (BAMBAM)


----------



## hatman

Should we open the floor?


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

I think you guys are MAAAD

Members of the African American Avatar Display!!!


----------



## erik.van.geit

now, you guys can see how long it can take to find a good name for something 

strange you are talking so much about black people these days: I just met a nice black person this week, who ... hmm, no, that's "again" off topic

this thread is getting huge, should be a record, not?
I hope new members will join. Couldn't we send invitations


----------



## Stormseed

Domski said:


> I think I may have been right to avoid this thread in the first place. Must work out how to tell my phone to not notify me when I get a reply from any of you guys



well...we think alike ! Dom, u might have replied the above in the form of cracking a joke...neverthless I am so serious abt this one !!

now....i can't figure out a way to stop email notifications for a reply on this thread...earlier used to enjoy reading about replies on this thread...nowadays most of all people are engaged in their own personal responses...nothing in general...bored of this thread now


----------



## schielrn

Stormseed/Domski,

You could always unsubscribe from the thread?


----------



## Stormseed

schielrn said:


> Stormseed/Domski,
> 
> You could always unsubscribe from the thread?


ok...cool !

It never struck my mind tho  thanks for the input, Schielrn.


----------



## vicber

erik.van.geit said:


> this thread is getting huge, should be a record, not?
> I hope new members will join. Couldn't we send invitations


 
Hi guys, and ladies!
I have been semi-drafted since a while, and never showed up here, so here I am, and participating to the record breaking !!

Bernard


----------



## Alphacsulb

Can someone help me resize this picture so that it can be my avatar, I cant resize it correctly and it gets blurry.







Also, HELLO to all.


----------



## erik.van.geit

Bernard, WELCOME !!

Julia, WELCOME !!


----------



## Richard Schollar

Welcome to both of you!


----------



## Oorang

Welcome  !


----------



## erik.van.geit

Hi, guys,

Don't you think that Greg Truby needs to resubmit his membership?
Who can recognise him in that "Pool Boy"?

Love you, Greg 
Erik


----------



## Greg Truby

erik.van.geit said:


> Love you, Greg


A-hem... I'd be a whole lot more comfortable w/ you saying that if'n I weren't sportin' a Speedo whilst you said it!


----------



## Oorang

I would have been a whole lot more comfortable in general without that information


----------



## Expiry

I added a photo of myself, last night. I was searching for hours for an appropriate picture that wasn't going to send you all crazy with desire. 

I think I managed it.


----------



## DrewBenson

I would love to join DRAFT....

I am now searching for a suitable picture......

Watch this space... or actually that space just to the left


----------



## Alphacsulb

Welcome!


----------



## DrewBenson

Told you so......


----------



## schielrn

Welcome Drew and Alphacsulb!


----------



## Eruantano

Have I joined?
Do I fit in?


Ah yes... a place I can call... HOME.


----------



## erik.van.geit

Eruantano said:


> Have I joined?
> Do I fit in?
> 
> 
> Ah yes... a place I can call... HOME.


Hi,

See the first post in this thread: you'll know what to do to join and fit.

warm regards,
Erik


----------



## Eruantano

erik.van.geit said:


> Hi,
> 
> See the first post in this thread: you'll know what to do to join and fit.
> 
> warm regards,
> Erik


 
Lol, thanks!
This site is awesome.  I R B Happy.


----------



## Oorang

Hmmm, you know it wasn't an option on the previous board to have your pic on your profile but not your avatar. Where do you stand on that Eric?


----------



## SydneyGeek

Looks like I finally joined up! Better late than never...

Denis


----------



## erik.van.geit

SydneyGeek said:


> Looks like I finally joined up! Better late than never...
> 
> Denis


GREAT, DENIS !!!!!!!!!

Oorang, I feel that the face must be visible to be member.


----------



## Greg Truby

erik.van.geit said:


> Oorang, I feel that the face must be visible to be member.


 
Erik -- that *is* Oorang's face!


----------



## Oorang

And it's taken 17 surgeries just to get here!


----------



## hatman

I think you should get a refund


----------



## Oorang

hatman said:


> I think you should get a refund


Well when they stop you on the street and offer to provide help for free because "no one should have to live that way"...


----------



## hatman

Must have been in Albequerque?


----------



## Oorang

hatman said:


> Must have been in Albequerque?


/me doesn't get the reference.


----------



## hatman

For some reason, my brain associated your statement with some lyrics from a Weird Al Song:



> That's when I swore that someday
> Someday I would get outta that basement and travel to a magical, far away place
> Where the sun is always shining and the air smells like warm root beer
> And the towels are oh so fluffy
> Where the Shriners and the lepers play their ukuleles all day long
> And anyone on the street will gladly shave your back for a nickel


----------



## Oorang

OK I have never heard that song before. So I looked it up and listened to it. That was one seriously disturbing song.


----------



## hatman

Yes, It is.  It grows on you, after a while though.

If you like Weird Al and Doctor Demento, might I recommend The Mad Music Show?  It's free to join, and he's got hundreds of hours of music...


----------



## Greg Truby

Oorang said:


> /me doesn't get the reference.


 


hatman said:


> For some reason, my brain associated your statement with some lyrics from a Weird Al Song:


 
Kinda makes embarrassed you asked, once you learn it's so obvious, don't it, Aaron?


----------



## Oorang

Greg Truby said:


> Kinda makes embarrassed you asked, once you learn it's so obvious, don't it, Aaron?



***eyes hatman nervously and slides a few a feet further away***
I know, right?


----------



## dcwinter

You know you've made it on 'Mr Excel' when Erik invites you here!!!

I'm so proud!


----------



## Richard Schollar

You're no longer DAFT - now you're DRAFT!!!!

Welcome aboard!


----------



## Oorang

dcwinter said:


> You know you've made it on 'Mr Excel' when Erik invites you here!!!
> 
> I'm so proud!



Our little dcwinter is growing up. *sniff* It's bittersweet really.


----------



## Andrew Fergus

Oorang said:


> Our little dcwinter is growing up. *sniff* It's bittersweet really.



Watch out for this one - he is a stalker!!!


----------



## Cindy Ellis

OK...I'm in 
Women were so under-represented in DRAFT, I had to join to help balance things out a bit.
Cindy


----------



## Richard Schollar

Hi Cindy & Welcome to DRAFT!

From a purely anecdotal viewpoint, it seems women are somewhat under-represented across the Board as a whole, which is a shame.


----------



## Cindy Ellis

Thanks for the welcome!
I suspect that there are more women than we know, but they've chosen a non-specific username.  
There's a strong perception that there's safety in anonymity...to the extent that I wondered if it was stupid to use both my real name and my picture.  But, I agree with Erik that there's value in having some sense of who we're "talking" to.
So...we'll see how it goes.  If I start feeling weird about it, my avatar may go away, and I'll have to give back my lovely laminated DRAFT membership card ... 

Cindy


----------



## Oorang

Andrew Fergus said:


> Watch out for this one - he is a stalker!!!


I am not a stalker I am a staker. Yep that's me... Oorang the Vampire Slayer. Could teh dramas be far behind?


----------



## Ruthanne

I'm entirely thrilled to be a new member of this club...& what a welcoming committee!
It wasn't too hard for me to join since I went straight from the default "blank/no image" to a DRAFT member (knowing I could never match the likes of Van Pookie or the scary cat guy!
Hats off to a grand idea!

p.s.
Does this post count towards an MVP status or anything?  I only have 9,000 something to go.....


----------



## Andrew Fergus

Welcome to DRAFT!

Posts in the lounge do not add to your post count - in any case, the MVP tag isn't based on the number of posts - it was explored (somewhat tongue in cheek) here: http://www.mrexcel.com/forum/showthread.php?t=236334

And a little more seriously here : http://www.mrexcel.com/forum/showthread.php?t=217481

Andrew


----------



## erik.van.geit

It's been a while since I posted here (two pages) 
Welcome to dcwinter, Cindy Ellis and Ruthane!!

We are of course all individuals sitting on a chair at our computer... We give things and we get things here ... I am glad that this idea is contributing to a peaceful, open feeling on this Board. We share knowledge and we share some kind of friendship.

If one of you is ever getting near to Brussels, let me know! I like the adventure of meeting unknown people.

Whish you all a great time!

Erik


----------



## Greg Truby

Cindy Ellis said:


> I suspect that there are more women than we know, but they've chosen a non-specific username.
> There's a strong perception that there's safety in anonymity...to the extent that I wondered if it was stupid to use both my real name and my picture. ...we'll see how it goes. If I start feeling weird about it, my avatar may go away...


In a forum full of Excel geeks? I think you're pretty safe. And if you were to experience any troubles, just let Tracy (starl) or Nate (NateO) know and they'll look into it and let the member know he needs to mend his ways. And they can ban a member if they need to. Welcome to the DRAFT!


<HR>And Erik, you may want to look around on the floor below your keyboard. You dropped an "n". Your latest draftee's name is "Ruthan*n*e", not "Ruthane". :wink:


----------



## Ruthanne

Erik, thanks for the warm welcome & invite!  Likewise if you should come to or through Seattle.  I'll be off to Japan for 6 months myself so maybe I should look up Jindon & get a Fuji foto for his Avatar!

Greg Truby,
I am so impressed that you noticed the dropped "n"...after all it is my real name to go with the real photo!  
I noticed your photo changed from last night to a sporting pool boy (& i love swimming...my name for my new account on the "other" excel board is SPLASH!...and this avatar photo was taken with me feet in the warm sand of a SanDiego beach...note the sunglasses indicating not taken in Seattle!)
Sorry didn't get to see your BAM/AHAA/MAAD photo...maybe you should open a photo gallery for your archive avataars...one of those fancy, rotating webcam features would be nice...like the one on this website:  http://www.icongrill.com/restaurant_tour.htm   .....can you do that in Excel?


----------



## erik.van.geit

sorry for the dropped "n", Ruthannne!!
that proves that I am really writing the names without copy paste


----------



## Greg Truby

Ruthanne said:


> I'll be off to Japan for 6 months myself so maybe I should look up Jindon & get a Fuji foto for his Avatar!


You know, we might just pay good money for a good pic of ol' Jindon!


Ruthanne said:


> Greg Truby,...I noticed your photo changed from last night to a sporting pool boy...


Yeah, I had to act "respectable" 'n' all fer a short while. Felt like I was a lad in Sunday school again, in shiny, uncomfortable shoes jus' waitin' 'til I could run barefoot again. But, now that's over and I'm just waitin' fer Tracy ta tell me to get back ta work. (See post #14<sup>1</sup> here for more info.)


Ruthanne said:


> ...Sorry didn't get to see your BAM/AHAA/MAAD photo...


February '09 is drawing closer every day. Feel free to join Hatman and myself when it rolls around.

<hr />1. Assumes you're viewing the thread in _linear mode_


----------



## Ruthanne

Gary Trudy,  I'll start getting a red dress ready for February...wrong club...that's the Hash House Harriers.

Erik, I just noticed that you & I have the same MrExcel birthday, March 2004.  Is there an Excel formula to calculate the mean variance between my accumlated posts & yours?  (actually I've almost doubled my posts in the last week...maybe I should shoot for that calculation to compare to your posts!)

On on!


----------



## erik.van.geit

Ruthanne said:


> Erik, I just noticed that you & I have the same MrExcel birthday, March 2004. Is there an Excel formula to calculate the mean variance between my accumlated posts & yours? (actually I've almost doubled my posts in the last week...maybe I should shoot for that calculation to compare to your posts!)


Hi, Ruthanne,
Psst: Greg didn't see that I "added" a "n" in your name in previous post. Don't tell him.

My birthday is 15 March 2004. I'm almost at 2^14, but not sure how regular I will be in the near future.
When seeing expressions like "mean variance" the only emoticon to use for me is huh 

best regards
have a nice weekend!
Erik


----------



## Ruthanne

...well I blurted the phrase "mean variance" to prove I'm a beginner therefore justifying why I only have a few posts to my credit (or is it a debit if most of my posts are begging for help?).
Enjoy your weekend also (Seattle's predicted to be 90 degrees F this weekend AND it's destruction derby weekend...so let the good times roll!)


----------



## gardnertoo

I'm in! I changed my avatar to this shot of myself at work long before I knew there was a movement!


----------



## Cindy Ellis

Welcome! Glad to see someone else in my timezone


----------



## Long Nose

The face is real but the name has been changed to protect the innocent.  Wasn't that from the Dragnet tv series?


----------



## Oorang

erik.van.geit said:


> not sure how regular I will be in the near future


 

You running away from home erik?


----------



## erik.van.geit

Oorang said:


> You running away from home erik?


 
No, getting married with Nathalie ... (22nd of December)
Will try to post some news in the near future


----------



## schielrn

Well congratulations!


----------



## Oorang

That is great news!! Congratulations! But you aren't allowed to abandon us just because you are... uhm... "busy".


----------



## Patience

Congratulations, Erik!


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

Great news!  Enjoy the big day!


----------



## Long Nose

erik.van.geit said:


> No, getting married with Nathalie ... (22nd of December)
> Will try to post some news in the near future



Congratulations! May God bless you both, be fruitful and multiply (Er.. after the 22nd).


----------



## Oorang

You may also be fruitful and exponentiate.


----------



## cornflakegirl

Oorang - I'm not sure that's environmentally responsible...

Congratulations Erik!


----------



## riaz

schielrn said:


> Well congratulations!
> Always make a back up copy before trying new code, you never know what you might lose!



Erik, congratulations and best wishes for a long happy prosperous and fruitful life together.

(Although I'm sure Schielm's signature should not apply to you in this case)


----------



## yashsrawat

i have added my real pic .... hope its fine?


----------



## Patience

And a lovely pic it is!


----------



## yashsrawat

Thanks


----------



## erik.van.geit

yashsrawat, is that a ceremony outfit?
I like those colors!!!! here in Belgium it's often only black an grey


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## yashsrawat

Hi Erik

Yes , it was my friend wedding and i was dress up in indian ethich wear.
Thanks

Yash


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## Patience

I thought it looked like a wedding, too. I love the orange. Most men here wouldn't be seen dead wearing orange at a wedding, but I always think they should be more adventurous. Looks like Indians know how to dress to impress!


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## yashsrawat

Thank Bry


You check my facebook pics... there are more clear  ,Infact i try lots of colour which look more decent and sober after wearing them.


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## Sandeep Warrier

Looks like I could be the latest member of the DRAFT club...


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## Jon von der Heyden

Welcome to the club


----------



## Sandeep Warrier

Thanks a lot....


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## dcwinter

erik.van.geit said:


> It's been a while since I posted here (two pages)
> Welcome to dcwinter, Cindy Ellis and Ruthane!!
> 
> We are of course all individuals sitting on a chair at our computer... We give things and we get things here ... I am glad that this idea is contributing to a peaceful, open feeling on this Board. We share knowledge and we share some kind of friendship.
> 
> If one of you is ever getting near to Brussels, let me know! I like the adventure of meeting unknown people.
> 
> Whish you all a great time!
> 
> Erik




How ironic! I haven't ben on here for a while because I've returned to university and no longer work in my old capacity. I was in Brussels last week Erik!

Had a tour of the European Parliament, ate some good food and had a few nice beers!

After 'hanging around' this forum for a few minutes I'm realising how I'm missing it a little now!

dc


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## hmk

Hello Erik

No mind of joining the club , however how can I make my photo 19 kb  ?

Yours
Hisham


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## gardnertoo

> however how can I make my photo 19 kb ?



Use a photo edit software, even the free Paint that comes with Windows, to shrink it down to fewer pixels and save with a new filename to avoid changing the original.


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## thorpyuk

Hello :>


What on earth is DRAFT?


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## erik.van.geit

thorpyuk said:


> What on earth is DRAFT?


DRAFT

EDIT: Oh, forgot that it was already in my signature 
So you posted here and have a real avatar: you are a member now, whether you want or not


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## thorpyuk

Oh goody hehe :>



What perks are there? :D


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## Von Pookie

thorpyuk said:


> What perks are there? :D



Erik won't pester you about becoming a member anymore


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## Greg Truby

thorpyuk said:


> What perks are there? :D




All member of DRAFT get a 10% discount on the annual MrExcel membership fee.
Your threads will be put at the top of the list when posted.
3% better gas mileage on your automobile.
Cures flatulance.
And lastly, it is a prerequisite for MVP-ship here. As you can tell by Erik's and my avatars, the MVP title is *obviously* synonymous with "pretty boy".  Or, in my case, "pretty pool boy".


----------



## RoryA

Greg,
It's been bugging me for a while now - what exactly does "Int'l moderator" stand for:
*Int*ernationa*l* Moderator?
*Int*erna*l* Moderator
*Int*erminab*l*e Moderator?


----------



## Greg Truby

Significa que tengo el poder de regalar una buena patada en el trasero a los miembros angloparlantes que ponen sus preguntas en el salón para *idiomas extranjeras*.<SUP>1</SUP> <HR>1. Well, google makes a complete mess of translating that... so for those of you who slept through your high school Spanish class:_ "[It] means that I have the power to give a swift kick in the britches to any English speaking members who post their questions in the *Other Languages* forum._


----------



## Oorang

Greg likes to kick it with the britches.


----------



## Von Pookie

rorya said:


> Greg,
> It's been bugging me for a while now - what exactly does "Int'l moderator" stand for:
> *Int*ernationa*l* Moderator?
> *Int*erna*l* Moderator
> *Int*erminab*l*e Moderator?


Officially, it's International Moderator. Informally, it stands for many, many things... 



Oorang said:


> Greg likes to kick it with the britches.


----------



## thorpyuk

Greg Truby said:


> All member of DRAFT get a 10% discount on the annual MrExcel membership fee.
> Your threads will be put at the top of the list when posted.
> 3% better gas mileage on your automobile.
> Cures flatulance.
> And lastly, it is a prerequisite for MVP-ship here. As you can tell by Erik's and my avatars, the MVP title is *obviously* synonymous with "pretty boy".  Or, in my case, "pretty pool boy".



Oh good news then, particularly the flatulance cure :>


----------



## Pheobe

... and the gas mileage


----------



## ElizabethN

Just loaded a real pic of myself - am I in?


----------



## schielrn

Yes you are.  Welcome to the Board as well.


----------



## Oorang

Welcome


----------



## ElizabethN

Thanks! I'm really enjoying this board.


----------



## Smitty

> Cures flatulance.


 
Which obviously expains my new indian name (my 5 year-old daughter is about to be in Indian Princesses):

Chief ThunderPants 

That kid kills me...


----------



## Blade Hunter

Im in but I am not sure I want my flatulance cured, sometimes it is the only way I can get the cat off my **** lap


----------



## Nikki Jansz

Does this count. Had to dig it up from Facebook................

Nikki


----------



## erik.van.geit

Welcome to the Australian Drafters
(or Drafties)


----------



## Long Nose

Or, welcome to

*D*onut
*R*ecipes
*A*nd
*F*latulence 
*T*ricks


----------



## Colin Legg

*D*ouble-jointed
*R*ichard
*A*ttempts
*F*oolish
*T*rick

And since he's attached an an avatar of said foolish trick attempt, he should also be a member of DRAFT?


----------



## Colin Legg

My mistake, his avatar clearly doesn't qualify:


			
				Eric said:
			
		

> the only requirement is ...
> to display your own face as avatar


----------



## Richard Schollar

I used to be a member before I lost my head...


----------



## diddi

Otto has been doing that already for several years. I only do the typing cos he's a bit clumsy on the KB.


----------



## craig.penny

I've been told I look like a young Clint Eastwood.  Would you agree?


----------



## erik.van.geit

craig.penny said:


> I've been told I look like a young Clint Eastwood. Would you agree?


That depends...
Can you tell us what's in the bottle?


----------



## craig.penny

erik.van.geit said:


> That depends...
> Can you tell us what's in the bottle?


 
It's my mind.  You know, like when things are crazy and it's like your mind is trapped in a bottle.  VBA is mind bottling to me.

Oh wait.... that didn't sound Eastwood-y at all.  I think my cover is blown!


----------



## HalfAce

> Oh wait.... that didn't sound Eastwood-y at all




That's good. I'll have to remember it.


----------



## savindrasingh

Have you ever seen anyone alike me ??


----------



## erik.van.geit

Hi, guys and gals,

Checked some avatars from those who posted here; some need to convert back to the roots.

Whatever happens, I'm a DRAFTIE for EVER 

Have a nice YEAR 2011!!
Erik


----------



## Xcel-ence

Rather a good way to say hello then.


----------



## yashsrawat

me real here


----------



## alansidman

Trying to change my Avatar back to DRAFT and system indicates file upload failure.  I have tried with a .jpg and .gif but no luck.  Any suggestions on how to clear my current picture and replace it with the real me.





or is it just that my real picture is just to scary for this forum.


----------



## alansidman

Finally got it to work.  Figured out that you cannot have a profile picture and an avatar in the CP.  Appears that they conflict with each and don't play well together, unlike MS Office programs.


----------



## schielrn

alansidman said:


> Appears that they conflict with each and don't play well together, unlike MS Office programs.


 Yes, I just love how well Microsoft Programs work together too.


----------



## MrKowz

Forgot to post, saying that I finally accepted the invitation and got my pic up here!


----------



## schielrn

I was once a member of Draft, but like my current Avatar too much to change it.  But I do have my picture within my Profile.


----------



## StuLux

Thought it about time I joined DRAFT as well.


----------



## repairman615

Part of me is there, the rest is being absorbed by the light... must be like food for light?

Am I in?

-Jeff


----------



## ZVI

Even if there was no *draft*, only volunteers 
*D*one - *R*eal *A*vatar *F*or *T*eam!


----------



## Pelvis

Hey, I'm just going round to my neighbour's house to ask them to return my blender. When I'm done, I'll upload a more life-like avatar. Remember folks, you only have one Pelvis, Ah ha ha..........


----------



## Pelvis

Hey, PVI, was we separated at birth!?


----------



## ZVI

Pelvis said:


> Hey, PVI, was we separated at birth!?


Welcome back, PElvis!
All things are possible, if you'll only believe


----------



## erik.van.geit

WELCOME to all who joined on page 76 and 77 thusfar  !!!


----------



## BenMiller

Considering joining this ... doesn't look like too many cool kids on the block are in the club though


----------



## Domski

I would but someone might recognise me and then I'd have to silence you all.

Dom


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

BenMiller said:


> Considering joining this ... doesn't look like too many cool kids on the block are in the club though



Go to BenMiller's profile > Edit User Profile > Quick Tools > Ban User


----------



## BenMiller

Jon von der Heyden said:


> Go to BenMiller's profile > Edit User Profile > Quick Tools > Ban User



Haha  I love that tag! I'll put up a picture later today hopefully...


----------



## JamesW

Permission to come aboard captain!


----------



## BenMiller

Sorry, this site was down for a few days! I'll do it as soon as I can, hopefully.


----------



## BenMiller

Ok, I am now officially a member


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

BenMiller said:


> Ok, I am now officially a member



Sorry Ben, you should have read the small-print.  No minors allowed in the club.


----------



## BenMiller

Jon von der Heyden said:


> Sorry Ben, you should have read the small-print.  No minors allowed in the club.



I'm sorry, am I making you feel OLD?!


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

YOU make _Justin Bieber_ look old!


----------



## BenMiller

Oh shush. I just had my bar mitzvah


----------



## chiendau

Jon von der Heyden said:


> YOU make _Justin Bieber_ look old!


I like your comment!  :wink:


----------



## yashsrawat

Here also this new kid too


----------



## mkvarious

> so if somebody has a good reason why not displaying his avatar, I'm open to hear it



just reading this accidentaly - Erik, why do you even think one should explain it to you???
maybe you have misread - it is AVATAR as even you say so why expecting 'real face' from it?
really strange...

mkvarious


----------



## BenMiller

I feel like half the people on this thread barely speak English... anyway, post an avatar of yourself.


----------



## erik.van.geit

mkvarious said:


> just reading this accidentaly - Erik, why do you even think one should explain it to you???



There is no "should" meant in this thread: I didn't ask the people that they "should" justify their choice. It could be interesting for you to read the first few pages of this thread. Take also into account that their is always a little language barrier; not everything we write down here comes through exactly how we really mean it.


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

mkvarious said:


> just reading this accidentaly - Erik, why do you even think one should explain it to you???
> maybe you have misread - it is AVATAR as even you say so why expecting 'real face' from it?
> really strange...
> 
> mkvarious


Stranger yet is why you felt compelled to challenge this?  

I don't know if I'm misreading the tone but I don't like this phrase one bit:


> why do you even think one should explain it to you???


It strikes me as argumentative and I for one will not tolerate it here!

For what it's worth:
Erik was merely expressing an interest in hearing peoples opinions.  He was by no means criticising anybody's choice not to display a pic of his/her face.  Had you taken the time to read some of Erik's posts you would have quickly worked out that he is not one judge others.

This thread is for people that DO want to show their real faces!


----------



## bstory84

I guess this makes me a member of DRAFT.
Hats off to both Jon von der Heyden & Erik.


----------



## BrianMH

I've joined DRAFT now too.


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

Welcome


----------



## EPURON

I'm part of FART.


----------



## Apeximius

I followed a link to this thread because I was curious to see what DRAFT was.
It's a bit strange, at least for me, that my first post here will not be related to excel. Oh well.

As for my opinion on the subject: Ideas are more important than faces.
My face for once, is completely irrelevant. It doesn't say anything about me, I can't choose it, I can't make a much of a point with it, etc...
Conversely, an avatar is flexible and can certainly have more meaning and show more about a person than a face.
It's not about daring. It's not about looks.
It's about being so much more than a face, that it subtracts instead of adding.
(It's about being alive where it matters.)

I haven't even put up an avatar as of yet, I shall set it up soon.


----------



## xenou

I will probably change my mind ... but briefly I have DRAFT'ed myself. Also surprised this thread seems to be dead ...


----------



## Peter_SSs

xenou said:


> I will probably change my mind ... but briefly I have DRAFT'ed myself. Also surprised this thread seems to be dead ...


I have occasionally wondered when this thread would reappear. 
Since joining DRAFT many years ago I have partially withdrawn per my current avatar.
But welcome anyway, no matter how long your 'membership' lasts!


----------



## Jon von der Heyden

Always nice to put a face to a name.


----------



## MARK858

Wouldn't be nice to see my face coming back at me from a page


----------



## Peter_SSs

MARK858 said:


> Wouldn't be nice to see my face coming back at me from a page


You mean that *isn't* you???


----------



## MARK858

Peter_SSs said:


> You mean that *isn't* you???


My avatar is too good looking to be me


----------



## Taul

I decided to join the club.
As I’m due to retire soon, I thought I would put Alfred E Neuman into retirement as well.


----------



## Peter_SSs

Taul said:


> I decided to join the club.


Welcome aboard!


----------



## Rick Rothstein

Taul said:


> ...I thought I would put Alfred E Neuman into retirement as well.


You mean that _wasn't_ an actual picture of you?!!?!?!


----------



## Taul

I have to admit, it was close!


----------

