Screen Name - Why? Meaning? Background?

[PsyBorg]

Whats wrong with Klingon? I think I still have the 6 disc set of the complete language in a box somewhere hehe. Found it at a yard sale long ago and picked it up for a few dollars. Never tried to learn it but always have the option hehe. Its a cool nerd piece to talk about at conventions and comic book / gaming stores. You would not believe the amount of people trying to talk me into selling it on the odd occasion it comes up in discussion.

 

[makattack]

I'll toss mine in. My real surname is Mak, and I happened to enlist in the US Army around the tail end of the ad campaign McDonalds had for the Big Mac where the tagline was something about having a "big mac attack" : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ukIBKlrpMI

Fellow squad mates, including my roommate, tried every nickname but none really stuck because I pronounce Mak like the popular nickname Mack, so they started down the list of MacDaddy (my least favorite), -- insert many other variants, until someone suggested Mack-Donalds, and someone else offered Big-Mac-Attack instead. We all laughed it off as horrible. Partly because I was a pretty small guy as it were weighing in at about 150 at 5'8" as a 20 y.o. PFC. The joke everyone said after that was I needed to hit the McDonalds after chow to gain some weight. This was at my first PDS (Permanent Duty Station) with the JRTC (Joint Readiness Training Center) when it was at LRAFB/Ft. Chaffee in Arkansas. Then, one night, after a successful ambush as an OPFOR (opposing forces) against the 10th Mtn Division, during the after-action review, one of the blufor soldiers saw my name tape and said "OMG, We just had a MacAttack!" There was a moment of silence in the night and then all of a sudden everyone on my side started laughing our butts off. That name stuck. I just modified it to use my actual surname spelling.

 

[lrussi750]

Mine came from about 34 years ago. I used to DJ parties, weddings, and anything else where they would listen. Most of the guys I hung out with thought I could do magic with 2 turn tables and 2 cassette decks. It was about the same time that computers started to become popular and it just stuck. I still have my original Yahoo email under that name... Most of my friends do not know this and I still get asked about it all of the time.

I have sold all of that old equipment moons ago, and doubt that I would even know how anymore. The nickname works for me so I have stuck with it.

Kind of dumb, I know...

Mike

Majik Mike the DJ! I love it brother, we need to bring some gear to FliteFest. You're hosting a rave!!!!

 

[Balu]

Well my "Balu" is of course the German variant of the infamous Disney bear. But unlike most people would guess, it's not based on the pilot, but on the "original" Baloo from the Jungle Book animated movie.

Many, many years ago while I was still in school, my friends kept talking me into partying in a local disco / club. I was not really into dancing at that time, but still went since I liked the music and always loved the light show they'd put up. That's not the pre-computed, randomized moving heads that automatically determine the speed / mood of the song they use today, but a separate guy, just controlling the lights, lasers and stuff. Anyway, I'm drifting off... Some day a song just kind of kicked my butt and to the surprise of my friends I actually went on the floor and shook everything I had. . After that there was no stopping me. In fact they later always had to pull me off the floor when they wanted to leave.

After a while a friend mentioned that I'm grooving like "that bear from the Disney movie" and thus "Balu" was born. I always liked the character's look on the world and his "bare necessities" approach, so it stuck. Having a comparable physique might have helped too .

Since I am on the internet since the early times, I was able to use it on most service, forums, chats, games and whatever too, but that of course has changed over the last years. I have to be really quick these days...

But in the real world, everybody just calls me Balu. I even had to put it on the name plate in front of my office, so people could find me. In fact I often get calls where I reply with my given name and people ask to be handed over to Mr. Balu please. =)

 

[PsyBorg]

Videos of said dancing or it never happened and your name will fade to dust from lack of proof!!!

 

[Liam B]

Videos of said dancing or it never happened and your name will fade to dust from lack of proof!!!

Agreed.

 

[makattack]

Videos of said dancing or it never happened and your name will fade to dust from lack of proof!!!

Or given that lrussi and themajik both have prior or current experience at DJ's, if there are no existing videos, there may have to be new videos from FTFF-East-2017 of dancing Balu! Though we may not need DJ's if the fellow who built the flying wing with the sound system were coming and brought it with!

 

[PsyBorg]

Right..If need be I can revive the old internet DJ software I used to use and DJ over the internet for him hehe.

 

[SlingShot]

I started playing Air Warrior (online multi-player air combat game) in the early '90's. Callsign: SlingShot

 

[JimCR120]

Jim (first name) + C (middle name) + R120 (alpha numeric code for my last name in Illinois and found ondriver's licenses).

Maybe not the most creative but almost always available thereby easing the selection of an internet alias.

I would like to suggest that unless you prefer explaining and re-explaining yourselves that you all include such information in the "About Me" section of you home page.


Happy Days was watched by old timers? Uff, that might explain the increasing glare from up there.

 

[FoamyDM]

Some of these are great or sensible.

Mine... I've played tabletop games forever, Specifically D&D before AD&D was a thing. I have run games on and off since I was 12ish.
As my sons grow up, my lady and I vowed to nerd them up. What a better way than with D&D and MTG (Magic the Gathering etc.). One of the youtube DMs has a thing about using DTFB to build 2.5d scenery. As I've been tackling my personal deficit since moving to NC 4 yrs ago, I have been on a shoe-string budget so I'd figure I could try it. I bought some sheets to try it out when the campaign I was running blew to pieces right at the end of the story.

If you've been there, you'll understand that months of effort went up as one of my player's let the magic smoke from the game. It's like watching the balsa plane you built go straight up for no reason, then smash into the earth at 100mph within a second of launch.

I happened to see another use for the DTFB at FT and the rest is history.

So I was/am planning to build flying monsters, and terrain from DTFB. And I'm the DM, so yeah: FoamyDM.

 

[FoamyDM]

It might have been better if I was I micro brewer and a DM... sadly no.

 

[TexMechsRobot]

FoamyDM, do you watch Critical Role?

My name is one I generated in preparation for Mechwarrior:Online. I was living in Texas and knew that people would shorten the name to "Tex" in team chat so it would be easy. I was hoping for TexMechs but it apparently was already taken so I added Robot to the end. I still use it in any game I play.

 

[DKchris]

Mine is fairly straightforward: My nationality (I find it makes sense to wave the flag a bit so you know I'm not a local weirdo....I'm a foreign weirdo ) and the common shortform of my first name; I did however primarily pick it to keep it identical to my RCgroups alias, so that readers can refind my posts if/when I sometimes cross-refer between the 2.

Bit dull....but functional

 

[DMC RC]

Mines really simple... It's just my initials, DMC and RC put together. :black_eyed:

 

[PsyBorg]

FoamyDM, do you watch Critical Role?

My name is one I generated in preparation for Mechwarrior:Online. I was living in Texas and knew that people would shorten the name to "Tex" in team chat so it would be easy. I was hoping for TexMechs but it apparently was already taken so I added Robot to the end. I still use it in any game I play.

I love the Mech warrior series. Still play through one of em a year as a standalone. I am not a big fan of the online one though as its standard pay to win or run hax to win and I can compete with neither one playing by the rules

 

[Balu]

As for the dancing requests at Flite Fest East:

What happens in the hangar, stays in the hangar.

 

[TexMechsRobot]

Yeah I was really hoping for a campaign game and when they announced it as an MMO I was very disappointed. I still played it for a year banking on a lot of the promises they made but I gave up right after the official release. I'm hoping the next version they've announced is the game I was waiting for.

 

[FoamyDM]

Critical Role, LARPS and DTFB - The perfect mix.

FoamyDM, do you watch Critical Role?

My name is one I generated in preparation for Mechwarrior:Online. I was living in Texas and knew that people would shorten the name to "Tex" in team chat so it would be easy. I was hoping for TexMechs but it apparently was already taken so I added Robot to the end. I still use it in any game I play.

@TexMechsRobot
Yes, often. Sadly, I just don't always have the 4hrs+ to watch so I'm way behind. I'm around to the COW episode, ep. 32 or something, Critical Role is a great think to Listen/watch while building planes and I recommend it. But remember these are Professionals and your gaming experiences may vary. almost always, the fun and bonds are the same.

I've done online like roll 20. It works well for the geographically challenged friends. But it pulls out the emotional human element a bit.

Critical Role is a great way to see what the game is about. If you think you might like D&D after watching, then do it.There's always a game going on near you. I like the old-school Face to Face version like they do (all in one room) however, It can be really hard to pull together enough regulars. It's one of the few ways as an adult that I've found to build bonds with people like we did in school.

LARPS too. LARPS are short 2-10 min episodes and also a great window into a version of D&D. It tells the story of DM trials and tribulations perfectly. (I laughed, I cried... it was better than CATS!). Highly recommended.

And if you want to start a game of your own check out Matt Colville he makes the daunting task of running the game approachable

Oh crap, I'm on that soap box again.... Sorry. (I keep moving it but somehow always manages to sneak under my feet).
I expect I will be trying some interesting RC builds coming up here: flying flapping dragons, dice, Spelljammer Ships and the like. Right now I'm just trying to land a craft properly, not like Launchpad McQuack.

 

[FoamyDM]

Sorry all, TexMechsRobot hit a passion-topic. As betrayed by my Profile name.