Timewaster's Guide Archive

Local Authors => Brandon Sanderson => Topic started by: Fellfrosch on December 12, 2007, 08:45:34 PM

Title: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Fellfrosch on December 12, 2007, 08:45:34 PM
Many of you are new to the TWG forums, having just arrived because you heard about some dude name Brandon. Being new, you may not notice that many of the forum regulars are changing their names, though you are likely to notice that many of the forum names are holiday-themed. This is because we are weird. Let me explain.

We have a weird tradition on these forums--every December we change our forum names into something holiday-esque, just for fun. This became so popular we've actually started a contest around it (http://www.timewastersguide.com/forum/index.php?topic=5602.new). We used to do this for every major (and some non-major) holidays throughout the year, but it got so confusing that no one could ever tell who was who, so we cut back to just christmas/hanukkah/new year's. The actual contest is only winnable by forum members of at least level 3 (another quirk of the forums: you gain xp as you post, and level up like in a video game), but we encourage everyone to join in the merriment. Even that dude named Brandon, known here as EUOL, tends to do it, but nobody ever gets the joke because it's hard to guess from reading it that EUOL is pronounced "Yule," so unless they've met him in person and for some reason called him by his forum name (which happens more often than you'd think), and then get corrected on the pronunciation, they just think he couldn't think of anything good.

But whatever. Long story short: we change our forum names during December, and it's confusing but fun, and you're welcome to join us or ignore us at your leisure.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on December 12, 2007, 09:31:13 PM
You say "we," but I don't see you changing your name to Jackfrosch or anything. Get with it!
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on December 12, 2007, 10:23:11 PM
actually, Jackfrosch is a good one.

Of couse, so would Mokfather Christmas....
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Spriggan on December 12, 2007, 10:51:33 PM
You say "we," but I don't see you changing your name to Jackfrosch or anything. Get with it!
0

That's because he's a FelLooser
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: stacer on December 13, 2007, 12:24:34 AM
Every year we do this, and every year I have the worst time coming up with anything interesting. Going back to "Stacer Claus" might be the sad, boring option for me.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Bookstore Guy on December 13, 2007, 12:55:45 AM
what the flip am I supposed to do?  Not Christmasbookstore Guy Anymore?

Maybe I should just become a symbol like Prince...

Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on December 13, 2007, 02:26:35 AM
Of couse, so would Mokfather Christmas....
I already am using a holiday name (a Discworld holiday name, at least).

It doesn't mean the baby has been born, though there's less than a month left until then (hopefully).
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: charity on December 13, 2007, 05:39:14 AM
I thought it was Hogfather? how is Mokfather hinting to that? cause it says father? hmm, sounds a little weak to me....  ;)

If you are interested though, my sister just told me (so that means I have nothing to back this up with) that Terry Pratchett was just diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's.

If I'm going to play this game I've got to come up with something, I'm sure there's gotta be an easy one, but it's just not coming to me....
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on December 13, 2007, 06:24:22 AM
Ookla The Mok + Hogfather = Mokfather. See how it works?
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: The Jade Knight on December 13, 2007, 07:43:37 AM
I have a name that just doesn't holidayize terribly well (mostly because it's 3 words).  But I do what I can.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on December 13, 2007, 01:28:13 PM
I have to go with Charity on this one, Ookla. Hogfather is actually one of the three discworld novels I've read (and my favorite) and I didn't make the leap.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: charity on December 13, 2007, 07:11:45 PM
I see how you're trying to make it work... but I'm telling you, you're not gonna win any prizes with it. No chocolate cake for you  ;)
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Sigyn on December 13, 2007, 07:33:29 PM
I got it.  Now I feel smug.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: stacer on December 13, 2007, 08:33:19 PM
Ookla, I had no idea you guys were having a baby! Did you announce it here on TWG? Congratulations, at any rate!
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on December 13, 2007, 09:01:28 PM
Thanks! (I'm pretty sure I did announce it here... If I didn't, oops!)

Mok/Hog: g and k are voiced and unvoiced versions of each other, and the vowel is the same. It's close enough for me.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Shrain on December 13, 2007, 10:57:31 PM
yay Ookla! I mean, Mokfather. Congrats on the baby. Girl or boy?
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on December 13, 2007, 11:27:51 PM
Girl. And...I thought sure I mentioned it here, but I can't find an earlier thread. Err...

Anyway, if this conversation continues, it should be elsewhere. I'll definitely make a thread in Everything Else when the baby is born.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Fellfrosch on December 14, 2007, 02:00:12 AM
I totally got the Hogfather reference, and I haven't even read the book.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on December 14, 2007, 02:51:44 PM
I made the assumption that it was a reference to his coming child.

I'm not arguing the linguistic similarity, just perhaps that it's not enough to get people's attention at it's cleverness. It had to be explained, thus it falls short.

You get kudos for a literary and a fantasy reference though.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: charity on December 14, 2007, 08:31:32 PM
Well said Ehlers... I concur.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Fellfrosch on December 14, 2007, 09:17:24 PM
Phooey, I say. He earns extra points for a name that I understood and you didn't.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: charity on December 14, 2007, 09:38:51 PM
I was thinking you should call yourself Froschty! I'm glad you decided to go with my genius  8)
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on December 14, 2007, 10:01:47 PM
How kind of you to broadcast your thoughts!


Phooey, I say. He earns extra points for a name that I understood and you didn't.
Woo! Will that translate to actual Fell points? >_>
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Daarian on December 14, 2007, 10:32:41 PM
What is a Fell Point?.. I should obviously research this whole forum setup
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Spriggan on December 14, 2007, 10:41:25 PM
How kind of you to broadcast your thoughts!


Phooey, I say. He earns extra points for a name that I understood and you didn't.
Woo! Will that translate to actual Fell points? >_>

Sure.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on December 14, 2007, 11:01:52 PM
Awesome!! I felt so barren before.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Nihility on December 15, 2007, 01:21:31 AM
Meh. I can't think of anything. =[
Nihility is like... synonymous with nothingness/nonexistance. Wtf. No fair.

-- Nil
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: charity on December 15, 2007, 03:01:30 AM
how 'bout something like 'Silent Nihility, Holy Nihility...'? or.... nope, sorry that's all I can come up with.  :)
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Pink Bunkadoo on December 15, 2007, 04:15:54 AM
I like Silent Nihility.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on December 17, 2007, 02:58:46 PM
It sounds like the title of a Nine Inch Nails song.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Fellfrosch on December 18, 2007, 12:56:05 AM
I forgot I could actually hand out real points. But now I just did. I think sprig also did, so...good for us.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Daarian on December 18, 2007, 01:09:02 AM
I still havent even found out what they are.. and I have looked..
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on December 18, 2007, 02:51:33 AM
I forgot I could actually hand out real points. But now I just did. I think sprig also did, so...good for us.
Yay, two points!!
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: charity on December 18, 2007, 03:54:32 AM
Yeah, how do I know when I get points? And I remember something about an award for winning NaNoWriMo this year, but where do I get to look at this new prize  8)... I want to be able to enjoy these things you know!  ;)
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on December 18, 2007, 02:56:43 PM
You get to see the new prize once someone has won it.
Look at the left, under your name. There's a "Fell Points" line. You currently have 0.

Technically any admin can hand them out, but only a few *should*.

Points are good for... not much of anything, currently.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Sigyn on December 18, 2007, 05:09:25 PM
I'm not sure I want to do something worthy of Fell points.  It could be . . . frightening.  That said, I'm just excited that I finally came up with a holiday name this year.  It's my first time actually coming up with something.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: charity on December 19, 2007, 06:42:49 PM
Hey, I know someone said this, but of course now I can't find it... how do we vote?
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Nessa on December 19, 2007, 06:54:10 PM
PM Spriggan with your top three choices (can't vote for yourself).

http://www.timewastersguide.com/forum/index.php?topic=5602.new
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Rane on December 20, 2007, 06:50:10 AM
How's mine?  It's festive and recognizable.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Loud_G on December 20, 2007, 03:07:47 PM
Mok, I totally got your name even before I knew there was a contest. Just so you know. ;)
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: Shrain on December 20, 2007, 05:15:38 PM
Done and done. My votes have been cast.
Title: Re: What's wrong with everybody's forum name?
Post by: charity on December 20, 2007, 07:43:01 PM
ditto. Sorry guys, no use trying to convince me.