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What's in a Screenname: Why I chose 'Silly' as my handle [blatant late-night (but sober) vanity]
November 12, 2006 | Silly

Posted on 11/12/2006 12:15:30 AM PST by Silly

Everybody asks me about my handle, "Silly."

Okay, no one asks me, but since I'm posting again on FR after about being absent since 2002, I thought I'd formally say hello to everyone again, and this was the best way I could think to do so.

Years and years ago, when I first began posting on the Internet, including FR, CNN, and other boards, I was a bit, well, let's say, unaware of the effect my strange sense of humor had on others. Of course I knew it was over the top and harmless, but I just couldn't understand why other people didn't have that figured out! I like non-sequiturs, absurdism, and Pythonesque humor, and, frankly, when I want to play rough, I can do that, too. It drove people crazy!

So let's just say that for the first few years I had to re-register on several sites and come up with different handles. (Mostly, I used my real name.)

One of my favorite pasttimes was posting anagrams. You know, like, "Senator Hillary = Another sly liar." Except I wouldn't bother telling people they were anagrams, or posting the first half. So the anagrams, like much of my humor, were mistaken as trolling, because they looked like non-sequiturs and really annoyed people! (My very first anagram won a prize at David Letterman's Website. It was, "Linda Tripp and Monica Lewinsky = A C.I.A. mink and wild, sloppy intern." I got a Late Night sponge for that effort.)

My on-line social life completely changed when I stumbled on the handle Silly. It was the perfect name for me. Now, everyone seemed to know where I was coming from, and knew to think twice before taking my comments seriously (though most of them were). Suddenly I could do no wrong!

I immediately began making dozens of friends. Suddenly, FR became a place primarily of friendship, then politics. As you know, you can argue more easily with people who trust and like you than those who don't understand you.

I was, however, eventually banned from FR again, if I remember correctly, due to my comments to a conspiracy nut who I loved to harass and ridicule. It may have been another reason -- I forget, and can't seem to reconstruct it from old freepmails.

THEN CAME THE "FREE SILLY" CAMPAIGN, which I will never forget. Everyone at the WFTD thread started lobbying to get me unbanned. Photoshop images with the words, "Free Silly!" started showing up everywhere on FR, to the confusion of most FReepers. I think my favorite one was a picture of Jim Rob in a blue T-shirt with the words FREE SILLY, which really got a lot of mileage in the laugh department. Everyone, everywhere on FR was asking, "Who's Silly?"

Someone even registered a new account with the screenname, "Free Silly, You Bastards!" which I think is still around, and makes me laugh out loud whenever I think of it. In those days, we were all laughing so hard milk was coming out of our noses while we ate breakfast and posted on the WFTD thread first thing each morning. (Remember pictures of summer camp?)

Well, last summer, I wrote to John Rob, and politely asked if I could have my old handle back. I was so amazed when he unbanned me! It was like I was alive again, and all the old memories came flooding back.

Except for a few posts last summer, I didn't get really involved again on FR until recently. Now I've been having a lot of fun. I've changed a lot since 2002, for the better, and ironically my behavior is not as silly as it once was. But I sure am glad I found that handle!

Anyway, I just wanted to formally say hi again to everyone. I love you all, wish you all God's richest blessings, and look forward to some in-person activities and lively posting here at FR.

Still being,

Silly


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: fr; handle; justbeing; silly; soberupsilly; vanity; whyrulookinghere
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To: Silly

Okay, my original screenname was will1776, after my first name and, of course, the year of the country's independence. After user MeekNMing (or something like that) changed his screenname to MeekOneGOP (or something like that), I started thinking about it and decided to change mine, too. If you don't know the inspiration for this screenname, you need to get out more.:)


41 posted on 11/12/2006 6:45:03 AM PST by WinOne4TheGipper (http://lonestarconservative.blogspot.com/2006/11/open-letter-to-moderate-voters.html)
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To: Silly

Free Silly!!!!

(I'd really hate to pay for it...)


42 posted on 11/12/2006 7:39:35 AM PST by Robert A Cook PE (I can only donate monthly, but Hillary's ABBCNNBCBS continue to lie every day!)
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To: Robert A. Cook, PE
Freedom is free! That's why it's not called Expensivedom!

-- Cindy Sheehan

Nice to hear from you, pal!

43 posted on 11/12/2006 7:43:16 AM PST by Silly (still being silly)
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To: SerpentDove; Silly
It's fusilly jerry!


44 posted on 11/12/2006 7:46:12 AM PST by theDentist (Qwerty ergo typo : I type, therefore I misspelll.)
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To: Silly
I'm posting again on FR after about being absent since 2002

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Welcome back!

Just being,

45 posted on 11/12/2006 9:11:35 AM PST by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: Silly

And I was on that for a while. Duh.


46 posted on 11/12/2006 9:40:03 AM PST by little jeremiah (Jesus' message is not "BUY MORE STUFF"!)
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To: Silly
I was, however, eventually banned from FR again, if I remember correctly, due to my comments to a conspiracy nut who I loved to harass and ridicule. It may have been another reason -- I forget, and can't seem to reconstruct it from old freepmails.

I seem to recall it was some silly reason.

47 posted on 11/12/2006 2:45:47 PM PST by Tijeras_Slim (Dancing through life like a street mime with tourettes syndrome.)
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To: Silly

Hey, you are a WFTD legend! I've heard of you. ;^)


48 posted on 11/12/2006 5:40:14 PM PST by tioga
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To: Silly

Good to see you back!


49 posted on 11/13/2006 5:50:20 AM PST by CholeraJoe (USAF Air Rescue "That others may live.")
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To: Silly
from an old Smoker's Lounge thread

Lordy, lordy, You really MUST be the original Silly.
If you can remember that far back on the Smokers' Lounge threads you remember the Muck-a-Luk drinks too.

Welcome back, Silly.

50 posted on 11/13/2006 6:04:37 AM PST by Just another Joe (Warning: FReeping can be addictive and helpful to your mental health)
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To: Silly

Welcome back Silly.

Signed,

the freeper formerly known as Dubyaismypresident


51 posted on 11/13/2006 6:27:50 AM PST by NeoCaveman (Congratulations to Michelle Bachman, Steve Chabot, Mark Wahlberg, Adrian Smith and other CFGers)
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To: little jeremiah
But what do the initials stand for? If I may be so bold as to ask.

WFTD = Word for the Day

52 posted on 11/13/2006 6:56:15 AM PST by VRWCmember
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To: Silly

It's good to have you back. If you notice on Wednesdays, the first screenname in my roll-call ping is "FreeSillyYouBastards". Thanks for the trip down memory lane.


53 posted on 11/13/2006 7:00:43 AM PST by VRWCmember
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To: Silly; LivingNet

You guys may think this is funny but itsnot

41 Posted on 08/09/2001 11:34:43 PDT by LivingNet
. . .
My wife would say something that ended in "...yes it is."
Then I would say its not.
She would quickly say it is. I'd say itsnot.
She would say it is. I'd say snot. Then she would realize.
And that would end that interraction with a smile and a grin.


54 posted on 12/30/2006 12:41:09 PM PST by Phx_RC (From long ago and not so far away8^)
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To: Silly

Glad you decided to come back. I don't recall the free silly campaign from my lirker years, but i'm happy to have met you here now.


55 posted on 01/03/2007 7:01:35 PM PST by Fierce Allegiance (SAY NO TO RUDY!)
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To: Fierce Allegiance

I know how to spell, dangit! lirker = lurker.


56 posted on 01/03/2007 7:02:10 PM PST by Fierce Allegiance (SAY NO TO RUDY!)
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To: Fierce Allegiance

That's very kind of you to say!

You may enjoy some of my compositions from the past week:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1761798/posts


57 posted on 01/03/2007 7:08:38 PM PST by Silly (sarcasmoff.com)
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To: Fierce Allegiance
lirker

Thanks for clearing that up; for a moment I suspect you might have meant "licker."

58 posted on 01/03/2007 7:10:06 PM PST by Silly (sarcasmoff.com)
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To: Silly

Trust me, I have made some legendary typos akin to that one!


59 posted on 01/03/2007 7:21:38 PM PST by Fierce Allegiance (SAY NO TO RUDY!)
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To: Silly; grey_whiskers
Here's a couple of anagrams for you: Vice President Albert Gore = Vast Pride Grab Re-Election
Osama bin Laden = 'E Abandon Islam

Cheers!

60 posted on 02/22/2007 9:24:28 PM PST by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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