How did you choose your avatar image?
Do you use it elsewhere online?
This DKos avatar that kills me and makes me laugh every time I see it belongs to Khaaannn. It originally caught my eye because of its Five Element layout, except that I didn’t, shall we say, yet grok the individual symbols. So I right-clicked, chose Search Google for image and got
Best guess for this image: rock paper scissors lizard spock: A variation on the rock-paper-scissors method of settling disputes.
The game’s creator Sam Kass noted: “...it seems like when you know someone well enough, 75-80% of any Rock-Paper-Scissors games you play with that person end up in a tie.”
Oh the psychological theories we could spin based on whether you choose the dominant rock or the passive paper. Or not.
The game was picked up by The Big Bang Theory, and here’s how it works (I’ll wait while you try it out yourself):
Got that?
Scissors cuts paper
Paper covers rock
Rock crushes lizard
Lizard poisons Spock
Spock smashes scissors
Scissors decapitates lizard
Lizard eats paper
Paper disproves Spock
Spock vaporizes rock
And, as it always has:
Rock crushes scissors
I’ve used the same (boring) waterfall avatar here and elsewhere ever since I signed up in 2008. I wanted a name that was gender neutral because I figured a grrrl wouldn’t be taken seriously on a political blog. Well, I’m still not taken seriously, but that’s ok so long as I’m taken to an occasional meet-up.
I also wanted to maintain anonymity (which has long since gone out the window) so I took the name of our little backyard creek as a decoy. It’s not the official name on any local map but is the charming nickname bestowed by neighborhood kids.
Better yet, google only referenced “Smiley Creek” as a far away obscure hunting lodge. Those Idahoans already had a social media leg up on me, though, so I had to settle for @smiley_creek on twitter, but my watery blue avatar let other kossacks know which one was me.
My own photos of our little waterfall didn’t work well as thumbnail material, so I found a serendipitous one online. And now you know how to identify where John and I used to hike near Santa Cruz.
It turns out that when you name yourself smileycreek people assume you’re always fucking happy and positive and shit. Let me assure you that was never my intention, nor does it reflect my day-to-day reality. Ask anyone.
It’s certainly not the avatar I would choose now were I new.
Now I’d choose more of a tidal wave image. With teeth. And shark fins.
I’m impressed and humbled by those who use their face as their avatar.
I stick with the waterfall image because it reminds me to stay cool and keep moving on when I’m tempted to jump into a useless pie fight (which is far more often than you might ever imagine).
Other favorite avatars include the classic Crashing Vor gif, with its fixed and slowly blinking eyeball. His now-static eyeball isn’t nearly as delightfully creepy. I also loved aoeu’s Spinning Vase of Doom back when it was still spinning.
What avatars have you seen out there that you especially like?
What do you want to talk about today?
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