Thanks for splaining Punki!

I miss Merry's posts too. Even when he gloated that I would never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, make BA Premier. :p He was right!

Mostly I think I miss the community spirit we had back then. Unlike today, free-minded Flyertalkers weren't restricted in their opinions in the early days. Nor did we attack each other in any serious way. Perhaps that is because most of us met in person at some such event. You don't attack people who you can put a face to.

*When you remember going to the first "mega" London Do in 2002? (and I think like 50 people showed up.) I think this coming one will triple that number! Of course membership has also tripled since then.

*When you are called a "Flyertalk veteran" (I haven't fought any wars to be called a "veteran" except maybe a few Flame wars.) Actually I now consider it an honor to be called an FT veteran since despite the flame wars I kept the faith and stayed with the board.

*When what number you joined Flyertalk Did Not matter.

In my eyes each and everyone of us is only one #... and that's #1 (collectively.)

You're member #1365. Now you know!

I can remember, Jailer, when you were, "Whose that guy?"

"Oh, he is Craigz's cousin."

I think one of my funniest FT memories (after Jailer's drenching the waitress with such great aplomb), was the night that you, (Jailer), helped dupe the totally innocent and lovely Danielle, a/k/a Scared of KGB, into believing that dgolds was a former Russian spy, who had met and married Smooth many years earlier, during his service in Russia. :p :p Your humor is ruthless.

RAR is also Rarotonga Airport in the Cook Islands.

Yeah, but it's a safe bet that Ted doesn't fly there! :D

(Quote from violist: "Ted is the rear end of United." Or did he say "hind end?" Can't remember. That's what United gets for telling us that "Ted is part of United.")

If you remember the origin of sootcase tags. :D

If you miss arturo. :)

I wasn't posting in the last century, only lurking and may have missed something. Now have become confused. Thought the sootcase tags were the ones done by Oldgold down in Tucson.

All black, metal, with FT name engraved upon. Still have mine attached to my primary carry-on

-- you knew who the original STIFFS were

OldGold's tags are the ones I was thinking of with the reference to "sootcase tags" (as opposed to luggage or suitcase tags) too.

I'd forgotten about STIFFS - hadn't heard that term around here in a few years.

I have both steel gray and a brilliant blue sootkase tags. I miss Old Gold and STIFFS. :(

You are right, magic, that "sootcase" tags did eventually become linked with the very special OldGold metal tags, but originally I believe that arturo used the term to talk about the regular FlyerTalk tags, which at that point were still a concept, not a reality. I believe they became a reality when Randy brought a bunch to the PIP.

IIRC, OldGold also brought engraved metal tags to the LAX RCC and gave them out to everybody who was traveling on the PIP Express. I have one that says Peregrine on my current roll aboard, but that is because I once snagged Peregrine's roll aboard when mine was lost somewhere in Germany, and I need to make another trip. When my bag was returned, he told me to just keep his and he took mine. I think mine is on my big bag that I only use when we go skiing and need cold weather gear.

We had dinner with OldGold and his wife in Tuscon last winter and they are both doing very well, but not flying a lot.

You know you're getting old on FT when ...
 

you feel like you know a bunch of people you've never met because you've read so many of their posts.

you don't remember so much backbiting/infighting (or maybe that's because I wasn't reading so many forums back then).

You know you're getting old on FT when..... you are part of the history of FlyerTalk (written by and © of Randy).

You know you are getting old on FT when some of your FT relationships have lasted longer than most others in your life. (some of them are going into eight years!)

Catman = Flyertalk historic figure? ;) Never saw myself as that. :)