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

You know you’re getting old around here if you remember:

- That you recognize the PiP references without resorting to “search”.
- When you actually know some of the PiP attendees.
- When you know the names of Commander Catcop’s “Sergeants at Arms”.
- When you bemoaned to loss of your 744’s to the new-fangled 777s.
- When airlines cared about individual feedback from high mileage pax.
- When you copied and printed the text and links from gleff’s classic “What I’ve learned on Flyertalk” threads (at 1,000 and 2,000 posts!). Probably the threads which best define the true spirit of the boards, IMHO.
- When you know the name of Premex’s cool ride in the 70’s.
- When an FT moderator position was truly a part-time job. Or, for that matter, when individual boards required fewer mods than TSA screeners at BWI Piers 1 & 2.
- When you looked forward to posts by BWatson with awe and envy. Means and methods aside, the man flew more miles per year and was knowledgeable in more carriers than any other FTer past or since. RIP, Barton.
- When the term “FT Evangelist” meant more than “egomaniac”.
- When there was no list (and no need for one) of the “13 things you cannot say” on FT.
- When FT-Dos were truly more about the community than any specific cult of personality.
- When airline lounges were more about comfort than internet access.

Please feel free to add your own items (especially trivia) or answer the trivia questions above. :cool:

- When FT Evangelist was awarded after 250 posts!
- When FT didn't include non-miles forums; those were part of Dorian's Flyers' Places
- Old Gold Sootkase Tags
- Arturo
- AA VIPOWs confirmable out of paid F on domestic flights, AS mileage upgrades from paid F (5k points each way!)
- InfiniteAirways Points, MX PVR runs, BA $20 WT+ fares, Goldpoints/Valumags, Baht Runs, when we could buy magazine subscriptions from Randy and fly the concorde...

Are you getting a little sentimental today? ;)

Good points and I can remember almost all of them. Along with the days when there were few threads outside of OMNI with posts usually containing more smilies than text. When threads focused more on the positives or looking for information and assistance, rather than complaining and asking "Do I deserve compensation?"

-When a "hot" thread had just a 1000 views a week.
-When we still had thread ratings and reputation ratings.
-When no one knew who was on TalkBoard or what TalkBoard did. (Hey, wait, that still hasn't changed ;) )
-How we ever survived without the Report Bad Post button.

. . . when Merry and baobab posted regularly.

Honestly, I didn't know that Commander Catcop had "Sergeants at Arms." (If someone remembers who they were PM me. YIKES! I must be getting old)

Catcop had "Acting Commander Catcops" and I can remember a few (and a few who got FIRED for being bribed by beer!) So in that aspect you know you are getting old.

>When you remember and have attended one of the first Flyertalk events (Boston in March, 1997!) And can name all the guests.

>When you recall the first Freddies events only had about a dozen or so Flyertalkers attending (and you remember most of the attendees!)

>When you remember Commander Catcop (who continues to enjoy retirement and watching things from afar.)

>When you meet a "newbee" for the first time and you are flattered and a little shocked when they say "oh, you been on Flyertalk forever!"

But I say I"m not getting older... I'm getting sillier! ;)

*When NJ David posted on the board.

*You fondly remember two great Flyertalkers: johna and raeban

And program wise:

*You used United Connection.

*Sheraton and Westin were two SEPARATE frequent snoring miles programs.
(think they were Club Sheraton a program you PAID to keep membership in and Westin Premier)

Well, FT has certainly changed, but I think it's improving dramatically:

* Larger community
* More information and opinions due to larger community
* More dynamic and diverse group of people and opinions
* Less of a "core clique" that "runs the show"; more open to all
* More real business travellers who give excellent travel information

All in all, things are looking better and better on FT every day. ^^^

The disk-based software was better than ual.com is even today. RIP. :(

Correct. :(

when folks who joined in 1998 consider themselves getting old on FT

*You remember Rudi's "Omni" awards (before that word became a forum.) - Bonus if you know who some of the winners were.

*You followed the adventures of Pudding Guy.

*You mistake your PIP passport for yoru real one.

Yes the community has grown but it's also good to appreciate the history of what happened and what brought us to what the board is today.

(I"m a lover of history. Can't help it.)

I"m not old number wise but in the sense of my Flyertalk "character." Eight years! Wow! (haven't stayed on one job for eight years!)

boy, do I feel old today.

I still remember the day in Aug 1998 when I stumbled upon FT.

Life hasn't been the same since ^^

When you can remember back when there would usually be less than a dozen posts per day on the weekends.

If you participated in "Free Blue Sky". :D

If you remember when Matt Wald used to post.

If you had a seat on the PIP Express. ^

Things I remember with nostalgia;

- InnPoints takeover by Village Idiot with his hysterical stories, including the one where a friend was pinned under his family garage door with it vibrating up and down on him

- Village Idiot wheeling up his hotdog cart when a flame fest was ramping up

- celbrain taking over TAROM, appointing himself CEO for life, and annointing some of us TAROM goddesses. **sigh**

- PremEx's spectacular United site, where I learned all the unpublished ins and outs of the UA program

- Rudi and his warm Swiss welcome to all (Greuzi??)

- QuietLion's superb trip reports, and Jailer's win of the QuietLion writing report - whereupon clad in a tuxedo, he managed to cause a waitress to trip, dumping her tray of drinks

- 2 Many Miles, Darren, and richlond with their command of the intricacies of OneWorld RTWs and patiently sharing with me

- chexfan and his green pants

- Catman and his New York Dos

I was just thinking of that one earlier when reading one of Catman's posts above. :D

Or the "brilliant" idea that was conceived for the PDX Brewers Festival back in 2002 when geo1004 thought it a great idea to talk several of us into flying into SEA (because US didn't fly to PDX), renting an RV, and driving to the DO. And then geo1004 "pulled a geo" and bailed out which prompted more mischief.

1. Mustard Pretzels
2. Jailer stealing my Omni Award
3. Knowing Matt Wald before he became Kokonuts
4. Knowing Matt Wald's nickname before he became Kokonuts
5. Watching auh2o failing into the bushes
6. Being lonely in Seattle and ending up in the NW club.
7. Mr Limo and myself having a lot of free drinks in the CO PC @ LAX pretty much every 2 weeks.

And the Best....having my first Sidecar with Rudi

1. Meeting Old Gold for breakfast in TUS... and receiving a Sootkase tag.
2. Meeting Punki and Hunki in Seattle for Dinner. Mrs. AZ even had a good time that night.
3. Receiving a Concorde memo pack from johna just before his passing. (RIP, John.)
4. Meeting Randy and his staff at HOM.
5. And, of course, realizing that it makes perfect sense to fly SFO-AMS-ATL just for the miles.

Not only was United Connection better than the existing UAL.COM, it was better than any website booking engine I've experience.

I am glad, AZ_MISMAN, that your wife had fun at dinner. We also enjoyed the evening.

Hopefully, we were able to convince her that that not all FlyerTalkers are crazed hatchet murderers. :D :D

...that today is your birthday? :D

(HB, by the way!!! :-: :-: :-: )

No, just those on OMNI. ;) :D

Agreed. I still miss it. It found connections most reservation systems had trouble locating, ie AMS-EWR on SQ.

Lets not forget your great SanDo - I had been lurking on FT for a few years and finally got to SAN to meet some of the wildest, nicest, friendliest people I have ever met. That day in Summer 2001 changed my travel habits forever

I think Newself would fall into that category.

Actually we had a MUCH higher percentage of business travelers back in the day. At the early DO's (before we called them DO's), it was about 1 in 10 who traveled for fun. The rest of us were pure business travelers. I recall meeting someone (was it Horizons?) who only flew for pleasure, yet he was a 1K and elite on some other airline too. AND he had a day job. That was impressive, but rare back then on Flyertalk.

That was at the PIPP (Party in Pseudo-Paradise) at Madisons in LGB. However who here remembers the first "Do" which actually came before the PiP?

I need to find those pants...

I attended several FlyerTalk events before the PIP.

My first was in Chicago in July of 1999. In attendance were mauld, AnnaS, comicwoman and I.

My second was in Seattle also, I do believe, in July at the NWA club. In attendance were newself, jamiel. Get-on-Board, and Punki.

My third was the first SEA-DO in August of 1999, which was hosted by MileageAddict and me. I met Catman, auh20, TravelWeary, Michael, MileageAddict, Shadow, AusTXHiker, and MWeiss at this party. newself, Hunki, Get-on-Board and I were also in attendance, but I already knew all of us.

The fourth was a trip to the circus with my elder brother Rudi, Hunki, Peregrine and my daughter, Khaela, who was not then a FlyerTalker, and I.

Then, fifth, came the party in San Francisco, with Rudi in his Swiss outfit at the Top of the Mark. That is where I first met Johna, RIP, ScottC, dgolds, Karen2, and her hubby, Einer.

The sixth was in NYC in October. In attendance were PremEx, Catman, Burkey, Flyme2, AnnaS, Nature Girl (a/k/a Andrea), and Punki. It seems like AusTXHiker may have been at this party as well, but I am not 100% sure of that.

Then came the greatest party of all--The PIP! How much fun was that. ^ That is where I first met Randy and all the HOM staff who were most generous and supportive of the early FlyerTalk gang.

IIRC there were also parties in San Antonio and Boston before the PIP, but those I did not attend.

I know baobab went to the Boston party. Remember the "tree" picture. :D

I am sure surprised that I remembered all of those parties in order. There have been so many more since then, that it would take some serious concentration to remember them all.

Stimpy... you are correct about Newself... who was actually an "Acting Commander Catcop" (until he got fired for accepting a bribe of beer!) Shame!

I think MIleage Addict got fired for the same reason.

I didn't know there were also considered Sergeants at Arms.

FYI PUnki: I think Baobab organized the Boston "do" which was I think the first significant FT get together.

Maybe someone like Randy needs to put some of these memories down in a book or something for future Flyertalkers to see how far we've come.

Yellowbird Flights and Delta "steak n champagne" eco campaign
 

east coast to Miami. Curtains on Eastern Airline Windows......

Ok a little at a time I've had my dose for this year!

Well according to Premex, whose memory I trust better than mine, the first Flyertalk get together was in Long Beach aboard the Queen Mary. I half-organized it with Premex and QuietLion who brought Hunnybear. I think Shadow was there and Ranles (both of them), but my memory is hazy. Premex does have photos somewhere.

I wonder who has the distinction of attending most FT doos/dinners?

You must be a pretty strong contender IMHO based on these early ones alone. :)

I reckon tom911 and KathyWdrf would be well in the race as well. You left coasters sure get around. :cool:

Too bad I haven't kept detailed records of all the ones I've attended! :D

I must say you ozzies get around (and rack up a hell of a lot of mileage in the process)! :cool:

- You knew a "Weekend at Bernie's" wasn't just a movie. :cool:

And when there, and more importantly (to some) learning that ALT was not just a key on a computer keyboard. ;)

Glen

Ahhh memories :D

It's definitely a different place now than it was when I joined.
You know you're getting old on FT when:

* You remember when you had to know USB code to type anything other than just plain text

* You remember when seemingly every other post on FT was by doc :D

* You remember when running into another FTer or being on the same flight as one was a MAJOR event. (I ran into 3 in just two flights this past weekend, and saw a 4th FT tag from afar.)

* You remember when your "clout" on the boards had absolutely NOTHING to do with your airline status or annual spend

If your "Join Date" reflects a year in the last millennium. ;)

When you understand the true significance of having a Sidecar at the VJ in Interlaken.

If your join date reflects a year when Concorde flights were still the norm. Now they are long gone. 3 years already. No more Atlantic crossings in 3 1/2 hours. :mad: