Isle Royale Forums

My name is pretty easy to figure out. I love going to northern Michigan (upnorth) and I used to drive around in the woods in my Jeep (jeeper).

How about some of you all?

In my first real job out of school we played 2 on 2 basketball at lunch. The other team were pretty good recreational players. I played with another John, who had played for Dean Smith at UNC. Me, well lets just say I'm an athletic putz, but a good sport. John could easily take on the other two by himself, but being the good sport he was I took (and missed) my fair share of shots. One day he passes the ball in to me, motions me to drive, and starts chanting "Ingo! Ingo! Ingo!", like when the crowd cheers for the 3rd stringers at the end of blowout. I’m not sure what to do as he stands aside with arms crossed, refusing to take the ball, saying “Go for it!”. The 2 other guys take up the chant as we’re all laughing. Somehow I manage to dribble around one player and run smack into the other under the basket as I throw up the ball and it goes in! No one bothers to call a foul as we pick ourselves up, probably out of amazement!

It became something of a tradition after that. And since there was yet another John in the small office, I was thereafter known as "Ingo". There's only 1 or 2 old friends that still call me that now and then, but I use it on occasion when "John" is indistinct, in this case, thanks to John H

John Ingersoll (aka Ingo)

I'm a creative, wacky type.. So I went with my First name.

Like I put in another post, thought, I'll be considered really cool when there are a million registered users, and I have "Tom"

I was going to go with Tom, but someone beat me to it!!!

Obviously john is my first name and like Ingo (John) hens is a nickname I had growing up (in fact when I am with my friends from grade school/high school, that is what I am called). It is the name I use on other forums also.

Wait till niners gives his explanation!!

Mine is also not very creative. My last name is Gerbers, my nickname is Gerbs. Whenever I signed up for emails and such, Gerbs was usually taken so I put an S on the front (first name Shawn) and that's how I got my screen name: Sgerbs

I was a Philmont Ranger back in 1978 & 1979. There are a lot of things related to Philmont starting with Phil . . .

I believe that most of these "screen names" are sort of throw-backs to the days of CB radio "handles", where folks didn't want to use their real names because they were doing things they really shouldn't, like evading the 55 MPH speed limit. I've never believed in an online alter-ego. You will normally find me on the net as DRNewcomb but many people think this is Dr. Newcomb, so I went with DonNewcomb on this board.

DonNewcomb wrote:I believe that most of these "screen names" are sort of throw-backs to the days of CB radio "handles",

What the hell is a "CB radio?"

My screen name came from an episode of "South Park," along time ago that contained something called "monkey phonics" that taught kids how to read and spell. I just remember I laughed so hard at it, I thought "phonics monkey rocks." So there it was. Here's a picture from the episode: Nowadays I hate using the screen name, because people think it says "foxy monkey," which is obviously disturbing. But unfortunately, I'm not creative enough to come up with a new screen name.

fonixmunkee wrote: What the hell is a "CB radio?" .

CB, Short for Citizen's Band Radio. Still used by truckers, but otherwise pretty much obsolete. I had one in my car in the 70s. Fun talking to different people on trips. While illegal, most CBers never used their call signs, just "handles." At the time, I was working my way through college at a funeral home. My CB handle was "Body Snatcher."

Nick, you will be happy to know that Johnhens still uses his CB all the time.

I remember the CB radio fad. I think I was in high school. I never got on the air but my dad had one for a while. One of his friends gave him "Billiard Ball" for a handle (he was bald.)

As for my online name, it came from two seemingly unrelated facts. The first is that I used to be a big fan of a mandolin player from Minnesota named Peter Ostroushko (of Prairie Home Companion fame.) The other was that my brother had a little dog named Mandy, and my mother used to call her Mandy Lynn. So I sort of co-opted the dog's name and combined it with my favorite music.

niners wrote:Nick, you will be happy to know that Johnhens still uses his CB all the time.

Which does not surprise me, since he seems to be living in the past.

My screen name is pretty self explanitory. My name is Josh, last name Coburn. I am not a fan of seeing "Josh Coburn" in print (because I am a picky nerd) and as an author of a few books and travel articles I prefer seeing "J. Coburn" instead. I also deal with the international media in regards to body modification and it is just easier to translate into the Russian language...they dont know what a "Josh" is! Lol

Mine's a given....13 years volunteering as a boy scout leader, and as of April the dad of an Eagle Scout!

niners wrote:Nick, you will be happy to know that Johnhens still uses his CB all the time.

It has come in handy to avoid construction traffic, accident caused backups, weather and road conditions ahead, and on one occasion coming back from Yellowstone, we along with a bunch of truckers forced a drunk off the highway till the state police showed up.
It is great entertainment to listen to political discussions too.