Excuse me, are you a forumista?

[David Flower]

I wonder how we can identify each other in public? Last night down at Momo's I spotted a possible suspect - you know, middle aged, chubby, balding - who was entirely non-plussed by the question 'Charlie Gillett Forumista?' In fact he was a Geordie Wembley season ticket holder down on a break in London for the cup semis. He thought Momo's was greet though

Perhaps we need a secret exchange, spy-style, that could initiate a conversation. "Excuse me, I was just wondering what your favourite music format is?" If so challenged you have to reply "Vinyl"

any better suggestions?

[Charlie]

he was a Geordie

We North Easterners don't acknowledge each other's existence if the other person lives near the wrong river.

It would be liked asking you, 'excuse me but do you know where the Emirates Stadium is?'

Of course you'd say it didn't exist, it's a media invention designed to trick everybody, like those films of man walking on the moon.

[Spartacus]

Whaaaat, those moon landings were fake!!!!

Oh My Gord.

[Rob Hall]

Maybe we should all carry a piece of bark with us at all times, and chew on it when we suspect other forumistas may be in the vicinity.

[howard male]

Rob wrote -

Maybe we should all carry a piece of bark with us at all times, and chew on it when we suspect other forumistas may be in the vicinity.

A practical, and slightly less psychotically conspicuous version of Rob's suggestion might be for us all to carry a pencil to symbolically represent our sacred piece of bark on which we must chew.

To the casual bystander, seeing someone chewing a pencil would mean nothing (whereas bark chewing could possibly get you ejected from the premises.) But to the lonely forumista - who spots the pencil chewer across a far from crowded world music gig - it could be the beginning of a wonderful friendship. One wouldn't even have to worry about lead poisoning either - not because we're all as mad as a box of frogs anyway, but because it is a myth that there is any lead in pencils. Might I suggest a 2B.

[Hugh Weldon]

Howard wrote:

Might I suggest a 2B.

Sorry I only possess a HB.

But I will take it to the Scala tonight and chew at occasional intervals.

Forumistas who approach me with the challenge (exact words please) "You are Hugh Weldon from SOTW and I see there's still lead in your pencil" will receive a free autograph.

[Alan Balfour]

Forumistas who approach me with the challenge (exact words please) "You are Hugh Weldon from SOTW and I see there's still lead in your pencil" will receive a free autograph.

Nice one.

However, the time to start worrying is when somebody says "You are Huw Wheldon and I was an avid fan of your BBC TV children's program All Your Own".

[CantSleepClownsWillGetMe]

I normally rely on my SoTW members' badge to do the job for me ......



J

[NormanD]

I don't remember this one at the time from "All Your Own" , but this is where Huw Wheldon (not our Huw, but the other avuncular BBC TV presenter) interviews the skiffle group containing the 14-year-old guitarist, James Page in 1957. Young James says that his career ambition lies in "biological research". Surely some mistake.

The music is terrible, but the film is unmissable: http://tinyurl.com/4z3uer

[Dayna]

This guy could show up.

[Kirin]

Howard wrote:

Might I suggest a 2B.

Sorry I only possess a HB.

But I will take it to the Scala tonight and chew at occasional intervals.

I recommend a 6B -- they're softest -- or a 4B -- slightly less soft, but more resilient. Not graphite sticks because they'd leave everyone with blackened lips and a bad, dry sensation in the mouth. Actually, bark would probably taste better.

[uiwangmike]

Might I suggest a 2B.

I recommend a 6B -- they're softest -- or a 4B

For a considered discussion of this dilemma, see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-elDeJaP ... re=related

[Spartacus]

Aye, well, there's the rub! er!

[David Flower]

anyone at Dingwalls tonight? I'll be wearing a pencil behind my ear and see if that works. I'm not doing the bark thing as woofing at strangers is silly

[Charlie]

I spotted a possible suspect - you know, middle aged, chubby, balding

I'm not sure the chubby jibe applies to any of us, David, and most have more hair than I do.

I'm hoping that patch of skin on the crown of my head does not lead everybody to call me balding behind my back.

Just come round in front of me and you'd never know.

I think the identifying characteristic of a forumista is that we all talk and smile at the same time