I can't change my name.

Nanni and Goofy girl....
I know just exactly what you mean !! Even if we DID change our trailname.... everyone would still call us THE SEEKERS. In fact, for a long time, some people thought that was our REAL last name. *LOL*.
Looking back on when we were choosing a name, we should have been THE FINDERS !!
When we chose our name we weren't thinking of HARRY POTTER.... but we also like that similarity.

No plans to change name... but I think it's great that the system keeps both names on file for a year so people can figure out who you are !!

As for you, Chica.... you do whatever makes YOU happy.... if you're up for a change.... that's great !!!

Dina B. Seeker

thank you, you guys are awesome... so many good thoughts and memories... my name is like my "brand" and that's why I hesitate -- hopefully it's a good brand... I'll keep thinkin' on it, and if I do decide to change, I love the idea of posting a note to people that know me, and also signing with old and new name for a while... Thank you!
Chica - contemplating a new moniker

I would consider how many folks know you by your current trailname and the reputation you have built connected with that trailname. I think of it kind of like a brandname.

Uh, oh,-- looks like I "branded" my whole darn family. Nanni, you sure Papaw wants to be connected to your trailname with the reputation you are building? Thankfully, my family isn't on line much....

my biggest problem is that every name I come up with has already been taken. I've tried about 30 names so far.......and none of them are available.

I know that it is frustrating to try to pick a Trail name and find it already taken. I encountered that same thing when I first registered on AQ. I've noticed that some names are taken by letterboxers who never record a plant or find. Is there any time limit on these "inactive accounts" whereas the trail name would become available again?

Tell us some about yourself and I am confident this group of creative people will come up with the perfect trailname.

Is there any time limit on these "inactive accounts" whereas the trail name would become available again?

If there are no plants or finds recorded, I believe the accounts are deactivated 1 year after the last log-in.

TG

I really wonder about that... there is an Account name LEE that was activated in 2006, never logged in after the day it was created, no finds, no plants.... did fill out the questionnaire portion.

I would have loved to have that for my trailname but it is still active and unused.

Sniff...
Wendy In The Eastbay
(Lee)

there is an Account name LEE that was activated in 2006, never logged in after the day it was created, no finds, no plants.... did fill out the questionnaire portion.

Hmmm, that's odd. I wouldn't think that the interview would have anything to do with it, but maybe it does.

TG

I was wondering about that myself. There is a trailname Wendy that hasn't been logged in since 2004 with 4 finds.
I would have loved to have that for my trailname but it is still active and unused, as well.
I was going for the Peter Pan reference, but ended up with Pooh instead.

they can search for your old trailname and it will come up a year after you change it... =)

Actually, it would make sense to me if that was permanent. Even if someone else takes your old name, it'd be good if there was a notice that "until MM/DD/YYYY, this was the trailname of the boxer now known as..." Some of the letterboxes planted may last much longer than a year, and the wrong boxer getting contacted regarding them would be confusing.

If there are no plants or finds recorded, I believe the accounts are deactivated 1 year after the last log-in.

Not really. There's currently no automated system in place to deactivate old accounts. Sometimes people come back after a year or more, so I haven't felt particularly trigger happy about deleting old and apparently abandoned accounts at whim. I did that at one point, but then it messed up a lot of people's exchanges inadvertently. That law of unintended consequences..... So I stopped just deleting old accounts just because they're old. *shrug*

Mostly, I just delete accounts if someone requests a specific name that hasn't been used eons and has no plants or finds on it. (If there are plants or finds, I might consider changing their trailname to add a number at the end of it to make the desired trailname available.)

-- Ryan

I wouldn't even mind the "Wendy" either which I do sign sometimes on the Boards!!!

Wendy In The Easbay

but it is still active and unused.

I've seen quite a few accounts like that.....2 or 3 years old with zero activity and no log ins; but still active and unused.

Chica,

I Hope I'm not repeating someone else (I try not to!) but maybe you will come up with a new name that somehow incorporates Chica--not changing brands but improving brands!

Chica-boom-boom?

I thought the same thing--that's hilarious = )

Actually spelled Chicka Chicka Boom Boom ..... will there be enough room?

How about Chit Chat Chica?

Crafty Chica

Letterbox Chica

Letter Chica

Chica Box

Color Chica

CO Chica

Bom chika wow wow

Actually spelled Chicka Chicka Boom Boom ..... will there be enough room?

I'd bet I can still recite that book from memory--and my son just turned 18! =)

Sheba

Ha ha, Sheba, didn't even know there was a book! Just a piece of trivia floating around in my head. Had heard that expression, but never knew what it referred to. Thought it was something to do with Charro, ah she wa wa, or some such nonsense. I think that's spanish for a compliment. (probably not nonsense to a spanish person) Like a sexy thing, ackkkk, now you tell me its something to do with a kids book, holy c--cuddly bovine! Now that's funny! Here I thought I was complimenting Chica, as a Wow gal! So tell me, what does Chicka Chicka Boom Boom mean then?

Holy cuddly bovine. One of God's holiest of creatures.

Moo.

I bet you young whippersnappers don't know who Charro is either. ha.

OD
..
U

I bet you young whippersnappers don't know who Charro is either. ha.

Well, I know who she is. I also know she spells it with only one r...Charo.
Charro with two r's is a mexican cowboy.

Romana

*raising hand* I know who Charo is. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charo

Cuchi cuchi

GG

So tell me, what does Chicka Chicka Boom Boom mean then?

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, will there be enough room, I'll race you to the top of the coconut tree.

It's a children's book about the alphabet. My boys quote it all the time, especially if we see a full moon - another one of the lines in the book. It's very cute - worth checking out from the library. I searched for an online book, but didn't find it.

light travelers

http://www.newkideo.com/productpage.php?productid=NV-NNVG107171&gclid=CMrG29XC0JwCFRND5godACSFIg

Check here for the kids book reference.

SFF

I see a ton of ideas for letterboxes from this book -- i think we have it around here somewhere...

GG

-- i think we have it around here somewhere...

If not, let me know. I think that we have a couple of copies.

SFF

Bom chika wow wow

Since she's a CO boxer I like this one, since it would crack me up every time I saw her stamp into a box.

I have no actual helpful suggestions for other names, just wanted to cast a (silly!) "vote"....

pre