Let's Talk About Profile Pictures!

Surprisingly, I haven't found it while doing research before starting this thread. Whatever, that's fine.

It is funny how things work. I went back and saw your request for a "profile picture" in the area for such things. Yet the area is labeled "....avatar...."

So when I went to find this thread I did a search and found zero, zip, nada about this thread, only the other thread that I referenced. I tried other search terms fruitlessly and eventually gave up searching. Now why I remember you started this thread, I do not know, but I needed to search within your profile to find this thread. Which as you saw, I did.

What is most interesting to me in this process is that the other thread, dormant for over a decade was not locked. Most open thread that old were locked years ago. Thankfully it was not and the two could be cross referenced as well as that thread contained interesting stories from now departed members.

Now do you mind if this thread expands to include profile name explanations in addition to the photo explanation? When I posted my answer, I also explained why my user name. Mine was, I would think, obvious; but other less obvious names likely have interesting stories.

Of course! It would be a pleasure to include profile names. I thought about making a thread for that too, but I decided not to do. I would be happy to include this. Do I need to do anything for that?

Also, thank you for the info.

I picked a Scott 621. This is the story of this stamp, as Swedish Tiger describes it:

"The story starts in the 9th Century, during the reign of King Harald Fairhair, when a Viking chief was buried in a ship at Gokstad in Norway. In 1880 the sons of the farmer whose land the burial mound was situated excavated the mound and discovered the ship... It now resides at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, Norway…

"In May 1893, an exact replica was built and sailed from Sandefjord, Norway, to Bergen and onward to Chicago for the Columbian Exposition. The ship was a star attraction at the exhibition…"

I should explain *why* the ship was a hit at the exposition. Many, many people of Scandinavian heritage lived (and still live) in Chicagoland, and this was after all an exposition to celebrate *Columbus*, the man who for centuries was credited for discovering America for Europeans.

At the time, much skepticism remained about the old legends that the Vikings had actually been to America several centuries before Columbus. Some critics doubted the Vikings had the technology to pull such a trip off

So when the Norwegians sailed that ship to Chicago for the exposition, many Chicagoans were *jubilant*. This showed maybe the legends were right and Leif Erikson really had been to America first.

Back to Swedish Tiger:

"The replica ship was restored by 'Friends of the Viking Ship' located in Geneva, Illinois, at Good Templar Park..."

I have some Swedish ancestry and I used to live within walking distance of Good Templar Park and this replica. So the stamp was an obvious choice for me.

Wow, really good story! I am impressed how important can be a stamp for someone.

I don't have this particular stamp nor do I know much about the real deal. The reason I like it is that I have always been fond of sailboats since I was a little girl. So there ya go. Thats my story and Im sticking to it.

Still nice to know that. Thanks for sharing!