To you who has a picture of yourself as avatar...

I don't post a picture of myself because my avatar is much more interesting-looking then I am.

Mine is a self portrait

Reading this thread reminded me how much the picture I was using on MP was like the one on the most wanted poster in the post office.........

I know I would! Please PM me with your email address, home address, and bank account info so that my Nigerian banker friend may wire you my initial deposit!

Actually I hate having my picture taken and think I never look good in one, so I doubt I'd use one as my avatar. Maybe if I happen to get a really good one taken sometime. I wouldn't be worried about getting recognized, but whatever makes each of us comfortable.

ahaha... great! how much is the reward? we can remain anonymous, right?

I have no problem with people seeing exactly what I look like. I want the Gate Agents and Flight Crews to KnowWhoIAm!

Humm, people usually walk up to me in the airport to talk telling me they recognize the flying blue snapcoat..oh yea

I use my real photo.

The red "hair" is distinctive but could easily be dyed. Less easy to deal with, speaking from experience, is being recognised by your large beak.

LOLOLOL, that just made my day!!

Paranoid....not a chance. But it is all personal preference. I am not exactly worrying about being hit on by women in airport lounges. If I were the OP, who has been approached by creepy guys then yes, I might be paranoid.
I travel alone 95% of the time and mostly internationally, I usually just stick out my chest and walk! See avatar.

PS Avatars from False Bay/Cape of Good Hope, SA

It is pretty easy to modify a photo to make it "cartoon"-like. That would be good enough for your friends to recognize you, but too generic for strangers. If you've seen the brokerage firm advertisements in the US market that have a customer telling his broker what his goals are, you know what I'm talking about. Similar use is being made with the new TSA "nude-o-scopes" to distort faces (already the norm in EU). If you want to see what it looks like, send me a photo off list (same username at gmail) and I'll send it back privately.

Paranoid? Why are you looking at me? Huh?

I wish I was as good looking as my dog. He is well known around town. People will stop his dog sitter and ask if it is Ernest. We haven't spent very much time at the airport though, I'm not sure if you would recognize me without my dog.

Not paranoid, luckily I don't really look like I lion head with a crown... LOL

What was the reward offered, and was that in dollars or points?

I think I recognize you from Kauai, are you the tall palm on the right? I don't mind posting mine as its been so long since my days of fame that not many remember me anyway.

IMO, one of the "benefits" here or on FT is meeting other travelers while on the road for the purpose of talking shop (miles/points), exchanging travel/destinations tips, exchanging travel "war/horror-stories", knowing someone to hang out with in far away places, etc. And to use your photos as an avatar here will obviously make this benefit easier to use.

I totally agree with you and would love to post my photo but, as I stated earlier, I think women travelling alone need to be a bit more careful about throwing their photo out on the Internet. Your thoughts?

The avatar is me. But I think sufficiently camouflaged to not reveal my face too much!

BTW, I'm a female traveling solo much of the time.

Thanks for the invite Kalboz..............I'm the guy on the right........and looking forward to great new/informative posts on Thailand and other destinations.

If anybody recognizes me while traveling, just say hello. I wont hit you with my pan!

Oh Ling Ling ... and who's the cub?

Thank you maskedavenger for accepting the invitation as you provided us for years with depth of knowlege about many travel destinations. I am looking forward to your posts on the Asia and the other branches. http://milepoint.com/forums/forums/asia.183/

I am changing my avatar. I don't want my dog to be attacked by the puparazzi.

I get mistaken for people all the time. Odds are you would go up to the wrong person.

...but if you want to mistake me for the flying spaghetti monster then that's cool.