On this site, we all have screen names. Mine is Groon, taken from the title of (and subject of) The Groon, a poem found in Ray's collection, When Elephants Last in the Dooryard Bloomed. I have noticed some other Bradbury themed screen names and I recognize a few of them, (dandelion and octobercountry being the most obvious) but I'm not sure about some of them. I thought it would be cool if we could all take a few minutes to introduce ourselves and get to know each other. Maybe say a few words about who we are and perhaps shed some light on those mysterious screen names. Since we've been talking on these boards, why not make a formal introduction.

If I may be the first. . .

pterran has absolutely nothing to do with any Bradbury story at all. It's just the first part of my e-mail address and I use it for a login name on any site that needs a login name. Once I arrived on this site and saw the many Bradbury-themed names, I cursed my stupidity and lack of imagination.

Pete

Mine is mine... because I was stupid and put the screen name in the wrong application box. I've forgotten what the screen name was, but when my name came up it was a done deal...

I too lacked creativity and curse myself routinely for it.

I chose Mr. Dark. Something Wicked This Way Comes was/is one of my favorite stories. I went with Mr. Dark because he is such a powerful figure. He seems so sinister, yet his power is kind of always in a sensed potential state. The show-down with Will's father in the library shows how totally callous and cold he can be. I loved how he was portrayed in the movie. I also liked the contrast in appearance between he and I. In the movie, he is tall and darkly handsome. In real life I'm on the short side of average in height, and the okay side of average in appearance. He can keep the dark side, but I do like his charisma, appearance, height and presence.

The story behind my "screen name" is a long, complicated, interesting tale........

Actually, it's just my real name, so I guess it's not interesting after all.

I just found out that King Crimson did a song called Groon. I wonder if it has anything to do with Ray's poem. I'll let you know when I find out. Meanwhile, thanks for the responses, and the rest of you, keep 'em coming.

My namesake is of course the jaded detective in DEATH IS A LONELY BUSINESS - a colourful and quite atypical Bradbury character.

Mr. Dark,

Shoot. And her I thought you picked the name because it was a great way to get chicks.

Pete

Well, I never said that wasn't in the back of my mind . . . Maybe the icebox woman, the spider woman . . .

Although this would be problematic given my relationship with spiders. I fear the touch of their web, and spent six days in a hospital with a blood clot and then seven months on blood thinners as a result of a spider bite. Then, about two months after getting off the blood thinners, I was bit again by a spider and but immediately on steroids and anti-biotics.

So, maybe the spiderlady would be troubling.


[This message has been edited by Mr. Dark (edited 09-30-2003).]

"Dandelion Wine" was my advent to Mr. Bradbury's work and it touched me in a deep and special way(see my post in the, "What Bradbury Story Got You Started" topis in Favorite Stories). I grew up in rural Illinois and now live in a very small town in Illinois and it is like time stood still there after WWII ended. It has its ups and downs but life is so slow there. Trains still run and you can see the stars at night and children play in the neighborhood and people have gardens that they share from and everyone has pets. It is so far away from any major road that you have to drive miles of country roads to get there and it doesn't seen like anyone really knows about it. There is no fast food, there isn't even a gas station - sometimes it's a little spooky. The people are old fshioned and a little weird but you can do what you want there. Anyway for better or worse, I feel as I moved to Greentown - so there you have it.

And it looks like I need to proofread before I post. Sorry about the typos.

like pterran, Rogar has nothing to do with Bradbury. It was a college nickname, inspired by a Godzilla like character in a sketch on Michael Nesmith's short-lived "Television Parts" series. My real name is Roger, so the nickname transition wasn't a real stretch.

Thank you all again, this is great!

Poseidon is my favorite Greek god, and MA are my initials.

I just had a thought. If someone came on this website with the username "Ray Bradbury", would we have to assume it was Him? I suppose not, since I don't think he uses computers, but who else would have the nerve ...