NEW MEMBERS - INTRODUCE YOURSELF HERE (Part 2)

Hello all you wights, dwarves, elves, dragons, fairies, Hornblowers, Baggins, Tooks, humans, and other sundry Downers. My name is Tom and I just discovered this site yesterday. I started reading Tolkien in grade school and have loved Middle Earth ever since (I remember stocking up on sandwiches and burrowing into my room the first time I read "The Council of Elrond", because I didn't want to miss a word or be interrupted.) It's great to finally find a place were I can discuss one of my favorite topic with others who feel the same way about Tolkien, Middle Earth, and the fantasy genre as a whole. I can't wait to jump in.

I did have a few questions. Is there any meaning to the message icons on the posts? I chose Tolkien's initials for this post because I always thought it looked cool. I would also like to know what avatars are, as they pertain to this site. Is it some official designation, or just a polite term or endearment? That's all for now; I look forward to discussing Tolkien with as many of you as possible.

TTFN,

Tom, The Cool Took