I'm a long time reader/lurker here, and I registered with the intention of occasionally commenting on something particularly interesting.  Since registering I've realized that if I ever do indeed comment, it might provoke some interest in the commented upon, who might click through to my humble profile.  I decided that it would behoove me to have something here to show that I am indeed a person, and not simply a name and a comment.

 In the interest of providing some actual content, I checked the first posts of some of my favorite OS posters with the intention of blatantly stealing collegially borrowing some good ideas. And I was immediately struck by the quality of many first posts.  My pre-posting trepidation increased geometrically as I read well-written, content-filled posts.  I had initially hoped that a first post would resemble a cross between a transcription of introductions at an AA meeting and the kind of awkward throat-clearing I'm engaging in right now. Something like:

"Hi! My name is <name here>. I've been reading OS for ages and y'all are swell. I hope to have interesting things to talk about, but for now I just want to say hi. I'm glad the club's membership application consisted of a name and an e-mail. Gosh you guys are inclusive."

 Instead, what I got was significantly more intimidating. A rough list of topics I encountered:

• heart-wrenching stories about caring for elderly parents and helping the disadvantaged
• commentary on important news issues
• witty, charming personal anecdotes
• passionate political diatribes (of the articulate and the rant varieties)
•  sage advice from those who have been-there, done-that
• poetry
• at least one quality recipe
• OS commentary (under which heading I suppose this post falls)
• OS satire