Post #158854 by Riptide on Sat, May 14, 2005 8:17 AM

WOW! What a great thread. I'm glad it made it back to the top of the list on the Main Board after being around for so many years. It is interesting to read about so many TCer's screen names after reading so many of their posts. Excellent.

Anyway, my name "Riptide" was taken in the spur-of-the-moment back in 1988 when I worked at Sam Goody Music. My boss at the time came up to me and a friend and said, "Hey boys, its summer what's your surf name? I'm Curl, because I shoot the curl!" My friend said, "Well then, I'm Tube Snake because I surf the tube." At that point I quickly said, "I'm Riptide, Master of the Waves." That was really the end of it until 1990 when I started working in the radio industry. I didn't want to use my real name on-air, so I thought "Riptide, Master of the Waves" will work; only now it is radio waves.

I am now out of the TV/Radio industry. I am very happily teaching 8th grade Math/Science. The funny thing, however, is that all of the friends that I made in the 10 years of being "Riptide" (and all their acquaintances/parents/relatives that they introduce me to) still call me that. Many don't even know my real name. When I started teaching at the school I work at, I had 4 very good friends already working there. They all knew me as "Riptide". So, the name continues and even my Principal and Vice Principals call me "Riptide".