Since we are all getting reaquinted - tell us about yourself - newbies and veterans!

[MeanLaureen]

I thought we could all take a minute to tell something about ourselves so that all the newbies to the collectors board feel more at home.

I'll start

My name is Lauri (really Laureen but I don't go by that except when my mom is ticked at me) I got the nickname MeanLaureen from my family because I have a wicked sense of humor that usually ends up with someone screaming "You're MEAN!"

I'm married to Obi-Wan Pinobi - 4 yrs - 5 if he behaves . We don't currently have any children but for right now have surrounded ourselves with the 4 legged furry variety. We have Lacy, a 13 yr old black poodle, Suzy, a 7 yr old Cafe Auliet poodle, Reilly, a 4 yr old Apricot poodle, Hailey, a 7 month old Black and White poodle and Tinker, a 6 month old Peke-a-poo. We also have way too many birds because we own a parakeet that is a, well... tramp?

I work full time as a manager for Hallmark, been there for just about all my life - 22 yrs (since I was 15). I started pin collecting in 99 on my honeymoon and it went downhill from there. I have currently narrowed my collection to just dogs and Dumbo - unless it's something really cool (which unfortunately too many pins fall into)

I live in Richmond, Virginia and we used to go to WDW about 4-5 times a year until health problems made it too difficult. I'm hoping to return sometime this year - that is if Ed will be nice to me

So.. tell us about you!

 

[RamVA]

My name is Ruthie, and I started pin collecting on our annual summer vacation to WDW in July of 2001 (me and 3 kids). They were more interested than me, and since supplying pins for them was expensive, I didn't think I'd really get into it--WRONG!! We came home and I went into pin withdrawl, discovered this board (collector's) and the rest is "pin-aholic" history.

So, as mentioned I have 3 kids, and one grandbaby, all of whom still live at home--one legitimately, since he's a senior in high school, and the other 2 plus baby--well that's 2 other stories! All of us are Disney fanatics--oldest son just ran his 1st Disney marathon and came in 13th--he really wanted the Mickey statue though, so he is considering doing it again next year. We used to go once a year to WDW, but since pins, I try to go more often, and have gone to the last 2 September pin events.

I don't collect everything, but I do collect too much. Alice and White Rabbit; Jiminy and Pinocchio; Dumbo, black and white Mickey and Minnie, and Old fashioned (pie-eyed) Mickey and Minnie; some Tink, some Snow White, castles, Christmas, Easter, 4th July/patriotic, and Halloween............I think that's it.

I've always been a collector--most of my adult life I've been collecting antiques; finding pins coincided with running out of room for antiques. I also love to read, but don't seem to have time for it, so I just collect the books. Love movies and music.

Have had some of the best times of my life, and made the best friends ever since I started this hobby. Dreaming of the day I can move to Florida and spend all my time at WDW!

 

[SnoWhite]

My name is Lisa. I first started pin collecting about 4 years ago on a trip to WDW. I got hooked and when I came home I found this great board and got to know a few people. Then I kind of disappeared for a while, but now I am back!

My Fiance and I are getting married in 9 weeks and our honeymoon is going to be in WDW. He has never been to WDW before, and his first trip to DL was last year at this time. He got hooked on the pins in DL and we have been trading a little since we got home. I came back to the DIS to find some of the same wonderful people here that were here when I left!

We mainly collect Stitch pins, Goofy pins, and some others that we like (which seems to be a lot). We also collect Disney Sericels. (if anyone knows where I can sell some of my extras please let me know!)

We live in Seattle, WA. I'm ready to move somewhere a little warmer though!

Lisa

 

[MeanLaureen]

Great to see you again Lisa!!

Congrats on your engagement and upcoming wedding!!

How have you been feeling lately?

Hey guys.. I know you are out there. Tell everyone a little bit about yourselves for the new people before I start making it up!!

New people - we want to get to know you!

 

[Dom13]

OK, My turn. Started pin collecting in November of 2000 when I decided I wanted a villains pin set. Being disatisfied with the 2 that were available back then I decided to make my own. I am an artist and started making my own background for the 10-12 pins I had acquired through e-bay. Well after getting more and more pins of different villains I have now re-started the background, making it bigger, twice and have yet to finish it!!

I managed to stay with just the villains until I met Peggie (Mickey527), Cynthia (JoJoCT) and Leslie (BeautyLLM). After seeing their pins I branched out a little and started on Peter Pan, artist pins and character pins (trying to get as many characters from animated movies as possible). Then came my first pin event in May of 2001. Cynthia and Peggie woke me up a 3am

to go "get in line". Well after a couple of hours of trading on the hood of our rental car in the MGM parking lot using flashlights I was hooked!

I work for a Boys and Girls Club teaching art, wood working, archery, riflery, soccer and computer graphics. I have 3 neices and 2 nephews and I can't wait until the youngest 3, my sister's kids, get to take their first trip to WDW!!

Lately I have been dabbling in computer animation creating many of the bouncing characters you see on the boards

and a few others like Jiminy above,

and

.

 

[atlnewf]

I'll join in. My name is Ashley, I started collecting DISNEY pins in Sept. 2001. We were in EPCOT when the planes hit on Sept. 11. My dad actually discovered the boards and told me about them, and I've been online here since.

I collect primarily Beauty and the Beast, with some of the fab 6 baby pins thrown in. I will also pick up pins (or trade for them) that just catch my fancy at the time.

My kids (5yo, 2yo) like pins, but they're not in to trading at this point. They tend to treat it like their dad does.. something mom does that slows down their visit to the parks.

I haven't been as active here as I'm trying to start a home business that lets me stay with my kids during the day (selling Discovery toys).

Ashley

 

[Duckfan]

I started collecting pins in 1999 with the Millenium collection from the Disneystore. Then I did my first pin trade in December 2000 on my last trip to WDW. Since I reside in Pin Siberia (far away from the parks) I have had to rely on my pin friends to pick up pins for me and I for one do not hate the e-place because I get pins from there too.

Let see, I tend to collect minor characters like Mulan and Jane from Tarzan so I had to actually expand out. So I have also collect Lilo and family pins, beauty and the beast, world showcase, and then pins I like.

My claim to fame is being a member of the whiners club (see above as to pin siberia) and the fact that I keep my wants list small since I know I will not get a lot of pins.

 

[tigger2esq]

Im Renee--I started collecting in October 1999 on a Weekend visit to WDW where we met up with some internet Disney friends (and I got hooked by Suellen's daughter Tara!) -- I quickly amassed a large collection and then fell off the face of the earth to have a baby last May!! I am slowly getting back into the swing of things now that I can find time to unpack some of my boxes since our move last summer and actually FIND my pins. My favorites are princesses (mostly Cinderella!) Over the years I was able to attend one Vince pin meet in Maryland and even hosted a DIS meet at my house 2 summers ago (combined Pin meet/DVC meet with my buddy Jen aka: JenWDWFAN).

Life post baby has been hectic. We traveled to WDW in January for marathon weekend and in my paranoia to remember to pack everything I needed for baby--I TOTALLY forgot to pack EVEN A SINGLE PIN to trade. I wont make THAT mistake again as I stared longingly at CM lanyards etc... LOL!

 

[BeautyLLM]

LOL Renee! At least you remembered the baby stuff...the first time I went to someone's house with my new baby, I packed a big diaper bag full of everything but forgot the bottles! Suffice it to say I didn't stay long and drove home with a starving, screaming baby. Never made that mistake again!

Hello, my name is Leslie and I have been collecting pins for maybe 15 years of so. It all started when I bought a hat and put a Mickey pin on it. Then a Beast pin, then a Belle pin...by the time the hat got too heavy to wear, I found myself at WDW for Millenium New Year's Eve and the rest is history. My first pin line was New Year's Day, 2000 at Pin Central for the January POM. I didn't even know what it was, but all those people in line seemed to think it was important...I also met my very first pin shark there...a guy with about 20 Last Day First Day pins, who refused to part with them because they would be valuable later on

I live in Connecticut with Santa Baby (aka husband Tim) and my three teenage children, also known as the anti pin posse (ok, so I made them go hang out in a parking lot at 2 am one morning before a pin event..no need to be so testy about it!). I have currently been a bit less active in the pin trading community as I have a new business. I love to go on cruises, and in the words of someone famous "I loved it so much I bought the company!" I am the proud owner of a Cruise Planners agency which is very demanding of my time. I am also Queen of the Boa Brigade, a currently dormant group of pin people who like to wear boas and have fun at pin events . Where are you guys?? Anyone going to the March MGM event?

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

Hi, I'm RobYn! <<-- The "Y" so you know I'm not RobIn Perndwlr.

I've been a member of DIS since . . . well since <i>long</i> before there even was a DIS. I was a regular on the DVC board and a bunch of others.

In the mid-90s, I started buying pins of places I visited, mostly on business trips, and mostly for DS#2 Josh DieHardDonald, about 6-7 years ago. In May of 2000 I bought a few WDW pins, mainly of favorite attractions and resorts, and stuck them in my hat. On our next trip, in October of 2000, I <i>lost my mind and <b>went over to the Dark Side. </i></b> I have no idea how many pins we bought, but the number <b>"way too many"</b> comes too mind.

So I came home and clung to every post on the DIS Collector's board, as if it was <i>manna from heaven.</i> There I found that these crazy-wonderful people were going to have a pin meet in Northern Virginia. <i>(And, boy is that a whole <b>other</b> story!)</i>

Well, after about four hours in the Tysons Corner Rainforest Cafe, I found out many important pintrading facts:

1. We needed lanyards and real pin books/bags. (Pins in my plastic craft carrier did not have trading appeal. )
2. Food and pins are a dangerous combination. (Repeat after me: The fries go in the ketchup, the pin goes in the pinbag. )
3. There will always be more pins out there that I <b>need!</b> (Note: Double all budget projections for future WDW trips. )
4. I had found a fantastic new group of friends, that would sustain me even beyond pintrading! (Don't blush, you know who you are! )
   [/list=1]
   
   We are a pintrading family of five . . . Yes, I eventually sucked them all in!
   DH Malcolm ~ EeyoreHisOwnSelf ~ Collects Eeyore pins (naturally), round pins , some Tigger pins (especially sports ones), and Imagineering pins.
   DS#1 Nati (17.5) ~ UslesSportsGoof ~ Collects Goof-only pins (can't have any other characters on the pins), and has just recently branched out into Lilo & Stitch pins. (Yes, I know....he couldn't pick something with a little less competition? )
   DS#2 Josh (16) ~ DieHardDonald ~ Collects Donald Duck, Nephews, Pirates of the Carribean, Indiana Jones.
   DD Meri (8.5) ~ Princess Meri ~ Collects princesses , Lilo & Stitch, Toy Story, and a few other movie favorites.
   
   I collect princesses, matched Mickey & Minnies, Daisies, and matched Donalds & Daisies -- but all of these in full body poses. I also collect attractions, events, resorts, and restaurants that are our family favorites.
   
   Recently I found a hole in my life where the DIS Collectors' Board used to be. So I founded <b>DISCBURP ~ DIS Collectors Board Urgent Revitalization Program.</b>.
   
   It is wonderful to see all the old and <b>new</b> folks who have come to keep our passion for pins and our forum of friends alive and <b>kicking!</b>
   

 

[Luv2Roam]

As a little side note -- I briefly met JenWDWFAN recently. She is a great gal. I am sure we wil meet up again.
We went on what I call our first real WDW trip January 2000. Before WDW, we always planned our vacation trips around Blaine (DH) running a marathon.
When I rec'd a bonus at work that paid for a WDW trip, I decided. Blaine signed up for the WDW marathon, and we were off.
I first read about pins while reading the Dis, planning our first WDW trip. even that first trip, I wasn't hooked. Had fun. But didn't even wear a lanyard until the trip was half over.
The following May we went on vacation in So CA, including DL/DCA. That's when I really became hooked. It looked like I bought out a pin cart when I returned.

 

[tigger2esq]

Well Leslie I can sympathize. just last week I got the frantic call from my DD"s daycare. I had remembered to put everyhting in her bag that day EXCEPT for the bottles. I had to run home from work, pick up 2 bottles and zip them over so she didnt starve!! (they may have been able to make due since she will drink juice from a sippy cup, but I wasnt chancing it! --and it was a good excuse to escape my office and sneak in to visit DD if only for a few minutes!)

Jen is great isnt she?? HI JEN!!! I met her when she agreed to deliver some WDW Star Wars Weekends stuff I had another DIS'r pick up for me a few years ago (and we discovered we didnt live all that far apart!)

I ran the WDW 1/2 marathon in 2002. DH and I were supposed to run it this year but I developed a nasty case of the flu over New years and just didnt feel up to it--so we just had a relaxing trip to WDW instead.

 

[Raulandpinboy]

I am the misunderstood soul known as Ed I was banished from these boards a long time ago by the evil one (you know whom you are) my only crime to love another.

Yes I was in love with big red herself The Mean Laureen woman. I professed my love to her, why I even dressing up as her, but was sent away by her... in a cold and ruthless manor. For you see she did not return my love... nay for she was in love with another… A Woolly Mammoth boy techie geek boy toy Mathew AKA Obi-won. I did not care that we were ages apart, me 40 her 18. For even now that I am 63 and she is 18 I still love her

My holy grail is one day posses the cool edit button she now posses's that she keeps locked in a drawer with my heart and Mathew’s Jedi light saber.

I started collecting pins in 2001 why? I do not know, it just seemed like the thing to do at the time. I started small and worked my way up the food chain until I owned every pin Disney made from 2000 on. That was on a Monday on Tuesday they released 10 million more and the quest continued.

I was forced to sell the house, the car, and me and the wife of some 204 years now live in an old refrigerator box, while our pins are in a climate controlled super secure warehouse place somewhere in Orlando.

I am the only man not afraid to wear a boa and will gladly take a bullet for the queen (Hi Leslie) I’ll be at MGM with boa in hand and on neck. Make Michael wear one and I’ll give you a pin. (only you have that power)

As to the Name Raulandpinboy the name of my company is Rauland-Borg Corp the Borg is from Borg Warner AKA Time Warner AKA Bright house with affiliations with Comcast (YES WE WILL OWN THE PARKS ONE DAY... hahahahahaha) Uhm sorry slipped, and I have been known to the world of AOL as Raulandboy so I stuck pin into it and came up with Raulandpinboy. Alas the Connecticut Contingency thought it was a father son team and got it as Raul and Pinboy but hey it stuck and I liked it so Raul it is. Hey some think I’m a Latin lover type of Raul (who am I to argue)Actually its (insert sexy voice here) Rrrrrrauul.

I’m 6’4” weigh 180Lbs have a gross annual salary of 290’000.00 but my wife (AKA She that must be obeyed) spends 290’001.00 dollars a year on pins. I have an AS, BS, MBA, Masters, and PHD from MIT. I’m a black and blue belt in Pin-kwan-do, and I know how to make Mean Laureen pass out cold while yell “Mathew EDIT THAT” with a certain picture I posses.

My pride and joy are my granddaughters age 18, 17, and 10 all major hottie model material. You can see them on my web site My model type grandkids

And my last claim to fame is the invention of Duct-tape, and that little blue thing in your kitchen junk drawer that does nothing. Also was the first man to come up with your mama's so ugly jokes.

Disclaimer:

Well some of it is true. And tell me you did not clicked on that link and expected it to work did you?

Love you all MEAN IT!!!!

Okay okay red I’ll do a real one later, promise.

 

[JoenAdamnErinnSam]

Hi-I'm Sue,Mom of 2 boys-Joe and Adam and Aunt of twin nieces-Erin and Samantha-all of whom share my love of all things Disney-I am newly separated after almost 25 yrs of marriage,and am in the process of decorating my black and white kitchen and I could use some help-I'm looking for some Disney World postcards-horizontal perspective that would have a black background-I'm doing a border on black and I have some postcards that fit-4"highx6"inches long i.e. RNR coaster car,Illuminations,and a couple of firewoorks shots.If anyone has any suggestions,feel free to PM.It looks pretty cool so far,but I still need about 9-10 more to complete it.Thanks.I'll post pics when it's done.I've checked out E-bay BTW.

 

[karinmac]

Hi! I am Karin, a 46 yr old mom of 2 beautiful daughters, Kathryn, age 16 and Bridget age 9. I have been collecting pins for over 4 yrs. My dear husband Jerry drives me to DLR (only 90 miles away) every month for GWP Sunday. I love shopping for pins. I live in Palm Springs but I am a native New Yorker. I get a thrill in meeting my pin friends face to face, sometimes I even sing
(ask Ed and Donna). I hope to make my 1st trip back to WDW in 30 yrs this July.Happy Trading!

 

[Stitchfan]

Hi all,
Kinda-sorta-not really- newbie here - have collected for several years here but am no way near as informed on what's new, old or values or anything as y'all- so pretty much on the same level as a number of newbies College has greatly limited the amount of time, and money that I have to collect, but I love it anyway(and am fairly addicted ). I guess my "holy grail" is the little set of WDW license plate pins I've managed to collect- they're so cute I'm going down some time in May so I'm really psyched about trading and just all of the Disney magic And....pray for me my Disney lovin' friends...I'm going to interview for the WDW College Program- Maybe I'll get it and can be the friendly cast member that trades with y'all, that would so rock

Kelly

 

[mickeysaver]

Howdy folks, I have posted here a time or two. I guess a full intro wouldn't hurt. My name is Maggie and my partner is Gabby. We live in the burbs outside of Atlanta, not too far from Ms. Ashley. I work in a pediatric medical office and Gabby works as a surgical tech in the women's health center of a local hospital. I'm 36 and she is 30. We met on the internet almost 5 years ago. I found my soulmate in a chatroom. I never would have thought it possible and I certainly wasn't looking for it to happen that way.

We have two Chihuauas, Deuce and Athena. Athena (aka "the bean" - beanie - teenie beanie - velcro) has a heart condition called pulmonic stenosis and is the typical manic barking Chihuahua. Deuce (aka Deuce the Moose) is laidback and very sweet, but also about twice the size of a normal Chihuahua. He's not fat, just HUGE. We also have 4 cats. BC is our black cat. We saved her from the lawn and garden department at Home Depot. George is our black and white tuxedo long haired boy. He was from the shelter and was named for a deceased internet buddy of mine. Cha-Cha is our blue/gray boy. We named him Cha-Cha after the RFC mascot because as a kitten his eyes were just too huge. And finally, Arwen is our gray and white tuxedo baby girl. We named her after the LotR character because we had just seen the second movie when she found us. Oops, I almost forgot our asian firebellied toads, Fred and DD (aka Don't Die). Ok, enough about our zoo.

We got bitten by the pin trading bug around the middle of last year. I was lucky enough to purchase some great traders from a fellow board member before our last trip and we had a blast trading our way around WDW in December. Our first pin meet was back in August where we first got to experience the hobby. We were hooked. We got to meet Scoop in December and it was one of the highlights of our trip. I will NEVER trade the pin he gave me. It's got too much sentimental value. Anyway, I have enjoyed the pin meets that we have participated in and look forward to more in the future.

We collect Stitch....lots of Stitch. We also have several of the more patriotic Mickey pins. We tried to document our last vacation in pins also. I can't wait for 2006 to get here. I am really looking forward to going to WDW again when they have some new things to do again.

I guess this is enough for now. Maggie

 

[KathiWithAnI]

Wow... Where do I start!?
I have been on here for quite a while... I have made sooo many really good friends!!!
I am a Disney Store Cast Member and started collecting pins when we did the Mill. Count down series... then on my next trip to WDW collecting pins became really dangerous!!!
I don't collect alot at this time, but I still pick up holidays, and any of my favorite characters which includes, MICKEY, Pluto, Eeyore, Beauty and the Beast and Lady and Tramp

I turn 40 this year ( ICK) and my 'baby' starts school this year. I have 4 kids -3boys-6, 8, and 10 ( oops, wait, he turned 11 on Monday Can you BELIEVE it DOM???) and 1 girl, my baby Jennifer!

I teach Math at a COmmunity College and am finishing my Masters and will start work on my Doctorate in about 6 months ( don't know exactly what a Doctor of Mathematics does, but I'll be one LOL)

All 4 of my kids takes gymnastics and the 2 older boys and my girl compete. Even I take a gymnastics class on Tues. NIghts
and have been offered a job teaching one of the younger kids classes in the fall!!

I have been known in the past as MeanKathleen, but that's just because Lauri loves me so .... or at least that's what she SAYS!!

I am a total Disney nut and thank goodness so is my DH and all my kids!

I am a bit scared right now after reading the first page of this thread.... after reading about Ed and COmcast... hmmm, I'm not sure I want to be owned by Ed, hmmmm um Ed, will you still allow me many trips to WDW when you buy us out???

My newest 'baby' is my 1 1/2 yr old Golden Ret. ( see below, the pic is from the rescue where I adopted him... he's now filled out and has all of his fur back- he's huge and SUCH a sweetie!))
He is my early birthday present and I get to go back into training and showing in Obedience when all my kids are in school ( aka August).
So, I'm sure that's more than enough about me!!
Kathi

And DUH, how could I forget, I am the founder of the small fish club!! Flounder is our mascot!!

 

[Buzzlvr31]

Hey guys!

My name is Melissa, and I'm glad to be a member of these boards. I don't really collect pins of any sort, but if there's any character that I do try to find anything of(although my actually getting it is a whole 'nother story) it's Buzz Lightyear. He's the cutest character ever, and I do already have a large collection of dolls, pictures, and a couple of pins of him. The only other Disney-related item I'm collecting right now is the Donald Duck set of Walt Disney Treasures cards.

I own 3 Siamese cats. Lucy, the Tortie-Point, is named after Lucille Ball the comedienne. Cheaney and Bailey are both Blue Points and came from the same litter. Cheaney is named after Calbert Cheaney, the former IU basketball phenom, and Bailey is named after Damon Bailey, yet another IU basketball star. A funny story- when my dad and younger sister Tammi were taking Bailey and Cheaney for their first checkup when they were little kittens, he had no clue that Bailey was a girl(hence, the male namesake). So the vet looks Bailey over and says to my dad, "you don't have two males. Bailey is a girl." He couldn't believe it! Well, from that point on, we think of all of the other females that have Bailey as either a first or last name. Funny, Huh!?!

I live in Delray Beach, Florida, not too far away from some of you, I've noticed. Maybe we'll cross paths someday, you never know!!

 

[Disneyland_emily]

Ill take a turn!

I'm -em or emily when you are mad at me... I started pin collecting in 00 and really got into it when I did the College Program at WDW. I collected pins that signified certain events (ie the Studios pin the day I found out thats where I was working- the Monorail pin the day I got transfered to 'rails etc) Ended up with oh 5 lanyards full when I got home-- My 2-3 trips to DL a year have helped the collection along and Im already dreading my WDW trip in may for the $$$ donated to pin collecting...

I stay within my 4 catagories 1) symbolic 2) LILO! 3) Bear in the Big Blue House 4) Monorails

The sad fact is that I have over 50 lilo pins alone...

-em