Reflections

[GMan]

Hell-o all,

Nearly four years ago this forum opened and became a great place to just hang out and show the world that we are here and Kilted. Now with over 2,000 plus members of which nearly 1,000 are active, to see the enthusiasm of the newer members and their new found freedom, the "wisdom" of the older members just sends chills up and down my spine. Granted many of the older posters may not post as much as they used to, but then again it is a joy to see the postings of the newer members.

What a great joy to hear about Kilt number 1 or Kilt number 85, the sharing of it all is wonderful to see. The laughing, crying and sharing of not only our joys of Kilts, but our life in general is just amazing.

Hearing how everyone responds to all the questions, comments and compliments that we all get is stupendous.

The lessons of history from all the many scholars here is also a great blessing. The facts that help us understand the whys and wherefores of why the Kilt is important to us.

Yes we are a great bunch of individuals who are more than just Kilt enthusiasts and wearers ~ we are proud!!!

Keep on Kilting!!

[Riverkilt]

As the locals say here in the rezlands, "Aho!" and "Ah heh heh" or, You are SO right GMan and Thank You.

My thanks to Steve Ashton for pointing this site out to me back when...my bachelor cave is filled with much more tartan today than it was a few years ago.

And, I feel more like I do now than I did when I got here....

Ron

[Chase]

I just wish I had found the site four years ago, but I'm glad to be here anyway...I just have a lot of posting to do.

Chase

[Alaskan Kilted Guy]

Yup, glad to be here, and enjoy the interaction!

[The Wizard of BC]

Well, I did join just less than four years ago, we were still trying to break 100 members, and we were all asking ourselves if we were alone in the world.
Heck, Hamish didn't even have any gray hair yet.
There were only three sponsors, Kilt Store, Rocky and I.
We've gone through a lot. Some have come and some have gone. And to each and every new member we can still say, Boy, are you going to like this place.
And all I can say is;

This is my home.

I'll never catch up with you Glen in posts, I'll never put as many people in kilts as Steven V. I'll never manage to have the increadable personality and business sense of Rocky, and get to meet all of you face to face as I would like to, but I'll never leave.

[Joel]

I actually found this site early this year, but didn't join until recently. I've been a member of different message boards before, but none can come close to being as good as this one.

I can say I'm honoured to be a part of it.

Cheers!

[Jerry]

I've been here for about 4 years now, and the thing I notice most is that the forum has more than tripled in size. I can remember when we were looking forward to member number 1000.

[Chef]

This site has been an education for me. Not only from the scholars and historians but from those who are just starting to wear the kilt since I have been wearing it most of my life. While I don't always understand their experiences it is often interesting to hear them.

[Amoskeag]

It's funny how my mind works sometimes. I had seen posts on a hiking board about utilikilts and I sort of just brushed it off as some fad the hiking folks were into. It couldn't be anything real! It certainly wasn't anything I'd be interested in; canvas kilts, pockets, no sporran - that was blasphemy. Kilts were a couple of miles of thousand pound tartan from Scotland, cost a months salary, and are only worn for weddings, birthdays, highland games, Burns nights, Masonic installations, or for your mother, which was just fine for me because it was "Tradition".

The master-elect of my lodge instructed me that his installation would be kilted as well and he told me about USAK. A quick google later I happened into this corner of the Internet and was absolutely amazed at what I found. Folks not only talking about trad kilts, odd kilts made of "other stuff" but actually wearing them, daily, proudly, without reservation! Everyone seems cool with it! What is this place?! Who are these people?! Help me I'm falling!

I really had no idea that there was such a range of opinion and practice in the kilted world. I've had my tank for about fifteen years and I'd wear it appropriately to the occasion (what ever that means). Well folks you've let the cat out of the bag now. I'm going to start wearing it a lot more. I might even get a tartan that just looks good, because I like it, no other reason!
Actually, I'm working on a project as we speak. I'm trying my hand at making a canvas kilt out of (hold onto your hats folks) blue and white bed ticking; there I've said it, I feel better. As soon as I figure out the photo posting thing I'll put up some pics. It actually looks pretty nice. I have a whole bolt of this stuff and I've got all manner of things made from it. It will be my hiking kilt.

In all seriousness this is such a role reversal for me. I have found a whole bunch of great information and encouragement on this board and it has opened up a brand new mindset in kilting for me. My stuffy old trad friends will probably never speak to me again but they'll get over it.

Oh yeah, I probably ought to tell you that my tank is Hunting Fraser, I got it from Blink Bonnie in Moultonborough. It was on sale because the guy ordered it and never picked it up. It was somewhat serendipitous how I got it. I was researching family history and Scottish roots. My mother's maiden is Lovett and we followed that route. It seems that there was one Lovett a bunch of years ago who wasn't very nice and they took all his land away and gave to the Frasers. Fraser of Lovat was not real available but when I saw the Hunting Fraser on the rack for less than half price I figured that it was a sign. It was close enough for me. I ate Mac&Cheese for a long time but it was worth it.
Thanks for all your help,
Bob

[beloitpiper]

Hear, hear!

When I joined my first pipe band and got my first kilt, I was under the same impression that probably most people are: only worn in Scotland, pipe bands, or weddings.

Now I own about 8 kilts, and wear them more often than pants. Oh they joy! You guys are here for me when I need some encouragement, and to "laugh it off" with me when something goes...not as expected.

I've met about a dozen of you in the real world, and a nicer rabble could not be desired.

So thanks guys. I love this site.