# Why Do You Have A Sig Line & What Does It Say About Your Personality? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 1, 2004, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936 "2004-03-01T17:07:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2004, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/21 "2004-03-01T23:34:30Z")
Mine reminds me why I’m in graduate school, sort of. But I don’t use it that often (less so now that the “show signature” box is unchecked by default). ---
**Author:** ![AntaresJB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@AntaresJB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AntaresJB)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/22 "2004-03-02T00:11:07Z")
Mine shows that I am a shameless self-promoter who _really_ wants people to listen to my music. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/23 "2004-03-02T00:28:54Z")
I change mine or use different ones quite often. Most of them are just smart-ass wise-cracks. Some of them are pretty deep. This one is a reminder of man’s constant struggle for survival in a harsh, unforgiving wilderness and the tendency do use any excuse or activity for beer consumption. Examples include: fishing derbys= drinking beer in a boat family picnics= drinking beer while shouting at the kids pool leagues= drinking beer with sticks backyard bar-b-ques= drinking beer while annoying the neighbors dart leagues= drinking beer with dangerous objects Jeep Jamborees= drinking beer while driving thru mud-holes bowling leagues= drinking beer in rented shoes St. Patrick’s day= drinking beer with food dye in it 4th of July= drinking beer with fire Memorial day= drinking beer and trying to remember why Octoberfest= a celebration of Germany culture and food etc. etc. etc… (I really like beer!) ---
**Author:** ![spiralscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@spiralscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spiralscratch)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/24 "2004-03-02T00:44:06Z")
When I first started on this Intarweb thingy having a .sig file was pretty much expected, so I’ve always had one. My signature usually alternates between pop culture quotes or references, little tidbits that reflect on how I look at things, and things that I find interesting. Usually, it’s some combination of the three. What that says about me? Never really thought about it. Take my signature for what you will. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/25 "2004-03-02T00:58:40Z")
> [@gatopescado](#): > > I change mine or use different ones quite often. Most of them are just smart-ass wise-cracks. Some of them are pretty deep. > > This one is a reminder of man’s constant struggle for survival in a harsh, unforgiving wilderness and the tendency do use any excuse or activity for beer consumption. Examples include: > fishing derbys= drinking beer in a boat > family picnics= drinking beer while shouting at the kids > pool leagues= drinking beer with sticks > backyard bar-b-ques= drinking beer while annoying the neighbors > dart leagues= drinking beer with dangerous objects > Jeep Jamborees= drinking beer while driving thru mud-holes > bowling leagues= drinking beer in rented shoes > St. Patrick’s day= drinking beer with food dye in it > 4th of July= drinking beer with fire > Memorial day= drinking beer and trying to remember why > Octoberfest= a celebration of Germany culture and food > > etc. etc. etc… > > (I really like beer!) I stole your sig for my AIM profile a couple months ago. Forgot to thank you, until now. I hereby propose **dutchboy** ’s law (stop me if you’ve heard this one): “The chances you will remember to check “Show Signature” are cut in half if you’re posting to a “what’s with your sig” thread.” Feel free to clean that up a bit… it doesn’t sound as elegant as it ought. ---
**Author:** ![Roadwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Roadwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadwalker)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/26 "2004-03-02T01:06:17Z")
I have never changed my sig. I created it myself. I am the type of person who ignores pain and hopes it goes away. I guess my sif says that. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/27 "2004-03-02T01:16:59Z")
I don’t usually use my sig. I always forget to turn it on. However, I have found that with this sig it is very easy for me to figure out where my last post on a page was. I can spot it easily even if I’m scrolling by very quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/28 "2004-03-02T01:20:59Z")
I chose something that has meaning to me. I used to use, for several years here, a snipped of a U2 song. My current one is something my best friend said to me. Lesson well learned. Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![SanguineSpider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SanguineSpider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanguineSpider)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/29 "2004-03-02T01:27:02Z")
I like being cheeky! I think (just me) that my sig is funny and **Horseflesh** ’s comment made me feel good. I also love the spider webding. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/30 "2004-03-02T01:28:08Z")
Just stuff I find ironic, funny, sad or combinations thereof. ---
**Author:** ![Elysian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@Elysian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysian)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/31 "2004-03-02T01:42:09Z")
If I always worried how I spelled things, I would never write anything. The editor in me would prevent it. Plus I absolutely adore Mark Twain, who doesn’t? ---
**Author:** ![Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/32 "2004-03-02T01:55:52Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > Why not? > Let a be the sentence such that a « ("x)(R(x, |a|) ® O(x)), where R(x, y) is interpreted as “x can read the sentence with Gödel number y” and O(x) is interpreted as “x is overeducated”. The existence of a is guaranteed by the fixed point theorem. OK, I’ll bite. My first wife had Douglas Hofstadter as, incredibly, a beginning Fortran teacher in the late 1970’s. He was pretty unintelligible too. 🙂 My own sig is an observation I made 23 years ago, and which I still believe to be true… I think it’s a male control thing, compounded by us males being visually-oriented pigs. I had female friends back then who (fondly) bestowed the nickname Gentleman Pervert upon me, and this sig seem like the appropriate motto to go with the title… ---
**Author:** ![chicksdigscars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@chicksdigscars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chicksdigscars)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/33 "2004-03-02T01:59:44Z")
Well, I don’t have a sig here (guess I will have to decide on one). But I do have a sig at another site I frequent. It is a gossip site with lots of mud-slinging, so my sig fits in quite nicely there. “Well-behaved women rarely make history.” ---
**Author:** ![JoeSki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b487fb/32.png) [@JoeSki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeSki)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/34 "2004-03-02T02:44:22Z")
I ripped mine out of an issue of Mad magazine. It was sent in by a reader, and I’m sure the reader didn’t think of it himself, so the exact orgin of the quote is unknown. Anyways it applies to me because I never attended High school, never passed any grades in junior high, but I’m very ambition, like to learn, and am somehow smarter than many people who have gone to school more than I have. Also, the quote shows off my sense of humor. ---
**Author:** ![Freiheit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e8c25b/32.png) [@Freiheit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freiheit)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/35 "2004-03-02T04:22:24Z")
> [@tpayne](#): > > OK, I’ll bite. My first wife had Douglas Hofstadter as, incredibly, a beginning Fortran teacher in the late 1970’s. He was pretty unintelligible too. > 🙂 Whoa. :eek: …and I guess he expressed himself more clearly in books. Plus, you can’t rewind a teacher like you can reread a paragraph. I would have much rather had him in a class for stuff more like **Gödel, Escher, Bach**. ---
**Author:** ![Freiheit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e8c25b/32.png) [@Freiheit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freiheit)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/36 "2004-03-02T04:33:03Z")
Oh, and to contribute, not just hijack… My last sig was “there are flowers under the snow.” It’s a title to an explodingdog drawing, and I find it uplifting. It’s my greeting message on my celephone now. My current sig is a weezer reference. Weezer is my favorite band, although hashpipe isn’t my favorite song. …If anybody wants to help me out, # _is_ also sometimes called “hash”, right? And the | symbol _is_ also called a “pipe”, is it not? The =w= is a facsimile for the ‘flying W’, the weezer emblem that looks like a whole bunch of symbols for other things. And to top it off, I put it all in Century Gothic, which a fan would recognize as the ‘weezer font’. I don’t turn it on, usually. I liked it better when sigs were automatic. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/37 "2004-03-02T04:45:15Z")
I laughed myself silly the first time I heard it. I also tend to agree. Which probably makes me a bit cynical. ---
**Author:** ![Call\_me\_Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Call\_me\_Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Call_me_Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/38 "2004-03-02T04:52:17Z")
I think mine just says I have a stupid sense of humor, among other things… Sig lines aren’t necessary, of course, but it’s a nice little way to convey a little information about yourself, aside from whatever it is in your post… ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/39 "2004-03-02T05:31:38Z")
I change mine every couple weeks, on another board (Orioles,) just to keep the troops entertained… …like THIS one. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jweb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71c47a/32.png) [@jweb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jweb)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936/40 "2004-03-02T06:00:16Z")
Mine’s a lyric in one of my favorite songe, by one of my favorite bands. I just think it’s ironic that a band that so many people think has satanic overtones would have such lyrics. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-have-a-sig-line-what-does-it-say-about-your-personality/231936.md?page=3)