The PM lines have now opened for Category 12: Best Newbie. You can PM me with up to ten votes, as to who you think is/are the best newbie(s). Remember to rank your nominees if you're voting for more than one person; 1 being the highest and 10 being the lowest, so I know how many points to give them. The person for whom you give 1st place to will get 10 points, regardless of how many other people you vote for. Remember you cannot vote for yourself.

I will not answer any PMs if I do not need to (as this just fills up the other person's inbox), but I will provide a list below on this post to say who has PMed me, so you know if your vote(s) have been counted.

I will publish the league table periodically in this thread to give everyone an idea who is winning and how close it may be at the top of the table.

Please note that a 'newbie' is anyone whose member number is 14681 or above (as last year's Best Newbie category ended on August 19th).
For a list of those members who are eligible for this category:

• Click on Members at the top of the page
• Go to 'Toggle More Options'
• Where it says 'Join date', you will need to search for those members who joined more than the 08-19-2007
• At the bottom of the page, you will need to search for all members by total posts in descending order with 50 results per page to achieve the best results. Click on 'Go'.

The PM lines will close on Sunday 7th September at 2130 BST, which is when I will announce the winner of the category depending on who's top of the league table at the end of the week. Also, the PM lines will open for the final category (Member of the Year).

For more details on the awards, see the main awards thread.

Car Expert

People Who Have PMed Me

1. barry-clari
2. carol*piano
3. fsharpminor
4. Robodoc
5. freda_bloogs
6. petrat
7. confutatis
8. DaisyChain
9. primrose
10. thouston
11. The Old Lady
12. noodle
13. ben_walker446

Wouldn't it make sense for the date to be the closing of last year's Best Newbie thread? As there will be some people who would have joined between then and the awards ceremony.

Oops... I was meant to amend that earlier and forgot...

Car Expert

58 pages?! I'll pass on this one!

You can adjust it so you only have people who have posted, say, at least 5 times. That reduces the list somewhat.

Yes, those with five posts or more reduces the list to only 7 pages.

Car Expert

Alternatively, wait till the first league table comes out and pick your choices from there - the lazy option...
(Though I did scroll through this time! Naturally barry still managed to vote first - he is such a swot )

er...guilty as charged

Here you go then:

Mad Tom = 27
Scurra = 20
oldnotes = 15
pushpull = 13
eldatom = 10
fyrtlemyrtle = 10
Panthera = 10
Babybird2 = 9
nickjones8 = 9
confutatis = 8
Czerny = 7
Crotchetymum = 6
Bobsie = 5
primrose = 5
rachi = 4
neilthecellist = 3
Lucid = 2
musicfreak = 1
vectistim = 1

Car Expert

That doesn't look like just two sets of results, have you voted as well CE?

Yes I have

Car Expert

Ooh, thanks for the votes, folks...

nick

Hey, I'm flattered.

Just skip them all and vote for me. (At least there is no chance of Bari-Clari pipping me at the post for a top three finish in this one).

Nothing like a bit of subtle canvassing is there...

Not this time! But he did win this category two years ago.

Wow oh thank you! I have got some votes.

I am so proud and pleased!

ET

Once I was a newbie.

Now I'm part of the furniture

Can I have some more votes please?
*very happy that she got one without even asking!!!! *

Thanks for the 15 votes - made my day

more like an antique chair

This is someone who kept up with the legendary OLTVA, live.

Worth a vote or two, I think

I can't believe that some of those chaps are classed as newbies!

Ooh I got votes! Thank you

The top 4 have remained the same, with Mad Tom increasing his lead to nine points over Scurra.

Mad Tom = 56
Scurra = 47
oldnotes = 31
pushpull = 26
fyrtlemyrtle = 18
vectistim = 17
nickjones8 = 16
Czerny = 13
Panthera = 12
eldatom = 11
Crotchetymum = 10
neilthecellist = 10
primrose = 10
Babybird2 = 9
confutatis = 8
Bobsie = 5
rachi = 4
Lucid = 2
musicfreak = 1

Car Expert

Oooh, more votes! Ta very much....

nick

Who, me? Gosh. Thank you, whoever you are.

Wow! Thanks

Vote for me and I shall attempt to learn the instrument of your choice just for the fun of it... Preferably the violin, piano or guitar, of course.

EDIT: I take that back about the violin, piano or guitar. They might be the most readily available (seeing as I own them...) - but I want to try something new!!!

I voted for you. Theremin, please.

Gladly! I just need to get hold of one, but I've always wanted to play it. I've had a go on one a couple of times before - it's a really strange sensation. Do you have one?
Thanks muchly for voting for me, by the way

Nope, I've never even seen one (in real life). I just thought it would be interesting to hear a reel played on one...

The top two are pulling away from the rest of the field, both of whom are separated by only two points now.

Mad Tom = 66
Scurra = 64
oldnotes = 44
fyrtlemyrtle = 27
vectistim = 27
pushpull = 26
eldatom = 20
nickjones8 = 20
Panthera = 20
Czerny = 19
Babybird2 = 17
confutatis = 16
Bobsie = 10
Crotchetymum = 10
neilthecellist = 10
primrose = 10
Lucid = 9
Jimlad = 7
rachi = 4
musicfreak = 3

Car Expert

That's a great idea!
I've seen Bill Bailey play one, and I've seen a huge one played by a friend in a wheelchair as part of a group: they all wheeled past their own theremins at certain intervals and created this wonderful ethereal sound I've had a go at playing one at a Faraday Lecture on sound and music: it's really strange.






Thanks again everyone!

It can be a (very slightly late) birthday present!

Are we talking here about the original twin antenna Theremin, or the derived Electro-Theremin (as used by the Beach Boys on Good Vibrations)?

All very well, but which Theremin is it????
etc.

And do we really have to stay on topic in the cafe anyway?

Vote musicfreak! I know I can't win now, but a few more votes would be nice...please?

The PM lines have now closed, and the winner is...

Mad Tom

Mad Tom wins quite comfortably in the end, with Scurra finishing 26 points adrift. Oldnotes finishes in 3rd place, with vectistim in 4th and Czerny edging out pushpull for 5th place.

Best Newbie 2008 - Final League Table
Mad Tom = 94
Scurra = 68
oldnotes = 50
4th: vectistim = 32
5th: Czerny = 29
6th: pushpull = 29
7th: fyrtlemyrtle = 27
8th: nickjones8 = 27
9th: Panthera = 22
10th: eldatom = 20
11th: neilthecellist = 19
12th: Babybird2 = 17
13th: confutatis = 16
14th: Caroline :) = 10
15th: Lucid = 10
16th: Crotchetymum = 10
17th: primrose = 10
18th: Bobsie = 10
19th: berfaceno.1 = 9
20th: Jimlad = 7
21st: rachi = 4
22nd: musicfreak = 3

Car Expert

Congratulations Mad Tom, Scurra and oldnotes

Thank you for my votes - much appreciated

Equal 7th! I'm touched - thanks...

nick

*polishes trophy and hands it over*

Congratulations to all on the list.

Thanks for the votes. 3rd place (otherwise known as 2nd of the losers). I'm happy with the bronze.

Thank you kind people.

Words cannot express my happiness! It is all of 25 years since I took first place in anything (not counting the Chorley Chess Club championship a couple of years ago - when my main rival left mid-competition to go to University).

I thought I might have shot myself in the foot (or dug a hole for myself ) when I upset the ladies that are trying to give round the clock attention to their sprogs and practice their instruments .as well ... all without upsetting the neighbours. But it looks like the grovelling apology (sincere of course ) saved the day - I think I got away with it!

Bad luck Scurra. But you know how the saying goes: "Age before beauty!"

Today best newbie ... tomorrow the (old) new star of the international recital circuit (in my dreams! )

Congratulations Mad Tom!

Well done as well to Scurra, oldnotes and everyone else on the list!

Congratulations to all on the list!

Well done all - and thanks for my vote.

Well done Mad Tom, you deserve it.

Thanks to whoever voted for me, but, Car Expert, how come I'm 6th not equal 5th eh? Did I lose on countback, fail 3 times at the final height, or are you doing an FIA on me? I may have to lodge an appeal. Is there a fee?