# who is Tom??



## kyy2003v (Dec 13, 2012)

I think tom is master of tortoise
what is he job


----------



## Tom (Dec 13, 2012)

I'm no master. I'm a student. Just trying to learn all I can and share the experience with others.

I am an animal trainer by trade.


----------



## Kerryann (Dec 14, 2012)

Tom said:


> I'm no master. I'm a student. Just trying to learn all I can and share the experience with others.
> 
> I am an animal trainer by trade.



Can you come train my lab to poop in the same spot. I have my schnauzer trained but she likes to poop where the mood strikes her.. sometimes in the front yard in front of god and all the neighbors.. that dog has no shame.


----------



## Tom (Dec 14, 2012)

There is a price for everything...


----------



## mattgrizzlybear (Dec 14, 2012)

Tom is an awesome person who helps all member because he is really knows a lot!


He also has 14x the amount of my posts lol


----------



## DeanS (Dec 14, 2012)

mattgrizzlybear said:


> Tom is an awesome person who helps all member because he is really knows a lot!



Actually, he knows more than a lot. 

I remember the first TTPG conference he went to...he was so excited by all the cool stuff he learned, that he called me on his way back from Phoenix...and practically recited the entire conference to me! His ability to retain knowledge is AMAZING!


----------



## dmarcus (Dec 14, 2012)

Tom is being modest......


----------



## mattgrizzlybear (Dec 14, 2012)

DeanS said:


> mattgrizzlybear said:
> 
> 
> > Tom is an awesome person who helps all member because he is really knows a lot!
> ...



So tom is part sponge you say! Lol


----------



## Momof4 (Dec 14, 2012)

Tom is being modest. He's a celebrity in my eyes. I'm sure you have seen some of his work on TV.


----------



## spikethebest (Dec 14, 2012)

kyy2003v said:


> I think tom is master of tortoise
> what is he job



wow even people in Korea need Tom is the tortoise God. 

WOW!!!

that speaks VOLUMES for his character! 

I hope his little girl one day realizes all that Tom has accomplished for the world.


----------



## wellington (Dec 14, 2012)

I agree with everything said about Tom. I'm deff a fan of his, as some of you may have already known He is one of the few that is on my "Would love to meet some day" list. Take a bow Tom. You deserve the recognition.


----------



## spikethebest (Dec 14, 2012)

I think Tom needs to fly around the country/world doing appearances, giving speeches, and showing off his perfect tortoises and his processes. 

Who is going to 2nd this motion?


----------



## Kerryann (Dec 14, 2012)

spikethebest said:


> I think Tom needs to fly around the country/world doing appearances, giving speeches, and showing off his perfect tortoises and his processes.
> 
> Who is going to 2nd this motion?



x2


----------



## Tom (Dec 14, 2012)

You guys are silly. It's nice to have friends. Thanks for the smile everyone.


----------



## jtrux (Dec 15, 2012)

Sounds like you have stalkers...lol


----------



## Zamric (Dec 16, 2012)

jtrux said:


> Sounds like you have stalkers...lol



all his stalkers probably have MBD or at least recovering from it! When it come to Torts, Toms THE Man.


----------



## Terry Allan Hall (Dec 16, 2012)

mattgrizzlybear said:


> Tom is an awesome person who helps all member because he is really knows a lot!



An excellent suming up of _*the Man, the Legend*_. 

And he's someone I've always been pleased to consider a friend.


----------



## terryo (Dec 16, 2012)

Tom is an extremely modest, kind, intelligent, talented guy, and an extraordinary person, who is willing to help everyone, and just seems to know when you need a hug or a kind word. I feel privileged to call him my friend.


----------



## JeffG (Dec 16, 2012)

Tom who?


----------



## Zamric (Dec 17, 2012)

Like Zyphod Beablebrox.... He's just this guy, you know...


----------



## Terry Allan Hall (Dec 18, 2012)

Zamric said:


> Like Zyphod Beablebrox.... He's just this guy, you know...



Except he gets by w/ only one head and two arms...and still manages to be awesome!


----------



## Yvonne G (Dec 18, 2012)

Tom is just an ordinary guy who puts his pants on one leg at a time, just like all the rest of us. It just happens that he is learning all he can about his tortoises and is more than willing to share his successes and his failures with all of us. Take him down off that pedestal and enjoy him as a regular person. It's much more interesting and fun when you realize he's someone you can actually talk with and share with and not some unreachable person out there in never, never land.


----------



## Zamric (Dec 18, 2012)

Terry Allan Hall said:


> Zamric said:
> 
> 
> > Like Zyphod Beablebrox.... He's just this guy, you know...
> ...



with a handycap like that, it amazing he gets by at all!


----------



## ijmccollum (Dec 18, 2012)

JeffG said:


> Tom who?


LOL! That's what I thought at first, then I did a search. Hi Tom!


----------



## cemmons12 (Dec 18, 2012)

I have to throw my 2 cents in, Tom is a great person.


----------



## Terry Allan Hall (Dec 18, 2012)

Zamric said:


> Terry Allan Hall said:
> 
> 
> > Zamric said:
> ...



That's Tom, though...he brings new meaning to the word "intrepid"!


----------



## DeanS (Dec 18, 2012)

All that praise and glory! Wait until you actually meet him...then you find out he's so much more! An ordinary guy with so much exhuberism for what he does...


----------



## Yvonne G (Dec 18, 2012)

DeanS said:


> ... An ordinary guy with so much exhuberism for what he does...



Wait..does that mean he's a "goober?"


----------



## Terry Allan Hall (Dec 18, 2012)

emysemys said:


> DeanS said:
> 
> 
> > ... An ordinary guy with so much exhuberism for what he does...
> ...



Hmmm...I'm thinking "Idol to America's Chelonophile Youth and a Stud-Muffin to Tortoise-Keeper Babes The World Over" has a nicer ring to it...


----------



## sibi (Dec 18, 2012)

Tom is one of the persons that responded to my first threads. He is not a god, but he reflects some of God's qualities like wisdom and love...love for people and animals. He has wisdom and shares it with all of us. He is modest as he should be because he knows that all that he is comes from God. But, the extraordinary thing is that he doesn't have to admit his errors,yet he does so that we wouldn't have to make the same mistakes. He is generous with his time and his resources especially when he gave a member two of his baby torts when she lost her's. I can go on and on, but I won't because we all know how modest he is. All I can say is that he's an invaluable member of this forum and I would consider it a privilege if he would consider me his friend. And, no, I'm not in love with him;-)


----------



## Vegasarah (Dec 19, 2012)

Wise and Powerful Tom is my little nickname for him! But in all reality, he is just a great guy with a lot of knowledge. And he takes the time to share that knowledge to any and all that ask. I ask him questions all the time and he always answers them promptly and so effectively! He (along with some other great members) are the reason my tortoise continues to grow happy and healthy and perfect. Thank you Tom! <3


----------



## cemmons12 (Dec 19, 2012)

Tom is the bomb! Only smart thing I could come up with!


----------



## Tortus (Dec 20, 2012)

He's credited as being a pioneer as far as closed chambers and high humidity goes in reducing pyramiding, although I read somewhere that emysemys had already been doing this. I guess they're among the founding fathers/mothers of smooth captive tortoises.

He seems pretty cool to me. I may have rubbed him the wrong way once or twice but he doesn't seem to hold grudges. His methods work and I'm glad he's here to share them.


----------



## Yvonne G (Dec 20, 2012)

No, sorry...I can't take any credit for that at all. I believe the very first inkling of it (humidity, etc) started in Germany. Then it was the Arizona brothers (can't seem to get their names to come forward in my old, senile brain). Tom has been very outspoken about it here on the forum and very willing to share is successes and failures with us, but it wasn't his idea to start with. I give him the credit for getting it out into the general public though. What good is an idea if no one hears about it. And Tom has certainly spread the word!


----------



## Zamric (Dec 20, 2012)

emysemys said:


> No, sorry...I can't take any credit for that at all. I believe the very first inkling of it (humidity, etc) started in Germany. Then it was the Arizona brothers (can't seem to get their names to come forward in my old, senile brain). Tom has been very outspoken about it here on the forum and very willing to share is successes and failures with us, but it wasn't his idea to start with. I give him the credit for getting it out into the general public though. What good is an idea if no one hears about it. And Tom has certainly spread the word!



And a very sucessfull spokesman at that!


----------



## JeffG (Dec 20, 2012)

emysemys said:


> ...Then it was the Arizona brothers (can't seem to get their names to come forward in my old, senile brain)...



Richard & Jerry Fife.


----------



## cemmons12 (Dec 20, 2012)

I must say, Yvonne kicks a** too!   She has helped me a lot as well!


----------



## TortoiseBoy1999 (Dec 21, 2012)

Tom is probably the most passionate person I have ever seen about anything with his tortoise's  I had the GREATEST pleasure of meeting him once and all he really wants to do is see young tortoise keepers (or any tortoise keepers for that matter) succeed  He told LOT'S of life lessons for me and my torts  We Love you Tom!   :')


----------



## Cowboy_Ken (Dec 22, 2012)

Y'all just need to step back a little. I've got maybe a little man crush on Tom and I'm startin to feel a tad bit jealous here.


(That was funnier in my headâ€¦)


----------



## Tom (Dec 23, 2012)

I learned what I know from many sources. Personal observations out in the world, personal observations in my own tortoises and those of friends, neighbors and family, the Fife's books, personal conversations with Richard Fife, Carl May and Terry K, Tomas Diagne, and lots and lots of other input from lots of other sources. Many TFO members have helped me. I have used them to bounce information off of, confirm or deny theories with their own experiences, and just generally talk torts and exchange ideas. It's been a long journey and it's far from over.

Yvonne hit the nail right on the head. None of this is my invention. I learned it all elsewhere, put it all into practice, tried it all out and shared what I've learned, good or bad. What I will take credit for is learning lots of things from lots of people and putting it all into practice. Many tidbits of information have helped come up with my current way of doing things. I could never have done it alone, yet I did add it all up and figure out how to make it all work together.

My intention... my goal on all of this is to help other people give their tortoises a better life, and help me and us learn more in the process. Most of this forum has been very helpful in achieving this goal.

I hope you guys are having fun with all of this silliness. I'm just a regular tortoise guy. I don't deserve all of this praise or attention. I'm thankful to have such a great group of friends, but this thread has embarrassed me beyond words. Can it be done now?


----------



## Missy (Dec 23, 2012)

Nope not yet Tom Rocks. Ok now it can be done.


----------



## Tortus (Dec 23, 2012)

Ok, I'll help him out. Tom just has a big mouth.

Now leave him alone!


----------



## Tom (Dec 23, 2012)

Tortus said:


> Ok, I'll help him out. Tom just has a big mouth.



Ahh yes. NOW we are getting to the real truth of the matter...


----------



## immayo (Dec 23, 2012)

Terry Allan Hall said:


> Hmmm...I'm thinking "Idol to America's Chelonophile Youth and a Stud-Muffin to Tortoise-Keeper Babes The World Over" has a nicer ring to it...



I don't know who Tom is but if this is the case maybe I want to!  LMAO


----------



## Biff Malibu (Dec 23, 2012)

Tom is the omnipotent and omnipresent elemental force of the universe. He is a benevolent overlord on this forum where he acts as judge, jury and executioner. He is your hero, he is the wind beneath your wings. 

I jest. 

Tom's a cool guy who likes tortoises, ALTHOUGH I do commend him for his time spent helping others (and ultimately torts of the world) That's something everyone should strive to do in a way of their own.


----------



## TortoiseBoy1999 (Dec 24, 2012)

He is also very selfless


----------



## Neal (Dec 24, 2012)

I commend Tom for the time and effort he takes to post on the forum. I agree with (most of ) his opinions and suggestions he shares, and am glad there is someone in the hobby that takes the time to share the amount of knowledge and experience that he has. I for one can't do that and take care of my tortoises, let alone my family and other life aspects. Having met him and spent time with him in person a few times, I can say he is just another regular tortoise hobbyist. I don't mean that in any derogatory manner at all, but only to say that he's just as eager to learn and as passionate as any one of us.


----------



## Yellow Turtle (Dec 29, 2012)

emysemys said:


> Tom is just an ordinary guy who puts his pants on one leg at a time, just like all the rest of us. It just happens that he is learning all he can about his tortoises and is more than willing to share his successes and his failures with all of us. Take him down off that pedestal and enjoy him as a regular person. It's much more interesting and fun when you realize he's someone you can actually talk with and share with and not some unreachable person out there in never, never land.



I just happen to see this thread and I really like this comment. If I were Tom, I'd rather not only being praised for my knowledge alone, instead to be seen as fellow human and friend is more rewarding to me.

Beside Tom, I also think that Yvonne is not only wise, but also very helpful to other members, especially the new ones. I see that she is always among the first ones to reply to newbies questions, which sometimes becoming boring as they have become like a repetitive to many members (including me sometimes). She would always reply those questions in polite and nice ways 

I like this forum a lot. It's got a lot of helpful members. It is also much more friendly and make all the new members more comfortable to share and asking questions.

Lastly, as this thread is dedicated for Tom. I think he's very helpful and willing to share about his successes and also failures to us. I believe Tom is also a competent presenter and speaker, from the way he writes all his threads. I'd also say that he becomes pretty thick headed when it comes to defending his theories and beliefs. I enjoy reading some of his debates with other members


----------



## Yvonne G (Dec 29, 2012)

Yellow Turtle said:


> Beside Tom, I also think that Yvonne is not only wise, but also very helpful to other members, especially the new ones.








Gawsh...I'm so embarrassed! ​


----------

