It was nice to meet so many nice people today, and now they're all real radio operators. I finally met Clint, and he's the real deal. He mentioned only in passing that he was the one who passed the extra class license. That's a feat.
Traditionally, the extra class gentry are the ones who can take a length of wire, a battery, and a handful of resisters and capacitors, and make a functioning transceiver. Thus, it is a class of operators not be be trifled with. Plus, they can receive a four-character license (W1AW, for example). Very good stuff, and I'm proud to say I now know Clint, as well as the others I encountered this morning.
See ya'll on the airwaves.
Oh, hey... Does anybody know where I can buy a cheap radio?

Now that I can play, I will be looking for CW operators with whom to chat. (once I get a radio, as noted)
73s