Welcome. I think you are just fine. Kinda cute.

Choose something individual! How about "spiderpig" and then use a pic of homer walking the pig over the ceiling of his front room fron the simpsons film?

Hey, I like Mater! Seriously though, choose something that you identify with, a character, a symbol, a hobby, anything's fine really as long it's not offensive.

Do a Google for "free avatar". There are sites with hundreds of avatars to pick from. As for nickname - what is the favourite name you have ever had, the one you wish people had used but didn't? Now is your chance to use it.

Tow Mater isn't bad. If you are not happy, then just come up with an interesting name and find a pic to match. I would make some suggestions, but I don't know your age, likes or dislikes so it would be hard for me to suggest something. Welcome to AB!

Find a free, uncopyrighted image you like (on your computer, or downloaded to your computer) and upload it as your avatar. On the same page as you upload the avatar change your nickname to something you would like to have. It can be (almost) anything. Here are instructions for uploading your avatar: 1) Click the blue bar under your avatar/name on the top right of the page. 2) Go to the My Settings tab (Profile should be highlighted on the grayed menu options) 4) Click on the "Click here to change" by your current avatar. 5) If you wish to use one of the default AB avatars, select one. 6) If you wish to use an avatar saved on your computer, click the BROWSE button. 6a) Navigate to your selected image 6b) Either double-click it, or click it once, and click the OPEN button. 7) VIOLA! You've changed your avatar. NOTE: If it doesn't work the first time, try it again. AB intermittently has problems uploading images. NOTE2: If it's an animated GIF, it will ONLY move on your profile page, and maybe a couple of others. Don't expect it to be animated on every page. This is because an animated GIF uses multiple images, and that takes processing time. People already complain at times about AB's speed. Imagine if thousands of users had animated GIFs all over the site, on every page?