But yesterday, I got a private message from a complete stranger:

Hugh Beaumont is best known as Ward Cleaver on Leave It To Beaver, but sometime in the late fifties he posed for a coffee ad, which is the avatar I've been using.

"CREEPS"? WHAT? Here's a studio publicity portrait of that Handsome Devil, and it isn't nearly so creepy:

Okay, maybe it's a little creepy.

The thing is, uh.. 2007! That's a LONG TIME! Hugh has sentimental value for me, since he's been with me from the first day I signed onto Facebook AND Twitter, and possibly even MySpace, but who really remembers much from MySpace?

But she may have a point. 

Yes, I said "she." A young she, but not a kid. I had to anonymize her in the screen-cap above for her own privacy, but basically here's someone who doesn't know me from anyone and is just responding to a Facebook comment. "Your profile picture gives me the creeps." She has no idea about the sentimental value, and she probably wouldn't care.

Even closer to home, my own mother-in-law commented a few months ago, saying, "Dave, do you really have to use that guy as an avatar? I grew up with him and HE GIVES ME THE CREEPS."

There's that word again! And this time it's coming from someone who's known me for 25 years, and who knows perfectly well who Hugh Beaumont is (technically "was," since he died in 1982).

I'm not adverse to using my own picture. I too am a Handsome devil, and not in the least bit creepy:

Okay, let's try that again:

DANG. One more time:

Okay, that's better. But I'll leave it up to you guys. Should Hugh stay or should he go?

Comment below, or just toss your vote my way via Facebook or Twitter.