The 20 posts is where the patience comes into play. Joining us is not an instant thing and not something that should happen within a week of signing up on the forums.
Very true. Just be patient and post up when you feel it's relevant and you want to give your input on something. You've been around the game for a while so I know the dedication part is not a problem and I doubt there'll be any oposition to your membership vote so long as you just stay active. Get those posts up when you can and just have a bit of patience.