Booman Tribune Tell All Thread

Posted by Steven D | May 18, 2008 | 175 |

After reading the thread of BooMan’s misogyny/sexism post, I was impressed by the quality of the comments left there, but I also became curious as to the composition of the site’s members, vis-a-vis a number of parameters. I’d have liked to do a poll to find out who is who in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, candidate preference, educational level, etc. The problem I have is that the Scoop technology at the site doesn’t allow for multiple answers to polls, or to multiple polls in one post. So, I can’t do the anonymous polling thing here to satisfy my curiosity/snoopiness.

Instead I’d like to ask all our readers, whether regulars, lurkers, occasional fly-bys, what have you, to volunteer answers to the following questions, if, and only if, you are willing to do so:

1. Your Race or Ethnicity, i.e., African American, Hispanic American, East Asian American, Native American, Arab American, Indian American, White American (WASP, Scot, German, Irish, Italian, Eastern European, Scandinavian, or Mixed) or multiracial.

2. Gender (male, female or transgender)

3. Sexual Orientation (Hetero, Gay or bisexual).

4. Marital Status (Married, Never Married, Single but previously married, Divorced but remarried) Also if you are, or have ever been married to a person other than your own race or ethnicity.

5. Religious Beliefs (including agnosticism or atheism)

6. Children?

7. Favored Candidate, including first choice, and current choice.

8. Political Affiliation (GOP, Democrat, Green, Independent, or Other)

9. Education Level

10. Career/Work History

You can answer as many or few questions as you like, whatever makes you comfortable. To start things off, here are my answers:

1. White, mixed — 1/2 German (including German Jewish Great-great grandmother) from great grandparents who immigrated to America in late 1800’s, and 1/2 the following: English, French, Irish, Scot and maybe Welsh with one English ancestor that immigrated to US around 1700.

2. Male.

3. Hetero.

4. Married 3 times, divorced twice, currently married to a Japanese American woman (nisei).

5. Reared as Missouri Synod Lutheran, now a cross between Unitarian/Buddhist/Christian with a deep streak of agnosticism.

6. Two children, one male (College age) and one female (Middle School age).

7. Started as Kucinich supporter, moved to Edwards, then moved to Obama. Never a Clinton supporter (she’s been my Senator and I voted for her, but I was too disappointed in her Senate career to ever want to see her as president).

8. Independent (though I primarily vote for Democratic or Green candidates).

9. Highest level of education I achieved was a law degree, referred to as a J.D. Also received a B.S in psychology from my undergraduate college.

10. Lawyer (retired early due to chronic medical condition) with practice areas in bankruptcy, banking, corporate and health services law. Previous employment as restaurant dishwasher, stock clerk, Candy factory janitor (my only Union job), Fry cook, Pizza delivery person, Residential Child Care counselor for emotionally disturbed adolescents, Taxi driver, and hospital pharmacy tech.

Well, now I’ve showed you mine, what about you?

About The Author

Steven D

Father of 2 children. Faithful Husband. Loves my country, but not the GOP.

175 Comments

dksbook on May 18, 2008 at 2:43 pm

Lace Curtain Irish

Female

Hetero-ish

Twice married, currently to retired military officer

Cathliterian (apostate RC)

Two kids 14 years apart,last one in college (same daddy)

Kucinich-Edwards-Obama

Yeller Dawg Dem

Incredibly uneducated

Grandmother/Housewife/Officer’s Wife
- Joyful Alternative on May 18, 2008 at 2:55 pm
  
  You should ask age, too.
  
  I’ll answer the other questions later. It looks like it’ll take me a couple of hours.
  - dksbook on May 18, 2008 at 7:32 pm
    
    OK, I’m this close to 60.
ejmw on May 18, 2008 at 2:54 pm
1. White. Mostly German and French heritage, with a splash of English and Scotch-Irish.
2. Male
3. Heterosexual
4. Never married but in a long term relationship with a wonderful young lady 🙂
5. Agnostic. Not ready to completely discount the possibility of some higher power, but not willing to believe in one who would care if I believed about him / her/ it.
6. Nada, but I was the legal guardian / surrogate parent for my brother for a few years after our mom passed.
7. Edwards, then Obama.
8. Anti-Republican
9. BSE Computer Engineering, University of Michigan class of 2000
10. Funny you ask! Friday was my last day of work at the only place I ever worked after college (I was a senior software engineer there, worked there for 8 years and 1 day). I’ve managed to sock away some money and plan on spending the next year or so traveling and pursuing non-work interests.
- Real History Lisa on May 18, 2008 at 3:33 pm
  
  Traveling where? That’s my biggest passion – travel!!!
  - ejmw on May 18, 2008 at 3:45 pm
    
    I really enjoy backpacking and hiking, so over the summer I have a few 1-2 week trips planned, including the Adirondacks and Isle Royale. In August I am going to China for a couple of weeks, I have a friend getting married there and he has put together a really cool itinerary of stuff for us to do while we’re over there.
    
    Then, I’m not really sure…after my girlfriend graduates college, we’re hoping to spend a couple of months hosteling around Europe, but that probably won’t be until next spring. So I have the whole fall to figure out. I’m leaning towards using it to visit old friends who have since moved away.
KMc on May 18, 2008 at 2:55 pm
1. Mostly Western European with a smidge of Native American.
2. Male.
3. Hetero.
4. Married, going on twenty years with the same woman, fourteen of them married.
5. Atheist.
6. No kids.
7. Gore. Dodd. Edwards. Obama (now convinced he was the best candidate from the get-go and I just didn’t see it).
8. Yellow dog Democrat–I used to be a pragmatic Democrat and even voted for a Republican for governor once because the Democrat was a nutcase, but after Bush I don’t expect to ever vote for a Republican again.
9. BA, theater.
10. Fantasy author. Previous employment: cable ape, various theater jobs.
refinish69 on May 18, 2008 at 2:55 pm
1. Caucasian- American Mutt whatever didn’t move fast enough became part of the blood line.
2. Male
3. GAY
4. Widowed(even though never legally married)
5. Spiritual
6. No
7. Edwards and then Obama
8. Yellow Dog, Gay, Liberal Democrat
9. BA in Theatre
10. Unemployed currently. Different careers: Waiter, Bartender, Floral Designer, retail, banking, insurance agent, customer service, baker, cook, janitor, delivery, Rest manager, host, office manager, telemarketer(3 days), carpenter’s assistant, painter, decorator,
- refinish69 on May 18, 2008 at 3:55 pm
  
  1.5 Older than dirt but younger than god and there are just a couple days difference(in gay terms anyway) 49 years old.
Joyful Alternative on May 18, 2008 at 3:22 pm
1. Pennsylvania Dutch, through and through, from the colonial days, with most traced male ancestors from that era being Revolutionary War vets.
2. Female
3. Hetero, I think.
4. Married 37 years to an immigrant Pole who didn’t speak a word of English until he was 8; widowed after his decades-long disability; remarried to a South Carolinian met on a blog.
5. Baptized as an infant in and still a member of the United Church of Christ.
6. No, although the cats might think differently.
7. Dodd, Obama.
8.Democrat now, Deanie division; have been others.

9.Master’s in psychology.

10. I’ve been many things. When I needed to work from home to simultaneously care for my invalid husband, I started writing freelance. That was a crappy line of work with long hours of looking for jobs, followed by assignments that traded on my experience and reputation to tout truly stupid concepts; I began thinking of myself as a prostitute of the brain. So I wrote a book that was accepted for publication, but the publisher went bankrupt before I was paid. I needed money. So I taught myself to proofread and eventually had a couple of clients, and we became solvent. I’ve been a freelance copyeditor and proofreader for more than 20 years now. I love the work and hate paying double FICA taxes, buying my own health insurance, and all the other financial problems of self-employment.
Grendel72 on May 18, 2008 at 3:24 pm

White
Male
Gay
Atheist
No children
My initial preference was Richardson, with Edwards a close second. Currently I favor Obama. Never favored Clinton, though I would vote for her in the general election.
Former Libertarian (though I generally voted Dem), just changed to Democrat because this election cycle getting rid of Republicans is the most important thing.
I only have an associates degree, which I suppose makes me one of those uneducated white working class voters Clinton says we should listen to more than “eggheads and African Americans”.
I’ve done construction work, and I’ve been an electrician, currently I’m a tech for a local TV station.
benil81241 on May 18, 2008 at 3:26 pm
1. WASP
2. Male
3. Hetero
4. Divorced once and now re-married
5. Raised as Methodist (now a closet agnostic)
6. Two sons
7. Obama first and always
8. I am a 66 year-old “yellow dog Democrat” having never voted for a Republican in over 40 years of voting.
9. B.S. in Biology 1963, Univ. of South Carolina; Masters in Public Administration, Univ. of Illinois at Springfield.
10. Current in Information Technology at a local telco. 35 years in U. S. Public Health Service and Illinois Dept of Public Health. ( STD control and Tuberculosis control).
Real History Lisa on May 18, 2008 at 3:30 pm
1. 1/2 Irish, 1/4 German, 1/4 Northern European mutt.
2. Female.
3. Hetero.
4. Raised Catholic but don’t believe all that now…
5. No children.
6. OBAMA!!!!
7. Lifelong Democrat. But would have voted for the best person of any party. It just so happens that has always been a Democrat, from where I stand.
8. BA in College.
9. Decline to state. I’ve been many things – from trainer to writer to office worker to progammer – you name it, I likely did it somewhere.
- Real History Lisa on May 18, 2008 at 3:32 pm
  
  I skipped 4. Freudian? Never married. Always wanted to be and never found the right person…!
  - Second Nature on May 18, 2008 at 7:32 pm
    
    I have a couple of extra exes to loan you if you need one…. 🙂
- Real History Lisa on May 18, 2008 at 3:34 pm
  
  And my BA was in Theater as well. I find it interesting there are so many thespians among us. Interesting, but not surprising, as we are all outgoing types who like to be ‘seen’ in public..! 😉
Teacher Toni on May 18, 2008 at 3:35 pm
1. White – 3rd generation American (Ukrainian, Greek, and Irish)
2. Female
3. Hetero
4. Married – 7 years. He’s white, but a foreigner … Canadian.
5. Kind of raised Ukrainian Catholic (not Orthodox), but now more Unitarian/Buddhist.
6. One child who will be four in July. We adopted him from China on August 29, 2005. He was born in Changzhou (or so we think).
7. Started with Edwards because I knew Feingold wasn’t going to run. I’ve signed on with Obama now.
8. I’m a Democrat from the crib, but I’ll vote Green with the right candidate.
9. I have a B.A in French from Alma College, an M.A. in Humanities from Central Michigan, and I am currently tinkering with an M.A. in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment.
10. I currently teach American Literature at an inner city high school with a highly diverse student population. On this job, I also act as the Student Council Adviser, the Union Secretary, and a member of the bargaining team. I have also been a substitute teacher, an apartment leasing agent, a receiving clerk, women’s sales clerk, an electronics sales clerk/manager, a pharmaceutical sales person, a director of student affairs, dishwasher, and a baby-sitter (this list is not in chronological order).
Soon, I will spend a year as a stay at home mom as I take a one year personal leave.
SusanD on May 18, 2008 at 3:39 pm

White, half German, rest is Scots-Irish and Native American.
Female
Hetero
Divorced
Non-denominational Protestant
3 adult children, 5 grandchildren
Gore, Edwards, Obama
Democrat
BA in social work, plus some graduate work
Mostly social work and law enforcement, but have also worked as a carhop, waitress, secretary, and day care staff, and self-employed in my own business.
budr on May 18, 2008 at 3:41 pm

Certified American mongrel of profoundly mixed ancestry, mostly western European. I count among my ancestors English, Scots-Irish, Welsh, German, and Cherokee. And those are just the ones I know, or think I know, about. That said, no one is likely to mistake me for anything but a middle aged, overweight white guy.

Male

Hetero

Married once and still.

Raised mostly Baptist but it never really took. Now an eclectic humanist. I find deep wisdom in buddhism, taoism, and zen as I understand them. I also find deep wisdom in the message of Jesus of Nazareth as I understand it, and in the message of Mohammed as I understand it. I don’t think I could ever belong to any church, but if I did I would probably be closest to Unitarian-Universalist.

Two sons, one currently property of the US Navy, another just ended his sophomore year in HS.

My head waited for Gore long after my heart had chosen Edwards. When he dropped out I was equally lukewarm about Obama and Hillary, more for the historic implications of their candidacies than anything in particular about their persons or their positions. Everything I have seen since at least Nevada has made me think more of Obama and less of Hillary, but I really would rather have Edwards even now. Not because of his race or his gender, but because he and Elizabeth spoke most directly to the issues that I care most about.

Democrat, small d and big D, but not slavishly so.

BBA in Mgmt.

Systems analyst at an electric utility. Previously electrician, cab driver, professional student. Would still be a professional student if I could figure out how to make a living at it.
david anderson on May 18, 2008 at 3:41 pm
1. Northern European Mutt, with a couple darker skin unknowns thrown in due to two pirate factions in my family, bringing home “brides”. In order from most to least – Swede, German, Danish, Scottish, Norwegian, Icelandic.

1.5. Age- because I think it is important as well – 43
1. Male
2. Hetro, though I would have to say that close to half my friends are LGBT, so gay marriage is an important topic to me.
3. Single, but not really. We’re coming up on our 10th anniversary, which is a better record than most marriages. We’ll get married if kids come into the picture.
4. Raised in the American Lutheran Church/ELCA. Still consider myself a lutheran, but don’t attend much anymore.
5. No children that I know of, though I have lots of childish friends.
6. Edwards was the best choice that actually had a shot. Obama over Clinton and McCain. I like a lot of what the Clinton’s did, but they are worse than republicans when it comes to farm policy and being in bed with monsanto.
7. Always used to vote for the best candidate, or for third party. I don’t want any party to have the majority for too long. Wouldn’t it be great if the big two had to negotiate on their policies with greens or libertarians to get the majority? Now, I simply want the republicans out of power, and have sworn off voting for a republican ever again, because of the systemic corruption of their party since Gingrich.
8. Working on my Bachelor’s now. It’s much more fun going back as an adult than it was the first time through.
9. Contract programmer for 25 years. retired now. Going to go into some ecological field, part-time, after school. Worked construction my first time through college, with a couple old retired contractors that “flipped houses” before it was called flipping.
THX1138 on May 18, 2008 at 3:46 pm
1. Hispanic
2. Male
3. Hetero
4. Single but previously married
5. Steadfastly agnostic with a touch of atheism
6. Married son, girl in middle school, two cats
7. Barack Obama
8. Democrat
9. B.S.
10. Various construction jobs, truck driver, forklift operator, warehouse supervisor (not in this order). Currently working as the director of technology for a software company.
Omir the Storyteller on May 18, 2008 at 3:52 pm

Well, you get some answers anyway.

Generic anglo. My mother traced our ancestry back to at least 1840 and the only immigrant she could find was a German. We think he was German. He jumped ship and changed his name, so I’m afraid we don’t know anything more about him than what he think his name was before (and what it changed to afterward).

Male.

Hetero

Married only once, for 26 years. It’s her second time around, and I inherited three kids.

Christian, although in general I don’t care to discuss it much further than that on the tubes. I will say that I believe truth is where you find it, and I accept certain teachings from non-Christian traditions as valid. If I weren’t Christian I would probably be a Taoist or Buddhist or something.

Three kids from my wife’s previous marriage. I adopted them when they were small (the oldest was 7) and they’ve never really known any other father. Five grandkids, several of mixed race (some are part Thai, and the oldest has a white mother and a black father — just like Barack Obama!).

I used to have a sig that said “I’ve made up my mind! I’m voting for ~~Feingold~~ ~~Gore~~ ~~Edwards~~ Obama!” There is much truth to that.

I tend to vote Democratic and if we had strict party registration here in Washington I would register as a Democrat. However I have voted for Republicans in the past if I feel they are the best person for the job. For instance (skip to the next if you’ve heard this before) I voted for Republican Sam Reed for Secretary of State here in Washington in 2004. My confidence in him was vindicated when he refused to bow to party pressure and give up counting votes in the governor’s race so Dino Rossi would be governor, and instead followed state law on two sets of recounts. Rossi ended up losing by less than 150 votes statewide to then-Attorney General Christine Gregiore.

I have a networking technology certificate from North Seattle Community College. Basically that got me my first real high tech job, doing tech support for Windows 95. Since then I’ve gotten jobs on the basis of my expertise rather than what slips of paper were hanging on my wall.

Since that first job I’ve worked for a variety of high-tech companies, mostly supervising automated software generation systems (compilers and the like) and writing computer code that automates those systems. Currently I work for a high-tech company in Seattle’s eastern suburbs. I decline to state which company so that my opinions can in no way be considered to reflect those of my current employer.
pdxprog on May 18, 2008 at 3:52 pm
1. Jewish, Half Ukrainian, half Austrian.
2. Female.
3. Gay.
4. Married (in Canada; not recognized here) to a white mutt of something like German-English-Welsh extraction.
5. Atheist, with sympathy toward Buddhism, Taoism, and principles of secular Judaism.
6. No kids, but a large pile of dogs and cats.
7. Went from Kucinich to Edwards to Obama.
8. Registered Dem this year to be able to vote in the primary for Obama. Usually independent, voting largely Dem; like the Green platform a lot.
9. In grad school.
10. Herder of geeks.
annagranfors on May 18, 2008 at 3:59 pm
1. white american
2. MTF trans
3. hetero (when I was a boy, I liked girls; now that I’m a woman, I like men, more’s the pity…) (just kidding, guys!)
4. never married
5. atheist
6. no kids
7. first choice: Gore/current choice: Obama
8. democrat
9. some college
10. animation video editor in Hollywood
- fabooj on May 18, 2008 at 4:31 pm
  
  It’s funny because all of our MTF friends are in lesbian relationships. While the handful (3 or 4) FTM people we know are still with their girlfriends/wives.
KathyF on May 18, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Now you’ve gone and made me delurk. Create an acct too. But who doesn’t enjoy filling out personal information forms?
1. White, with brown spots, due to Irish/Scots heritage
2. Female
3. Hetero
4. Married, 25 years this Friday
5. Raised in a fundamentalist church, now a non-believer
6. 2 daughters
7. Obama, from Day One
8. Democrat
9. Completed college, currently taking cont. ed. courses at Oxford
10. Writer; failed comedian (Okay, that’s a joke. See what I mean?)
Oscar In Dallas on May 18, 2008 at 4:01 pm
1. Race or Ethnicity: Black
2. Gender: Male
3. Sexual Orientation: Hetero
4. Marital Status: Single (until I can find a sister who complements me)
5. Religious Beliefs: Baptist
6. Children: None
7. Favored Candidate: Obama
8. Political Affiliation: Yellow Dog Democrat
9. Education Level: BSEE, MDiv
10. Career/Work History: IT
And a lagniappe – Myers-Briggs Personality Type: ISTJ
- on May 18, 2008 at 4:53 pm
  
  Jeez, I forgot my Myers-Briggs type. I’ve got it stored away in a box somewhere.
- Tehanu on May 18, 2008 at 6:04 pm
  
  Hi there! I’m an INTJ.
- AP on May 18, 2008 at 9:46 pm
  
  You may find her in July. :<)
  - Oscar In Dallas on May 19, 2008 at 6:29 pm
    
    …to God’s ears!
    - AP on May 20, 2008 at 2:50 pm
      
      We have 23,800 registered, and only 800 of that number are guests.
      
      Add to that the thousands more who aren’t registered but will be out in force…oh yes, you’ll be a happy man.
      
      I just thought about this: I have a LS who could be a great fit for you! She lives in my area but hey…if it’s meant to be worked out, it will be.
      
      She’s got a similar background but changed professions and now teaches. She’s a strong Christian and is marriage-minded–she’s not trying to “hang out” so anyone who steps to her needs to be marriage-minded, too. Only bad thing (other than physical location) is that she just lost her Dad a couple of months ago.
      
      Don’t get me to matchmaking…!!!! 🙂
      
      Now that I think about it–make sure you bring about 10 men of achievement with you! That will make my matchmaking that much easier!
- northanger on May 19, 2008 at 12:52 pm
  
  i’m INFJ so filling this out is a toughy. maybe i should put my geek code.
That Darn Republican on May 18, 2008 at 4:01 pm

Though only an attorney would ask for such
“clarifying” information in the name of discovery. I’ll play along with it, I enjoy being forthcoming.

1. Black [though grandmother is Italian]

3. Male

3. Straight

4. Divorced

5. Christian [sans the the media induced labels]

6. 1 son.

7. Recovering democrat,was a Thompson/Hunter supporter

8. Republican [values loyal, not party loyal]

9. BS in Business Management

10. Operations Management: High-tech, Have been
involved in entertainment production, mostly tech
related sales/admins ration and marketing. Have
held down jobs as a: Waiter, Line Chef, Retail,
Mortgage and finance, Insurance agent, A/V editing
and production, and [yes] McDonald’s when I was in
school.
fabooj on May 18, 2008 at 4:11 pm
1. Your Race or Ethnicity: Black
2. Gender: female
3. Sexual Orientation: Het
4. Marital Status: Married (spouse is 1/2 Hungarian/ 1/2 Romanian, came to the US when he was 10)
5. Religious Beliefs: Islam
6. Children: 2
7. Favored Candidate, including first choice, and current choice: Dodd first choice, Obama an extremely distant second
8. Political Affiliation: Democrat, sometimes grudgingly
9. Education Level: BA
10. Career/Work History: Too numerous to mention, currently working by default in the telcom industry.
Denim Blue on May 18, 2008 at 4:20 pm
1. Overwhelmingly English ancestry back to the 1600s with a couple Germans tossed in during the early 1800s.

1a. Will qualify for Medicare this fall.
1. Female
2. Hetro
3. Married twice, once for 18 years, this time for 26+ years.
4. Back-slid Methodist
5. Two grown daughters, two grandchildren from the eldest.
6. Wanted to support Hillary until I saw what a dirty campaign she was running. Now Obama all the way!
7. Registered Democrat since early 90s.
8. BA in Secondary Ed., History major, Art minor
9. Waitress, office worker, taught history, art & geography in Sr. & Jr. High, substitute teacher, circuit board assembler, machine tool detailer, electronic drafting, printed circuit design, computer programming. Now retired, so I knit, crochet, quilt & research genealogy.
elizlynn on May 18, 2008 at 4:26 pm
1. Swedish & Danish grandparents
2. female
3. Hetero
4. marrried for 36 yrs
5. raised protestant now Unitarian
6. 2 daughters,one about to be married
7. Obama with Hillary as second choice–until Feb.
8. Democrat raised Republican
9. MA History
10.Designer / retired volunteer director of inner-city after-school program / political junkie
Drew J Jones on May 18, 2008 at 4:28 pm

(1) White, mixed — Scots-Irish, Welsh (does it get more Welsh than “Jones”?), English, Volga German, French.

(2) Male.

(3) Hetero.

(4) Married.

(5) Agnostic, raised Presbyterian.

(6) No kids.

(7) Went back and forth between Obama and Edwards, deciding that if either won Iowa, he’d be my candidate, having the best shot.

(8) Independent, but vote Democratic 99% of the time.

(9) Two Bachelor degrees (economics and political science). Briefly studied in England for a Master in Econ, but dropped out since the program was pretty lousy.

(10) Economist. Worked as a stock clerk in high school and college for a grocery chain and a pharmacy chain.
- fabooj on May 18, 2008 at 4:42 pm
  
  I just noticed it and it had me rolling.
  - Drew J Jones on May 18, 2008 at 4:57 pm
    
    Heh. Thanks. Got it from a bumper sticker I have on my car.
The Caped Composer on May 18, 2008 at 4:34 pm

1. Race or Ethnicity: 100% Jewish

2. Gender: Female

3. Sexual Orientation: Total sucker for ego flattery.

4. Marital Status: Single, but in a long-term monogamous relationship with a heterosexual man.

5. Religious Beliefs: I practice Judaism as a matter of heritage/culture and respect for my ancestors’ struggles. As for spirituality, I’ve never been big on it– I’m what I call an “apatheist.”

6. Children: None, unless you count my two very gregarious cats!

7. Favored Candidate: Long ago, I was for Richardson, but when he opened his mouth, he proved that his presentation was the opposite of his flawless resume. Then, I was holding out for Gore to jump in. When it became clear that that wasn’t happening, I got behind Obama, and have been ever since.

8. Political Affiliation: Democrat

9. Education Level: Master of Arts degree in music theory.

10. Career/Work History: Composing, performing, and teaching music.
- eeblet on May 19, 2008 at 12:46 am
  
  Apatheist! Ha!
ghostdancers way on May 18, 2008 at 4:35 pm

Race, Welsh, Scottish and Native American

Male

Hetero

Married Twice, currently married, been through two divorces (having a child out of wedlock in California is a nightmare for custody and visitation)

a recovering Baptist, quit when I was 12, Native American spiritualism practitioner

Three children, two in current marriage and one out of wedlock living in California

Dodd, Edwards, Obama

Independent Democrat, have been known to vote Green

BS in Networks and Applications

Currently a Helpdesk remote desktop technician, before computers, a drug and alcohol counselor, HIV/STD prevention specialist, before that various construction type jobs, including landscape, drywall, concrete and asphalt.
PsiFighter37 on May 18, 2008 at 4:41 pm
1. Multiracial – half white (mix of German, Scandanavian, etc.), half Japanese
2. Male
3. Hetero
4. Single, but currently in a relationship…not married (too young)
5. Atheist
6. No children – again, too young
7. Flipped between Obama and Edwards ever since the beginning of the race, but settled on Obama in November 2007 and have never looked back.
8. Registered Democrat
9. College graduate (as of 6 hours ago or so)
10. Work history – will be working at a large investment banking firm in New York City starting in a couple of months
- KathyF on May 18, 2008 at 4:48 pm
  
  Congratulations!
  - Drew J Jones on May 18, 2008 at 5:00 pm
    
    Seconded! Congrats, Psi.
    - dksbook on May 18, 2008 at 7:20 pm
      
      Thirded!!!!
      - AP on May 18, 2008 at 9:48 pm
        
        Fourthed!
        
        Congrats!
- Steven D on May 18, 2008 at 5:16 pm
  
  You’re my son! Well, same racial mixture.
nalbar on May 18, 2008 at 4:42 pm
1. White
2. Male
3. Het
4. 25 yrs
5. constitutionalism
6. none
7, none
1. High School
2. General Building Contractor (glorified carpenter)
I find the education of so many listed here interesting, and more than a little disconcerting.
- Steven D on May 18, 2008 at 5:31 pm
  
  Why disconcerting? I can’t tell you how many well educated idiots I know, lol.
  - nalbar on May 18, 2008 at 8:45 pm
    
    Yes Steven, that is my point. Well, not EXACTLY my point. ‘Idiots’ is rather harsh. More ‘a complete inability to understand my life’. It has actually played out in this election cycle.
    
    nalbar
- Second Nature on May 18, 2008 at 6:00 pm
  
  I feel your pain…
- dksbook on May 18, 2008 at 7:24 pm
  
  Me too. Most lefty blogs have folks waaayyyy smarter than me – it’s the Freepers that avoided school, just like I did. Now that I am approaching 60 faster than a speeding bullet, and menopause has stolen my short term memory, I will probably continue reading and eating bon-bons aqnd avoiding the discipline of higher ed…til Jesus takes me home. Sigh. Unless Obama bring us free college. My last baby is sucking up all that $ in our family.
  - refinish69 on May 18, 2008 at 7:45 pm
    
    My freshman year in college a lady started who was 66 as her grandchildren were sending her to college adter she had worked all her life to send her kids and grandkids to college. You are never too old.
  - shirlstars on May 18, 2008 at 8:24 pm
    
    and you’re never too old. I finished up all three of my degrees in the past 8 years. I am soon to be 68, so if you want to do it, just do it and I’ll be cheering you on!
    - nalbar on May 18, 2008 at 8:51 pm
      
      These two comments are actually what I mean. Rather condescending. ‘Regrets’ is not AT ALL what I meant.
      
      SHEEESH!
      
      nalbar
      - shirlstars on May 18, 2008 at 9:11 pm
        
        Gosh, had no intent or feeling of condescension. . .apologize if it came off that way. One of the most brilliant and most educated people I know married at 18 and has raised children and grandchildren ever sense. Degrees and alphabet letters after your name isn’t necessary for anything and is certainly no more important than any other way one gets through their life.
        
        No regrets is a fabulous way to live ones life.
      - boran2 on May 18, 2008 at 10:40 pm
        
        If it means anything, I actually went back to Law School about 7 years after graduating college. I had held a series of crappy jobs after college. One was processing orders (I was supposed to be assistan mgr) at a manufacturer of bridal veils and related accessories. The place was in NYC and to say that the roach problem was bad would be like saying that Bush has not been the best president, gross understatements both. I used a large rubber stamp to crush the roaches that walked across my desk. I would scrape the remains into the trash basket.
      - shirlstars on May 18, 2008 at 10:55 pm
        
        did all my education do me if I can’t even spell the word since right? See, alphabets don’t mean anything. . .
      - eeblet on May 19, 2008 at 12:49 am
        
        Your comment sounded wistful (“sigh”) – I know I read it that way, and it seemed to welcome encouragement!
      - refinish69 on May 19, 2008 at 12:28 pm
        
        Sorry if I offended. I was just sharing a story.
- Omir the Storyteller on May 18, 2008 at 7:44 pm
  
  Education is what you make of it. I finished high school and a couple years of college the first time around, until I figured out that it was interfering with my education. Since then I’ve done my best to educate myself, and I find places like this to be some of the best. I hung out on a baseball discussion board for several years and learned much more about baseball than I thought it was possible to know; same with hanging around places like Daily Kos and Booman Tribune with regard to history, politics, energy, transportation and many other subjects. Surround yourself with smart people, that’s the way to do it.
- The Voice In The Wilderness on May 18, 2008 at 8:51 pm
  
  I can tell you how to build computer models of stars. You can teach me how to build houses. Which of us has the more useful skill? Unfortunately, we both have bad job prospects.
on May 18, 2008 at 4:43 pm
1. White (though scientifically there’s no such thing as race). Back during the Cold War I was NATO (that is, my ancestry is a little bit from all those countries) with a touch of Slovak.
2. Male.
3. Hetero.
4. Twice divorced, one marriage was a very brief, very stupid thing. Second one lasted twenty years. Am currently in love and living with a woman of another race without benefit of clergy.
5. Born into a Lutheran congregation, last affiliated with United Methodist. Wife got the church in the divorce. I have read a number of John Dominic Crossan books and am a big fan of the man Jesus Christ, who I see as the Jesus of Woody Guthrie’s song. Am also a big fan of science. I don’t believe in magic, which makes me an agnostic/atheist leaner.
6. I have one beautiful daughter who’s halfway through college.
7. Reached Obama through Kucinich and Edwards, with a nod to Dodd along the way. Kucinich and I would have done well on PoliticalMatch.com, I liked the way that Edwards talked all working class to me, but ultimately Obama was my candidate. I am so far to the left that I always expect any politician to disappoint me, but I can differentiate between Dem and Rep.
8. I was the only Dem in a family of Republicans. Most recently was called a “red” by my mom over the breakfast table for suggesting that rich people pay the same tax rate on social security as the rest of us.
9. BA in English, which made me the go-to guy to ask how to spell something in most of my blue-collar jobs.
10. As a kid I did farmwork in summers. Some cashier work in high school. Was “drafted” (#1 in Nixon’s lottery, so I “volunteered for the draft” after avoiding it for years) and trained as a truck driver until they discovered I could type, ended up being a race relations specialist and ran seminars on the subject. Clerk at a VA hospital. Then letter carrier. Shop steward or union officer most of my time in the USPS. Am a songwriter, sold one song, made some money on that. They dumped the lyrics about a factory closing and made it into a lovesong. Another song was sung on picket lines and at labor get-togethers for a couple years. I retired from the post office under the old civil service retirement system because I’d developed repetitive stress of my hands and they had me sitting at a desk eight hours a day waiting for the phone to ring. It was in a building with a donut shop next door. I got out before the apple fritters killed me.
- phronesis on May 18, 2008 at 9:57 pm
  
  Amen my nonracial brother. Race is a political invention from the late 1400s by the Spanish first, then all imperializing Europeans. For example, there is no such thing as a Negro if we are to use the only legitimate naming of groupings of people, namely self-identification. Same thing goes for Indians. There are only Lakota, Choctaw, etc., or Masai, Watusi, Hutu, etc.
  
  The pernicious basis of Western racism is that for Westerners by definition Negroes and Indians are part of nature, not part of human civilization. by contrast, the ancient Greeks called non Greeks barbaroi but never for an instant considered them outside human civilization.
Chris on May 18, 2008 at 4:46 pm
1. WASP
2. Male
3. Hetero
4. Married
5. Atheist. Raised Presbyterian
6. Entirely possible
7. Obama. I would have supported any viable candidate who didn’t vote or support the authorization to use force in Iraq, so long as they didn’t have some other glaring shortcoming (anti-choice, etc).
8. Democrat. Raised Republican. If there were a viable Socialist party in America, that’s what I would be.
9. B.M. which is a Bachelors of Music. I also have an Associates degree in liberal arts
10. Ambiguous IT professional. Too boring to describe and stay awake. Former jobs have included musician, similarly dull IT gigs, line cook, dishwasher, legal gopher, copy machine operator and ne’er-do-well.
What fun. I never would have answered if I weren’t half in the bag.
- Chris on May 18, 2008 at 7:13 pm
  
  I should also throw in that I’m a high school dropout. The last grade I graduated was the 8th grade. I got my GED when I turned 18. The Associates degree came out of my effort to overcome the dropout and get into a four year college. It worked out well.
Joe Bourgeois on May 18, 2008 at 4:49 pm
1. Caucasian mutt. French, Polish, English, Scotch-Irish.
2. Male
3. Hetero
4. Never Married
5. Still thinking about it
6. Nope
7. At 1st Edwards, now Obama.
8. Anarchist who holds nose and votes Dem
9. PhD
10. Bagboy, dishwasher, waiter, church janitor, cash-register operator, inventory at a Naval Supply Center, vacuum cleaner salesman, construction laborer, landscaping laborer, substitute teacher, disk jockey, carriage tour driver, data entry clerk, crew/First Mate on Erie Canal Packet boat, bartender, researcher, adjunct English professor, tenured English professor.
John Shreffler on May 18, 2008 at 5:07 pm
1. German, Scots-Irish, River French, Welsh, Cheyenne.
2. Male.
3. Hetero.
4. Married once, 29 years and still going.
5. Lapsed Episcopal
6. One son, middle school.
7. Edwards then over to Obama. Am Anti-Imperialist, so couldn’t do Clinton under any circumstances.
8. Michael Harrington Socialist.
9. Law degree, Library Science masters.
10. Published poet, house-husband.
Alien Abductee on May 18, 2008 at 5:11 pm

White (French, Danish), female, raised RC but long-time agnostic.

Straight-ticket-Dem-voting Independent from a Republican family. Registered Dem first time ever in order to vote for Obama in this primary.

I supported Kucinich at the beginning, but not seriously, only to promote his policy positions, which I agreed with down the line – I didn’t have any confidence in him personally as a politician or a leader. I then supported Edwards until he dropped out, primarily for his economic stands, but again, had strong reservations about his political instincts and leadership abilities. I was then undecided between Obama and Clinton. I saw them both as DLC-ish, more right than I liked, but thought HRC might be a better bet to win because of her ruthlessness and skill as a politician. It was her campaign’s underhanded use of racism coupled with the cynical distractor of accusations of sexism that drove me away. The costs involved in that level of political ruthlessness are not worth the gains that can be made, IMO. So I became an Obama supporter by default. But the more I looked at what he was doing the more I realized I’d misjudged both his political philosophy (liberal with aspects of libertarianism) and his political style (as George Will put it, tempered steel in a sleek suit).
- on May 18, 2008 at 7:55 pm
  
  My political passage through this season is remarkably like yours.
  - Alien Abductee on May 19, 2008 at 3:39 am
    
    Lots of us here seem to have gone the same route, moved from Kucinich to Edwards to Obama – not surprising, as this seems to be one of the more left-leaning sites and Obama’s tried to position himself as a centrist, even more so than HRC, which made me wary of him for a long time. The Hillary blogs seem to have mutated lately into something hardly distinguishable from wingnut Republicans, including bashing of all things “liberal” – even calls to overturn Roe v. Wade today at TL to punish all those Gen Y’ers who don’t appreciate the struggles their elders went through to win reproductive rights for them. Very strange political evolutions some people have gone through this primary season. It truly boggles me.
Tehanu on May 18, 2008 at 5:11 pm
1. Irish
2. Female, 38 years old
3. Hetero. My best friend and I get along so we our line is “Heterosexuality is a bitch!”
4. Raised in the Catholic church, atheist as long back as I can remember into childhood.
5. I child, 11 year old high school junior
6. Obama, previously Edwards. I detest the DLC.
7. Democrat, not that they listen to me or anything.
8. BAs in English Literature and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. Some Graduate studies.
9. Worked in my field until our daughter was born. Currently teaching.
- Tehanu on May 18, 2008 at 6:01 pm
  
  I skipped #4 too. Quite happily married for almost 15 years. Husband has a knack of saying the most insightful things…
eagleye on May 18, 2008 at 5:13 pm

Balding white guy

Minnesota born, Swiss/German heritage

Recovering Catholic

61 years old

BA in economics/journalism

Vietnam vet

Lifelong Democrat (parents were hard-core GOP)

Art Dealer, 19th century American paintings

Single, heterosexual (although the nookie has been so scarce lately you’d hardly know it…)
shirlstars on May 18, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Since You showed me yours, I’ll show you mine. . Heh!
1. Mongrel. 1/16th Native American, and a whole lot of English, Scottish, Danish, European, but mostly Lemurian (a little inside joking on the level for the Metaphysical/spiritual seekers among us).
2. Female
3. Lesbian persuasion
4. married 3 times, once to alien species male (LOL) twice in legally unrecognized same sex ceremonies. Not very good at this marriage stuff. . .me, that is.
5. raised in the Mormon (LDS) church, Associate Pastor and co-founder of an ecumenical Christian Church. Twenty-five dedicated years as a spiritual seeker and currently on the leading edge of metaphysical consciousness-expanding Beingness.
6. Thank you all for providing the children for me to love in this lifetime. I had other things to do than raise children so I appreciate that you did that for me.
7. Of the candidates offered I started with Kusinich, for a long time was a joint supporter of both Clinton and Obama. Currently a strong Obama supporter.
8. Far Left bleeding heart progressive Liberal Socialist Democrat, but would vote for any candidate supporting a majority of my views that had any reasonable chance of winning.
9. BA in psychology, MA in Religious Studies, PhD in Metaphysics. (Two years study in contract Law and one year of study in Architecture).
10. Retired. Twenty-five years as a Union Activist and Local, State and Regional Union Officer. A plethora of incidental jobs along the way. . .read my book to find out more. . .LOL (currently in contract discussions with publishers. . .strange world that is for one such as me.)
boran2 on May 18, 2008 at 5:42 pm

Ukranian/Russian and other eastern European orgins.

Male

Hetero

Married

Jewish (reconstructionist)

One trying 9 year old.

Edwards and now Obama.

Democrat.

JD

Attorney and aspiring artist.
Psyche on May 18, 2008 at 5:56 pm
1. WASP: English, Dutch — all a long time ago.
2. Gender: female
3. Sexual Orientation: Bi
4. Marital Status: Divorced after 10 years (once was enough).
5. Religious Beliefs: Raised Congregational (now called UCC), sympathetic to UU, Quakers, but not practicing.
6. Children: One married adult daughter and two grandchildren.
7. Favored Candidate: Like Kucinich’s policy but too realistic to vote for him, Edwards until he dropped out, Obama since. Never trusted Clinton.
8. Political Affiliation: Always Democratic (although family was mostly moderate Republican).
9. Education Level: ABD Experimental Biology, PhD Clinical Psych.
10. Career/Work History: Ten years basic biological research, 33 years behavioral medicine (also bioethics for last 20 years of that time). Mostly retired now except for some consulting but still active professionally and politically. (IOW, as my daughter says, still working — just not getting paid.)
Second Nature on May 18, 2008 at 5:59 pm

I had no idea you all were so interesting….and educated. I’ll second the disconcerting feeling about that…

white….mostly german

female

hetero

married right out of high school for 20 years, current marriage at the five year mark and heading downhill fast. I am not good at this shit.

raised catholic – now comfortably agnostic

four children 26, 23, 20, 18

backed edwards at first, only because I didn’t think Obama was “ready”, now a very strong Obama supporter

dem

high school….definitely regret that and SENSITIVE ABOUT IT! (since you asked) 🙂

currently unemployed and having to bite the bullet and enter/re-enter the workforce if I want to exit this crappy marriage. Have worked as a care giver for adults with MR/DD, gas station attendant, tow truck driver, church secretary.
- ejmw on May 18, 2008 at 6:10 pm
  
  No need to be sensitive, SN. Education can’t teach wisdom, and you have that in spades 🙂
  - Second Nature on May 18, 2008 at 6:28 pm
    
    Thanks, ej….though wisdom would have kept me out of the second marriage. 😉
    - shirlstars on May 18, 2008 at 8:30 pm
      
      Now, now, SN if numbers of failed relationships is any indicator of wisdom, then I have absolutely none at all!
      
      Wisdom comes in all ages, sizes, colors, shapes, forms and little or much schooling education (or book learning as my friends in Kentucky called it). You have plenty of it.
      
      You are plenty admired in my eyes.
- dksbook on May 18, 2008 at 7:30 pm
  
  Wowwwieeee! Tow-truck driver!! Didn’t you feel so cool operating all that heavy machinery??
  
  My tow-truck driver and I have a semi-intimate relationship. He doesn’t call me “Ma’am”, expects a Big Red, iced, when he drives up, and calls my son’s car “That Bitch”.
  - Second Nature on May 18, 2008 at 7:34 pm
    
    Ha!
- Teacher Toni on May 18, 2008 at 8:13 pm
  
  Do I know a little boy who would love to talk to you!
  - nalbar on May 18, 2008 at 8:56 pm
    
    Talk? LOL!
    
    You should see them when I reach down and pull them up on the boom lift and let them lift something BIG. Gives them bragging rights at school the next day.
    
    nalbar
    - Teacher Toni on May 18, 2008 at 9:35 pm
      
      My little guy always backs out of the opportunity to actually touch a truck. He’s not quite 3.
gaiilonfong on May 18, 2008 at 6:16 pm
1. white
2. male
3. homo
4. partner 26 yrs, married in Canada
5. spiritual
6. dog, 2 parrots
7. first choice Feingold(I know he did n’t run, but I was full of hope) Obama
8. Democrat(progressive)
9. Masters
10. musician(opera singer, teacher, also conductor)
TexasDoc on May 18, 2008 at 6:16 pm
I have been lurking for a while — finally decided to post.
1. Race: Black, mixed (White and Native American)
2. Gender: female, 41
3. Sexual Orientation: Hetero
4. Marital Status: Married for almost 7 years to a biracial man. Interesting and ironic note: His mother is White and his father is from Kenya. He’s met Sen. Obama at one or two book conventions as my husband self-published a book about his background also.
5. Religious Beliefs: Raised AME but trying to find my own way now
6. Children: 2 children under 6
7. Favored Candidate: Obama. Once again my husband led the way as he attended the Obama camp last summer and canvased in Iowa, Nevada, and here in Texas
8. Political Affiliation: Lifelong Democrat
9. Education Level: MD, MBA — spent too much time in school!
10. Career/Work History: Did some retail work in college and med school. Practicing Physician, now medical director for a Med-ed company
AndiF on May 18, 2008 at 7:05 pm
1. White, all four grandparents were immigrants from Russia and Lithuania.
2. Female, age 57
3. Hetero
4. Married 36 years
5. Raised in an orthodox Jewish home but have been an atheist since my teens.
6. Childless by choice
7. No favorite candidate. The viable ones were all too centrist for me. And since I live in a guaranteed red state, it doesn’t matter anyway.
8. Independent who wishes we had a parliamentary political system so that I could stop having to vote for least worst choice.
9. M.A., English
10. Computer consultant for a content management systems software company.
KnightErrant on May 18, 2008 at 7:15 pm
1. White.
2. Male.
3. Hetero.
4. Single.
5. Theist, beyond that I accept no existing religious sect I am aware of.
6. none.
7. Dodd to Edwards to Obama
8. Green Democrat
9. Three years college.
10. Writer.
anarchronarchist on May 18, 2008 at 7:19 pm
1. Half Scotsman (family arrived in Virginia in 1642), half Jew (family came fleeing pre-Revolution Russia in the 1900s and 1910s).
2. Male
3. Hetero
4. Single, but impending with Welsh/Brit/Cherokee.
5. Depends on definition of ‘Religion’ and ‘Belief’. Hairless monkey on a throne in the sky? No. Predestiny, yes: If there has been only one past, it’s not a stretch that there is only one future. Free will? That’s a funny question from a figment in the dream from which I am soon to awaken.
6. Children? No thanks, I’ve eaten.
7. Kucinich, Obama, Colbert.
8. Raised Democrat, Independent
9. BAs Cognitive Science and Psychology, minor in Creative Writing – UC Berkeley
10. Restaurant Consulting -> Backpacker -> web designer -> eGov’t infrastructure product developer
RollaMO on May 18, 2008 at 7:22 pm
1. White, German-Swede-English
2. Male
3. Hetero
4. Married (wife born in India)
5. Atheist (raised a Southern Baptist)
6. Two school-age boys
7. Gore hopeful, now strong Obama
8. Dem in every election since 1984 (turned 18)
9. J.D.
10. Healthcare lawyer (compliance, fraud and abuse, regulatory)
BrendaStewart on May 18, 2008 at 7:37 pm

1) white
2)female
3)hetro
4)divorced twice and currently single and do not
have any desire to do it again
5)general baptist
6)3 children 2 girls (1 deceased) and one boy and 4
grand-children
7)NEVER clinton. Gone from dodd to edwards and then
obama. That is my final answer..;o)
8)independent
9)bsn
10)still nursing at the young age of 63 and mostly
military and civilian…
Dongi 2 on May 18, 2008 at 7:43 pm
i. Caucasian, German all grandparents
1. Male – mid seventies
2. Hetero
4, Married 34 yrs, divorced 10 yrs

5. Roman Catholic; now a mix of buddhist, hindu,
sufi, native american and christian beliefs.
1. Son = chem engineer, daughter = physician.
2. Kucinich, Edwards, Obama
3. Democratic but starting to move farther left.
4. MA in History, many additional graduate hrs.
5. NSA (crypt linguist), high school teacher: Latin,
American History, Sociology, Psychology

Union Activist (AFT); chief negotiator, grievance
chairman, editor of newsletter, fiscal researcher

During retirement, practicing shaman, holistic
healer, dehaunter of houses, businesses,
battlefields, holocaust sites, and, sometimes,
people. Poet, traveler, work shop attender like
80+ (since 1987). Predominantly New Age.

11. Meyers – Briggs INFP

What you send out comes back, what you do for others rebounds to you. I can’t believe my life. The joy and the beauty of it all.
- Second Nature on May 18, 2008 at 7:47 pm
  
  Wow…can I be you? 😉
  - Dongi 2 on May 18, 2008 at 11:02 pm
    
    Hi, You are very kind. Just be your best self and you’ll be fine.
    
    Cheers.
- shirlstars on May 18, 2008 at 8:36 pm
  
  Wow! is right!! I’m 68 and a lesbian but I think I want to marry you.
  - Dongi 2 on May 18, 2008 at 11:06 pm
    
    I didn’t think things could get any better, and see they just did. Thanks a bunch.
    
    <iTime for goosebumps again.</i>
    - shirlstars on May 19, 2008 at 1:56 am
      
      Follow your Bliss is absolutely where it, is. Campbell was right. And you are right, very hard to think things can get much better than this and then they do. Just have to love it, don’t ya.
      
      Wonder if we have ever crossed paths at some of those seminars.
      
      Great to become a little more acquainted with you Ignod.
      
      Hugs
      Shirl
      
      (really I was only kidding about the marriage thing, but then you knew that. . .well you know how it is when we meet someone from our spiritual family whether in person or on blogs, it just rings true.)
      - Dongi 2 on May 19, 2008 at 6:45 am
        
        New Age workshops: Esalen at Big Sur,CA, Omega @ Rhinebeck, NY, Hollyhock, Cortez Island, British Columbia, The Monroe Institute, Faber, VA plus some others in MA (Boston), MD (Bethesda),and NY (Syracuse -organized this one – basic shamanism.)
        
        My two favorite workshops were Holotropic Breathwork at Esalen (Grof) and Gateway at the Monroe Institute. Both were transformational.
        
        Oh, and there were three International Transpersonal
        Conferences at Santa Rosa, CA (1988), Manaus, Brazil (1996), and Palm Springs, CA (2004). Sheer delight.
        
        Love God by loving His Creation.
on May 18, 2008 at 8:04 pm

Interesting (to me) observations to the people here:

Lots of union reps! Like I was!

Lots of people moved through Kucinick and Edwards to Obama, which kinda puts to lie the whole thing about Obamabotism, at least here.

Lots of artistic people, but no matadors. So far.
- shirlstars on May 19, 2008 at 1:59 am
  
  I used to be Xena Warrior Princess. . .does that count as much as a Matador.
  
  Yep, quite a few of us Union Advocate folks here. Bet we all have the bloody foreheads to prove it too.
  
  Nice to learn a little more about you Bob
  
  Hugs
  Shirl
  - on May 19, 2008 at 11:06 am
    
    Maybe a little like a matador. As I recall Xena usually didn’t mess around with the bull passing through the cape thing. She nailed her attackers pretty quickly.
    
    One of my most disconcerting visions was at one of those LA vacation places (not Disneyland, the other place) seeing a Xena look-alike lurking near the street where they filmed “Leave It To Beaver.” I’m guessing Xena wouldn’t have taken any crap from Eddie Haskell.
aoxomoxoa on May 18, 2008 at 8:06 pm
1. Scotch-Irish and Danish
2. Male
3. Hetero
4. Married once, divorced, now living with common-law partner
5. Buddhist with a healthy dose of Sermon on the Mount Christianity; memeber of our local Unitarian Universalist congregation
6. 2 step-children, both belonging to partner from above
7. Kucinich->Edwards->Obama; voted for Obama in our Democrats Abroad primary a couple of months ago
8. In Ontario, NDP or Green, in US, independent but Dem leaning
9. Graduate degree in education
10. Teacher for the past 15 years, lots of odds before that
- Teacher Toni on May 18, 2008 at 8:14 pm
  
  Ontario? Same here.
  - aoxomoxoa on May 18, 2008 at 11:08 pm
    
    And you’re a teacher too, eh? We should share stories, although I’m in the primary end.
    - Teacher Toni on May 19, 2008 at 8:08 pm
      
      My husband teaches primary – JK and SK.
JayGR on May 18, 2008 at 8:19 pm

38 YO

Born, raised in Chicago, currently & painfully in the burbs right now.

African-American (1/2 breed really – African-American (descended from slaves) and Euromutt (here since the revolution).

Male

Hetero

Engaged

Atheist (but not militant about it as you never can be absolutely sure)

1 daughter (3) – 1 step daughter 10

Edwards and then Obama

Dem

BS Psych, JD

Lawyer – immigration & employment discrimination. Adjunct professor @ J Co
- on May 19, 2008 at 11:08 am
  
  Yeah, I’m a doubter but if there really is a being sitting on a throne up there I don’t want to piss him/her/them/it off.
  - JayGR on May 19, 2008 at 11:54 am
    
    I must admit though that I do rip on organized religion regularly!
The Farmer on May 18, 2008 at 8:21 pm

White

Male

Hetero

Twice Married, Twice Divorced, currently in an unsanctioned relationship.

Reared Southern Baptist (but in a non-nutcase church), attended Catholic Church for a number of years because I was married to a lady of Italian heritage, currently a member of a United Methodist Church.

Two sons, 28 and 19, two daughters, 29 and 28, one grandchild, 1. Older son has been to Iraq once and Afghanistan once in service to his country.

Started as a Dodd supporter, then switched to Obama upon Dodd’s withdrawal.

Used to think of myself as Independent, then came to realize that I was a Democrat.

A. B. History, 30 hours of grad work toward a masters, never finished the thesis. Academia was not for me.

Training consultant. Independent after 28 years of working as a trainer in corporate America.
AP on May 18, 2008 at 8:23 pm
1. Your Race or Ethnicity: African-American, though I’m told we have Cherokee and Dutch way back in the blood lines. Maybe that explains my love affair with Amsterdam.
2. Gender Female
3. Sexual Orientation Straight, not narrow.
4. Marital Status: Happily Married and soon to celebrate 12 years!!
5. Religion: Raised Baptist. Still a believer in Christ. Not so much in church.
6. Children: Do furry, four-legged creatures count? Still hoping for the human variety, though.
7. Favored Candidate, including first choice, and current choice: Barack Obama, and Barack Obama. Though if he wasn’t there, I’d have gone with Chris Dodd.
8. Political Affiliation: At times, I’ve wondered why…but Lifelong Democrat.
9. Education Level: BA
10.Career/Work History: Former Hill rat; current scribe. I came home with a job two months after my 16th birthday, and I’ve been working ever since. I worked retail and telemarketing (once, at the same time) to get through school. My most bizarre job: working at a pager place (remember those?), including using a “code name” for the um…more ~~drug dealing~~ unsavory clients.

I lasted 5 weeks.
- AP on May 18, 2008 at 9:54 pm
  
  I played the flute and piccolo when I was in school, and at some point will pick up my flute again, though I’m rusty in the extreme.
  
  I have a decent singing voice–I can also hold a note or two. One day I’ll join a choir again.
  
  We have such very interesting folks here at the frog pond–both smart and wise, with very diverse life experiences. Very cool.
  - fabooj on May 19, 2008 at 10:23 am
    
    And I was also in a choir. I was thinking about picking up th flute again since my kids are instrument crazy and love making music.
  - on May 19, 2008 at 11:16 am
    
    One of the worst things to happen to me personally was when I got repetitive stress in my hands, in my fingers actually, from sorting mail and carrying it I couldn’t play my guitar. Writing songs was my visceral way to work out things in my life. Losing the ability to write songs that way really cut something important out of me. There was a whole process of the physical and mental that was disrupted. I’ve been trying workarounds, and I’m trying to regain a little guitar-playing. It’s kind of a struggle but, hell, I’m retired, I got all the time in the world.
    - AP on May 19, 2008 at 11:53 am
      
      I’m so sorry. That must be agony!
      
      I’ve just realized that I need another creative outlet–politics can be draining, and we have plenty of other stress points, including parents who are getting older.
      
      That’s why I’m so happy Boran diaries about paintings and CabinGirl diaries about knitting. A creative outlet is so important.
      
      Making music has been missing in my life for some time now. I have to make time for it. That and going to see CabinGirl so I can start knitting.
    - JanetT in MD on May 19, 2008 at 5:43 pm
      
      Definitely agree on the ‘need an alternative to politics’ sometimes as a stress reliever.
      
      Music has been one of my releases in the past (not currently, other than listening to it…).
hopeful08 on May 18, 2008 at 8:30 pm

Black

Female

Have a boyfriend

Current law student

Independent

I love cranberries.
The Voice In The Wilderness on May 18, 2008 at 8:34 pm
1. White (mostly, see following) mixed Italian and German, but with a West African marker gene of unknown origin, possibly from the Sicilian ancestors (EVERYONE has been in Sicily).
2. Male.
3. Flaming Hetero, but with many Gay friends.
4. Married to woman of mixed Northern European ancestry
5. Atheist
6. One daughter
7. First Choice – Edwards. Current (and best) Choice – Obama
8. Democrat
9. M.S. Physics
10. DoD Civil Servant (Logistician), Design Engineer, Software Engineer, Postal Mechanic (last two careers outsourced & H1-B’d away)
RustyPipes on May 18, 2008 at 8:36 pm
1. English, Scottish, Irish, French, Cherokee
2. 40-something Female
3. Straight Identified
4. Married for over 20 years
5. Presbyterian
6. Two school-aged children — one with Down Syndrome, the other with ADD and Asperger’s
7. Gore – Edwards – Obama
8. Parents were Southern Democrats. After flirting with registering Independent during college, I eventually registered as a Democrat.
9. B.A. in Theater and two Master’s Degrees in another field
10. Since I became unemployed, I have been in a few plays (the first since graduating college 20 years prior). Outside of my profession, I have worked as a waitress (for a week), dishwasher (more like, I loaded the dishes into the industrial dishwasher in the college dining hall), library aide, department store clerk, receptionist, and clerk in various healthfood and new age book stores.
11. Myers-Briggs: INFP (did I mention that my daughter has ADD and that I used to work in a new age bookstore?)
- Steven D on May 19, 2008 at 7:24 am
  
  My daughter has ADHD and an anxiety disorder. I have a nephew with frequent seizures and some clearly autistic symptoms but docs refuse to classify him as autistic.
chinook on May 18, 2008 at 8:36 pm

1. Mutt of mostly western European origin
2. Female
3. Hetero

4. Married 13 years next week

5. Very comfortably agnostic

6. 2 kids, 7 & 4

7. Feingold > Gore > Edwards > Obama (Hello Omir!). Now a very strong and excited Obama supporter.

8. Grew up Republican in Idaho, but transformed into a Democrat during college. Now I’m a proud bleeding-heart liberal.

9. B.S. in Zoology, Masters in Biochemistry

10. In my ‘before kids’ life, I spent 14 years doing basic research in molecular biology & genetics, the last 4 of which working on breast cancer. Now I’m a very happy stay-at-home mom, raising progressive kids!
sjct on May 18, 2008 at 8:46 pm

Ivory
Age 60
Female
Bi-sexual but…
currently married to a man and faithful
Solitary Pagan
Two grown children, two grandboys
Edwards, now Obama
Democrat
Some College until I figured out I could learn more by working

Runway fashion model, Paste-up Artist, Typesetter, Graphic Designer, One-woman Print Shop Operator and eventually Owner of Marketing, Design and Printing Company, Direct Mail Consultant. When “PageMaker” came out I saw the writing on the wall and combined most of the above into digital skills, Graphic Production Manager of a Fortune 500 company.

Then, I got sick, was on Medicaid and living in public housing until I started creating scale miniature projects. Currently telecommuting to a large mail order catalog that sells dollhouse kits and accessories. I create projects, photography for the catalog cover and detail shots, and write assembly and finished instructions.
- JanetT in MD on May 19, 2008 at 5:47 pm
  
  Oooh. I’d love to see what you do. (I work with dolls in 1/6 scale, but there’s a lot of useful overlap with dollhouse scale…)
mythmother on May 18, 2008 at 8:49 pm

1. Your Race or Ethnicity, i.e., African American, Hispanic American, East Asian American, Native American, Arab American, Indian American, White American (WASP, Scot, German, Irish, Italian, Eastern European, Scandinavian, or Mixed) or multiracial.

I don’t see race.

2. Gender (male, female or transgender)

I don’t see gender.

3. Sexual Orientation (Hetero, Gay or bisexual).

I don’t see sexual orientation.

4. Marital Status (Married, Never Married, Single but previously married, Divorced but remarried) Also if you are, or have ever been married to a person other than your own race or ethnicity.

I don’t see marital status.

5. Religious Beliefs (including agnosticism or atheism)

I don’t see religious beliefs.

6. Children?

I see all children.

7. Favored Candidate, including first choice, and current choice.

I favor candidacy.

8. Political Affiliation (GOP, Democrat, Green, Independent, or Other)

I don’t see political affiliation.

9. Education Level

Education happens at all levels.

10. Career/Work History

Work is my hobby.
- AP on May 18, 2008 at 9:42 pm
  
  I see all children.
  
  Simple. Clear. Direct.
  
  And loving.
  
  I’m almost in tears. Really. You are very wise.
nlacey on May 18, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Where I come from, we call this: “Who’s your mama?”
1. Race: Caucasian
2. Gender: Female
3. Orientation: Heterosexual
4. Status: Married for more years than many of your readers have been born.
5. Religious affiliation: Episcopalian
6. Children: Two, grown
7. Favorite Candidate: First Edwards, now Obama
8. Political Affiliation: Dem
9. Educational Level: First professional
10. Career: Lawyer
mainsailset on May 18, 2008 at 8:56 pm

Scottish
female, 57
hetero
single
agnostic, since I have been known to pray to every god known and unknown when caught in the open sea, I have to admit some belief
no children
Obama (and how about the 75,000 turnout in Portland today!)
Dem
BA Anthropology rec’d in Canada
Designer
jnd on May 18, 2008 at 9:01 pm
1. White – Welsh with a little American Indian for good coloring.
2. Male
3. Hetro
4. Married once, once was enough. Prefer the milk without making payments to the cow for the rest of my natural life.
5. Played at Christian once, Atheist now, I think I’m going to try Hindu next.
6. Children? Daughter in colledge and son in high school
7. Obama, all goes downhill from there
8. Raised a Republican and never really cared enough to change until now. I do enjoy the tax benefits, but all this Christian nonsense scares the shit out of me and when my Constitutional rights begin disappearing, its time for a change. Not sure what that makes me other than politically exhausted.
9. Education Level – High School, College drop-out, Masters from the School of Hard Knocks (always preferred the hard way I think)
10. Currently own two small businesses and looking for investors for a third. Past is littered with failures. I was the guy the country songs are dedicated too – wife runs off, takes kids, dog won’t even look at me, truck won’t start, bank wants the house back…you get the picture.
11. Age – 41
- RustyPipes on May 18, 2008 at 9:40 pm
  
  The perfect country western song:
  
  (spoken:)
  Well, a friend of mine named Steve Goodman wrote that song, and he told me it was the perfect country and western song. I wrote him back a letter and I told him it was not the perfect country and western song because he hadn’t said anything at all about momma, or trains, or trucks, or prison or gettin’ drunk. Well, he sat down and wrote another verse to this song and he sent it to me and after reading it I realized that my friend had written the perfect country and western song. And I felt obliged to include it on this album. The last verse goes like this here:
  
  Well, I was drunk the day my momma got out of prison,
  And I went to pick her up in the rain.
  But before I could get to tye station in the pick-up truck,
  She got runned over by a damned old train.
wildrez on May 18, 2008 at 9:15 pm

White…mostly English, little French. My chiropractor said there was a Swede in the woodpile.
Male
Hetero
12 years with partner, not married
Buddhist, raised Episcopalian
one son college age artist
Kucinich, Edwards, Obama, liked Dodd through out, thought Hillary was fine for a long time, not now at all.Tend to vote green or very progressive but with a strong local democracy streak, ran for office twice both times as a green, currently registered Dem. Looking forward to campaigning for Obama.
3 years college no degree
Local energy activist
jrod on May 18, 2008 at 9:20 pm
1. White (Scotch-Irish, German, English)
2. Male
3. Hetero
4. Married, once, 35 yrs same race
5. Raised methodist, currently non-religious spiritual
6. 2 children, both graduated from college
7. Started as Edwards supporter, now solid Obama supporter.
8. Democrat
9. Graduate School
10. Banker
pierredude on May 18, 2008 at 9:48 pm
1. White American (Eastern Europe)
2. Male
3. Hetero
4. Single
5. Culturally Jewish, but at the moment agnostic
6. I am a child at heart (and legally still)
7. First I was a Warner fan, then a Richardson fan, then I moved to Obama.
8. Proud Democrat
9. Still in High School
10. Student for the foreseeable future
supersoling on May 18, 2008 at 10:08 pm
1. Irish, Italian, French, Yugoslavian, Dutch, British, Cherokee. Mother’s parent’s (Irish mother, Italian father) names on the wall at Ellis Island.
2. Male/46
3. Hetero, I’m fairly sure…
4. Married 21 years, though functionally if not yet physically separated.
Have had relationships outside of my race. One serious, with a Ugandan national.
1. Athiest
2. 3 kids. One son, two daughters from marriage. 21, 18, and 15 years old.
3. Kucinich, Edwards for a split second, Cynthia McKinney.
4. Green from raised liberal democrat. Anti war protestor.
5. Incomplete high school. Life education through curiosity and inquisitivness.
6. Working class, custom painter, graphic artist, ie hot rods, race boats, bikes, guitars, giraffes, whatever needs a little color…..
Have been paid house help for the super wealthy in Palm Beach, second mate on an offshore fishing vessel, concrete finisher, house painter, factory scallop shucker, boatyard rat (general laborer), and yacht painter. Will work for Oreos if it comes down to it….
- Second Nature on May 18, 2008 at 10:29 pm
  
  Maybe we can work something out. I like the chocolate cookie outside, but not the creamy middle…
  - supersoling on May 18, 2008 at 10:32 pm
    
    How do Double Stuffs fit into this equation?
    - Second Nature on May 18, 2008 at 10:34 pm
      
      I’m afraid to even speculate… 😉
    - shirlstars on May 18, 2008 at 10:50 pm
      
      your double stuff right here, sweetheart!
conglomerNation on May 18, 2008 at 10:16 pm
1. White – mostly Irish ancestry with a little Dutch and some stories of Native American roots (haven’t confirmed that yet).
2. female
3. Hetero, but I sometimes wonder 😉
4. Married to a white dude
5. Agnostic
6. One son (almost 4-yrs-old)
7. Barack Obama, Favored and first choice
8. Democrat
9. Ph.D.
10. I’m one of those librul professors (I teach about and research the media, etc.). I’ve also been a photographer and hosted a radio show.
phronesis on May 18, 2008 at 10:31 pm
What a cool thing to come up with.
1. Human, since there is no such thing as race other than as a political invention. I am from Minnesota, however, and sound suspiciously Scandinavian to the Mississipians I live with now. Coming up on 60 winters.
2. Male
3. Hetero, although I do think Brad Pitt is pretty.
4. Married. Twice. The second time restored my faith in……well, everything.
5. Raised Lutheran. Christianity, however, is a dead end. I think the only authentic thing to say about god is that god is. Anything else is speculation. Without getting into the whole god is or is not argument, and hopefully not getting too boring, I think I can convince people that god and human are two poles of a tension in existence and that neither exists without the other. But I am not religious.
6. I have adult children, and my wife Gail has two adult children. All our kids are from our first marriages, and even though Gail and I have been married for ten years, our children have never met. My kids live in California, and hers live in Virginia and Michigan. We live in Mississippi. Ah, the modern family.
7. Edwards first, and then even before Edwards suspended, Obama. Obama is a transformative figure, and a way to transcend the idiotic, narcisstic, identify politics of the baby boomers.
8. In practice, Democratic Farmer Labor Party. Existentially, I’m a socialist, the kind the first Christians were, before the Didache was written.
9. Ph.D. Political Science.
10. Former college professor, currently a general manager of a home delivery company.
dowhatyoulike on May 18, 2008 at 10:59 pm
1. White American (WASP)
2. male
3. Hetero
4. Married, to another WASP.
5. agnosticism, or really n/a
6. 3 Children, ages 19,22,24
7. Edwards, now Obama.
8. Democrat (will never, ever vote Repub)
9. DDS
10. self employed 28 yrs now
KSinMA on May 18, 2008 at 11:35 pm
1. white
2. female
3. het
4. single
5. proudly UCC, same as Rev. Wright
6. no
7. Obama (would vote for Clinton if I had to, but would have to turn the TV off for 4 or 8 years)
8. Yellow dog Dem (but voted for Herbert Aptheker, Communist, for NY Senator in 1976 when the other choices were James Buckley and Daniel Patrick Moynihan)
9. MFA
10. writer, editor, many miscellaneous jobs in the past. I have a job with fringe benefits for the first time in 10 years and it sure makes a difference! Don’t you wish everybody had them?
- Joyful Alternative on May 19, 2008 at 12:18 am
  
  I was hoping there’d be another UCCer in our group here! And an editor, too; I’m a copyeditor, who wishes everybody, including me, had fringe benefits!
  
  Did you have the sermon on race this morning? Ours was most interesting.
  - BlueMonkey on May 19, 2008 at 2:44 pm
    
    🙂 I’m a reformed Lutheran, now UCC member (and my kid’s youth group visited Obama’s south Chi-town church last summer).
    - Joyful Alternative on May 20, 2008 at 10:19 am
      
      A couple more, and we can all go to the next General Synod together and be an interest group or something.
- KMc on May 19, 2008 at 9:27 am
  
  What part of the publishing world? Fiction? Non-fiction? Genre?
  - Joyful Alternative on May 19, 2008 at 11:38 am
    
    Mostly academic books for university presses, which is like auditing all sorts of graduate-level courses, only they pay me instead of the reverse. And other stuff.
    
    My grasp of arcane trivia from various unrelated disciplines can make me obnoxious at times.
    - KMc on May 19, 2008 at 12:22 pm
      
      I know a little bit about that world. My wife’s a physics department chair and has done some textbook consulting, so I’ve spent a lot of time with academics and little bit with academic press folks. Very different world from the land of genre fiction where I mostly hang out. I always laugh when people talk about publishing as though it were one business rather than a whole bunch of wildly separate realms that intersect at the level of production technology.
      - Joyful Alternative on May 20, 2008 at 10:17 am
        
        Fiction is hard because you have to keep track of all the characters and their descriptions so someone’s eye color doesn’t change from chapter to chapter. A friend gave me a copy of her style sheet for a novel, and it was huge.
        
        Plus fiction doesn’t pay well.
michael72 on May 18, 2008 at 11:42 pm
1. white from german, irish, italian and french.
2. male
3. gay
4. presently unattached
5. brought up catholic, presently eclectic with readings/beliefs in zen, native american mythology, buddhism, depth psychology, ‘new age’ anti-materialist spirituality etc …..
6. thank the gods i never made that mistake (personally speaking, of course)
7. favored kucinich, dodd, to end the war – and edwards because of the two americas ideas. i don’t support obama or clinton. but either one would be 1000 times better than bush or mccain.
8. probably green, but as i’m living overseas now i tend not to vote.
9. some graduate work in biology and then in political science but never pursued those as careers.
10. long and complicated. poetry and writing are my passion but i’ve never made my living on them; live/work in a mexican resort area in tourism to pay the bills and be by the beach.
JanetT in MD on May 18, 2008 at 11:46 pm

1. Your Race or Ethnicity: WASP mix – German/English/Scottish/and probably some Scandinavian in there…

1a: Age: 52

2. Gender: Female

3. Sexual Orientation: mostly straight

4. Marital Status: Never married. (Given who’s asked me, no regrets, either.)

5. Religious Beliefs: Raised Presbyterian, was involved in the fundamentalist movement for a while… moved on from there. Now consider myself Christian with no particular denominational attachment.

6. Children: None. I get to spoil everyone else’s, then give them back. It’s in my contract. 🙂

7. Favored Candidate: I started out really hoping for Gore, then went with Edwards, now solidly Obama.

8. Political Affiliation: Started out Republican, changed to Democrat as soon as I figured out what the difference between the two flavors actually was.

9. Education Level: BA in Art/Art Education, plus a lot of extraneous college classes taken since then for fun or work-related, everything from acting to TV production to commercial art to basic accounting.

10. Career/Work History: Did not want to be a teacher, despite the degree, so I’ve done everything from office/secretarial to security guard to free-lance artist to Renfaire performer. Most recently legal secretary, freelance writer (game books and related fiction) and now working in website development/maintenance.
kaleidescope on May 18, 2008 at 11:48 pm
1. Working class German American 4th Generation.
2. Male.
3. Hetero
4. Never married, currently in a 15 year monogamistic relationship with an Irish American woman who is an anti-toxics activist.
5. Reared as an athiest/Quaker (Milwaukee Meeting). Still go to silent meeting when I am in Berkeley.
6. No children. Got vasectomy at 24 (1979). Wanted to walk very gently on the earth but have lots of sex.
7. Started as an Edwards supporter, though I agreed with Russ Feingold’s criticism of Edwards. Now I support Barack Obama.
8. Registered Democrat, though I usually vote Green whenever Dianne Feinstein is on the ballot.
9. JD.
10. Lawyer — plaintiff side environmental enforcement. Still plugging away at that. Previous to that I worked as a drone in a giant law factory litigating securities law and before that delivering pizzas, working on plastic injection molding machines making coolant reservoirs for Buicks, and working a manual nipple machine, making pipe nipples at an outfit called, Wisconsin Nipple.
BooMan on May 19, 2008 at 12:07 am

there are a lot of new and a lot of old faces in this diary. Great to see.
eeblet on May 19, 2008 at 12:34 am
1. White – half German-Jewish (came to Chicago & Mexico in the 1860s), half mutt (including a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Rebecca Nurse [hanged in Salem], and someone on the Mayflower)
2. Female
3. Bisexual
4. Divorced 3 years ago, have been living with my boyfriend for a year now – will hopefully remarry sometime soon 🙂
5. Pantheist
6. No children
7. I started loathing Bill Clinton in college while doing queer activism…. And then when supporting Howard Dean back in 2003, I came to loathe both Clintons. A vote for a Clinton is a vote for the DLC, so I was never a Hillary supporter (despite a strong desire for a woman president – but I had to ignore that twinge). I liked Edwards, but was an Obama supporter from the start, thanks to the close-up perspectives I got from a friend who had worked on his Illinois campaign years ago…. My friend had worked with several politicians, and said he’d never seen anyone so good at surrounding themselves with intelligent experts and then actually listening to them. This struck a chord with me: this is the kind of person I want leading our country.
8. Socialist-leaning Democrat
9. BA, Studio Art major from a liberal arts school
10. Currently a freelance web designer (although it’s tough these days!), have done a variety of strange jobs, although most of my work experience has revolved around either web design or working in libraries. I am considering moving into teaching or social services – I like people, and the computer gets lonely.
11. Age seems to be missing here! I’m 27.
Dongi 2 on May 19, 2008 at 3:14 am

Misspelled Myers-Briggs. Mea culpa. That’s Latin for “Sorry, I goofed.”

The unconscious mind talks to us through the body’s symptoms. It is a somatic language, so to speak. This mind also communicates to us through dreams.
rhetoricus on May 19, 2008 at 6:46 am
1. Scots/Scandinavian mostly
2. Poly-fidelous, queer
3. Pagan
4. 2 stepkids
5. Kucinich->Edwards->Obama
6. Democrat
7. PhD
8. Teach writing, web stuff
9. One of our dogs just peed the bed in its sleep. We can’t figure out which one. 6 dogs, king bed, everybody looks guilty. Sigh.
- rhetoricus on May 19, 2008 at 2:50 pm
  
  Oh yeah–age. 30-something. 😉
Chief on May 19, 2008 at 7:09 am
1. Your Race or Ethnicity: Irish/English
2. Gender: Male
3. Sexual Orientation : Hetero
4. Marital Status: Married Same person 47 years
5. Religious Beliefs: Yes, not sure
6. Children: 4 + 13 grandchildren + 13 Great-grandchildren
7. Favored Candidate: John Edwards, Barak Obama
8. Political Affiliation: Democrat
9. Education Level: One semester law school
10. Career/Work History: Retired Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer, Retired Programmer/Computer Specialist
- weinerdog43 on May 19, 2008 at 9:31 am
  
  1.) 3/4 German 1/4 English & other
  2.) male
  3.) hetero
  4.) married same person 22 years
  5.) Atheist
  6.) 1 child
  7.) Edwards 1st, then Obama
  8.) Democrat
  9.) licensed atty
  10.) corporate lawyer
MikeInOhio on May 19, 2008 at 9:42 am
This is a terrific idea, Steven. Gives a lot of insight into the makeup of the Pond Dwellers.
1. Your Race or Ethnicity: Families of both parents originated in England. Came to this country in the early 1700’s. There is Native American blood on my mother’s side, though it dates to the 1600’s. Some of my relatives are addicted to genealogical research so we have a lot of family history documented
2. Gender: Male/48 years old
3. Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual
4. Marital Status: Married 16 years to my first, and hopefully last, woman
5. Religious Beliefs: Raised Southern Baptist. Abandoned that during my college years. Still have an emotional tie to my Christian upbringing, though I don’t believe I will ever become involved again in an organized religious setting. Have doubts about a personal God, though I haven’t discounted the possibility of a higher spiritual power
6. Children: None. Would have liked to have had children, but it just didn’t work out for us. We spoil our nieces and nephews quite successfully, though.
7. Favored Candidate: Have been an Obama guy from the beginning. I liked Edwards, too. Loved Dodd for his strong Constitutional principles in the telco immunity fight. But Obama has been my guy from the start.
8. Political Affiliation: Was an independent all my life. But thanks to George Bush I am now a registered Democrat. The destruction that Bush has wrought was just too much for me to stand on the sidelines for one more minute.
9. Education Level: Degree in Electrical Engineering
10. Career/Work History: Got interested in electronics as a teenager. Got into Ham Radio during high school and after college went to work for a manufacturer of Ham Radios and other communication equipment. After 9 years I moved into the area of custom machine design, mainly inspection equipment for the automotive and aircraft industry. Currently working as a Project Manager for a large, privately owned Japanese manufacturer of high precision Inspection and Measurement Equipment
cuddlefish on May 19, 2008 at 10:25 am
1. Mixed – German, Scot and some Native American
2. Genderqueer
3. Bisexual
4. Never Married
5. Atheist
6. None
7. Kucinich, Obama
8. Democrat
9. Some college – East Asian Studies (Japan) major, Social Statistics minor
10. Working with the homeless for a small nonprofit, artist, brewer, bookseller, AmeriCorps Vista, COMSEC Custodian and launcher of nuclear weapons (Pershing), squad leader and instructor in a Reserve MI unit.
ask on May 19, 2008 at 10:57 am
1. All known ancestors from fjord country (I broke the trend, though – see below).
2. Male (early 50s)
3. Het
4. Divorced. Now in a relationship in its 11th year (jewish).
5. Agnostic on a good day.
6. Girl, HS graduate this spring. Boy, starting HS this fall. Their mother is of Eritrean/Ethiopian origin (RC).
7. Pined for Gore, warmed to Edwards, then Obama.
8. Certainly leftist by American standards.
9. MBA
10. Air Force (not the US one), then university – on to private sector for a few years (offshore oil field development). Chair of Employees Union as I left to move abroad. Last 20+ years doing project management in a large multi-national organization.
Plummet on May 19, 2008 at 11:06 am
1. WASPish; a mix of western european breeds with some Celtic thrown in.
2. male
3. Hetero
4. Married
5. Atheist/ secular humanist
6. No kids. Lots of dogs and horses
7. I’ll always be an Edwards supporter. Initially unmoved by the others but now back Obama and actively dislike Clinton (both).
8. Democrat
9. BS and some post grad courses
10. Started out as a vet tech long ago and now do cardiovascular research for a major pharma company
Mike McG on May 19, 2008 at 12:05 pm
1. Irish-American
2. Male
3. Hetero
4. Married 40+ years to the same woman (Lithuanian-American)
5. Raised Catholic, now sorta agnostic, though I do occasionally go to Mass and receive Communion, but mostly as a cultural gesture.
6. Two daughters in their thirties, both professionals (academic administrator & physical therapist), both married, but only the physical therapist is a breeder (two grandchildren, boy 5 & girl 3)
7. Started out for Dodd (I went to school with him years and years ago, and he’s my senator and I admire him and his work tremendously), moved to Edwards and then to Obama. Never a Hillary fan (even less so since she launched her scorched-earth campaign) because I didn’t want to go back to the Beltway/DLC/McAuliffe/triangulation days of the 90s.
8. Yellow-dog Democrat from the day I became eligible to register to vote.
9. Ph.D. in medieval English language and literature.
10. Taught composition and intro to lit at a community college for 33 years, retired in ’03 and landed a part-time gig at UConn teaching [TA-DA!] medieval English literature. Finally!
Early on May 19, 2008 at 12:54 pm
1. Gringo — Standard Euro-Heinz 57.
2. Male.
3. Straight and boring.
4. Married to the same Gringa for a long time.
5. United Methodist with an RC underlay — Yes to peace with justice, no to theocon bigotry and Bush idolotry.
6. The most beautiful one-year-old boy ever.
7. Obama via Edwards.
8. Usually D.
9. Masters.
10. Teacher (former journalist, musician, and repentant paid liar for the M-I Complex).
northcountry on May 19, 2008 at 2:06 pm

1.) Irish Catholic and Scots-Irish

2.) Male

3.) Hetro

4.) divorced, single parent.

5.) raised catholic – parochial school, altar boy. Now a zen practicing Unitarian.

6.) Two children , one a HS senior, one just finished their first year of college.

7.) Leaned Edwards most of the race, then Obama.

8.) Democratic – though I can be a bit of a non-comnformist and a “maverick” 🙂

9.) Masters

10.) Consultant type. Typically strategy, marketing and communications. Lots of background in market and industry analysis too. IT manager, Legal Assistant. Have worked in many a fine dining establishment and on landscape crews as well.
BlueMonkey on May 19, 2008 at 2:30 pm
1. English and German with a little bit of western Euro mutt mixed in (French and Danish and Irish).
2. female
3. hetero
4. married 18+ years (and to tell a family secret, my husband has Dutch in is western Euro mutt self)
5. Misery Lutheran Synod until college, then nothing, then United Church of Christ (but more agnostic than believer and leaning to atheism as I get older)
6. 14 year old daughter and 8 year old son
7. Dodd first, then Edwards and now Obama
8. Lifelong Democrat
9. BA in English w/minors in economics and sociology; additional courses in law and programming
10. Currently a software engineer (and have been in the IT/IS area for 11 years); technical writer for several years, project manager/analyst on the operations side of the business for several years before that; started out in “real” jobs as an insurance auditor, medical claims examiner (in the late 80’s)
- Steven D on May 19, 2008 at 6:06 pm
  
  LOL at Misery Lutheran Synod. Oh, I so agree.
Kamakhya on May 19, 2008 at 3:10 pm

1.. Your Race or Ethnicity

American….Mayflower descendant

2. Gender

Female

3. Sexual Orientation

straightish

4. Marital Status

Married once, sort of divorced

5. Religious Beliefs

Atheist Pagan

6. Children?

1 14 yo daughter

7. Favored Candidate, including first choice, and current choice.

Kucinich->Edwards->Obama

8. Political Affiliation

Lifelong Democrat, except with Diane Feinstein is on the ticket.

9. Education Level

B.A. Anthropology and Sociology (would you like fries with that?)

10. Career/Work History

Office peon, sales clerk, legal assistant
Grep Agni on May 19, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Though I read regularly, I just created an account to post this.
1. White. I was adopted, so I can’t be more specific. My adoptive family is a combination of various western European peoples, and since there was a man with my surname arrived in the US in 1710 or so, there is most likely some Native American and African blood in there someplace.
2. Male
3. Hetero
4. Married to same ethnicity
5. atheist
6. three chinchillas, no off-spring
7. Edwards -> Obama
8. Democrat
9. B.A. in Chemistry
10. I’m a lab tech.
johnwcasey on May 19, 2008 at 4:19 pm
1. white american, with Irish, English and Scot roots
2. male
3. hetero
4. Married, previously divorced. Same ethnicity as me both times
5. Lapsed RC, now atheist.
6. 3 girls
7. undecided for a long time, then Obama for the Conn primary
8. Democrat, genetic variety.
9. J.D.
10. Lawyer, involuntarily retired. Various odd jobs prior to law degree.
thelaff on May 19, 2008 at 8:14 pm
1. Half Irish, Half Croatian.
2. Male
3. Hetero
4. Single, never married.
5. Raised Catholic, currently agnostic. Always searching, though.
6. None. Thank Christ.
7. Hmm, I’m not a citizen, but it was Gore, then Edwards, then Obama.
8. Green
9. Finished High School and a semester of University
10. When not traveling, I work mostly in call centres. I’m currently whoring myself for some subsidiary of News Corp selling newspapers in various Australian cities.
DataMasseuse on May 20, 2008 at 4:52 pm
1. White – 1/4 English Protestant, 1/8 Irish Catholic, 1/8 French Canadian Catholic, 1/2 Russian Jew (AKA “Protejewic”:-))
2. Female
3. Hetero
4. Never Married but a few “lived with” relationships
5. Devout/Born-again Atheist (had my Atheism reaffirmed in a vision;-))
6. No kids, rescued animals get my maternal instincts instead.
7. Kucinich in a perfect world, supported Edwards until he dropped out, then switched to Obama (even though — because?? — Hillary has been my senator)
8. Dem/Working Families
9. College drop-out though attended other classes here and there later on
10. Industrial lab tech (perlescent pigments company, flavor and fragrances company, major food company for about 15 years until I discovered computers, now programmer/business analyst for the past 20 years (hence my “handle”:-))

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Steven D

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