Reply #209: I first heard of DU as it came online, and registered and started posting in 2002

[MikeH]

I seem to remember discovering DU right as it came online in January 2001; at least I am pretty certain it was January. I discovered it along with a number of other liberal/progressive/Democratic web sites all about the same time. I do not remember how I specifically came to find DU.

Throughout most of 2000 I had been following the web site of People for the American Way. They had warned about the kind of Supreme Court justices * would pick if he were elected, versus the kind of Supreme Court justices Gore would pick if he were elected. (As it turned out, * was NOT elected, but he became the pResident anyway, and appointed a couple of bad Supreme Court justices that PFAW had warned about.) I think I followed links from them and came to discover other progressive web sites.

I liked, and still like, the informative articles and the informed discussion here at DU. I lurked here for a year, but was nervous about posting on a public message board. I realized that every once in a while I had something to say, and overcame my nervousness and registered in April 2002, and made my first post on May 1, 2002 (I think I can find it in the archives), and have been here ever since.

I like both the political and other serious discussion, and the fun and informality and "letting our hair down" at the lounge.

I am not one of the most frequent posters here; in almost 7 years I have a little over 900 posts, while others have thousands and tens of thousands of posts. In real life I am not an outgoing person, and am not given to small talk or banter (as seen in the lounge), and am often one of the least talkative people when I am with a group of people. And I am not the best person for keeping up with and analyzing the latest current happenings; I am glad that there are other people who do that. However every once in a while I have something to say and I like to say it, and I like the chance to do so provided here at DU.

As it turns out, some of my posts do have to do with politics and current happenings, but most of my posts, especially in recent years, have been about religion and religious issues, and sharing personal things about myself.

I particularly have strong negative feelings about fundamentalist Christianity and fundamentalist Christians. There is one fundamentalist Christian who posts in the Religion/Theology forum; he might be considered to be DU's resident fundamentalist Christian. A lot of my posts in R/T have been responses to him, in which I answer him and clarify my own thoughts about Christianity and the Bible, and issues having to do with fundamentalist Christianity in particular.

I like to share personal things about myself, including a few odd things, and also a few jokes and puns. (I had a grandfather who told a lot of very bad puns, and I inherited that from him.) I like having the Lounge, so that I can share personal things, as well as have serious discussions.

I have had the pleasure of meeting a number of DUer's at DU gatherings here in Southern California. One of the most notable of these was Teena, who had the screen name of nothingshocksmeanymore, who unfortunately got involved in a nasty love triangle with a couple of other DU members and was tombstoned. I miss her. She set up the first DU gathering which I attended at Laguna Beach in October 2002. Another notable person I have been very fortunate to meet is the very gracious California Peggy.

One very special feature for me is the DU Journals, which were introduced in early 2006. I have been able to put all of my "best" posts in my journal. I have shared the link to my journal with friends and some relatives (not any who are conservative leaning!), and have linked to my DU journal on other web sites on which I post. I also had an entry about me in a college alumni newsletter (actually booklet) in which I indicated I posted on DU and had a journal on DU. And I have a link to my DU journal on the web site of my high school graduating class.