Greetings and Salutations!

My user name is "Collimator" for a variety of (quite possibly pretentious) reasons, but right now I wish that I had chosen "Charlotte the Spider" because I so love that line of hers.

I have been enjoying looking around Democratic Underground for awhile but was reluctant to register because I have a bit of trouble finding my way around this site. Due to my age, I am accustomed to reading books and magazines with tables of contents and things of that nature. The layout of this place makes me feel a little disconcerted, like the way I felt attending my first Shabbot as I stumbled from the "back" or right hand side of the song book, to the "front" or left hand side.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure that I am communicating my point clearly, but I just feel bewildered at times dealing with the visual set up.

Oh, well, enough self-pity. I've been searching for a handy jungle vine to pull me out of that quicksand since the election. It doesn't help that the family members who have been gracious and generous enough to put a roof over my head are Trump voters.

There's a lot to read and think about here and I am grateful.

Just to cue you in to my place along the spectrum of political thought, I am a registered Independent but I pretty much vote Democratic. Once, I voted Communist, but that is a story for another day.

I tend towards a liberal prospective, but I really do believe in independent thought. Group-think scares the hell out of me. This is probably because I have been on the outside looking in through much of my life.

Alas, that statement is sounding a lot like self-pity, again. But it is late, and weariness tends to bring that out in many people. It's best if I close now in the hopes of making a better impression on you.

Thanks again for this place. It is a valuable resource of information and differing perspectives. Do carry on--but don't stay calm. Keep raising hell!