MaggieD
DP Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2010
- Messages
- 43,244
- Reaction score
- 44,664
- Location
- Chicago Area
- Gender
- Female
- Political Leaning
- Moderate
Well, I've been on the forum for a few days -- and find it sooo interesting. Thought I ought to introduce myself, as the Forum topic suggests. Especially since I've taken more than just a little flack for the first thread I posted on the site. 
I'm from suburban Chicago. I live with my significant other, Tom. He's a taxi driver. We met at a singles' dance 10 years ago. He's divorced (7 years before we met). I'm widowed (5 years before we met).
I'm a Realtor by profession right now. My background is pretty much entrepreneur-centered. Started a business and ran it for 20-some years. Starved the first 8 -- then made some money. I've been a coordinator of volunteers for a nonprofit, a trustee in a small town in Wisconsin (ran for election and won twice....the ran for election part was AWFUL!!).
I've volunteered in a number of areas -- the one I'm probably most proud of was as a counselor on a suicide hotline. A few success stories there, including getting a young girl professional help who was being abused by her uncle.
When I signed up, I put 'undisclosed' for my political leanings. By now, anyone who's read my posts knows I'm conservative. I try to see grays, but sometimes it's hard. Still, I've learned a few things even in the short time I've been here. So I guess that means I'm not incorrigible.
Tom and I have a German Shepherd named Josh -- he's my avatar. We adopted him when he was six years old from a woman who had 28 show dogs in three beautiful garages on her "estate" (I guess I'd call it that.). He'd lived in a 4 x 25 foot kennel his whole life. The photo in my Avatar shows him in a dog show where he won Best of Breed. She actually "gave him to us" because she said she wanted him to experience living with a family before he died. (Sad.) He's king here, that's for sure. Ten years old now...wish he wasn't.
Two semi-ferral cats call our house home...sometimes. We live in a bedroom community about 15 miles outside Chicago. Feed the racoons, much to our neighbors' chagrin. And stray cats. We trap the cats and neuter/release through an organization called PAWS in the City of Chicago. They charge $19 to neuter/give rabies/distemper/test for feline leukemia. All supported by donations. It's a great program, and one we feel privileged to be able to use. (They clip the cats' ears so that others know they've been neutered. Strays are a real problem in suburban Chicago....or, at least, in our neighborhood.)
I've made two posts on DebatePolitics.com. The first was a poll that failed because I set it up wrong. I'll get the hang of it eventually. And a thread that asked something like, "Should people who pay taxes be allowed to vote?"
Well!! I really got to know a number of great users through that post. I'm even honored to have the thread mentioned in the Basement....although that wasn't a particularly good thing. Ha! Anyhow, anyone who carefully read the thread, who bothers?, knows that I posted it as devil's advocate. I may be conservative, but I'm not nutz. ;-)
Well, glad to see this thread. I must say I've been on a few forums -- really began on MSN's QnA Live -- which was shut down about a year ago. But this one just "sings." I'm glad I found it -- and look forward to meeting ya'll on the boards.
I'm from suburban Chicago. I live with my significant other, Tom. He's a taxi driver. We met at a singles' dance 10 years ago. He's divorced (7 years before we met). I'm widowed (5 years before we met).
I'm a Realtor by profession right now. My background is pretty much entrepreneur-centered. Started a business and ran it for 20-some years. Starved the first 8 -- then made some money. I've been a coordinator of volunteers for a nonprofit, a trustee in a small town in Wisconsin (ran for election and won twice....the ran for election part was AWFUL!!).
I've volunteered in a number of areas -- the one I'm probably most proud of was as a counselor on a suicide hotline. A few success stories there, including getting a young girl professional help who was being abused by her uncle.
When I signed up, I put 'undisclosed' for my political leanings. By now, anyone who's read my posts knows I'm conservative. I try to see grays, but sometimes it's hard. Still, I've learned a few things even in the short time I've been here. So I guess that means I'm not incorrigible.
Tom and I have a German Shepherd named Josh -- he's my avatar. We adopted him when he was six years old from a woman who had 28 show dogs in three beautiful garages on her "estate" (I guess I'd call it that.). He'd lived in a 4 x 25 foot kennel his whole life. The photo in my Avatar shows him in a dog show where he won Best of Breed. She actually "gave him to us" because she said she wanted him to experience living with a family before he died. (Sad.) He's king here, that's for sure. Ten years old now...wish he wasn't.
Two semi-ferral cats call our house home...sometimes. We live in a bedroom community about 15 miles outside Chicago. Feed the racoons, much to our neighbors' chagrin. And stray cats. We trap the cats and neuter/release through an organization called PAWS in the City of Chicago. They charge $19 to neuter/give rabies/distemper/test for feline leukemia. All supported by donations. It's a great program, and one we feel privileged to be able to use. (They clip the cats' ears so that others know they've been neutered. Strays are a real problem in suburban Chicago....or, at least, in our neighborhood.)
I've made two posts on DebatePolitics.com. The first was a poll that failed because I set it up wrong. I'll get the hang of it eventually. And a thread that asked something like, "Should people who pay taxes be allowed to vote?"
Well!! I really got to know a number of great users through that post. I'm even honored to have the thread mentioned in the Basement....although that wasn't a particularly good thing. Ha! Anyhow, anyone who carefully read the thread, who bothers?, knows that I posted it as devil's advocate. I may be conservative, but I'm not nutz. ;-)
Well, glad to see this thread. I must say I've been on a few forums -- really began on MSN's QnA Live -- which was shut down about a year ago. But this one just "sings." I'm glad I found it -- and look forward to meeting ya'll on the boards.
