So a friend noted that somehow I zoomed past 30K posts tonight - let me say....
that I can still remember joining DU in 2004, deep into the horror from Bush's second election theft, desperate. I Googled "Liberal websites" and alongside Dubyaspeak.com, there was something called "Top 10 Conservative idiots" (DU had me at "conservative idiots"!). I joined, I read, I felt very intimidated......let's see, 9 years ago - I was a political newbie at the age of 48 - certainly a life long Dem/liberal, but I am such an emotional bleeding heart, and struggle with carefully thought out logical arguments - it took me quite a while to tentatively poke my toe into the water.
I seemed pretty rough and tumble, and I took my fair share of heat - my naive, awkward, bumbling early comments (I called out a few suspected trolls and found out what getting posts removed felt like!) - but I read, and read, and read - and learned so much. Mostly of how wonderful it was to find a community that was united against the horrible ineptness of Republicans in general, and Bush and his cabal in specific. So I stuck around....and tried modding and tried MIRTing and hosting. DU still gives me hope, smiles, and stimulation.
It's been passionate, interesting, involving, fascinating - occasionally confounding. In other words, just like one would expect in our big tent.
So for post 30 K plus a very few....hats off and a toast to Skinner, EarlG, elad and my DU friends. I think I visit a few dozen websites a day - but it is always with my nose stuck into DU that my wife ends up calling me away from to get something done around the house. It's helped me maintain my sanity (maybe that is for some of you to judge, I guess!)...in a time that seems pretty insane.
Thanks! Thanks for putting up with my emotional drivel (and my tomato pictures and chatter!)
= new reply since forum marked as read
DU is a much better place with you as a member!
I always look forward to reading what you've written...Well done.
Here's to 30,000 more!
Always enjoy reading your posts - and looking at your yummy tomatos. 
I love your emo-drivel and your tomato pictures!
hmm, that sounded like a nice salad.
No, I am not being condescending, I really love tomato's. I live in Florida. They have truly tasteless tomato's down here. All I can say is that they are red. Forget Alton Brown, I do not put mine in the fridge. They still suck. Its the soil, I am from Kentucky, big Difference.
...tantalizing the rest of us with those luscious tomatoes that we can see but not taste.
Pfffoooey!
I kid, I kid. Congrats!
(if you had seen my pathetic attempt to grow tomatoes here in Vegas, you would understand where I'm coming from...)
Here since 2003.
So I say my congrats to you, second your post, and thank you for saving me the work.
(and not falling off the ladder!)
