What a weird thing I allowed to happen in my excitement to get our President elected!

[Mira]

Check and see if you did the same thing.

I'm referring to that I did not poke around DU and find out or learn about the wealth of forums available to me and their information until after election day in Nov. of 08.
For me, I found the photo forum and haunted it since the day I found it. It has enveloped me to where I have not had more time for others,
and at times I feel I just "live" there now.

Having been fortunate enough to win the last photo contest in May, I am the designated person to run the contest in June, and as that person I got an instant message today from someone who wanted to know about how to enter photos in the contests.

I wrote back and directed the person to the Photography forum, complete with steps on how to find it, from the Lobby.

I got an answer back, thanking me, from this person with more than 1000 posts, who so reminded me of myself before the November election day, saying it was the first time he/she ever even knew about forums of varied interests.

So:
all of you who might have gotten your interest piqued by my headline, it's time to fan out and see what all is on this website.
The beauty of doing so is twofold:

You'll find forums for whatevertheheck interests you and
you never ever have to worry about whether they share your politics.

I LOVE the diversity of Democratic Underground, and I ADORE the fact I don't have to worry about having to deal with freeper crap and can just live being myself.

[Ohio Joe]

1. What a strange coincidence

I just got the chance to give myself some shameless promotion elsewhere and here I can do it again :D

Come visit us in the gaming group:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=248

Come see all of my thoughts on all the gaming news DU'ers need.

I'll give this thread a K&R

[babylonsister]

2. Yes, there's lots out there/here. I wish more people would take

advantage of the other forums, too, like 'travel', or their states. ;)

You missed the * years? Heh. Good times. :D

[Mira]

6. Did not miss the ** years. Did not sleep through them, either. Was too focused

to fan out on the website, which was my point.

[babylonsister]

7. Sorry I missed your point. Focusd on what?

I was here. :shrug: Well, since 04. That is when I found somewhere I could vent.

[Mira]

8. Why -question mark? I was focused on getting the Bush era exposed for

getting us into a war under the pretense of lies...
Authorizing and condoning torture and ignoring our signature on the Geneva convebtions...
Cavalierly pretending we can ignore laws through "signature statements" or whatever they chose to call thumbing their butts in our faces....
I could go on, but I know you understand.

[bertman]

3. Gee thanks, Mira. Now I'll never get off my frickin computer.

But I do understand that you have the best of intentions.


:hi:

[Mira]

4. :) You'll win in the end

[pkdu]

5. You are so right Mira..I just recently "discovered" Forums after being

here for several years ( under another ID that lapsed after the '04 election ( yes , shame on me)...but one word of caution - some forums tend to make us want ot share more personal (identifying) info that we would normally do with our "political" ID but on here they are linked. ( e.g. the Genealogy Forum , where I discovered folks share stuff that make them easily identifiable with a few clicks)

Cheers
P

[bvar22]

9. In addition to the Photography Group,

I would like to recommend:

The Gardening Group
The Cooking & Baking Group
DIY and Home Improvement Group
Crafts Group
Frugal and Energy Efficient Group
The Humor Group

If you are having problems with your computer, or are just a geek,
The Computer Help & Support Group is a MUST.

Everybody should regularly check in with their State Forum.
The State Forum is a valuable tool to build local communities.
As a former resident of Minnesota, I had the privilege of membership in
the Minnesota State Forum, one of the most active state forums.
This forum was a blessing.
We had regular Meet Ups where we had the opportunity to meet the people behind the keyboards.
Flesh & Blood contact is MUCH more inspiring than a lonely computer screen.
It feeds the spitrit.
It was also a good source of local information about rallies, protests, and local elections.

[Mira]

10. Heh heh, Bvar22 - I just now found you on the Bicycling Group. I'm off to

buy a new bike, and sure enough, we have a Cyclists' forum. Exploring DU is lots of fun, and I find answers and links and knowledge.

[bvar22]

11. HI, Mira.

Good luck with the new bike.
Bicycling is one of my loves, but I didn't recommend the group because of the low post traffic.

I love the Topic Forums and Groups.
They are little bastions of sanity when the Big Board goes crazy.
It also adds little slices of humanity to the personalities I've come to recognize from the political groups.

I'm inclined to be kinder & gentler to someone in General Discussion when they are wrong...wrong...wrong about something if I "know" them from a Sub Forum.
Its like, "They can't be a complete idiot...They grow their own vegetables."

The Minnesota State Forum has had the deepest impact on my personal life.
There are elements of Face to Face, Flesh & Blood contact with communities of people who share Common Goals that can't be provided by a Computer Screen & Keyboard.

I also hang in the Rural/Farm Group, but didn't list that one because of low traffic and rather limited application to most DUers.

Have you browsed the Humor Group?
LOL...really!

There is also a feature at DU that lets you add these groups to "My Forums" where they will appear at the top of "The Greatest" page when you Log On to DU. That makes it easier to keep up.

Congratulations on your WIN in the Photo Contest!
The Photo Group was a home for me for a number of years.
I learned the basics of decent photography in that group.
My Photography has taken a more Documentary track since I moved to The Woods, and it has become too difficult to keep up with the Contests, but I still take lots of photos.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=246x7979

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=140x1057

:hi:

[Mira]

12. I swear to God - you made me cry. Reason:

I did not take the time to study your answer in detail did not have the time - because I knew I wanted to pursue the links, and had missed your photos.
First of all, I found the humor group, and have cheered up a few lonely and shut in people with forwards.

Then I studied the garden photos and descriptions (I garden and grow things, but no comparison) and it all linked up in my mind with articles I recently read about the 1 foot beds. Seeing this all happen, described, with visuals was so wonderful.

And by the time I saw the birds, the story, and the sentiment behind it I had some tears rolling down.
Actually very unlike me, I am as unsentimental as a rule as it gets. But I have learned it is unpredictable what sets one off.

Just wonderful.
Don't forget to visit us at the photo forum and drop a photo or two some times.

M