A year ago today…

[jotsy]

I left the ranks of silent lurkers here and signed on to be an engaged participant on this multi pronged message board named Democratic Underground. I came across a question about whether President Obama was meeting my expectations, and I just couldn’t resist piping in with a response, unannounced and uninvited. I told myself I would post something of a mass intro to all at a 100 posts, which I let blow past in my focus on being chatty with all you kind and keen minded folks. I’m embarrassed to say, same thing happened at 500, and though I’m close to twice that now, an anniversary struck me as an appropriate milestone to remedy my oversight in that regard.

Howdy DUers!
I’m pleased to formally make your acquaintance.

I try to abide by a policy of respect for the time of others, so I’ll attempt to anticipate the basic questions of what about me and what I’m about.

About me.
I am a spoken for 48 year old mother of three, ages 29, 20, and 13 living in Portland, Oregon, which I like to call River City. I grew up in Southern California, in the infamous valley that inspired a generation of sun baked brainless bimbo jokes.

I have a degree in journalism, which I obtained way back when objectivity played a role in how news was delivered. I can say with pride and resolve that everything I learned bares no resemblance to the doctored spin of today’s high profile so called “professionals” in the mainstream media.

After parenting such a wide age bracket, I confess I’ve lost track of part of whoever I thought I was supposed to be and spend time here at DU, hoping to gain a glimpse of what that is now as I try to build/carve some independence from my presently dormant sense of tethered and peripheral self.


What I’m about.
I claim publicly to be in search of a just truth.
An equal application and enforcement of the rule of law.
Being part of ending once and for all the age of means over merit.
Liberating our doctors from a greedy homicidal health insurance industry.
Freeing our teachers from the administrators who preclude them from informing a future.
Abandoning the theater of politics in pursuit of genuine and effective governance.
Seeing to our responsibilities as the most sentient species on the planet by preserving its hospitable nature.
Ending any and all forms of discrimination.
Living in a world that knows all war will ever win is loss.

Happy first anniversary ladies and gents,
Welcome to your weekend.

[Skittles]

1. HOWDY JOTSY

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE :hi:

[Mz Pip]

2. A hearty and

belated welcome to DU. :hi:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. My dear jotsy...

Now, that is beautifully and intelligently said!

Happy Anniversary...

May you have many, many more!

:hug:

[jotsy]

9. Thank you California Peggy.

That means the world to me!

I read a poem you wrote recently with a reference to jasmine in the wind, as it were. I had asked if you were a fan of the Seals and Crofts song, Summer Breeze. As I recall, it hadn't rung a bell, but as my upgraged skill set now includes posting links, I thought you might get a kick out of hearing what I was talking about.

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsW8rXPcnM0>

[babylonsister]

4. Hey, jotsy, thanks for the background. And happy anniversary!

:toast:

[HCE SuiGeneris]

5. A pleasure to make your acquaintance

and you write most exquisitely.

Another 48 y/o here as well... knowing the search for "what I'm all about" intimately also.

[jotsy]

13. None of us get to be certain, it's a poke and hope deal.

If your the kind that finds comfort in a little fine tuning when times are testy,

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywcLJNEXQTs&feature=related>

[madamesilverspurs]

6. Happy anniversary to you,

we're glad you're here!

I recently had some correspondence with a highschool classmate ('66, for the record); we'd worked together on the yearbook, the school newspaper, and a couple of intra-school magazines. She went into professional journalism like I wish I had. Anyway, I asked her opinion of our mainstream media and those who call themselves journalists in that realm. She replied - carefully, as she's still a working journalist - that most days she feels like a fossil, a relic of what journalism is supposed to be. We'll always have a need for real journalists, but I fear that their venues are rapidly disappearing. All the more reason to welcome you aboard.


-

[Scuba]

7. From another newbie: Welcome, glad you're here.

[jotsy]

10. Aren't you and I engaged in a discussion about platforms?

Thanks, I'm glad you're here too.

[Scuba]

11. This one? I'm not getting many nibbles...

1. America has been highjacked by special interests, corporations having "free speech" rights, etc.

2. We can take America back, without bloodshed or great human suffering simply by applying the Constitution.

3. Our candidates will take an Oath that a) we'll ban "corporate free speech" and b) we'll pass term limit and other anti-corruption legislation to hold future elected officials accountable.

[jotsy]

12. That sounds righ...correct.

All three branches of government have failed to uphold their oaths, individually and collectively. What I want now is something I call the ring o' truth. Waiting at the podiums of citizen owned congressional halls, itty bitty lie detectors with one of those horizontal traffic lights you see at the hearings should be there. Whenever a politico veers from candor, that light should dance between red and yellow until their crooked little two tined tongues start flapping some serious truth.

Try not to worry about lack of nibbles. True DUers will take a shine to you once they are sure your presence is genuine, and it's very likely those who aren't will do whatever it takes to make you second guess yourself. Don't let 'em.

[Scuba]

14. I'm not worried about being second-guessed....

...after 61 years I have a good grip on who the 'real Americans' are, and it's not a bunch of spoiled rich pricks or their dupes.

I served six years in the USAF, including two tours of Viet Nam. I've been a productive citizen my entire adult life, paid my taxes, cared for my family, performed as well as I was able on the job. My reward unfortunately, was watching an AWOL Guardsman and his draft-dodging VP strip the country of its wealth, strip the citizens of their liberty, give the proceeds to their rich friends.

I KNOW that Rupert Murdoch is a bigger threat to America than Osama bin Laden. No question.

Thanks for speaking up, and for your welcome to DU.

S.

[Liberal_in_LA]

8. happy anniversary to you too! Nice post

[Tsiyu]

15. happy Anniversary!

:hi:

Almost a thousand posts, too.

Now I gotta go to work :(