How has DU changed your life? Survey:

[rbnyc]

1. When did you join DU?

2. How did you find DU?

3. What are the top 3 political actions you have initiated or participated in that you would say were inspired by your involvement in this forum?

4. How politically active were you before you joined DU?

5. Did your level of activity increase after you joined this community?

6. Describe one way DU has had an impact on your personal life?

7. How many fellow DUers have you met in person?

8. Is there anything else you'd like to say about the impact of this forum in your own life?

My answers:

1. 2001

2. After September 11th I created a website to expose the political exploitation of the tragedy and promote a truer form of international justice through the ICC. I found DU when I was looking for places to promote my website.

3. DU inspired me to keep my website active and up to date, until the birth of my son. DU inspired me to work as a liaison to the LGBT community in New York for Dennis Kucinich. DU inspired me to be active in the anti-war movement.

4. A lot of talk, a few demonstrations, little action.

5. It did. I was inspired by the actions other people were taking, and I was inspired by having a place to share.

6. When I was in a serious car accident, the support from this community was amazing and truly helped in my recovery.

7. Yes, many, but not in a long time.

8. This community is real, the relationships are real, the friendships are real. At so many forums, the remoteness and anonymity creates an atmosphere of disrespect. That happens here, but it is the exception. It has a lot to do with leadership, admin and mods, and it has a lot to do with us. We're a great group. I'm proud to be part of it.

[rurallib]

1. usually do not do these but this is a special occasion

1)August 2004

2) A friend recommended DU to me

3) a) got liberal radio on local radio for at least a short while
b) created a shirt (Worst President Ever) that inspired a group of friends to get extremely active.
c) blogging, LTTE organizer

4) in '60s and '70s quite active. Family problems took precedent. But Bush reawoke me and DU help point to where I could be effective.

5) My activity upticked extremely. Much due to DU and especially the Iowa forum which was once the most active here.

6) No longer let right wing horse shit go by. I now challenge it before it has time to grow.

7) About a dozen. We are spread out in Iowa.

8) This is the go to site to get the story behind the story behind the story.

[rbnyc]

2. Thanks!

Glad you made an exception.

:hi:

[tigereye]

3. ok, good questions!

1. When did you join DU? 2003

2. How did you find DU? a younger liberal friend told me about it

3. What are the top 3 political actions you have initiated or participated in that you would say were inspired by your involvement in this forum? I was always politically active for a variety of Dem candidates, but had gotten away from it when my child was young since I was so busy. This encouraged me to get involved again, and start volunteering to canvas, phone bank, etc. I also was a moderator here during the primaries. I also was encouraged to donate to campaigns.

4. How politically active were you before you joined DU? I used to be moderately involved in a lot of left and feminist groups, but had gotten away from it when my child was small, as well as volunteering on various Dem. campaigns.

5. Did your level of activity increase after you joined this community? yes, it was encouraging to get involved again. I also was a moderator for a period of time.

6. Describe one way DU has had an impact on your personal life? I have made lots of friends here and gone to visit many of them. It also reminded me of interests that had motivated me in the past.

7. How many fellow DUers have you met in person? oh, my, probably 30.

8. Is there anything else you'd like to say about the impact of this forum in your own life? It provided nice contacts with new folks when I was somewhat isolated due to work and child-rearing, and a fresh perspective and new energy to my political life and views. So it has been a very good thing. It's also made me think about a lot of different things and laughed a lot.

[rbnyc]

5. Hey, fellow former mod...

...thanks so much. I can totaaly relate to how all-consuming it is to have a young child at home too.

[tigereye]

DU was a godsend on some level - totally re-energized me

:D

[H2O Man]

4. 1; 2003

2: An associate directed to me join DU.

3: None. I'm a long-time community organizer/politicalactivist. The forum has allowed me the chance to ask others to sign petitions, make phone calls, etc; likewise, I've done the same for others.

4: Highly.

5: It didn't.

6: I've had the opportunity to communicate with intelligent, good people that I would not have mety otherwise.

7: A few. I've talked with some on the telephone, too.

8: I like DU, usually.

(edited for spellin' error)

[elocs]

6. Sorry, I'm not into self revelation. I'd rather keep myself to myself. n/t

[rbnyc]

8. Is that a self revelation?

;-)

[elocs]

9. A polite way of saying that the answers to those questions are nobody's business but mine.

You insisted on a clarification, so there it is. I did say, "sorry" though.

[rbnyc]

11. I'm just teasing.

I figured if you didn't want to share, you just wouldn't. I do see the sensitivity involved.

With respect,

Rene

[elocs]

13. Ooohh, I kinda thought you were. I'm just not a big sharer unless its my choice.

Thanks for the respect. You've got class.

[rbnyc]

16. Thanks for that.

That was really nice of you to say.

[ScreamingMeemie]

12. Really?

If that were so, wouldn't you just have moved past this thread. Or hid the thread? That's what I do when I don't care to respond. I don't post the reason that I'm not responding. It's not very polite. :hi:

[elocs]

15. If rbnyc is cool with it and understands, so should you.

If I moved past and didn't respond to every thread with which I disagree, then it would be very boring here. For me, that is.

[ScreamingMeemie]

17. rbnyc is probably one of the sweetest people here.

She started a thread that was well intentioned and a very good idea. I'm sure many choose not to share.

If I responded to every single thread that wasn't looking for debate, or didn't encourage debate of a topic...well I'd be that word that we're not allowed to say here.

I guess my parents raised me to be polite in these situations. :hi:

[OHdem10]

7. DU has meant so very much to me over the past 10 years.

[leeroysphitz]

10. Thanks to D.U. I've lost 40 lbs. in 3 months, I've got fuller thicker hair than I have in years,

my arthritis is gone and I'm pain free for the first time in years. I can spend more time with the kids, I'm no longer waking up in the middle of the night due to frequent, painful urination, I look fifteen years younger, my spouse and I are having the best sex of our lives.

D.U. cured my foot odor while providing fast soothing relief for my eczema, psoriasis and gout.

I'm more confident and assertive at the office. I got a new job, a big promotion and I just made a fortune in the stock market despite the recession. I own scads of gold and have learned THREE new foreign languages while I sleep.

Thanks to D.U. I'm now my own boss driving a big rig on the open road and my 3 year old is reading at a 10th grade level.

D.U. worked for me and it can work for you too.

Thanks D.U.!

[Turborama]

14. ¬

:rofl:

Tears!

[femmocrat]

19. That is fantastic! I'm so happy for you!

:rofl:

[femmocrat]

18. My answers:

1. When did you join DU? 2006 as femmocrat, but I think I joined earlier with a different name.

2. How did you find DU? Trial and error? Google? Looking for anti-bush sites after the selection.

3. What are the top 3 political actions you have initiated or participated in that you would say were inspired by your involvement in this forum? No idea.

4. How politically active were you before you joined DU? Actually more active before I joined DU.

5. Did your level of activity increase after you joined this community? No. It had the opposite effect in a way. I can just sit at home on the computer to find like-minded people now.

6. Describe one way DU has had an impact on your personal life? None.

7. How many fellow DUers have you met in person? None.

8. Is there anything else you'd like to say about the impact of this forum in your own life? It keeps me better-informed on the issues. It is the first place I go for LBN.

[rbnyc]

20. Thanks for answering.

I hadn't anticipated (but probably should have) that people would not be interested in sharing this kind of info. I was really curious how people would answer. I'm glad you did.

EDIT: typo

[ScreamingMeemie]

21. Hi there. I wanted to participate....

1. When did you join DU? Feb-ish 2003

2. How did you find DU? Another DUer (PassingFair is my best friend IRL)

3. What are the top 3 political actions you have initiated or participated in that you would say were inspired by your involvement in this forum? Campaigning for Howard Dean, campaigning for equal rights for everyone, and defending Laura Branigan's honor (;) )

4. How politically active were you before you joined DU? Not immensely, but I was always up for a good debate.

5. Did your level of activity increase after you joined this community? I would say so, yes. This place was a great clearinghouse for information, and a good way to brainstorm.

6. Describe one way DU has had an impact on your personal life? The outpouring of concern, kindness and genuine caring from so many people when I lost my reason for living, MrG, was stunning. So stunning, that one of his cousins (a staunch Republican) had to check out the site (after reading so many Duer's thoughts on the memorial site) and was overwhelmed to the point of tears.

7. How many fellow DUers have you met in person? Quite a few.

8. Is there anything else you'd like to say about the impact of this forum in your own life? I will be honest in that, in later years, I have found the 'relationships' aspect to have gone sour. So many have intentionally hurt each other, or demanded loyalty to one 'side' or another, in situations that I am too far removed from...that it has made many things I once enjoyed (the Lounge, for one) to be just a bittersweet memory of what once was. Of course, I am not the same person either. It's why I changed my name. I didn't want to be that trainwreck MrsG...or someone defended and befriended just because of who she "is", or who we think she "is'.


***Thanks for this thread and I hope more people are encouraged to participate. It's very hard to believe it has been 8 years. But then so much of life is hard to believe. I rather think I made mine all up in my worst moments.

[rbnyc]

22. It's sad about number 8.

This is the longest I've been back since I stopped reading and posting every day around the time my son was born. It is different. It's great to see old friends, and it's been great to meet some new ones, but I sense what you are saying. I wondered if it might just be because I'm more of a stranger now. Maybe it's because it's so much larger and there's less of a core-group anchor effect, if that makes sense.