Let's Get to Know Each Other Better...

[annielynn]

Jul 7, 2018 12:37:39 GMT goldrusher said:

I suck at math.

Sorry to hear that. 😛

Its a matter of harnessing your cognition. People that are not good at math are often not people who also speak 4+ languages. But people good at math and languages often have too tight a harness on cognition, see. I've got several evolutionary hypothesis regarding evolution of human cognition with relation to societal structures of learning/behaving and increasing mental health issues starting for school aged children.  

People not good at math often don't like learning by pre-set rules and are often "active" participants in life. 👍🏼

You can study quantum mechanics and any time you attempt to observe a quantum state there is a collapse of the wave function which is the measurement problem. You can study evolution and observe competition between and in species. You can study mathematical objects and their properties. OR you can also be an active participant with all of your own anomalies. Study physics?
Nah stay in the lab. Even physics had to start somewhere... In understanding the world we see.

That famous quote is in the top 10 best quotes of all time something like "know thy self and thou shalt know the secrets of the universe" that's an absolute truth to me. More likely your avenue of learning and discovery freedom of thought and being.

And in mathematics we debate and argue all the time about absolute truths if any actually empirically exist. You would at least find conversations interesting. My dear friend searching for a mathematical theory of everything (TOE) we argue about ...well, yes there may very well be mathematical structures underlying everything but all structures are subject to interaction of other mathematical structures and then where do we account for in the expansion of space hypothesis (the expanding universe) micro-macro scales as if we are attempting to explain rules of the conscious universe. We tend to be thorns in each others sides. 😉 

[annielynn]

Jul 7, 2018 17:14:47 GMT cherylh said:

You can be bad at calculation, but good at understanding math concepts. Bad at arithmatic, good at logic and rationality.

In a round-a-bout way as I explained above : in truth, no one is bad at math. 

[annielynn]

My dearest friend who graduated from Berkeley and finished Ph.D. In mathematics wants everything defined in formal systems - and then somehow he found me. 😂

[cleopatra]

Jul 7, 2018 12:37:39 GMT goldrusher said:

I suck at math.

ditto.

[cleopatra]

Thanks all for sharing a little about yourselves. I enjoyed reading everyone's mini-bios.

Unfortunately, I don't have very much colorful background info about myself to share.  Let me think....

I previously posted somewhere within this board that I was born in another state, not in California.  That was just to simplify what I was saying in the post.  In reality, I was born on a British ship called the SS Iberia, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, in Japanese territory and bound for Australia, on November the 13th, 1960.  My father was a US Naval Engineer who was recruited by I.B.M. in the 60s to build computers for the company.  It was his job with IBM, not by him being in the military, that brought my family to live in various places for several years at a time, such as Hong Kong, Australia, Portugal, New York, Honolulu, until we ended up back at his home town - the city of San Francisco, in 1979.  I had been tinkering around with computers before anyone even heard of them.  I used to take apart some of his large as refrigerator ones and rebuild small ones.  That kind of stuff always fascinated me.

I was a swimmer for many, many years.  I loved to swim and I spent a lot of time in the water, under the water, diving into the water, and I was able to hold my breath for record times. My father bought 2 horses at one time, and I used to horseback ride everyday.  I loved horseback riding, and would ride bareback (with no saddle).  My father would get mad at me when I didn't use a saddle, but I still did it.  I taught myself how to drive a stick shift when I was 14 years old.  During the years that we lived in Hawaii, I took Tahitian and hula dancing lessons and then joined a professional dance troop.  My troop danced at Luaus and commercial grand openings.  Whenever we came back to San Francisco, I'd head for Tahoe to ski. I also played, because I don't so much anymore, the piano.  I love music and I love art.  I love God created materials versus man-made.  Such as wood, silk, cotton, wool, leather, marble, precious stones, crystal, etc.  versus polyester, nylon, acrylic, plastic, pressboard, etc.  So almost everything I wear and in my home consists of God-made material.  I love antiques.  If I see something old and falling apart but made of real solid wood, I'll take it home, strip it, sand it, carve it, stain it, lacquer, add brass or bronze hardware to it then set it down somewhere in my home until a day a friend sees it and admires it.  Then, I'll just give it to that friend as a gift.  I love animals and my whole life I have always owned a large dog, who always has and still does accompany me everywhere I go.  Of course, you probably already know this - I am an artist. I create many, many things, big and small.  I even design and build crystal chandeliers, and when I do, I only use Swarovski.  I'm also good at electrical work.  I guess I was and still am somewhat of a tomboy. 

I got married in San Francisco when I was 23 and had four sons. I lost my second son when he was still a baby, due to a kidney malfunction.  My son's are now 33, 29 and 24.  My first husband was a fireman, and we ended up divorcing when my youngest son was a toddler.  I had raised my three sons, plus another boy whose mother died of cancer, doing a lot of physical activities - I took them to Yosemite ever summer, where we would camp and hike .  I worked as a medical transcriptionist in the evenings on weekdays twice a week and on Sundays for several years in order to supplement my income.  My regular full time job was - I was an artist-in-residence coordinator for a large arts institution for nearly 20 years, until I remarried and moved to live with my husband 11 years ago.  I had always been surrounded by art and artists, my whole life.

When I used to be running around town with my sons, people would think I was the babysitter.  Many times I was mistakenly thought to be a lot younger than I was.  Today, that sometimes still happens.  In fact, my husband thought I was younger than him when we first met, when I'm actually six years older than him.  It's probably because I had  always been so active, and I still am.  Also, because of my Asian blood.  My mother's mother is Filipino and her father is Spanish. My mother has very dark brown hair and is a very petite woman.  And she always looked 10 years younger then her real age, as well.  My father is a full blooded Irishman with blue eyes and red hair, although his mother has milky white skin and jet-black hair. 

Sorry if that's all scrambled, but I just typed as I thought up stuff to write about myself.   If I stopped to give it any thought, I may never have ended up posting anything about me at all. 

Cleo

[cleopatra]

Jul 2, 2018 21:33:56 GMT orly57 said:

1. I suck at math.
2. I’m a terrible dancer.
3. I’m basically tone-deaf, and couldn’t dream of playing an instrument.


On the positive side

1. I’m a criminal defense attorney in Miami (not sure if that’s a positive;) )
2. I played college football (linebacker) at a small school in Tennessee.
3. When I lost football, I found acting. I made it my second major (English was the other).
4. I now get to watch my amazing 9-year old son do things on a stage I could never do (like sing and dance well).
5. I have three boys (5,7, and 9)
6. I’ve been married to my wife for 11 years. She was an attorney, but is now an author and motivational speaker.
7. I am 41 years old and born in Miami to Cuban parents.
8. I got into reading about serial killers in my very early 20’s. I don’t know why it interests me so much since I am otherwise normal and emotionally stable. Unsolved cases are the ones that I am particularly interested in.
9. I think Redukelele is the nicest, coolest person on this board.
10. One of the coolest moments of my life was laying in bed at like 2:00 AM reading this board when Morf made the announcement that GSK was in custody. I stayed on until 4 am and couldn’t sleep that night.


I look forward to learning more about other members.

orly57,

I thought you were a woman.  I'm glad you shared a little about yourself and straightened that part out for me.  tee-hee…..

cleo

[claudius_2014]

Jul 10, 2018 23:57:20 GMT cleopatra said:

Thanks all for sharing a little about yourselves. I enjoyed reading everyone's mini-bios.

Unfortunately, I don't have very much colorful background info about myself to share.  Let me think....

I previously posted somewhere within this board that I was born in another state, not in California.  That was just to simplify what I was saying in the post.  In reality, I was born on a British ship called the SS Iberia, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, in Japanese territory and bound for Australia, on November the 13th, 1960.  My father was a US Naval Engineer who was recruited by I.B.M. in the 60s to build computers for the company.  It was his job with IBM, not by him being in the military, that brought my family to live in various places for several years at a time, such as Hong Kong, Australia, Portugal, New York, Honolulu, until we ended up back at his home town - the city of San Francisco, in 1979.  I had been tinkering around with computers before anyone even heard of them.  I used to take apart some of his large as refrigerator ones and rebuild small ones.  That kind of stuff always fascinated me.

I was a swimmer for many, many years.  I loved to swim and I spent a lot of time in the water, under the water, diving into the water, and I was able to hold my breath for record times. My father bought 2 horses at one time, and I used to horseback ride everyday.  I loved horseback riding, and would ride bareback (with no saddle).  My father would get mad at me when I didn't use a saddle, but I still did it.  I taught myself how to drive a stick shift when I was 14 years old.  During the years that we lived in Hawaii, I took Tahitian and hula dancing lessons and then joined a professional dance troop.  My troop danced at Luaus and commercial grand openings.  Whenever we came back to San Francisco, I'd head for Tahoe to ski. I also played, because I don't so much anymore, the piano.  I love music and I love art.  I love God created materials versus man-made.  Such as wood, silk, cotton, wool, leather, marble, precious stones, crystal, etc.  versus polyester, nylon, acrylic, plastic, pressboard, etc.  So almost everything I wear and in my home consists of God-made material.  I love antiques.  If I see something old and falling apart but made of real solid wood, I'll take it home, strip it, sand it, carve it, stain it, lacquer, add brass or bronze hardware to it then set it down somewhere in my home until a day a friend sees it and admires it.  Then, I'll just give it to that friend as a gift.  I love animals and my whole life I have always owned a large dog, who always has and still does accompany me everywhere I go.  Of course, you probably already know this - I am an artist. I create many, many things, big and small.  I even design and build crystal chandeliers, and when I do, I only use Swarovski.  I'm also good at electrical work.  I guess I was and still am somewhat of a tomboy. 

I got married in San Francisco when I was 23 and had four sons. I lost my second son when he was still a baby, due to a kidney malfunction.  My son's are now 33, 29 and 24.  My first husband was a fireman, and we ended up divorcing when my youngest son was a toddler.  I had raised my three sons, plus another boy whose mother died of cancer, doing a lot of physical activities - I took them to Yosemite ever summer, where we would camp and hike .  I worked as a medical transcriptionist in the evenings on weekdays twice a week and on Sundays for several years in order to supplement my income.  My regular full time job was - I was an artist-in-residence coordinator for a large arts institution for nearly 20 years, until I remarried and moved to live with my husband 11 years ago.  I had always been surrounded by art and artists, my whole life.

When I used to be running around town with my sons, people would think I was the babysitter.  Many times I was mistakenly thought to be a lot younger than I was.  Today, that sometimes still happens.  In fact, my husband thought I was younger than him when we first met, when I'm actually six years older than him.  It's probably because I had  always been so active, and I still am.  Also, because of my Asian blood.  My mother's mother is Filipino and her father is Spanish. My mother has very dark brown hair and is a very petite woman.  And she always looked 10 years younger then her real age, as well.  My father is a full blooded Irishman with blue eyes and red hair, although his mother has milky white skin and jet-black hair. 

Sorry if that's all scrambled, but I just typed as I thought up stuff to write about myself.   If I stopped to give it any thought, I may never have ended up posting anything about me at all. 

Cleo

you fooled the curent husband tottally   poor man

[cleopatra]

Wrong, claud!  He fooled me...

[Red909XMZ1]

Okay, here are 3 more things about me that may surprise you:

1.) I volunteer my off time from work training crisis counselors. One of my greatest honors years before becoming a full-fledged therapist was being awarded, "Crisis Counselor of the Year."

2.) I am undergoing a new chapter in my life, and that, in and of itself, has been tremendously difficult, yet very exciting.

3.) I have a great desire to solve the 1996 cold case rape and murder of a very special victim, Debbie Dorian.

Hope to see more posters join in...

[cleopatra]

Jul 14, 2018 6:05:23 GMT @bribri said:

Not to be a downer as I don't do anything spectacular or visit lands unknown or travel much. I'm pretty much just an average guy, just on the dorky side now that I have a belly and my pants don't always fit--I used to be slimmer but Damn I can't believe how much age catches up with the body. I watch a lot of tv and movies when I get off work AFTER I read my favorite message boards (always wishing I can say something important) and, if I am able talk to friends on camsites. Right now I'm working my way thru the Marvel Cinematic universe (I was a big marvel zombie in the 90s).

The reason why I got interested in JJD as EARONS is because of something I did that was dumb back in college.

In college, 1991, I was away from home and was walking with a friend from a grocery store and a car passed and I heard a yell from the car. I yelled back "What?" thinking they would just keep on down the road and it wasn't a big deal. We crossed the street and were within distance of our dorm but walking on a kind of deserted street with no traffic or businesses. The car pulled up. I guess they turned around and wanted to confront us. I like to think of it as a 1979 Monte Carlo with a muffler sound (not sure if they were doing that on purpose or if they just had a bad muffler).

While we walked ---I think we may have had at least 5 city blocks to go--they were just following us slowly calling us Faggots. Eventually they said something really loud to the effect of "Hey, Get THE BAT," and then the car stops and five guys surround us.

I should have run. I should have done something. I was in shock. I couldn't imagine what was happening as they surrounded us. Who does this kind of thing? WHY! That's exactly what I said: Why are you doing this!!!!! They said I was on their turf. So much stuff I wish I could have done.

What I wanted to do was give them my wallet so they leave....that is what I was thinking. I'd never been assualted ever. I had no clue. I remember pleading with this douche with an 80's feathered haircut and a stupid moustche and he just said that "No" while I was being overwhelmed by the guys surrounding me and my friend. And then he went in with a punch and I just blacked out and fainted and I must have fell down. (I do remember the guy's face and tried looking for him in the highschool yearbooks of that town and may have found him but I wasn't for sure-- I don't know the other guys).

I woke up and the guy was kicking me in the head and then they left in their car. MY friend was with was a few blocks away. I guess he ran. I guess it isn't like I got beat up too bad? Psychologically it is just a thing....I mean, who get's beat up by stangers? The whole thing was messed up.

I tried to get over it, and I eventually found friends (they got me out of my shell), traveled (which was never really easy) and followed the Grateful Dead for a bit. Eventually, I moved back to Missouri got the internet and spent a lot of time doing that dumb dial up internet. The first case I ever really followed was a fellow traveler named Kristin Laurite ( www.pomc.com/catch_a_killer/kristin_laurite.html ). I ran across her back in the 2003 or 2004 while looking for a VW Van to buy. Apparently her murder was being publicized on the web by people wanting justice and the search engine directed me to her via her VW van she was traveling in when she stopped at the reststop. I followed it pretty much every day just because I kind of knew the feelings of ignorance I had felt that people are decent and never expecting anything bad to ever happen. You grow up in a world that is so small and maybe not so worldly and when you move out of it stuff isn't like at home. It shouldn't be debilitating, but, it is.

Obviously there was nothing I could do for the case since she was murdered in Arkansas but I wanted to help or try to do something. There was nothing I could do. I just waited and eventually DNA solved the case ( aymag.com/dna-match-heats-up-an-arkansas-cold-case/  ).

It was so strange to see this seemingly unsolvable case solved in 2005. Then I spent time researching people like Gacy, Manson (and his family--I found out a 2nd or maybe 3rd cousin was murdered by his girls), Bundy, Dahmer (I don't remember thinking much about the news stories when they were happening because I was in college and didn't watch much tv) and maybe Gein. I just couldn't figure out why people did what they did. Why hurt people? I guess it's like wondering why a person might kick a dog?

Fast forward to me and youtube a few years ago and I type in something like 'Unsolved Cold cases' and EARONS pops up. I couldn't believe it, just how much JJD did and how much I didn't know and if there was anything I could do. And, aside from maybe watching this board trying to figure out what was up with the arguments of height and if a person's shoe size gets bigger or smaller with age, I digested Quasar's site and tried to honestly figure out what was up with the guy. A lot of my earlier posts are ignorant but that is just me. I only recently found reddit.

If you read this all you are a trooper. And I guess if there is a positive in this story is that DNA rules. No case is unsurmountable if you have DNA. I'm just happy to be a part of this board when DNA found this EARONS. I always find it amazing.

That was a great story bribri!

I truly enjoyed reading your entire mini-bio.  I liked how you tied together how your being drawn to these sort of cases sprouted from a long ago personal experience of being attacked by complete strangers and for no real reason/motive except that you were on their turf. 

Thank you for being so open and honest, and for sharing your experiences and thoughts.

Cleo

[almagata]

Jul 14, 2018 6:05:23 GMT @bribri said:

Not to be a downer as I don't do anything spectacular or visit lands unknown or travel much. I'm pretty much just an average guy, just on the dorky side now that I have a belly and my pants don't always fit--I used to be slimmer but Damn I can't believe how much age catches up with the body. I watch a lot of tv and movies when I get off work AFTER I read my favorite message boards (always wishing I can say something important) and, if I am able talk to friends on camsites. Right now I'm working my way thru the Marvel Cinematic universe (I was a big marvel zombie in the 90s).

The reason why I got interested in JJD as EARONS is because of something I did that was dumb back in college.

In college, 1991, I was away from home and was walking with a friend from a grocery store and a car passed and I heard a yell from the car. I yelled back "What?" thinking they would just keep on down the road and it wasn't a big deal. We crossed the street and were within distance of our dorm but walking on a kind of deserted street with no traffic or businesses. The car pulled up. I guess they turned around and wanted to confront us. I like to think of it as a 1979 Monte Carlo with a muffler sound (not sure if they were doing that on purpose or if they just had a bad muffler).

While we walked ---I think we may have had at least 5 city blocks to go--they were just following us slowly calling us Faggots. Eventually they said something really loud to the effect of "Hey, Get THE BAT," and then the car stops and five guys surround us.

I should have run. I should have done something. I was in shock. I couldn't imagine what was happening as they surrounded us. Who does this kind of thing? WHY! That's exactly what I said: Why are you doing this!!!!! They said I was on their turf. So much stuff I wish I could have done.

What I wanted to do was give them my wallet so they leave....that is what I was thinking. I'd never been assualted ever. I had no clue. I remember pleading with this douche with an 80's feathered haircut and a stupid moustche and he just said that "No" while I was being overwhelmed by the guys surrounding me and my friend. And then he went in with a punch and I just blacked out and fainted and I must have fell down. (I do remember the guy's face and tried looking for him in the highschool yearbooks of that town and may have found him but I wasn't for sure-- I don't know the other guys).

I woke up and the guy was kicking me in the head and then they left in their car. MY friend was with was a few blocks away. I guess he ran. I guess it isn't like I got beat up too bad? Psychologically it is just a thing....I mean, who get's beat up by stangers? The whole thing was messed up.

I tried to get over it, and I eventually found friends (they got me out of my shell), traveled (which was never really easy) and followed the Grateful Dead for a bit. Eventually, I moved back to Missouri got the internet and spent a lot of time doing that dumb dial up internet. The first case I ever really followed was a fellow traveler named Kristin Laurite ( www.pomc.com/catch_a_killer/kristin_laurite.html ). I ran across her back in the 2003 or 2004 while looking for a VW Van to buy. Apparently her murder was being publicized on the web by people wanting justice and the search engine directed me to her via her VW van she was traveling in when she stopped at the reststop. I followed it pretty much every day just because I kind of knew the feelings of ignorance I had felt that people are decent and never expecting anything bad to ever happen. You grow up in a world that is so small and maybe not so worldly and when you move out of it stuff isn't like at home. It shouldn't be debilitating, but, it is.

Obviously there was nothing I could do for the case since she was murdered in Arkansas but I wanted to help or try to do something. There was nothing I could do. I just waited and eventually DNA solved the case ( aymag.com/dna-match-heats-up-an-arkansas-cold-case/  ).

It was so strange to see this seemingly unsolvable case solved in 2005. Then I spent time researching people like Gacy, Manson (and his family--I found out a 2nd or maybe 3rd cousin was murdered by his girls), Bundy, Dahmer (I don't remember thinking much about the news stories when they were happening because I was in college and didn't watch much tv) and maybe Gein. I just couldn't figure out why people did what they did. Why hurt people? I guess it's like wondering why a person might kick a dog?

Fast forward to me and youtube a few years ago and I type in something like 'Unsolved Cold cases' and EARONS pops up. I couldn't believe it, just how much JJD did and how much I didn't know and if there was anything I could do. And, aside from maybe watching this board trying to figure out what was up with the arguments of height and if a person's shoe size gets bigger or smaller with age, I digested Quasar's site and tried to honestly figure out what was up with the guy. A lot of my earlier posts are ignorant but that is just me. I only recently found reddit.

If you read this all you are a trooper. And I guess if there is a positive in this story is that DNA rules. No case is unsurmountable if you have DNA. I'm just happy to be a part of this board when DNA found this EARONS. I always find it amazing.

Bribri,

I'm very sorry you were attacked.  There is no understanding why.  The people that I have met that have chosen to follow the GD have all been gentle souls. 

[rkz]

Hello -

I'm 43, I live in Chicago with my wife and two cats. I work full-time as a public librarian at a library about 45 miles outside of Chicago, so I'm commuting a lot. Before becoming a librarian, I was a musician and a cook. I'd been playing in bands since I was 11 years old. I also wanted to be a DJ when I was a kid, and for a long time I wanted to be a music writer/critic. I grew up outside of New Haven, CT, and after high school I spent 10 years in the South, living in New Orleans and Nashville, trying to make it as a songwriter and musician. I moved to Chicago in 2004 and worked as a cook while going back to school. Got my Masters in 2011.

Some things about me:

1. I've never played sports in my life; never attended a sports game of any sort after high school (us Marching Band geeks were forced to play celebratory music whenever our team scored points; and when we did, the football players would yell, "F* YOU, F*GG*TS!" at us. So yeeeeeaaaaah, never been too big of a fan of sports....). I know very very little about sports, and intend to keep it that way. (I like biking, running, and working out, but competitive sports are pretty much the most uninteresting thing in the world to me)

2. One of my favorite subjects in college was linguistics. I find the field truly fascinating. I'm a grammar nerd, but I'm also a descriptivist, so I just don't bother trying to correct other peoples' grammar. But I am always thinking about the mechanics of MY OWN language, sometimes to the point of obsession. This is why I might tend to come off as arrogant and wordy.

3. One of the reasons why I'm into True Crime is because when I was 11, a woman in the town I grew up in was abducted while jogging and murdered, and the next day, when I arrived home from school  there were police cars parked outside, yellow tape everywhere, and helicopter flying overhead. I thought someone had killed my parents. But no, instead, the cops found her Walkman headphones in our driveway. The killer had thrown them out his car window right after abducting this woman off the street. That scenario haunted me for a long time. I didn't want to end up murdered myself. I wanted to find who killed this woman. I had wanted to DO something about it, but I just didn't know what I could do. My dad brought home a copy of Graysmith's "Zodiac" book from the library a year later, and from then on, I was hooked on reading about this kind of stuff, and trying to come up with solutions to those kinds of unsolved cases.

4. I also suck at math. Even basic math, simple addition, etc. While I was always pulling A's in History and English, I could never get above a C in Algebra. Always struggled with numbers and still do. But I'm really good at the humanities. It just sucks that skill in the humanities doesn't translate into making money, for the most part.

5. I met my wife at a yard sale in 2010. I took part in a multi-person yard sale with some friends, was selling a bunch of my records, she came to my table to talk to me, we liked a lot of the same music, and voila! We've been together ever since.

6. I have pretty serious PTSD from a bunch of stuff that happened in my youth and early adulthood. I also have panic disorder, GAD, and MDD. I see a trauma therapist, and also I am currently in intensive outpatient treatment. I struggle with this stuff every day. Some days are a lot worse than others.

7. Favorite writers (I read mostly non-fiction): David Foster Wallace; Lester Bangs; Pauline Kael; Richard Meltzer

[cherylh]

RKZ -- I have a book recommendation for you. The Full Catastrophe, by David Carkeet.

It's a murder mystery featuring a "detective" who's a linguist.

It's great. It includes the best ever example of ending a sentence with a preposition.

[cleopatra]

Jul 14, 2018 14:53:22 GMT rkz said:

Hello -

I'm 43, I live in Chicago with my wife and two cats. I work full-time as a public librarian at a library about 45 miles outside of Chicago, so I'm commuting a lot. Before becoming a librarian, I was a musician and a cook. I'd been playing in bands since I was 11 years old. I also wanted to be a DJ when I was a kid, and for a long time I wanted to be a music writer/critic. I grew up outside of New Haven, CT, and after high school I spent 10 years in the South, living in New Orleans and Nashville, trying to make it as a songwriter and musician. I moved to Chicago in 2004 and worked as a cook while going back to school. Got my Masters in 2011.

Some things about me:

1. I've never played sports in my life; never attended a sports game of any sort after high school (us Marching Band geeks were forced to play celebratory music whenever our team scored points; and when we did, the football players would yell, "F* YOU, F*GG*TS!" at us. So yeeeeeaaaaah, never been too big of a fan of sports....). I know very very little about sports, and intend to keep it that way. (I like biking, running, and working out, but competitive sports are pretty much the most uninteresting thing in the world to me)

2. One of my favorite subjects in college was linguistics. I find the field truly fascinating. I'm a grammar nerd, but I'm also a descriptivist, so I just don't bother trying to correct other peoples' grammar. But I am always thinking about the mechanics of MY OWN language, sometimes to the point of obsession. This is why I might tend to come off as arrogant and wordy.

3. One of the reasons why I'm into True Crime is because when I was 11, a woman in the town I grew up in was abducted while jogging and murdered, and the next day, when I arrived home from school  there were police cars parked outside, yellow tape everywhere, and helicopter flying overhead. I thought someone had killed my parents. But no, instead, the cops found her Walkman headphones in our driveway. The killer had thrown them out his car window right after abducting this woman off the street. That scenario haunted me for a long time. I didn't want to end up murdered myself. I wanted to find who killed this woman. I had wanted to DO something about it, but I just didn't know what I could do. My dad brought home a copy of Graysmith's "Zodiac" book from the library a year later, and from then on, I was hooked on reading about this kind of stuff, and trying to come up with solutions to those kinds of unsolved cases.

4. I also suck at math. Even basic math, simple addition, etc. While I was always pulling A's in History and English, I could never get above a C in Algebra. Always struggled with numbers and still do. But I'm really good at the humanities. It just sucks that skill in the humanities doesn't translate into making money, for the most part.

5. I met my wife at a yard sale in 2010. I took part in a multi-person yard sale with some friends, was selling a bunch of my records, she came to my table to talk to me, we liked a lot of the same music, and voila! We've been together ever since.

6. I have pretty serious PTSD from a bunch of stuff that happened in my youth and early adulthood. I also have panic disorder, GAD, and MDD. I see a trauma therapist, and also I am currently in intensive outpatient treatment. I struggle with this stuff every day. Some days are a lot worse than others.

7. Favorite writers (I read mostly non-fiction): David Foster Wallace; Lester Bangs; Pauline Kael; Richard Meltzer

[cleopatra]

rkz, You sound like a great guy and I love that you're a musician. Musicians are special. Thanks for letting us know you better.

Red's thread was a really good idea! I'm glad she started it and I'm glad fellow board members are chiming in.