So happy to be here...

I have been an intermittent lurker since the early 2000's, but have always been wary of becoming an "official" member.
The last ten years or so have been a series of personal crises for myself and my family, and I became apathetic to the world outside of myself and my loved ones. This election of 2016 jolted me out of this apathy, and I decided to "take the plunge" and join Democratic Underground. And then....mere hours later, the HACK! Election day was a misery: the only source of solace and trusted discourse was inaccessible. That hack seems to be a chilling foreshadowing of what we may expect with a Trump Presidency. I checked impatiently numerous times daily to see when DU would be available again, and am so grateful that I can now return to this site. I may even begin a few discussions. Thank You to all who have made this possible!!