DU3 Reintroduce yourself thread

[Martin Eden]

18. Martin is my real first name

My parents were progressives who supported civil rights long before I was born in 1957, in Chicago. They named me after Martin Eden (the title character in a Jack London novel) so I chose that as my DU name when I joined in 2002, invited by my old college buddy Scubadude. Although a lifelong liberal, DU really opened my eyes to a lot of things -- especially the lies leading us to war in Iraq. I travelled to DC to join 100,000 others protesting the war 4 days before it was launched, and have been doing battle ever since against freeper-types in various online forums.

I grew up on the southwest edge of Chicago near Midway Airport, and now live in suburban DuPage County (it's a Republican stronghold with the House seat long held by Judy Biggert). An avid slowpitch softball player, when I lived in the city it was the barehanded 16" game but now I play 12" -- still in an all-ages weeknight league, but also Senior Softball weekend tournaments (moving up to the 55 age group in the 2012 season). I spend most of my vacation time hiking & backpacking, most recently in the mountains of North Carolina.

I've worked for the same company (2 miles from my home) for more than 18 years, rising from an hourly temp to a manager reporting to a senior vice president. Married for 16 years, I have a stepdaughter with a baby and a toddler (they live 1 mile away). Lotsa fun watching them grow and experience things for the first time -- like Christmas.

More than anything though, I'm very concerned for their future and the future of this country and the world upon which all life on earth depends. I think we're heading towards a major turning point that can go very badly for us all if any of the current crop of rethugs becomes president. Sorely disappointed in Obama, I'll do what I can to get him re-elected.