DU3 Reintroduce yourself thread

[mike_c]

91. I'm mike_c, from Humboldt County, California on the North Coast....

I'm nearly 57, male, partnered with one of my oldest friends-- we met in high school at 15, but didn't become romantically involved until three or four years ago. She's the same age as me. We're planning to live in an RV in a few years when we retire, and ultimately leave the U.S. because we don't anticipate being able to afford living here when we stop working full time.

I'm a biologist by training-- an entomologist and ecologist. I'm a zoology professor in the California State University. I teach primarily courses in entomology, general and field ecology, and general zoology. My research is mostly about insect community dynamics, especially aquatic insects, but my lab has done a fair amount of work in other fields too, including fire ecology. I love my job, most days. I'm a bit of a social curmudgeon, so I don't have much stomach for academic politics. I guess I'm the stereotype nerdy scientist type.

I'm an officer and an activist in my union, the California Faculty Association. I'm currently vice president of my campus chapter and Faculty Rights Chairperson (our term for grievance officer).

I'm also a cannabis activist in my community, although not currently doing much more than doing my part to keep the underground economy of California's north coast healthy, LOL. Yummm, Headband! My latest favorite weed!

My partner and I have six cats and two dogs. Well, actually we have nine cats, but when we combined households three of my cats disappeared, and we thought they were gone. We live in a very small, rural town surrounded by forest so we assumed predators killed them. A few weeks ago we discovered all three living just around the corner with some neighbors, after nearly three years, who knew where they belonged but liked them so much they want to keep them, and since the kitties voted with their feet-- they're all rescues, too-- we decided to make friends with the neighbors and leave well enough alone. We have all the cats we can handle at the moment-- in fact, they're the primary anchor that's keeping us from moving into an RV sooner rather than later.

I have a lifelong interest in art. I draw and paint, although I rarely find the time for it presently. That's how I plan to occupy myself when we retire.

We're building a classic teardrop trailer, with the sleeping cabin and a galley at the rear. Not for retiring in, of course-- it's too small-- but to travel in until then. I'm learning lots of new skills!

I was a democrat nearly all my voting life, but in 2002 I gave up on the democratic party in utter disgust. It's not my democratic party any longer. We vote mainly Green now. The green party is very active locally, so that works for us. We look for the most liberal candidates we can find, regardless of party.

So howdy, DU3! Mike_c is in the house!