your background briefly. who are you? Interesting

[latemodel25]

Boy were from all over arent we? My mothers side is from Devin P.A. {pittsburgh} That is where I got my name' "Devin". Its a suburb of Pittsburgh.. I was born and raised in Fl. My father was a drill sergent in the U.S.MC.{native Floridian} [only surviving son}1966. His father, "my grandfather Adolphus Calvin"} served in ww2. My father met my mother on Saint Pete Beach in high school.{My Grandmother moved here{ from Fairchance P.A.} and bought the Happy Dolphin Motel On Saint Pete Beach} My parents were married in 1965 I was born to two individuals that were 16 and 17 yrs old. Times were hard occasionally{ alot} { I lived everywhere! militatary bases all over} mostly Cherry Point N.C. but we made it big time! My mom and Dad are still married and will always be. I am very proud of my parents and their struggles. My father is a very patriotic stern man whom I have utmost respect for. We as a family are supporting George Bush for our President of our Great United States! I am married with 2 children who are 9 and 3 and a half. We live on 3 acres in Parrish Fl. and someday hope to retire on our property that we bought 3 yrs ago in Western North Carolina in the mountains. Its Gods Country Imo. I absoluteley love Western North Carolina. My parents seek higher ground in Colorado and New Mexico. That is their version of Gods Country! Thanks All!

[kmanWX]

shouldn't this be in the off-topic thread?

[Brent]

I live in Alabama, have all my life. I've lived in 3 different cities. I was born where I live now(on the Georgia stateline), but we didn't live here then. We just moved here back in January of 2003 after living about 2 hours north of here from 1994-2003(two different houses) and before that in the town I came home to after I was born(1988-1994) about 40 minutes north of here(we visit frequently, my grandparents live there). I have a younger sister who is 11 and a brother(we think) due in about a month. My dad is 41(will be 42 in January) and my mom is 35(turned in Early September). I became interested in world events when 9/11 hit and politics during the 2002 election(although I did watch the coverage on Election Night 2000 and the subsquent weeks quite a bit). We had a real close election for Governor here in 2002 and didn't find out for 13 days who ours was. The Republican Challenger ended up beating the Democratic Incumbent by just a few thousand votes.

[latemodel25]

shouldn't this be in the off-topic thread?

I dont know>? I guess I wasnt paying attention. sorry!

[Janice]

Hi, I live in Puerto Rico, the Isle of Enchantment . We have been here 20 years and origionally from Iowa and California. I was a social worker in the states, but haven't worked here. My husband is a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico. He does not teach, but has a lab and trains phds. He also does consulting for pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, etc. That is why we are down here. All the major pharmaceuticals are here in Puerto Rico. Lipator is made at one of our Pfizer plants here. I love the island, slow moving pace, the great food and the weather of course. We love to take cruises and travel. We are completely remodeling our home, so that keeps me busy. I had two children, but both are deceased. Sean was 19 and died of leukemia and Lisa was killed in a car accident at 17. I am dealing with it fine now, it has been several years. They are still with me, just not around. I have been a Storm2ker for about 6 or more years, going back to close to the beginning. If you stop in the chatroom you will most likely see me, BobbySocks is my nick there. I love this forum and thanks for asking about me. Janice

[latemodel25]

Janice, I am very sorry for your loss! I am glad that you are strong and are able to deal with such a devastating loss! God Speed! Thanks for posting.

[Janice]

Graci

[Brent]

Sorry to hear about your losses Janice.

[tronbunny]

New England born and bred. Raised by a single father after a bitter divorce. Have older half sister and brother, younger half brother, all same Mom. Moved to Florida and lived with Mom, Stepdad and younger brother in high school. Graduated, married sweetheart, both went thru vocational school for electronics...I turned down appt. to Military Academy to do that! Divorced, amicably after nearly 7 years. Remarried immediately to FL native coworker that had more ambition than ex, and more old-fashioned, 10yrs my senior.
He has a now 23yo daughter (college grad!) from previous marriage, raised by her Mom. Been married for 14 years, have a 10yo son. (sad to say, ex passed away at 33yo, remarried, but no children)
We work our butts off to even out the debt, spending and retirement. Bottom line, if we liquidate savings, we'd be out of debt, but have 12 more years to pay off mortgage. Dad and older brother still live in NE.
Mom lives 60 miles away. Older Sis married to PhD, has 4 daughters in SC. Little brother went to fed prison 9 years ago for Ecstasy...got out completed college, is a straight arrow and has finally married in Chicago, and is expecting first kid next summer!
I became more conservative after becoming a Mom.
I'm still a Libertarian, mostly... not really happy with Dems or Reps.

[sunupgal]

Born in northern New York. My identical twin sister and I were put up for adoption (thank God not aborted!) and were adopted together at 4 months. Raised in northern Virginia, right outside DC. Dad is a moderate democrat, mom is republican...divorced when I was 12, both middle class. I went to George Mason University(yoda's school) but am 1 semester short of graduating. Got married at 22 after moving to Florida. Worked in the grocery business and had a daughter at 24. Divorced at 27 (not my choice) and decided government would not support me, and got into mortgage industry. Worked hard and became successful in it. Met husband and married again 6 years ago. He's a diehard republican...drove Quayle around and darn proud of it. I am an independent...voted across the board...but seem to be a little more conservative as I get older (maybe those teenage kids I am raising now!)

[latemodel25]

sunupgal, Thanks! Same here! Ive totally flip flopped too.! Im still mod but very rep mind set!

[GalvestonDuck]

shouldn't this be in the off-topic thread?

*tosses the thread up in the air like a badminton birdie and shuttles it over to OT*

[tronbunny]

Thanks duckie!
Makes more sense here...
But should be a reminder for it on the politics board, so that we have a rough understanding of who we're "arguing" with.

[DaylilyDawn]

My parents moved to Florida in 1958 before I turned 2 and I have been in Florida since then. I grew up in Bartow,FL and went to high school there where I graduated with honors. I met my husband at the gas station I worked at while in school for my business class. Spent a tour in the US Navy where our first son was born in Pensacola, FL. He was born with kidney disease and 2 birth defects. He was joined by a little sister and a brother before he turned 5 .All of our birthdays are multiples of the number 7. My husbands is Sept 21, mine is Oct 21, oldest son's is May 7. daughter's is Sept 14, youngest son's is Aug 14. Oldest son went into kidney failure and almost died in mid June 1999. he was placed on dialysis and was on it until Sept. 2, 2000 when he received a kidney transplant. In late Sept and Oct 1999 I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had my thyroid gland removed by surgery ,had one round of radioactive iodine to make sure all thyroid tissue left behind was killed. In Jan 2000, youngest son was coming home from VA where he is stationed(he is in USN) when he hit black ice on the highway in Rocky Mount, NC where he went off the mountainside at 70 miles an hour. His car went airborne and landed nose first , and tumbled 7 times down the mountain. He received a ruptured spleen, broken bones in the right lower leg, a fractured kneecap, a puncture wound that went half way up his thigh from a broken turn signal switch. He had been trying to come home to be tested so he could donate a kidney to his brother. All of these things happened in the space of 6-7 months. I work as a school crossing guard and my husband is an electrician at a phosphate mine in Ft Meade , Fl which is about 25 miles south of Lakeland where we live. Recently he was burned very severely on 17% of his body in an accident at his job. The burns were from and electrical flash when a fuse he was replacing in a breaker box for the parking lot lights arced . The burns were on the back of both hands, the left forearm , a spot on the lower abdomen and a small area on the left thigh. He is healing nicely as of today. my grandson was born in March of 2000 and his mother and dad just recently were notified that their marriage is officially dissolved. So she and my grandson live with us. My parents are both deceased, My dad passed away in 1996 and my mom passed away on Dec 31, 2003. I feel like I lost a part of me and it really hurts at times when I feel like sharing something with her.

[tronbunny]

daylillydawn...
hugs!
glad to hear hubby's getting better!

[coriolis]

I don't remember that long ago, but I've been told variously that I was found in the raspberry bushes, or that I was hatched in the garage. Not sure which to believe.

[OklahomaWeather]

I was born in Minnesota and lived there for 18 years. Scared to DEATH of storms as a child! I'd watch the weather every night and I'd cry if thunderstorms were mentioned. I have an older sister and younger brother. I spend many a night on my sister's floor! I guess I thought she could protect me. My dad invented the board game "Sequence" which came out the same year I was born - 1981. He loves politics and eventually attained his dream- he was a State Representative in MN from 1996 - 2000. My mom is a breast cancer survivor. Upon graduating high school, I packed my bags and moved to Norman, Oklahoma to study meteorology at OU. (Ironic from my childhood!) I just graduated in May 2004 after 4 years of hell (lol) and am now a meteorologist in Oklahoma! I got married 2 weeks after graduation and am excited to be at a new chapter in my life. He is originally from Oklahoma and will graduate in December with a degree in Economics. We have 2 Yorkshire Terriers and an Arabian horse. (and about 30 fish lol)

[weatherlover427]

I don't remember that long ago, but I've been told variously that I was found in the raspberry bushes, or that I was hatched in the garage. Not sure which to believe.

Hope you were incubated well.

Well my name is Josh and I am 22 and a half years old. Born in southern Califronia, currently live almost in the same area where I was born (less than 10 miles away). I have lived here all of my life except for the year and a half that I lived in FL that some of you may know about. My mom lives nearby, as does my grandfather. My father is deceased, as many of you know. I also have a stepmother, stepbrother and stepsister, and a half brother from my dad's remarriage. I currently live in my own place in Costa Mesa, California; and I have it all to myself. Boring you with the rest would not be fun.

[Brent]

I don't remember that long ago, but I've been told variously that I was found in the raspberry bushes, or that I was hatched in the garage. Not sure which to believe.

[furluvcats]

I was born in Ft. Pierce FL in 1970. Moved to Palm Bch in 73. Moved permantly to our vacation home in Daytona Bch when I was 9, and there I was raised....thus I call Daytona my home town. I was married at 21, had 2 children, while still in Daytona. I found a love for weather while growing up on the beach, and vacationing in the Smokies, which I then did as an adult with my own children.

My first husband and I started a golf course design company and we moved up the coast to Conway SC, where Floyd found us and flooded us out of our home...major losses were taken there. From there we moved to Ocean Isle Bch, NC and then onto Fripp Island SC. We divorced while there.

My new husband and I met via TWC chatroom. The kids and I moved to Chicago, to join him. Shortly after that, he was transferred to La. We lived in Bossier City, La, and then bought our dream house in Shreveport, La. We've since taken a promotion to move out to Southern California, where we are presently. I've loved every place we've lived and made wonderful friendships along the way.

We're very fortunate to travel often...we like to cruise, go to Vegas, visit snowy places, to name a few. I am at a great place in life...very very happy.

{ Janice, I didn't know...hugs}