I am Mindmouth (most call me MM for short). I'm female, married, have a 9 year old daughter, and am from and live in Texas.

My birthday is next Tuesday and I'll be 30. Oh Lord. I'm taking off work that day. I may stay inebriated all day long. We'll see. LOL!

I work in the financial industry and have for almost 10 years. I've only had two jobs before this one: I worked for a veterinarian, and for a lawyer. I enjoy my job most of the time and love the people I work with. We've all worked together for so long that we're all family.

I've got two dogs and a cat, live in a small community, have a fulfilling social life, and a wonderful family that keeps me going every day. My family lives across the state from me - Mom, Dad, aunt, cousin, and two brothers, both younger. One's 27 and the other is 19. My oldest brother made me an aunt 3 years ago and I see my niece regularly. She is a doll and one of the lights of my life. Between she and my daughter, I do not see the need to have any more kids. The factory is closed. LOL!

Hubby's 31 and is in sales. He's my high school sweetheart and we've been together since we were 17.

I love Italian food, good vodka, traveling, visiting the beach, children, chocolate, and God...not necessarily in that order. ;)

Your turn!

Thanks to high school debate, I did a lot of reading in high school and became more and more liberal.  Within a year at Stanford, where I majored in Creative Writing and wrote for the school paper, I was in sit-ins against the Vietnam war.  I didn't graduate, short only 5 units, because I got suspended temporarily for being in another demonstration my senior year, and my furious mother would not pay one more cent.  (Years later, living in Seattle, I picked up a BA at the Univ. of Washington.)

Everything in my world changed when I had my daughter at age 35.  Elderly primapara, the docs called me.  Her dad offered to marry me, but I was worried about him because it seemed that he, a veterinarian, was using drugs. (Years later, he lost his license.)  Since I realized I didn't know a damn thing about raising a child -- really -- I hit the libraries, and ended up at La Leche League meetings during my pregnancy.  What a fabulous group, promoted by Princess Grace at that time.  And, I couldn't imagine daycare for MY baby, so I began a home business in 1982 with a KayPro II computer that had no hard drive and no child support (although my family helped sometimes).  I'd type anything anyone brought me, with no ego about it because I was terrified I couldn't make it and so I'd take any job I could.  As my business grew, I got to do a lot of writing for my customers, and that was intellectually satisfying.

My daughter means the world to me, and she's a great human being who cares so much about people around the world and about animals.  We see each other almost every day, and e-mail each other constantly.  She is Vice President of Marketing for Tom Bihn Inc..  Right now, we're trying to capture a badly injured raccoon -- who is too smart to go in the trap -- and we're tending a homeless cat who's recovering from bad puncture wounds he got in a fight.  My daughter came over at 6AM yesterday to help me give him his antibiotics!  What a young woman.

I'm disabled because of my back, arthritis and, the doc just told me, fibromyalgia.  I hurt all over all the time, and wake up almost every hour all night, but this HOMEY PLACE helps me forget the pain.  I really am enjoying ALL of you so much.  You're a great, warm, thoughtful group of people.

Hickok: "You know the sound of thunder. Can you imagine that sound if I ask you to? Ma'am, listen to the thunder."

I am very interested in sports, music and politics. I love the ocean and cannot get enough of it. I also enjoy wakeboarding with the kids(my son has a Malibu boat). I just experienced a very magical evening at the U2 concert in Glendale last weekend. Best concert I have ever been to. We were on the floor and only six deep from the catwalk. I am still humming! You can take the girl off the rock but not the rock out of the girl. Bono started a great organization to help promote human rights throughout the world. You may find information about them a www.one.org. Enough about me. Love to the community and it is fun watching it grow. Yeah Booman!  

Frodo failed...Bush has got the ring.

Claims to fame and fortune are minor, but I did sell a painting once to Ben Harper's grandfather.   the background gray fuzz I also did Ben's astrological chart ( the old fashioned way before the internet made it a breeze ) He's a Scorpio with a Libra ascendent. I told him he would be famous.

Sometimes I make little objects to hold small treasures:

Sometimes I make little objects with attitude:

I never knew about blogging until Howard Dean, from there is was downhill like the time I rode a borrowed bicycle at a farm. Merrily zipping down a dirt road that ended at the pig house. Half way I wondered where the brakes were. Everyone up the hill laughing, some doubled over with tears streaming down their cheeks. And oh how the howls increased as I crashed straight into mud, pigs, and glop. But I hopped right back on and despite all had a hilarious time.

The path to here originated from Daily Kos via Booman in a post of his. I like the closer knit aspect here and the slower pace. And I love the choice of Scoop! For political burn, I slowly ease away from the keyboard, occupying my hands with a project or doing something that involves lots of sun. Cats and my partner or books.

If government must be a circus, why can't it be Cirque du Soleil?

  I spent over 30yrs traveling all over, and finally decided to do something for myself. I started an environmental company, and so far, surviving, nothing high dollar, or fantastic, but it pays the bills, and leaves me time for my photography, fishing, riding the back roads in my Jeep.

  For the past month, I've been totally consumed in building up my property that I bought, and getting it ready to live on. I bought 7 acres in the woods, and have built the road in, cleared the homesite, cleared the power right of way, garden spot, orchard spot, and now clearing around the lake, and ponds. The back of my property is nestled against a wildlife preserve, so that means that no one can build, or even rarely come close to me.

  I'm going to move the motorhome in first of the month, and will live in that until I finish building the house. Going to build as I can afford, so when it's done, it's all payed for, NO BILLS. I don't use credit cards, and only buy what I can pay for, property, vehicles, etc.

  The first thing I will be building will the the outdoor cookhouse. Now I know that may sound strange to some of you, but it's great. Pole building inclosed in screen, with the smoker,(for the wild pig, and gator tail) grill, propane cooker, (fish, crawfish, shrimp boils) picnic tables, and a bistro set, benches for setting, and a small bar, (for fun). It will have a tin roof, and on top of the roof, I'll pump water from the pond onto it for cooling. When your in the cookhouse, it's like setting on a tin roof porch in the rain. The water is pumped to the roof, and then into yard sprinklers, so it's a constant effect of falling rain. The run off comes down around the edge, where you fill with water plants, and then the run off goes back into the pond/lake. It will drop the temp about 20 degress under the roof, and with the ceiling fans going, the mist from the side splash makes a natural cooler, much cheaper than conventional air conditioning, and a very fantastic way of enjoying the outdoors, while protected from insects. Very relaxing atmosphere.

  Either side you look out, you'll see water, pristine forest, pines, huge live oaks covered with spanish moss, all the native fauna, and watch the Osprey's hunt, dive for fish, Eagles, Hawks, Owl's, fish jumping, and Gator's.. Tons of wildlife, wild pig, deer, turkey, fox, Racoon, Heron, Egrets, every type of native bird you can imagine. The land is situated between a chain of live ponds, and live lakes. (meaning they are spring fed, this is in the very heart of the Blue Spring Basin here in North Florida, one of the largest auqifer's in the area)

  I'm letting my hair down, so to speak, in that I'm letting it grow long again. (just about to pony tail length again) I think they (the corporate people) knew I was going the other direction when I would show up at a board of directors meeting in a flowered shirt, shorts, no shoes, and a pony tail) and tell them I did'nt have time for the bull-shit, and leave. I reverted once, and cut off the hair, and took on a more causual appearance, for a couple of years, and realized, it was'nt me. So now, I'm "coming home" so to speak, and being myself. Now, if they can't take that, well just kiss my.....  ; )

  I've always been a rebel, and this is my last hurrah so to speak, but Bi-God, it's mine. As the song says, "I did it My Way"  

  So if your ever passing this way, and you see an ol' fart in a Jeep, with a pony tail, shorts, camera, and a good cigar, (on a back road) you've just witnessed some of the real "wild life" here in Florida. ; )

  It's been a real pleasure to get to know some of the fine people here in this "family" and may peace be with you always.  

  So keep the sun on your face, the wind at your back, the spirits with you, and follow your path, wherever it may take you, just make sure, it's "Your" path.

 

"what a