I’ve been aware of the CFI for years.  Every so often I check in to see what is new.  This time I discovered the forums, so I had to sign up.  I like exchanging ideas.  Learning is important too.

Raised in a fundamentalist Baptist church.  At 12, I realized that I was gay, but didn’t even know what to call it.  But I heard over and over how bad gay people were, and that it was a choice.  I spent my teen years and my college days (at a “christian” college) trying to become straight.  As part of my “healing”, my first spouse and I were told that getting married would be an act of faith and bring about my conversion.  It didn’t.  Seven years and two children later, the marriage ended.  At 29 I entered the gay/secular/real world and what a surprise.  Everything I had learned was wrong.  Now I am concerned about what youth hear in fundy churches and their extended pulpits via right wing politicians.

I have a BA in French and Communications.  My first career was in broadcasting, “christian” broadcasting for the most part.  Then I hopped on the computer wave and rode desktop publishing and multimedia sales and support until that opened a door at a large university.  I so loved working with students.  A series of surgeries apparently was the trigger bringing on fibromyalgia.  About 10 years ago, my work ended and health issues swirled around me.  Now that life has settled down, I am more involved with life and people again.

I have an adult son, married, with a granddaughter.  I also have an adult daughter.  They all live near Buffalo, NY.  I live near other family members here in Florida.

Gardening, hiking, and artwork keep me busy along with too much time on line either chatting or exploring.  I want to figure out what to do with the children’s stories and poetry that I write. [Sales material removed. dougsmith—Admin]

Hi Mike and welcome to the CFI Forum.

Unfortunately we’re pretty strict about not using the Forum as a route for sales, as that amounts to spam, which is against the rules. That’s particularly true with new members. For established members we are willing to allow a reasonable amount of self promotion for things that might be of interest to others on the site, but again, that’s really for people who are clearly here already for discussion rather than to use the place for marketing. (Nothing personal).

(Blue is the color the Mods and I use to distinguish official notices from regular posts. For more of the rules see HERE).

I do hope you’ll stick around and chat, since it sounds like you have plenty of interesting tales to tell and opinions to share.

Cheers,

Welcome, Mike.  Glad to have you here.  Please jump in and join the conversations.

Welcome Mike. Good to have you!