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A Bit About Me.... |
Update: February 1, 2009
Hello!
My name is Virginia but my friends call me Ginny. When I first began this homepage, my *handle* was "calypgin". Those were the days of internet paranoia when no one would dream of using their real names, location, etc., for fear of malevalent strangers. And chatrooms seemed to be the thing to do, making "cyberfriends". And it was entertaining and even occasionally enriching. That all seems very quaint now, doesn't it?
We all had homepages and used them to keep abreast of each other's going-ons. Well, Bobsfridge chatroom (my favorite hangout) is long gone, I am out of touch with everyone, so maintaining a chatty "catch-up" site is unnecessary. The primary value of this site, now, is the genealogy resources, and maybe the "Famous Okie" page (although I'm sure most of the links are no longer functioning).
So, instead, I'll give a brief thumbnail sketch of who Virginia is. I was born in Ohio, moved with my family to Oklahoma in 1958, spent 12 of my adult years in Canada as a wildlife biologist/naturalist/writer/editor/rancher, then returned to Oklahoma in 1984 to be near my aging parents and siblings. My parents are now long gone, but I'm thankful I had time with them prior to their deaths, and am enjoying time with my siblings.
I have lived the last 25 years with my best friend/companion, Don. Together, we were business partners in three ventures (a retail salvage operation for some ten years, apartment rennovation ("flip")/management for about six years, and then seasonal fireworks sale for a few more years). All were successful, but as importantly, except for the apartments, they were alot of fun, and we worked with great people. The apartments, in a low-rent area, are another story. We bought them as a "fixer-upper", they were run-down and had descended into "slumhood" through years of "churn and burn" short-term tenants. Most of the units were badly neglected, and, as they became vacant, we had much satisfaction in rennovating them, and, after all but one were done (the old man lived there for 20 years!) we did sell them for a decent profit, but Lordy, dealing with the tenants was a major pain. We are both retired now, although I am as busy as I've ever been.
Recreational interests include crafts, shooting (I especially like shooting silhouettes with my 22 rifle), playing the guitar, feeding birds, online games (www.pogo.com/bigfishgames.com - I wake my brain each morning with coffee and online games), and, most recently, quilting. [Note: In "Peggy Sue Got Married" she announced she knew algebra would be of no use in her life, and she was right. I felt the same way about geometry...well.... I was wrong... quilting involves alot of math and geometry! Wish I had taken geometry classes more seriously! LOL!]
I follow politics and am a conservative/libertarian. I am registered Republican so I can vote in the primaries, but I am a conservative before I am a Republican. I support our War on Terror on all fronts, and take great pleasure in being able to support our troops through Anysoldier.com, MarineComfortQuilts.org, and The Hugs Project (sewing coolties for the troops).
Needless to say, as a conservative/libertarian, I am apprehensive about the new President/Administration. I am trusting he has the self-interest in his own legacy not to repeat mistakes made by the government which prolonged the 1930's depression, and hope he has the wisdom to search for an honest solution to our economic chaos. I am not optimistic, given his socialistic leanings, coupled with the media's endorsement of all things Obama. (In all fairness, however, I'm pretty disgusted with all of our politicians, who, seemingly, are working for their own benefit rather than that of America.)
The shoe-pounding pronouncement from Krushchev comes to mind, "we will bury you from within". Seems he was not the posturing politician he appeared to be, in retrospect.
I wish I could turn off the TV, and forget about politics for the next 4-8 years, since there's nothing I can do about any of it anyway, as far as effecting outcomes, but, since politics, our economy, and and my own financial survival have become intertwined, I have no choice but to pay attention and carry on with the good fight. But I will continue to do those things that matter most to me... enjoying the people around me, supporting our troops, perhaps making a little music, and simply doing what I can to survive the so-called recession. My plan is to concentrate on the positive things in my life, resist the downdrafts, and carry on as best I can. That's all we can do, isn't it?
For those of you who don't know me in person, here are some pix: :
A fairly recent picture taken
at a "family band session", this is my
grandniece, Emma, and I.
Me, circa 2002
Don and I at a "pro-Bush/Stop Gore" rally
during the 2000 Florida ballot recount.
And here's my Dad and me
Christmas '97, our last
together. Dad died in June
of 1998, and is sorely missed.
He gave me one of his hats!
However, I have to include
my cyberfriend Strat's
handiwork here, too!
Pretty nifty, huh???
MY "HANDLE": |
