The Joy of Playing Tag in the Pumasphere

Heidi Li tagged me.

In the run up to the historic Obama inauguration, Heidi Li tagged Katalusis and thus invited me to participate in a Pumasphere diversion suggesting that we write six things about ourselves and tag six other bloggers to do the same. I accepted the invitation, motivated as Heidi was by the opportunity to help build community and camaraderie.

1. Just before I launched Katalusis in August 2007, I read a column by Ellen Goodman titled E-Male in which she commented on the “new boys” network in the blogosphere. Goodman wrote:

‘“Is it harassment? Women have been talking about this since blogger Kathy Sierra was threatened with a picture of her next to a noose. Convention organizer Gina Cooper has two e-mail addresses, just one carrying her female name. Only "Gina" gets the hate e-mail with sexual threats and such comments as: "I'm going to hunt you down." Who knows how many women are scared silent.”’

I felt intimidated as I first posted at Katalusis and afraid to reveal very much about myself. I gradually overcame my fear, though, and today one of the greatest rewards I find in blogging is the opportunity to connect personally with like-minded readers and bloggers. Incidentally, the recent launching of Daily Puma has been a real gift.

2. Formerly a lifetime member of the Democratic Party, I re-registered as an independent last summer to protest what I perceived as a fraudulent primary and rigged convention. I’ve had no regrets.

3. The first principle of the Unitarian-Universalist Association, of which I am a member, asserts the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Throughout my adult life, I’ve stood for equal rights for all people. Therefore, I remain deeply offended by the blatantly sexist bias of the liberal media in the MSM’s good old boys network and the blogosphere’s new boys network exposed during the 2008 primaries and general election. As someone else pointed out, “Racism may have been taboo, but it was open season for denigrating women.”

4. Influenced by Carl Jung, process theology, and the writings of Vietnamese Buddhist Thich Nhat Hanh I’ve long considered each human life a journey toward wholeness, and it’s been a joy to discover that as I grow older I continue to learn and grow.

5. My life is enriched by much valued relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and members of my online community.

6. And speaking of community, wherever I’ve lived, I’ve always made friends with those people with whom I do business, including the employees at my dental office, bank branch, beauty shop, supermarket, and the place I take my car for repairs.

For example, I’ve been seeing the same dentist for about seven years. I normally go in for a check up every six months and despite the obvious distractions, I look forward to our lively political discussions. He actually got it when I explained my annoyance with the sexist behavior of Democratic Party leaders and their media allies throughout the Democratic primary!

It's my pleasure to invite the following blogs to participate in the Pumasphere's tag game:

Puma for Life, Cinie’s World, realbarackobama, guerillawomen, women real and purposeful, TominPaine