RE: Who are We?

[Jim Sharkey]

I'll play.

I'm Jim Sharkey, 34, pension consultant from New Jersey. I should be receiving my Enrolled Actuary designation any time now. Married for almost 9 years, three children, ages 5.5, 4, and 2. My wife just graduated with a PhD in Math Education from American U. in D.C.

I joined the list at the urging of Steve Sloan, who I found in the course of several days of searching the 'Net for a way to get in contact with Dr. Brin. I was seeking his permission to do some adaptations of his Uplift work for a role-playing e-zine I edit. And over a year-and-a-half later, here I still am. I reckon you all must be doing something right. As much as there are times I want to take the riding crop away from those that simply can't stop beating a horse that was dead thirty messages ago and beg for another topic, I have no desire to leave.

I consider myself a semi-lurker, and when I do post, it's not always serious. Alberto can't be the only class clown around here. :)

Ironically, the only Internet "society" I'm as deeply involved with as the Brin list is currently *also* going through a big family feud. It's fascinating how two disparate cultures can have, at their core, such similar dynamics. Considering that this list is full of extremely well-read, adult professional fans of serious SF, and the other is a webcomic forum populated by kids that were in kindergarten when I started college, it's amazing how much alike the core issues of the disputes are.

Anyway, that's a tale for another time, should anyone be interested.

I pass the gavel to the next Brineller.

Jim "Nothing clever to see here today" Sharkey

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