Meme Comment #6
Continuing to answer comments from my Blogging Meme post.
From angstchic:
What are some things you are most passionate about as an individual?(Meaning outside your role at the job, as a mom, wife, etc.)
I'm pretty passionate about several things, but I'd have to say politics ranks right up there. It all started when I was ten and my fourth grade class did a mock campaign, right down to having spokesmen (it was the early 80's we were all men *g*) for each candidate. I was chosen as a spokesman for Reagan. I spent weeks cutting out and reading newspaper articles that were about him. I didn't always understand what I was reading, but I really liked him. And before anyone says that my parents were influencing my decision, I have to point out that at my house, my parents were very apolitical in front of me. Politics just wasn't something that was discussed at home. So, anyway, I became very enamored of Mr. Reagan. When November rolled around, we did a mock election and of course I voted for my boy Reagan.
After that, it just sort of snowballed. When I reached the tenth grade, I knew I wanted to major in history and political science. This was also the year that we went to Washington DC and I just fell in love with the place. We met our representative for Pennsylvania and I wound up asking him a ton of questions about what his job entailed, the type of policies and bills he was supporting, and if he liked what he was doing. Yeah, I sort of kept him all to myself. I didn't mean to, but I couldn't help myself.
This was also the time that I begged to take AP History which later became a defining moment in my life. In fact, when I was a freshman in college, I was one of the few who declared a major -- and then kept to it for the next four years. Over those four years, I took every military history class I could get my hands on, and as many Political Science classes as they offered, mostly dealing with International Relations Theory. My dream was to go to Washington DC and work on staff for any politician who would have me. I was determined that politics was my future -- not necessarily running as a candidate (I can't lie worth a damn), but working behind the scenes. When I went for my Masters, I majored in 20th Century American Politics. Do you see a theme here? My goal during that time was to work for the Defense Intelligence Agency because I had connections. However, by the time I graduated, Clinton had cut Intelligence jobs and there was a hiring freeze in place. So much for the dream. I thought perhaps I could become a History Professor instead. I was accepted to Lehigh University for my PhD, but the funding for my program fell through. It was a little difficult to justify spending as much money for a PhD as I did for six years of undergrad and grad school.
Eventually, I took a job as an administrative assistant at a base on the BRAC list (Base Relocation and Closure list). I even made the move down to southern Maryland with it. It was as close to DC as I ever made it. I suppose you could say if I hadn't been with SoccerRef, I would still be down there, maybe not working for the Navy, but definitely working somewhere in DC. But I wouldn't have experienced everything I have, nor would I be married to SoccerRef or have my miracle child. Things work out for a reason. In the meantime, I still support my favorite candidates and my party, and I listen to talk radio -- that's how I stay involved. It's like politics is in my blood. I can't shake it no matter how hard I try.
From angstchic:
What are some things you are most passionate about as an individual?(Meaning outside your role at the job, as a mom, wife, etc.)
I'm pretty passionate about several things, but I'd have to say politics ranks right up there. It all started when I was ten and my fourth grade class did a mock campaign, right down to having spokesmen (it was the early 80's we were all men *g*) for each candidate. I was chosen as a spokesman for Reagan. I spent weeks cutting out and reading newspaper articles that were about him. I didn't always understand what I was reading, but I really liked him. And before anyone says that my parents were influencing my decision, I have to point out that at my house, my parents were very apolitical in front of me. Politics just wasn't something that was discussed at home. So, anyway, I became very enamored of Mr. Reagan. When November rolled around, we did a mock election and of course I voted for my boy Reagan.
After that, it just sort of snowballed. When I reached the tenth grade, I knew I wanted to major in history and political science. This was also the year that we went to Washington DC and I just fell in love with the place. We met our representative for Pennsylvania and I wound up asking him a ton of questions about what his job entailed, the type of policies and bills he was supporting, and if he liked what he was doing. Yeah, I sort of kept him all to myself. I didn't mean to, but I couldn't help myself.
This was also the time that I begged to take AP History which later became a defining moment in my life. In fact, when I was a freshman in college, I was one of the few who declared a major -- and then kept to it for the next four years. Over those four years, I took every military history class I could get my hands on, and as many Political Science classes as they offered, mostly dealing with International Relations Theory. My dream was to go to Washington DC and work on staff for any politician who would have me. I was determined that politics was my future -- not necessarily running as a candidate (I can't lie worth a damn), but working behind the scenes. When I went for my Masters, I majored in 20th Century American Politics. Do you see a theme here? My goal during that time was to work for the Defense Intelligence Agency because I had connections. However, by the time I graduated, Clinton had cut Intelligence jobs and there was a hiring freeze in place. So much for the dream. I thought perhaps I could become a History Professor instead. I was accepted to Lehigh University for my PhD, but the funding for my program fell through. It was a little difficult to justify spending as much money for a PhD as I did for six years of undergrad and grad school.
Eventually, I took a job as an administrative assistant at a base on the BRAC list (Base Relocation and Closure list). I even made the move down to southern Maryland with it. It was as close to DC as I ever made it. I suppose you could say if I hadn't been with SoccerRef, I would still be down there, maybe not working for the Navy, but definitely working somewhere in DC. But I wouldn't have experienced everything I have, nor would I be married to SoccerRef or have my miracle child. Things work out for a reason. In the meantime, I still support my favorite candidates and my party, and I listen to talk radio -- that's how I stay involved. It's like politics is in my blood. I can't shake it no matter how hard I try.