Longtime Lurker Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Hi! As my username suggests, I am finally registered to post after a lengthy period of reading only. I first started reading the WTM forums in 2008 when I started homeschooling my daughter (now 20!). We only ended up homeschooling for two years for various reasons, but I continued reading because I have always been interested in education and because I found this forum to be a great place to read challenging discussions about topics that are important to me. Since then, I have been here intermittently, but I started reading daily in late January of 2020 with the long coronavirus thread. I have read the entire thread as it happened, along with the other covid-related discussions that have cropped up since then. These forums have become essential to me over the past year, both as a way to keep up with covid-related news and scientific studies, but also as a way to process the broader implications of the pandemic. Posters I have especially appreciated over the past year include Not_A_Number, Ausmumof3, Pam in CT, MercyA, BaseballandHockey, and ktgrok. And many more that I am not recalling offhand 🙂 I briefly taught math a long time ago, but then took time off work due to my (now adult) son's special needs. He has severe autism and cognitive delays. I now work as a substitute teacher and math tutor. My interests are math, taxes, retirement planning, special needs planning, and frugal-ish living. I am married and my daughter (for whom I originally visited the forums) is now in college. And since no introduction during these times would be complete without the following. . . I have not had covid (that I am aware of), nor has anyone in my household. However, my sister (an ER attending in Detroit) had it in March of 2020 and has some long term cardiac damage. Her son caught it from her and ended up in the ICU for MIS-C. He has some chronic health issues now but is doing reasonably well overall. I am thankful to have already received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine; I qualified early since I work in a school. Even now that I have de-lurked, I am unsure how often I will actually post. By the time I get to the forums at the end of the day, I find I lack the mental energy to put my thoughts into writing. Having a son with special needs and aging parents with health challenges can be exhausting. However, I wanted to at least take the time to express deep appreciation for the positive influence this board has had on me over the years! 46 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Welcome! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 (edited) Welcome. Glad to have you here. Edited April 7, 2021 by mommyoffive 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Hello and welcome! I'm sorry your sister and her son had such a hard time with covid. 😞 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Welcome! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ditto Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Hi! I'm glad you decided to come out of the lurk zone and join us. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Welcome!!! So happy to have you here! 🎉🎈👏 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Welcome! Regards, Kareni 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Welcome! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Welcome! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiberia Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Welcome! I started out as mostly a lurker in 2008, but contribute every now and then if I feel I have something to add to the discussion. I'm also done with my homeschooling journey, but I find new perspectives, interesting information, and friendly camaraderie on these forums. I'm glad you found us and have come out of lurk mode. You shouldn't feel any pressure to post, ever, but I hope you feel the freedom to do so if you choose. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Welcome! I too am finished homeschooling but I can't imagine ever leaving the boards. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
math teacher Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Welcome!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Welcome! I also started reading the boards in 2008 and joined in early 2009. I'm done homeschooling now, with two kids in college, but this board is still my go-to for intelligent conversation and information on a million topics from recipes to clothing recommendations to updates on Terabith's monolith, lol. 2 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 G'day 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not_a_Number Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Welcome!! Thanks for the shoutout 😄 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Waving hello! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Welcome to the forum. I hope that your sister and nephew recover fully in time. It’s nice to know there’s more math specialists around here. It really helps having access to so many super knowledgeable people for those like me whose education stopped after high school. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longtime Lurker Posted April 8, 2021 Author Share Posted April 8, 2021 Thanks, everyone! I really appreciate the warm welcome! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 Welcome! We are glad you de-lurked to say hi! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 Welcome! I am also done homeschooling (as far as I know!) with one graduated and one in public high school, but there is no better place on the web to find intelligent, lively, thoughtful real discussions about hard things. For that, I stay and have only recently de-lurked myself again. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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