Lifetime subscriber. I can't really afford it, and I don't even know why exactly I decided to jump on board before it was too late, but I felt I wanted to do it.
I've been reading regularly here since early 2008, almost four years. I came for the politics -- specifically the 2008 primaries, as an Obama supporter surrounded in my real life by republicans and Hillary supporters. One day I read a piece on Huffpo about a 'writers strike' at Daily Kos, Hillary Clinton supporters were boycotting the site because it had turned into Obama Central. Sounded good to me at that time, so I headed over and started reading. I felt at home, but also intimidated to jump in. So for awhile I lurked but read here all the time. Addictive.
Eventually I got up the nerve to make an account and add comments. Oddly, it was not politics, but something very personal that made me finally do that. Teddy Kennedy had been diagnosed with a GBM brain tumor... something I had a sad personal knowledge of because my young niece had the same disease: glioblastoma multiforma - and I knew it's course all too well. There was much confusion and misinformation floating about regarding Senator Kennedy's condition, and I wanted to add to the conversation.
I also knew by then that getting your UID sooner rather than later was important, because over time it gains value. Being in the 100,000s was already late to the party, but better than waiting any longer. So, after a week or so of procrastinating over trying to come up with a creative and interesting user name, I gave that up and just signed up. I have been coming here more or less continually ever since. Despite the many disagreements, occasional hurt feelings, frequent misunderstandings, arguments, and frustration I've sometimes felt, I've also had so many great conversations with people here. This is the site I open when I want to talk, or read interesting and lively discussion.
I came for the politics, I joined for and stayed for the conversation, and the community. It's trite, I know, but it's true.
And now I've taken the plunge onto being a lifetime subscriber. I wasn't going to do it...too expensive right now, should pay credit card bills from christmas instead, but the opportunity is going to pass and I want to do it.
Because this is where I come when I want to talk about things. Not everything, FSM knows... my views in many areas are far too controversial to be discussed here. I kind of learned that the hard way. :)
But in looking back over this past year, and the years I've been coming here, I see how much I have learned here, about myself as well as about politics, and issues. I don't fit in or toe the party line here more often than not. I know that. I don't know if I will even ever write another diary... but it's been a long time now, over a year since my brief foray into actually getting deeply into a political effort and writing about it here... put my toes into the water, found it uncomfortably hot. :) I still love reading here and occasionally commenting. I sometimes think about writing diaries... er, posts, again in the future. I don't know if that will happen or not. I do know I will keep coming back here, for the discussion, and the community, even though I do feel more an outsider than part of it, to be honest. But I can't wait to see how things unfold over the next year and beyond. I do love what this site offers and didn't want to miss out on any part of it.
Oh and by the way, the site really looks nice without the ads. :)
Happy New Year to all.