Member Monday: StillThinking

Here’s what StillThinking (Still) has to tell us about herself on her BlogCatalog User Profile:

I am an unemployed architect in Chicago, victim of recent economic downturn. I began my blog with the intent of having a place to put my daily observations, thoughts, quirky moments, and occasional bits of fiction. I am very liberal, very opinionated, occasionally incoherent. I love to write, and since I am now unemployed, writing has kept me positive, centered, and optimistic.

After reading a bunch of Still’s blog posts, like Why the French Live Better (I  love this one), we wanted to know a little more about her.  So, we asked her to be our next participant in Member Monday!  See how she answered our questions and get to know one of your fellow bloggers a bit better.

1. When you’re not blogging, what do you spend most of your time doing?

This is like an online dating profile.  When I am not blogging, I can be found cycling along Lake Michigan on sunny days.  I love my bike and am pretty fearless about zipping in and out of Chicago traffic.  I am looking for a job right now, but the economy has made job hunting a little discouraging.  I love to cook, eat out at ethnic restaurants, walk around my Chicago North Side neighborhood with a coffee.  I’m really looking forward to summer street festival season and I love the CUBS!

2. What websites do you spend most of your time on?

I spend most of my time on BC, Twitter, Facebook, Last.fm and Craigslist.  Recently, I have discovered online video streaming and am totally hooked on Doctor Who.  Netflix rocks.  Geeks Unite!

3. What do you blog about?

I have a personal blog and I write about my beliefs (liberal), my experiences (both good and bad) and my travels (Paris in the springtime!).  I try to write as honestly, simply and clearly as possible about the events that have shaped me and what forces are influencing my life now.  That is actually my writing mantra: keep it simple and honest.  I write about growing up with eating disorders, child abuse and depression, but I also try to put it into perspective with my life now.  I am still learning to embrace optimism and to accept responsibility for my own decisions.

4. Who is your hero?

My hero is President Obama.  He is a brilliant, self-made man of integrity who overcame adversity through excellence and personal achievement. Last November on election night, I cried and cried with happiness.  I didn’t make it down to Grant Park before they closed it off and I ended up watching his acceptance speech on TV.  The President is facing a momentous task in trying to correct the course of this country.  Bush was 8 years of heartburn for me and 8 years of having to defend my beliefs against the onslaught of “you’re either with us or against us” autocrats.  I do worry that it may be too little, too late and that the reputation of this country has been irreparably damaged.  I don’t believe Obama is the American messiah, but I do believe he is the best man for the job of President.

5. Do you listen to music to inspire you or when you write? What do you listen to?

I do listen to music while I am writing.  I love Rufus Wainwright, Aimee Mann, Ben Folds, Coldplay, Rilo Kiley, Pete Yorn.  I am currently on a Magnetic Fields kick after I saw them perform in Wisconsin at UWMadison.