Hello to all

[CateBee]

First off, I love the smilies here...

So my name is Cate and I'm 25 years old. I'm living in Orlando and Jacksonville while in the middle of a divorce. I'll be officially planted in Jax next month, in my first apartment that will be mine. There are a ton of atheist meetup's in both cities, but I just haven't got the balls to do any in-person socializing. I'm a full-time Mother to a 3 year old, work from home as a freelance writer full-time, and also am in school online. My social skills are... poor. So I figured I'd start off by coming here and chatting with some of you fine people. I have been a serious TTA/Seth listener for about a year.

When I was about 14 I started questioning my sexuality. I had my first girlfriend who also happened to be my best friend. When this girls Mother found out that her daughter was dating a girl, she promptly took the girl out of our public school, enrolled her in an all-girl Catholic school (I still don't get it), and I never saw her again. I really started wondering how religion was a benefit to me personally, when I was being told that being bisexual was a sin and I was a bad little girl for having feelings for my best friend, someone I was really close to and adored. I was able to just brush all that away and deal with being a small person in a largely traditional Catholic family for a while. I didn't date again until I was 18.

About 2 years ago, I decided to check out meetup's in the small town I was living in with my husband still. There were two groups, one for Mom's and one for atheists. I joined both, and only ever went to the atheist meetup, because the Mom's were just too boring. The first atheist meetup was really interesting to me, as I had only initially gone to just meet people who weren't all about religion. They didn't only discuss atheism, but I did happen to make it to an introduction and de-conversion day. I was floored by how open I suddenly became with my disappointment in the life I had been living as somewhat of an on-the-fence theist. It really was doing nothing for me, and I had that a-ha moment soon after.

The people I met in that group were best friends to me, and I do miss them now that I don't live there anymore. Just hanging out with atheists is cool, and it doesn't need to center around anything other than a potluck and some chit-chat about school or work. I guess I'm always kind of worried I may here a "thank God" or "God bless" in other public social settings. I hate to say it, but man, I just don't want to hear it anymore. This is just something I want again, an atheist group, and hope to build up to it when I can really get situated here in Jax.

I had a Facebook page, but my family was not really happy with anything I posted. My relationship with all of them has become very strained, but I decided to get rid of the social networking to just avoid that kind of crappy drama altogether. I love being opinionated, but the setting needs to be right. My family does not take well to people who aren't in their train of mindless "thought".

Other little tidbits:

I am currently reading the Game of Thrones series... still on the first book
I'm a democrat - love Jon Stewart and honestly follow his views most of the time
My hair is pink, and even though it's fucked up, I love it
4 gauge earrings in, plan on going to 2's and stopping
I'm in a tank top 90% of the time, because they are fucking comfortable and that is that
My eye makes a really loud squishing noise when I rub it, and it grosses people out

So! That is a bit about me... I will go about my lurking now

[FSM_scot]

Welcome to the forum

[DLJ]

(11-02-2013 12:39 PM)CateBee Wrote:  ...
My eye makes a really loud squishing noise when I rub it, and it grosses people out
...

Loved that. I think I is gonna like you.

[kingschosen]

Nice intro!

Welcome to TTA.

[GirlyMan]

Howdy.

(11-02-2013 12:39 PM)CateBee Wrote:  When this girls Mother found out that her daughter was dating a girl, she promptly took the girl out of our public school, enrolled her in an all-girl Catholic school (I still don't get it), and I never saw her again.

So her Mom effectively ensured that her daughter would become a lesbian atheist 'cause she was dating a girl. That's simultaneously sad and just fucking hilarious. A real-life tragicomedy.

(11-02-2013 12:39 PM)CateBee Wrote:  I guess I'm always kind of worried I may here a "thank God" or "God bless" in other public social settings. I hate to say it, but man, I just don't want to hear it anymore.

hehehe ... I go out of my way to say them whenever I can at work 'cause all the religious folk I work with know I'm an atheist. Blatant blasphemy can be fun. ... hehehe

[morondog]

...

Welcome

er...

enjoy your stay

[CateBee]

(13-02-2013 06:49 PM)GirlyMan Wrote:  hehehe ... I go out of my way to say them whenever I can at work 'cause all the religious folk I work with know I'm an atheist. Blatant blasphemy can be fun. ... hehehe

Oh, I hope to reach that level of comfort around theists someday... lol.