Just in cases...

Stolen from devoosha , cause she is awesome too.

You know how sometimes people on your friends-list post about stuff going on in their life, and all of a sudden you think "Wait a minute? Since when were they working THERE? Since when were they dating HIM/HER? Since when???" And then you wonder how you could have missed all that seemingly pretty standard information, but somehow you feel too ashamed to ask for clarification because it seems like info you should already know? It happens to all of us sometimes.

Please copy the topics below, erase my answers and put yours in their place, and then post it in your journal! Please elaborate on the questions that would benefit from elaboration. One-Word-Answers seldom help anyone out.

1. First Name: Erika. I've always loved my name. My mom got it from hearing about Walter Slezak's daughter, Erika. She has been a star of One Life to Live on ABC for as long as I can remember. I didn't meet another Erika (or Erica or Ericka) until I was 21. It is so weird when I am out in a supermarket or the mall and I hear "Erika" called out and some little girl answers. There are SO many Erikas around now! Takes some getting used to. Small trivia factoid: my name on my birth certificate is spelled "Ericka", not Erika, which is how I've always spelled it. I did not find this out until I was about to turn 18 and I was going to Italy. When I applied for my passport the gentleman at the post office noticed the discrepancy. Somehow, no one ever had before. I looked into getting it corrected but it is almost impossible to correct a birth certificate. I just leave it as is.

2. Age: 51. Yep, serving America for over half a century. Still can't quite believe it but that's what my driver's license says.

3. Location: Long Island, a.k.a. Lawn Guyland. Home of the Long Island Expressway, also known as the world's longest parking lot. Also home to the Long Island Lolita, the Amityville Horror and many other interesting phenomena. I've lived in New York State my whole life. I was born in Coney Island, Brooklyn. We moved to Levittown when I was 7 or 8 and aside from my college years in Buffalo, I've always lived on Long Island. I would very much like to change that and relocate to Vermont. it is what I live for.

4. Occupation: Currently I am the Senior Technical Trainer for a litigation support software company. Over the course of my checkered career I have been a legal secretary, screwdriver jockey, IT Director, project manager, Senior Project Manager, Help Desk Manager and unemployed and not necessarily in that order. Basically I work in the field of technology for the legal environment. I have either worked for or with law firms since I was about 26 or so.

5. Partner: David. We met when I was home sick and bored to tears. I ended up browsing through AOL profiles, doing searches for keywords like bands and other interests. David's profile kept coming up as a match and he was online at the moment. I sent him an IM - what the heck! - and he responded. After chatting online and on the phone for a few weeks we met in person and have been pretty much inseparable ever since. That was 4 and a half years ago. He still makes me weak in the knees when he smiles at me.

6. Kids: David has a 24 year old daughter, Emily. I have 2 kids, both in college. Aaron is 21 and Sarah just turned 18 yesterday. Someone needs to explain the time warp to me. I still feel like I am in my twenties or so. Where did these adults come from who call me "Mom"?

7. Brothers/Sisters: I have one brother, Alex. The less said about him, the better.

8. Pets: We have 3 cats: Kimba, Charlotte and Thomas. They believe they own everything, including us. They may be right.

9. List 3-5 biggest things going on in your life right now: Trying to figure out how to keep the kids in college and keep a roof over our heads. Planning to take my job remote as soon as possible so we can move to Vermont. But most immediately, enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday this week. It is my favorite holiday and I really love it. Aaron got home on Saturday and Sarah comes home tomorrow night. Let the turkey coma begin!!

10. Parents: Both of my parents are deceased. My parents were both teachers. My mom taught elementary school and my dad taught History in high school. My dad was a folk singer in his younger days and sang with some famous people. My mom had MS and had to retire early on medical disability. My dad followed suit a few years later, after he'd had a couple of strokes and a mild heart attack. He passed in 2000 and my mom died almost exactly a year later.

11. Who are some of your closest friends? David and my kids. Lorraine, Lisa and Trish. And I feel privileged to have so many friends online. I may not have met most of you in person but feel you are my friends and that is a good feeling. A very good one.

Just in cases...

Stolen from devoosha , cause she is awesome too.

You know how sometimes people on your friends-list post about stuff going on in their life, and all of a sudden you think "Wait a minute? Since when were they working THERE? Since when were they dating HIM/HER? Since when???" And then you wonder how you could have missed all that seemingly pretty standard information, but somehow you feel too ashamed to ask for clarification because it seems like info you should already know? It happens to all of us sometimes.

Please copy the topics below, erase my answers and put yours in their place, and then post it in your journal! Please elaborate on the questions that would benefit from elaboration. One-Word-Answers seldom help anyone out.

1. First Name: Erika. I've always loved my name. My mom got it from hearing about Walter Slezak's daughter, Erika. She has been a star of One Life to Live on ABC for as long as I can remember. I didn't meet another Erika (or Erica or Ericka) until I was 21. It is so weird when I am out in a supermarket or the mall and I hear "Erika" called out and some little girl answers. There are SO many Erikas around now! Takes some getting used to. Small trivia factoid: my name on my birth certificate is spelled "Ericka", not Erika, which is how I've always spelled it. I did not find this out until I was about to turn 18 and I was going to Italy. When I applied for my passport the gentleman at the post office noticed the discrepancy. Somehow, no one ever had before. I looked into getting it corrected but it is almost impossible to correct a birth certificate. I just leave it as is.

2. Age: 51. Yep, serving America for over half a century. Still can't quite believe it but that's what my driver's license says.

3. Location: Long Island, a.k.a. Lawn Guyland. Home of the Long Island Expressway, also known as the world's longest parking lot. Also home to the Long Island Lolita, the Amityville Horror and many other interesting phenomena. I've lived in New York State my whole life. I was born in Coney Island, Brooklyn. We moved to Levittown when I was 7 or 8 and aside from my college years in Buffalo, I've always lived on Long Island. I would very much like to change that and relocate to Vermont. it is what I live for.

4. Occupation: Currently I am the Senior Technical Trainer for a litigation support software company. Over the course of my checkered career I have been a legal secretary, screwdriver jockey, IT Director, project manager, Senior Project Manager, Help Desk Manager and unemployed and not necessarily in that order. Basically I work in the field of technology for the legal environment. I have either worked for or with law firms since I was about 26 or so.

5. Partner: David. We met when I was home sick and bored to tears. I ended up browsing through AOL profiles, doing searches for keywords like bands and other interests. David's profile kept coming up as a match and he was online at the moment. I sent him an IM - what the heck! - and he responded. After chatting online and on the phone for a few weeks we met in person and have been pretty much inseparable ever since. That was 4 and a half years ago. He still makes me weak in the knees when he smiles at me.

6. Kids: David has a 24 year old daughter, Emily. I have 2 kids, both in college. Aaron is 21 and Sarah just turned 18 yesterday. Someone needs to explain the time warp to me. I still feel like I am in my twenties or so. Where did these adults come from who call me "Mom"?

7. Brothers/Sisters: I have one brother, Alex. The less said about him, the better.

8. Pets: We have 3 cats: Kimba, Charlotte and Thomas. They believe they own everything, including us. They may be right.

9. List 3-5 biggest things going on in your life right now: Trying to figure out how to keep the kids in college and keep a roof over our heads. Planning to take my job remote as soon as possible so we can move to Vermont. But most immediately, enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday this week. It is my favorite holiday and I really love it. Aaron got home on Saturday and Sarah comes home tomorrow night. Let the turkey coma begin!!

10. Parents: Both of my parents are deceased. My parents were both teachers. My mom taught elementary school and my dad taught History in high school. My dad was a folk singer in his younger days and sang with some famous people. My mom had MS and had to retire early on medical disability. My dad followed suit a few years later, after he'd had a couple of strokes and a mild heart attack. He passed in 2000 and my mom died almost exactly a year later.

11. Who are some of your closest friends? David and my kids. Lorraine, Lisa and Trish. And I feel privileged to have so many friends online. I may not have met most of you in person but feel you are my friends and that is a good feeling. A very good one.