Fodorites. Lets get to now each other more! Post your bios here.
 

Having followed this forum for some weeks now, I am truly fascinatd by some of the tales. So why don't we get to know a little mmore about each other too.. <BR>Here's mine: <BR>Where at: New York <BR>Status: Male. (Upper) middle class. <BR>Occupation: Programmer <BR>Hobbies and likes: Reading and watching TV. Travel. <BR>Dislikes: having to pay charges to change US $, poor standards of customer service in foreign places, dogs, waiting, folks who insist on speaking their foreign language even though they can speak English. <BR>

Where at: Toronto <BR>Status: Female. <BR>Occupation: Secretary <BR>Hobbies and likes:Walking, eating out theater. Foreign travel (of course), foreign language learning <BR>Dislikes: vaccinations!!

Where at: Boston <BR>Status: Male, early 20's, upper middle class <BR>Occupation: State Government <BR>Hobbies and likes: Basketball, Rowing, Surfing, Republicans, France, children <BR>Dislikes: Al Gore, trying to pack (as to not forget the essentials!), ignorant Americans who don't look beyond the walls of the US to see what the rest of the world has to offer&gt;

Where at: London <BR>Status: Male. Single <BR>Occupation: Exchange student <BR>Hobbies and likes: Cycling, skiing, travel, baseball, English pubs. <BR>Dislikes: Not having enough money!!!

Where at: Kalmthout (Belgium) <BR>Status: female <BR>Occupation: secretary (self-employed) <BR>Likes: eating out, travel <BR>Dislikes: the Belgian weather <BR>

Where at: Edinburgh <BR>Status: Male. <BR>Occupation: Marketing <BR>Hobbies and likes: Golf, football, overseas travel, martial arts <BR>Dislikes: Weather, distance from continental europe.

Where:Pennsylvania(US) <BR>Status:Male <BR>Occupation:Retired Manager(Boeing) <BR>Hobbies/likes:Golf,travel,golf and more travel <BR>Dislikes:Killing time between trips,any score above 85 and ignorant people who don't know it. <BR> <BR> <BR>

Where at: Santa Monica <BR>Status: female/available for parties and private meetings <BR>Occupation: Miss Teen Tobacco 1994 <BR>Hobbies and likes: puppies, pina coladas, making love at midnight, taking walks in the rain <BR>Dislikes: Mean people, smokers

Where at: My estate <BR>Status: Gender bending European aristocracy <BR>Occupation: Being rich <BR>Hobbies & Likes: Condescending to the Little People, cross dressing, traveling in my private jet <BR>Dislikes: Having to wear underpants

Where: American Southwest <BR>Status: Female <BR>Occupation: Financial Services <BR>Hobbies and likes: books/movies about true crime (gorier and grosser, the better); handwork; traveling; gourmet cooking (and eating); the French; Cuban cigars; rock'n'roll; Monty Python ("message for you, sir"). <BR>Dislikes: whining; passive-aggressives; any sentence that starts with "you people", "I don't mean to be rude/start trouble/seem harsh (ad nauseum) BUT..."; hidden agendas(e?); Brussel sprouts and gefilte fish.

Message: Where:California <BR>Status:Female, early 30's, doing okay financially <BR>Occupation:Marketing/ Software company <BR>Hobbies/likes: Travel, eating out, knitting (really!), soccer, aerobics <BR>Dislikes: stupid people, bland food

where at: new york <BR>status: female <BR>occupation: Nurse <BR>hobbie and likes: photography (amatuer)and any any kind of water sport <BR>dislikes: rude and down right nasty people, the increased crime all over the world

Where: Washington, D.C. suburbs <BR>Status: Female, married, 3 kids, 1 allegedly housebroken puppy <BR>Occupation: was -- attorney; now -- mom <BR>Likes/hobbies: anything funny; anything sweet; beginning piano lessons; exercise; clever movies with surprise endings; Italy; people who can discuss controversial subjects. <BR>Dislikes: fast food; ATM fees; strip malls; clutter. <BR>Goals (new category?): want to be strong enough to do one chin-up someday.

Where: The largest city in Texas <BR>Status: female, fifty-ish <BR>Occupation: deputy director of communications, large health science center <BR>Likes: Mozart, Russian literature (pre-revolutionary), films, travel to England, Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia...or anywhere else in a pinch! <BR>My pet bunny, Precious <BR>Dislikes: I second Elvira on passive-agressive behavior! Road rage. And Nixon (still). Oh yes, and not yet having a grandchild to spoil. <BR>

<BR>Where: Toronto <BR>Status: Female, 43, Married, No Kids <BR>Occupation: Self Employed Telecommunications Consultant - spouse is business partner; work from home so plenty of opportunity to check Fodors all day long <BR>Hobbies and Likes: FOOD! - anything to do with it; cooking it, reading about it, growing it, travelling to get it, etc <BR>Dislikes: The current crop of 'reality' TV shows; political "sound bites" that reduce issues requiring thoughtful analysis to 10 seconds; having to exercise so I can eat all I want (see above: Likes) <BR>Goals (Like this new category!): Retire next year - travel lots! <BR>

Where at: Hollywood Californa <BR>Status: Married female, no kids. <BR>Occupation: Analyst <BR>Hobbies and Likes: My husband, anything that gets me out of the office, all manner of cats! Long walks, history and theatre. <BR>Dislikes. Rude travelers, beef, people who are mean to cats! Coming back to work after a vacation, paying my Visa bill!!!

Where at: Worcester, MA <BR>Status: Married female, 2 stepchildren <BR>Occupation: Int'l Sales Rep <BR>Hobbies and Likes: Finding a new Irish pub wherever I go. Anything Irish. Overseas travel. Meeting new people. Email <BR>Dislikes: Teenagers (sort of kidding). Gossip. A 28.8 modem. <BR>Goals: To live someplace warm, to die without a shovel amongst my belongings.

<BR>Where at: Outer Space <BR>Status: Male <BR>Occupation: Starship Captain <BR>Hobbies and likes: Romulan ale; interesting and out-of-the-mainstream vacation spots; hitting warp speed nine after having a few too many Romulan ales; space chicks <BR>Dislikes: people who are incapable of making a decision (for instance: people who get to the bottom of the escalator and freeze. make up your mind. either go left, right or straight. just do something! Likewise, if you have a Klingon battle cruiser bearing down on you, now is not the time to stop and think!) <BR>

Long Beach California(born in Maine) <BR>Hoppies and likes. Reading (History, Inovators, Discoverors), Tennis, Basketball, Grandson and soon to be another grandson or granddaughter, Languages, meeting people everywhere I go <BR>Dislikes People that pick at people just because they disagree with them. <BR>Stupidity (Hey, we are all igorant about some things). <BR>Goal More travel, retire in 4 years, Pickup a new MB Conv in Europe in 1 1/2 years. <BR>

Geesh, guys, can I add a PS? <BR>My husband will kill me if I don't add, <BR>Status: married. <BR>And the new category, <BR>Goals: save enough now for retirement in ten years so that I/we can still go to Europe yearly, while still going yearly to Europe NOW.

Where: Toronto <BR>Status: Female, late 40's, married, no children <BR>Occupation: Consultant/business analyst <BR>Hobbies and Likes: Food, gardening (that should probably read 'watching my husband garden'), cats (I have 2 and yes, they are my pseudo children), snorkeling, planning trips, reading mysteries/suspense novels <BR>Dislikes: the fact that I only get 5 weeks of vacation <BR>Goals: To keep traveling and to retire somewhere warm (I think that means I won't be staying in Toronto) <BR> <BR>

Where: Durham, North Carolina, USA <BR> <BR>Status: Male <BR> <BR>Occupation: Marketing Research Analyst- Educational sales <BR> <BR>Hobbies and Likes: Chasing my 15 month old around, photography, history, foreign languages, Mayan ruins, collecting (but not so much anymore), almost all kinds of music, like Elvira I am into things that are French (trying to teach my daughter a little), building web sites (but still a novice), variety, cosmopolitanism, and of course travel -send me anywhere <BR> <BR>Dislikes: intolerance, being like everyone else, people and organizations who try to force you to be like everyone else, narrow minds, guns, the local news, not using turn signals, and the lack of vacation time in most American companies <BR> <BR>

Where: Ithaca <BR>Status: Male, married with one child <BR>Occupation: Investment broker <BR>Hobbies and likes: travel, public displays of affection <BR>dislikes: prudes

Where at: Washington, DC <BR>Status: Female <BR>Occupation: attorney <BR>Hobbies and likes: Independent and foreign films, books (fiction and non-), travel (particular fixation on open-air accommodations with great views), bleeding-heart liberals, theatre, Pepperidge Farm Double-Chocolate Milano cookies (help me, I'm powerless before them!), wine, newspapers, hiking, travel magazines, my job. <BR>Dislikes: Unpacking after a trip, guns, any movie whose advertisement or trailer shows things blowing up or yet another vehicle crashing through a pane of glass, exercise unless I have something to take my mind off of it, people who lack the imagination it takes to empathize with others of different background/means/life experience, ironing (actually do not even own an ironing board), picky eaters who won't try new foods, the fact that my local PBS stations no longer show "Travels in Europe with Rick Steves," people who are easily bored.

Where - Tennessee <BR>Status - Female, 46, married, daughter 19, son 15 <BR>Occupation - Bookkeeper for Law Office <BR>Hobbies and Likes - Walking, reading, Travel, Researching places to travel, my boston terrier <BR>Dislikes - standing in line (anywhere), too little time and money to travel as much as I would like to, rude people <BR>Goals - Plan a trip to Europe every other year or maybe someday - every year.

Where at: Michigan <BR>Status; Female <BR>Occupation:Self Employed Health care consultant <BR>Hobbies and Likes; Independent Travel, learning French, Golf (advanced beginner), Wheaten Terriers, Visiting Daughter, any tennis tournament. <BR>Dislikes: Computer phone calls, reading glasses (the need to have them), nasty (passive aggressives) people, Planing OZ/NZ and their travel books (Rick Steves does not do those places) <BR>Goals: To be able to retire south and go to Europe every other year.

Where at: New Jersey <BR>Status: Female, 24 <BR>Occupation: Stock Options Adminstrator <BR>Hobbies and likes: Irish Dancing, travel, running, warm weather, driving <BR>dislikes: fish, smoking, egotistical attorneys

WHERE: Upstate New York (near Saratoga) <BR>STATUS: female, almost 39 (in 4 days!) <BR>OCCUPATION: Environmental Engineer <BR>LIKES: TRAVEL, Books, Aerobics, cats, salsa music, Al & Ruth, nature. <BR>DISLIKES: Lies, rudeness, hate it when people pinch me.

Where at: Seattle but maybe El Paso if the @%#! rain doesn’t stop soon. <BR> <BR>Status: Male, early 50s, married, 1 paid-for adult child. <BR> <BR>Occupation: Low income housing developer & consultant <BR> <BR>Hobbies and likes: Travel, eating, cinema, politics, photography, architecture, walking, eating, history, my family, Los Angeles, whiskers on kittens. <BR> <BR>Dislikes: 30 inch seat pitch, airline headphones that try to meet in your Medulla, Portuguese drivers (nothing personal). <BR>

WHERE: Plano, TX but still consider my boyhood home of Columbia County,NY home <BR> <BR>STATUS: 62yr old wedded to 53yr old Sandi <BR> <BR>OCCUPATION: Pharmacy planner/designer, Sandi radiology tech. <BR> <BR>HOBBIES: None, we jog and bike, I'm a recovering model RR'er. <BR> <BR>LIKES: Planning our next trip, currently Carcassonne in January, Friesian Islands and N. Germany in Spring 2001, and Holland in '02, on bikes of course. <BR> <BR>DISLIKES: None, but on a personal note, sophomoric allusions to my nickname.

Dislike gefilte fish??!! Shame!

where: western washington <BR>status: female, exactly same age as my fellow home state dwellers, Rick Steves AND Bill Gates, but not nearly so well travelled or rich. Married w/12 and 16 yr olds. <BR>occupation: substitute teacher/caretaker of young and old <BR>dislikes: Firstly, to quote our great Chilian poet, Pablo Neruda, "I'm tired of not going to France" <BR>Second, one of my dislikes/fears is to have to hang anywhere w/snobs (you know who you are). <BR>Likes: rock music, my cats, bicyling, summer in washington state, reading fiction, history, anything about travel or aspects of culture. Planning family three week trip to Bavaria, Salzburg area and Venice/Verona for June 2001. Likes entertainment-wise: The Michael Palin travel shows on PBS, Jonathan Creek, The Sopranos (sorry!). I love Mexico and especially the music and the Mexican people. <BR>Goals: It's good enough just to be alive.

Where: Arizona <BR>Status: Female, mid-thirties, married, three kids, three dogs, cat, fish, turtle... <BR>Occupation: Family business - Auction company <BR>Hobbies: I love to travel (anywhere!), love to eat (which usually determines where I travel), love art, opera, music, and shopping for antiques <BR>Dislikes: 10+ hours stuck on a plane <BR>Goals: to fly first class! <BR> <BR>Audrey

Where: Southern California <BR>Status: Single female <BR>Occupation: Meeting planner <BR>Likes: Travel (of course), photography (amateur), spending time with friends and family <BR>Dislikes: Arrogance, airline seats that are getting narrower as I get wider, people who travel overseas and assume the locals speak and understand English and not bother to learn even a few words in the country's language, folks who leave their supermarket carts in the middle of a parking lot with their 'it's okay because everyone does it' attitude, a demanding job that limits the amount of time I can take off for vacation. <BR>Goal: To travel somewhere wonderful every year and still have enough money to retire in several years (not likely but I'm trying). <BR>

Where at: Adelaide, Australia <BR>Status: Male and happily married for 30 years <BR>Occupation: Sales Manager of a Computer Network Management company <BR>Hobbies: Travel, spoiling the Grandchildren, Travel, Photography, more Travel, Basketball, even more Travelling <BR>Likes: Living in Australia and enjoying our very liberal holiday (vacation) allowances, Travelling, having Grandchildren and enjoying the thrill of life itself. <BR>Dislikes: Not being able to afford to be on a permanent holiday (vacation). People who travel and do not have some of the language of the country in which they are in, or at least a phrase book. Intolerance to those less fortunate to us. Work (but to travel one has to work). <BR> <BR>David

I guess it's time Cajun country is heard from. <BR>Where: Louisiana--north shore of Lake Ponchartrain. <BR> Status: female; retired professor of history. <BR> Hobbies: Computing, cooking, traveling, reading, walking my poodle. <BR> Dislikes: Hot sticky weather (it's that time now).

Where: Temecula, Calif <BR>Born in Long Beach California but conceived in Leuwaarden, Netherlands. Laid low on a six week journey across the Atlantic and made my appearance a few months later! LOL! <BR>Status: Mother of two teens who don't drink, don't do drugs, aren't promiscuous and have goals of traveling and seeing the world. Yes for stay at home moms! Also married to the same man since 1968. <BR>Hobbies and likes: I built two websites (www.dutchnsuch.com and http://cottonwoodfarms.tripod.com), went back to college and will be taking my real estate exam soon and am a certified medical transcriptionist. I decided I can't understand any of the doctors dictation tapes so I am not going to do it but I sure learned a lot along the way! I raise show rabbits and am among the top breeders in the nation and have shipped rabbits to the Phillipines for their National Exhibition. Plan to return to Holland and Belgium and hope to while there. Those are adorable! Have talked to European breeders and they have come to USA for our Nationals! Europe knows how to develop great breeds. Thank you Europe! <BR>Dislikes: Lack of vacation time in the USA!

oops- cut out a sentence- I meant to say that when I return to Europe I would like to visit rabbit breeders in the Netherlands,Belgium and Germany and would especially like to the see the cute Lionhead rabbit. Maybe buy some and bring some back!

<BR>Phoenix 4.0 Release 6.0.B <BR>

Where: Washington, DC suburb <BR>Status: Female, 31, married to Jim and mother to Jordana Ami, the most spectacular 13 month old around. <BR>Occupation: Lobbyist on education issues; educational consultant with Discovery Toys; co-owner of a soccer tournament organizing and consulting firm. <BR>Hobbies and likes: travel, anything to do with aviation and space (am a volunteer docent with the National Air and Space Museum, though phasing out), ballet, show tunes, spending time with my family, reading, soccer <BR>Dislikes: guns, violence, racism and bigotry, people who don't get Metro "etiquette", people who live for their work, people who come to Washington, DC and don't plan well, and then get huffy because they can't get into the White House, people who stand in front of the White House and ask "Where is the White House?" <BR>Goals: to become a stay at home mom and travel more.