Greetings

[Zarastinia]

Greetings! My name is Sophia (or 蘇菲), and I am a 30-something IT professional in the DC area.

 

After being raised in evangelical Christianity and spending the first part of my adult life as an atheist, the events of the last year have convinced me that some significant metaphysical dimension to existence is real, and of all the perspectives on such topics Daoism resonates with me the most.

 

I am an incorrigible sinophile and have been for more than half my life. While my Chinese language skills are still rather poor (I'm awful with second languages in general), my knowledge of Chinese culture, history, and politics is such that I have been assumed to be Chinese online by ethnic Chinese people. (I am, alas, quite white 白人.) But I watch a lot of Chinese movies and TV, listen to Chinese music (both traditional and contemporary), read Chinese literature, history, and news, and am learning things like traditional Chinese knotting techniques and plan to learn to play the guzheng eventually. 

 

(My first pan chang knot. Sorry for the low quality, the picture is from a webcam.)

 

When I'm not doing IT work or obsessing over China I often play tabletop role-playing and/or strategy games with friends. I'm engaged to another equally nerdy woman, and we live together in bliss with our many cats and computers, drinking tea and plotting our eventual escape to the West Coast.

 

Better pictures of me:

 

[Marblehead]

Hello Zarastina, and welcome.

 

Your membership is approved and we're happy you found your way to us. We look forward to accompanying you on some of the way that you still have to go.

 

Please take the time to read the two posts pinned at the top of this Welcome page and take a look at the forum terms and rules. This covers all you need to know when getting started.

 

For the first week you will be restricted to ten posts per day but after that you can post as much as you like. Also, until you’ve posted fifteen times in the forums, you’ll be a “Junior Bum” with somewhat restricted access and will be allowed only two private messages per day.

 

Good luck in your pursuits and best wishes to you,

 

Marblehead and the TDB team

 

 

Hi Sophia,

 

Zarastina.  Hum.  Are you related to Zarathustra?

 

You are welcome to jump right in ongoing discussions, revive an older thread, start a new thread of your own, or start a discussion in the "Newcomer Corner" sub-forms to expand on your introduction or ask general questions to help you get started.

 

May you enjoy your time here.

 

Marblehead

Edited September 8, 2016 by Marblehead

[Kar3n]

Greetings & welcome to the bums

[Zarastinia]

Zarastina.  Hum.  Are you related to Zarathurstra?

The story behind my handle is rather oblique. There was a minor supporting character in the original Battlestar Galactica episode "Baltar's Escape" named Siress Tinia, and at the time I didn't know the spelling and wasn't clear on the phonetics (and didn't get that "Siress" was a title and not part of her name) so I rendered it in my head as like 'Zarastinia' and took it as a handle.

[Albion]

 

 

Ahhhhh, A woman who LOVES books, is *always* a Great woman!   

 

Welcome, Peace, Differently Abled Daoist

[Zarastinia]

 

 

Ahhhhh, A woman who LOVES books, is *always* a Great woman!   

 

Welcome, Peace, Differently Abled Daoist

Of course I'm personally biased, but I whole-heartedly agree. 

[Albion]

 Well, we certainly agree on THAT!   lol    Peace and a great night!  D.A.D.

[cheya]

Welcome to the Bums, Zarastinia!

Happy to have you aboard.

I'm already enjoying your posts!

[blackstar212]

Welcome aboard hope you enjoy your stay.