Christine Wolfe, BLS
From my first permanent job to the last, I was involved in some manner in non-profits. My first was as a library archivist; my last, a human-services program analyst-cum-monitor/researcher/contract revisionist. In between were jobs as an administrative assistant for a federally-funded community center and the executive director of a senior center in an urban setting. As a free-lance consultant, I was consulted by a number of grassroots non-profits, including a community land trust and a watchdog organization monitoring over-ambitious road construction. In betwixt permanent jobs were temporary ones in hospitals, health insurance firms, an international child sponsorship organization, a family services agency, and community health care centers, to name a few. Also in betwixt were temporary jobs working for for-profits, both here and in Europe (an international management-consulting/auditing firm, the ESA, Mitsubishi, a mainframe sales agency, an airplane manufacturer, a lumber company, jewelry firms, you name it, I've been there).
The common link has probably been computers; I am totally self-trained and used them since 1975.
I learned to do research while studying for a BLS in History (the LS means Liberal Studies and indicates that I got the degree by going to night school) at Boston University. In 1978 and 1979, I spent a year of independent study in Great Britain learning to work with horses and to teach. Since then, I received professional training as a proof-reader and copy-editor while working for a publishing firm.
In 1992, a personal economic crash made me homeless; this led to depression, no job and worsening health. Since then, I have found affordable housing, am retired and have come to terms with my ill-health.
My interests are eclectic: horses and bare-back riding, history, bird-watching, archaeology, technological development, environmental issues (no planet, no humans!), finding solutions to problems and the use of the Internet to level economic and social barriers. In 1998, I found myself surfing the Net for about five hours a week and, in that surfing, found Suite101.com.
There are two aspects of Internet use which I find particularly invigorating: One is that all that counts is what goes on behind your eyes and between your ears; and two, that its globalism makes it possible for you to communicate with the physically-far-away as though they were sitting right next to you. It doesn't matter if you have five noses or if you are a shut-in: Mentally, you can escape, you can improve yourself, you can improve your circumstances. If you achieve peace of mind, the potential for achieving other things, including that of acquiring the technology necessary to be physically able to access the Net improves dramatically. Although disabled, via the Internet I can reach the whole wide world.