User:Laura/Interests

Laura's Userboxes RCC This admin geeked out at RecentChangesCamp 2008. SDCC This user attend socialdevcampchicago. ACEN This user attended ACEN 2008. MW This user attended MediaWest 2008. I attend (likemind). This user reads fan fiction. This user writes fan fiction. f/f This user knows that girls do it better. You can't have CSI with out GeekLove. + This user is an inclusionist. Nu This user is willing to help new people here at the wiki sysop This user is an administrator of this wiki. IJ This is the InsaneJournal user purplepopple LJ This is the LiveJournal user partly_bouncy This user uses MediaMiner.Org. This user was born on June 7. This user is American. en-3 This user is able to contribute with an advanced level of English. ... This user would like to be able to speak more languages.

Self portrait taken at the Chicago Bean.

Laura at the Roman Aqueducts near Rome, Italy in November 2007

A self portrait at a local park

Laura on a beach on Tinian

Fandoms

I've been in fandom for years. I love fandom. It is one of my primary interests, professionally and personally. Below is a partial list of my current fandoms of interest and participation.

• CSI: Less active than I used to be.

Sports

I've been a sports fan my whole life. If it is on television, I am generally willing to watch it. The exceptions might be golf, and professional wrestling. When I can get to a game, I like to go. In 2009, I've seen the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bandits, Chicago Red Stars, Chicago United, Chicago Sky play in person. The energy and feeling of belonging can't be beat. Discovered Australian Rules football on vacation and I'm in love with that now. Impossible to be a real fan in the USA as it is hard to get games on television. I cheer for a number of teams including:

• Chicago Cubs: Third generation fan. Love them. My earliest professional sports memories involve the team. Loved to get their baseball cards.
• Chicago White Sox: So the Cubs can beat them in the World Series.
• Chicago Red Stars: Women's soccer rocks. Chicago teams can't be beat. Glad we got a team as when the WUSA existed, we didn't. And the games can't be beat.
• Northern Illinois University: I love my alma mater.
• Northwestern University: It is a family thing.
• Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Wolves: Because Chicago needs teams that are winner and hockey is vastly entertaining.
• Chicago Bandits: Professional softball. Awesome games. Hurray! for women athletes and seeing Olympians. :D

Reading

I love to read. I love to read a lot. This fits with having (briefly) been an English teacher and having worked in school libraries for a number of years. I've been reading history books, sports, romance novels books this year.

Travel

I love to travel. It is one of my primary interests and ways to spend money. Below is a list of countries I have visited in my travels.

• Australia
• Austria
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Canada
• Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• England/United Kingdom
• Germany
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Italy
• Japan
• Lithuania
• New Zealand
• Northern Ireland/United Kingdom
• Norway
• Panama
• Poland
• Portugal
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• South Korea
• Sweden
• Vatican City