After all of the support, sympathy and help you all have given me the past several days I thought I'd pop in here and actually introduce myself.

*ahem*

My name is William Clay Hamilton, but I go by Clay. I'm 38 years old and live in Chenango Forks, New York, and I work at a hospital here doing technical support. I'm married and have been with my wife since we were in high school, which is going on 21 years. We have an 18-year old son who's about to start his third semester of college.

We've always had animals. We have two lab huskies (we call them purebred Huskadors) named Miya and Takoda, and until this past Sunday we had a Doberman/Shepard/?? mix named Winston (RIP). We also have two black cats named Angel and Nala, but they literally are so identical looking that you can't tell them apart.

In our spare time my wife and I are avid video game players and we like to watch movies and are avid readers. I also play a bit of bass guitar and fancy myself to be an amateur photographer... I'm also a huge military aviation nerd; my wife and I took a weekend trip to Washington DC in May to see The Blue Angels.

Here's a picture of us that was taken last year at Disneyland.



And here's a sample of some of the pictures I took at the airshow in May::

Hi Clay

This is a great idea for a topic. While a lot of us on here feel close to each other from supporting each other through our grief, we actually don't know all that much about each other. It's just a shame that not a lot of people visit this part of the forum, so this topic probably won't get much responce. If it was posted on the "death support" forum it probably would get more response, and we could all learn more about each other.

Although it would be "off topic" in that area, maybe we should start a thread there so we could all learn more about each other?

-- Cheryl x

I would be more than willing to do that, assuming I could do so without violating any of our rules here.

Anyone with authority care to chime in? Or do you, Cheryl83, think I should just start it?

I think you should just start it. I'm sure it would be fine. Just explain the reasons for posting it there (because more people would see it) and I can't see there being a problem. I would start it for you, but it was your idea, so I don't want to steal your thunder haha x

Hi, Clay, this is a great idea. I'm moon_beam and live in the beautiful Blue Ridge / Piedmont Mountain region of South Central Virginia. If you look at a State map and find Roanoke, Rocky Mount, and Burnt Chimney (if it's shown) and then look for Smith Mountain Lake and the Booker T Washington Monument State Park and put a pin in the middle that's pretty close to where my humble abode is - - a little house in the woods. I love being out of the city and in a more country setting.

I am the only "human" in my household which now is just Noah, my little kitty man who is 7 years old. If you read my posts about Abbygayle's Journey and Oslo you will see our journey that has brought Noah to being the sole survivor in a household that once had 4 furkids.

I currently work for a home health provider as an office slug - - paper pusher. Been pushing paper for about 40 years now, and to say I'm not enthused about my job would be an understatement, but it's a paycheck. I like photography but am not very good at it. I love your pictures of the Blue Angels. I have seen them perform many times when I was growing up in the Washington, DC, area, during Armed Forces Day at Andrews Air Force Base. I've also seen the Canadian Snow Birds and USAF jets - - I think they're called the Red Devils but not sure if my memory is correct on that. They are amazing!!!!

I also enjoy boating, but don't have much opportunity for it and don't have the money for it. But I love to watch the sailboats on the lake and movies that have sailing / boating as part of the story. I like being ON the water, but not in it since I don't know how to swim. If I were to ever take a cruise and the boat foundered for some reason I would definitely be fish food.

I looked up Chenango on the atlas and it looks like you're in beautiful Adirondack Mountain territory. When my mom was alive we would take trips to beautiful Upstate New York -- Lake George, the Finger Lakes, etc.. One visit we had a tour of the Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine and I thoroughly enjoyed a glider flight at the Ithaca Flying School. It was a BEAUTIFUL flight - - I thoroughly enjoyed it and still remember it as though it were just yesterday that it happened - - it's been close to 30 years since that trip.

Again, Clay, I think this a great idea, and I hope that this will catch on. Again, please permit me to offer you my sincerest sympathies in the loss of your beloved Winston. When there is a loss the dynamics of the household change, and that change is very painful, particularly in the beginning - - both physically and emotionally. Please know you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hi, Clay, as I was fixing Noah's dinner I remembered the name of the USAF jets - - they are the Thunderbirds, not Red Devils, although there is an aviator group that performs under that name, I think.

Oh well, just wanted to set the record straight on the name. Hope you and your family have a wonderful evening.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

i reconsidered and re-opened the post made by Clay in the other forum area. please go here to introduce yourselves