BRIEFLY ABOUT ME :

My name is Shelly and I'm above all else a nerd. I'm not afraid to admit it either. I'm a 35 year old woman formerly employed as a computer nerd. I'm married to an equally nerdy engineer. Apparently nerdiness runs in the family--my younger sister (who infrequently writes here, clle46) is also a computer nerd. I am the mother of a young, soon-to-be-nerd named Zachary Nathan (or just simply Zack). He is definitely the cutest (and silliest) first grader in the world. My nerdiness extends past computers and former employment and into my personal life. My major loves are trivia (I've got what I refer to as a "junk brain"), horror and sci-fi books (specifically apocalyptic fiction and Philip K. Dick), movies (horror, sci-fi, fantasy, drama, and black comedy), writing, and making things look pretty (excluding my cluttered but clean home which is certainly a reflection of my brain). I am a published horror writer. Not nice, mainstream stuff but rather strange and awfully dark material. My partner in crime is my best friend who is also a published horror writer. I reside in the in the state of Michigan where I own a home and am subsequently owned by a persnickety cat. I've got a couple of degrees (BS in Political Science and BA in Telecommunications) but my current plan is to earn a MA in English. Indeed, I do love school (another part of my nerdy self). By the way, if you are wondering where "Lambchops" came from don't even bother asking. It has nothing to do with the puppet and everything to do with who I was born (there's a riddle for you). Learn more about me by visiting my 10-year-old blog sevencagedtigers.com.

EPINIONS:

I've been around Epinions now for over eleven years. The days, months, and years have flown by. In that time I've concentrated my efforts in the music cateogry however I also dabble in books, movies, games, beauty (I have a thing for perfume), electronics, and comptuer hardware. Heck, I've tried just about every area on Epinions at least once. Like it or love it I'm gonna be around here for a while. I held the ill-fitting Category Lead hat (in music, of course) for many years. I do my best to rate fairly and consistently as outlined by Epinions Guidelines. It's not rocket science, folks. If you think something is wonky or have edited/rewritten your review, don't hesitate to e-mail me. If there is one thing I most dislike on Epinions it is people who take things too seriously. I'll be the first to admit sometimes I get mad/angry/happy/numbed by the whole thing but take it from me--"real life" is more important than any variety of "online life." I'm not out to make friends. I've got those already. I just want to share and to help create an open and sharing environment. The most troubling of all displays? Revenge rating. If you revenge rate, it's not a secret. Your ID is not safe even if it is "hidden." Take it from me, you will be tracked down and hung from the nearest virtual tree by your pinkie toes.

One last thing. I trust based on writing. I do not engage in trust slutting, don't reciprocally trust, and do not expect anything of that variety in return. I make no excuses for my trust list and admit that I routinely clean things up. There is only one person who will stay trusted forever--that is my sister.

ADDITIONAL THINGS TO KNOW (AND DISLIKE?) ABOUT LAMBCHOPS:

• I am opinionated. That's why I'm here. If you don't agree with me, that's not a reason to down-rate. It's a reason to comment or not rate at all, but if something is well-written my personal opinion should have no bearing on your rating. That goes for how I rate also and includes psycho fans of Tears for Fears, Robert Miles, and The Donnas. By the way, I really love it when people sign up for the site just to gang up on me. It makes me happy.
• I am an atheist. I do not believe in any god and admit that there is nothing wrong with some amount of selfishness. It is how we survive, people, and shouldn't make us guilty. Do not try to convert me--it will not work. I came to this decision a decade or so ago. I was allowed the choice growing up of being whoever I chose. It is the way I intend on raising any and all future unborn children (and yes, my hubby agrees--though he was raised an atheist).
• I am a cancer survivor. I was bald. I've got numerous physical and emotional scars to show. I once wrote an essay about my experience. I also received some really, really nasty comments regarding it that doubted my sincerity and motives. Screw them. My diagnosis and treatment and emotional journey is what makes me who I am today. I am a cancer survivor of 15 years. By the way, for all those concerned it was non-Hodgkin's t-cell Lymphoma.
• I am a bleeding-heart liberal pacifist. I do not believe in the war, I read and watch and enjoy Michael Moore, I do not like Bush, and I am educated on the matter both currently and philosophically (please note again the political science degree above). I do not expect to be hated for any of my beliefs as I do not hate anybody for theirs. Some of my closest friends are Rush republicans. If you hate me, then please feel free to block me and never read anything by me again.
• ...uh...yeah...I think that's enough for now.