MySpacea place for friends

I find MySpace painfully slow and unpleasant to look at most of the time, so I don't visit very often. Mostly I use MySpace to check out music or find out about concerts and other events. If you want to track me down online, the best place to start is laurelkrahn.net. Go on and say "hi" sometime.

I grew up in Mound, Minnesota (hometown of Tonka Toys and of TV's Hercules Kevin Sorbo); that's on the west end of Lake Minnetonka (the poorer end, if you will). Went to Lutheran schools from 5th grade through college because I just wasn't Minnesotan enough with the Norwegian/German heritage, pasty-white complexion, and blonde hair.

I spent several years living in South Dakota for college and work, but happily returned to Minnesota a few years back. Though there was one recent year or two that I spent in Mitchell, South Dakota (home of the Corn Palace) to help with my grandmother's care (best thing I've ever done).

I've been online since the '80s first on BBSes in the Twin Cities, on online services (Q-Link, GEnie), Usenet, FIDOnet, and later ye olde internet.

I've had a website since the very early days of the web; I had an online journal early on, and later had a weblog when there were so few we all read each other (there were only 30 or so). I remember the first time someone shortened "weblog" to "blog" and the discussion of whether that was a good idea. Good times.

I love all kinds of music and truly have an interest in more things than I can mention here. When I'm into something, I'm really into it, if that makes sense.

I grew up with Scottie dogs and think of myself as a terrier person, though I now have two large cats who act like dogs much of the time, to the point where it's kinda silly.

You can find out lots more stuff elsewhere online. Of course my online self is only part of the picture (and things I said years ago which are archived online don't necessarily reflect the person I am now).

I'm married to Kevin G. Austin as of September 17th, 2005; yes, we really did get married in the Metrodome on the field before a Twins-White Sox game (Johan Santana struck out 13, Joe Nathan struck out 3, Twins won 5-0). We live in south Minneapolis (East Harriet area, to be more specific) with my insane cat posse (Inky and Marlowe) and a male crowntail betta named Phineas.

If you think you know me, it's probably from science fiction fandom or my website(s). Maybe from GEnie (and the SFRT) or The Well or alt.tv.homicide or BBSes (especially ones running Citadel software in the Twin Cities back in the 1980s). Also possibly from my stints working for an ISP or at Gateway or startribune.com or Colorhouse. Then again, maybe it's from an older incarnation of my online journal or from that little bit of fame I got for being among the first 30 or so webloggers (ever).

I write about television at www.tvpicks.net and have been doing that since March 1999. For part of 2005 and most of 2006 I talked about TV weekly on the radio in the Twin Cities on the Kevyn & Colleen Show on FM 107.1; I've also been on the occasional other radio show. And I'm one of the Vidiots of Teevee.org so have contributed to that website and participated in podcasts there; I've also contributed to other TV websites from time to time.

I have a lot of interests and know a lot of people, but I can be painfully shy and awkward; at other times I'm the life of the party.

I've battled severe chronic clinical depression for much of my life and was diagnosed in September 2005 with severe obstructive sleep apnea; I find myself talking about these things on the radio and online and all over the place. Anything I can do to help other people learn about and understand this stuff is a Very Good Thing. I feel I've lost large chunks of the last 20+ years as a result of not receiving the right diagnosis and treatment. Still struggling health-wise, but doing better all the time.

And now a video, 'cuz that's what people seem to do around here. This is Boiled in Lead, a band I've been listening to and seeing in concert since I was a teenager: