There's this thing going around--a meme, if you will (and I will!), wherein a blogger asks his or her readers to divulge personal information about themselves. Just kidding! Sort of.
It goes like this, thanks to Ed Yong, (and thanks to Drugmonkey, Odyssey, and GertyZ for keeping it going):
Tell me about you. Who are you? Do you have a background in science? If so, what draws you here as opposed to meatier, more academic fare? And if not, what brought you here and why have you stayed? Let loose with those comments.
In particular, I'm interested in this last bit, and in particular particular, whether you found me because of the TT job search advice aggregator. I've noticed that a number of legit websites (like University career links, individual lab home pages and whatnot) have linked to it, so I'm wondering if for some of you, this was part of your introduction to the larger world of academic blogging.
I want to get to know you, you crazy people! Let it all out.
Dr Becca has a new job (NJ) as a tenure-track assistant professor in the neurosciences at New Job University (NJU), located in New Job City (NJC). She is still fumbling, just making a little more money doing it.
Hi! I honestly cannot remember how I found you (whether it was Twitter or the Tightrope or DMblog)-regardless it was not the advice aggregator. Enjoy your twitterations and your blog.
I very much enjoy your twitterations as well, Dr Lizzy Moore! Your insight into the life of a new faculty person has been both invaluable and terrifying.
I think it was because a lot of the people I follow were commenting on your entries. I think what "did it" was that I saw the TT aggregator in one of the links that someone RTd and it went from there. It might have been through Genomic Repairman and BiochemBelle that I started following you. It's been great knowing you!
Great knowing you too, Dr 27! Can't wait to hear how things go in your new job!
Thanks!!! Can't wait to see how things go in NJC
helloooo!! I started reading you shortly after I found academic-track blogs, but I can't remember how I found you. Keep up the good work
Heart you, GertyZ!
heart you back
I found you cause you commented on some blog or other that I read. Mine maybe? Anyway it was the insanity of your geographic snobbery on the TT job hunt that got me really hooked.
Now I tune in to see how you are faring careerwise.
One thing I've always liked about you, DM, is how well you "get" me.
I'm just here for the booze.
Me too,.
Hi! I am a neuroscience PhD student, doubting about continuing science (my heart says yes) or back out (my practical side, what are the chances...). I follow you to see what could be ahead of me, and if I think I can handle the stuff you write about. I think I came to your blog via other blogs I read, not sure how though...
Ah, the never-ending heart vs head dilemma. Looking forward to hearing how things progress, lin!
Hi! I'm a software engineer and meditation instructor. The former to feed the fam., the latter as my passion. The meditation piece is, for me, extremely multi-faceted but I'm intensely interested in the study of consciousness.
So the likelihood is that the word 'neuroscience' in your bio caught my searches. Though you don't spend a lot of time dwelling on neuroscience, your ruminations, career, etc. are such a different world from mine that I keep tuning it. And I enjoy your writing style. (c:
Wow, it's great to hear that my ramblings are interesting to someone fairly removed from my usual circle. Glad you're enjoying reading. And for the record, I do spend a lot of time dwelling on neuroscience--it just happens when I'm not blogging
I found you while searching for a gig in academia a couple of years ago. I've been hooked ever since! I am in a different discipline than you (chemistry), but you are full of great information!
Yes! I think you were one of the first people ever to blogroll me, so thanks for that, and for staying tuned all these years! Er...1 yr 9 mos.
i have no idea how I found, maybe through a comment on my blog or a comment on someone elses. But i've stuck around for the booze too
Funny how booze has a way of creating positively-charged associations, isn't it? There's more to come, I can guar-an-TEE!
I'm just a guy who prefers a rational world outlook as opposed to the nonsense I find elsewhere.
No background in science to speak of, though I've always been fascinated by science. No advanced degrees, just a couple of AS.
As kind of an average Joe, with a general interest in science, but no deep interest in any specific area, I don't have the time or expertise to indulge in the meatier, more academic fare. I take a survey of science in general by visiting several science blogs and sites daily.
I found you by following people leaving scienceblogs.com. I keep coming back because reading science based blogs is a more sane window to the world than any other form of media.
Wait, did you just call me "rational" and "sane" in the same comment? Bless your heart, Connie!
I tend to hang with science sorts. Digital life is no different that way.
I'm a scientist in industry, making Morpholino oligos, troubleshooting, developing products, and posting citations for Morpholino papers. I've not totally escaped the life though; even though I'm in industry, I go home and edit my wife's grant applications.
Since you are soliciting comments on Twitter and it's Friday, well there you go.
Since you are soliciting comments on Twitter and it's Friday
Oh, I am BUSTED. Thanks for humoring me, Jon!
Oh hai.
I hang around cause you're awesome. I think I found you via Drugmonkey. And obviously, I am SCICURIOUS.
Obviously!
You're awesome, too, Sci. And I'm pretty sure I found DrugMonkey through you!
I'm related to you and think you're pretty cool. My favorite blog entry you did was about your TV interview when your paper was published.
Also, you're a great writer and even though I'm not in science, I hope I'd have found this blog anyway. And since I live near New Job City, maybe we can do cocktails and you can teach me some stuff there too. 
this is fantastic! yay Cousin L!
Thanks Gerty!!
OMG Cousin L, you are so cute! I'm so excited for us to live closer together and have cocktails!
I started reading your blog long ago via a comment you made (or that she made about you) on Dr. Isis's blog. I was hooked from the start by the funny, the alcohol, and your trials on the road to tenure track.
I'm a first year grad student doing neuroscience research in the great, white north (North Dakota, that is).
Congrats on starting grad school, Katie! I think "The funny, the alcohol, and the trials" just might have to be my new tagline.
I don't remember how I found you on the first place but for sure was related to job search since last year I was on the job market too. You ended up in my google reader because you're funny, mainly. Cheers.
And cheers to you, Giorgio! I hope your job search was fruitful!
Delurking here -- I enjoy reading your blog.
Thanks for de-lurking, Dr Sneetch! I'm a big fan of yours as well.
I found you because I liked your comments on Dr. Isis' blog! I'm a neuro/biophysics grad student, I harbor dreams of going into academia, but I also have a two-body problem, so the future is terrifyingly uncertain at this point.
Two-body problems, as I'm QUICKLY learning, are the absolute worst. Good luck, Alethea!
I found you through your comments on DrugMonkey's blog. You make consistently thoughtful comments and he would regularly respond with a little extra, um, snark*. Getting DrugMonkey's goat is an achievement on its own, so that's enough of a reason to follow your blog. You also provide an inspiring window into the early science career process.
*y'all native English speakers can figure out the right words for this sort of thing.
Hahahaha!! You have no idea how much this comment means to me, Krzystztof, so thank you.
I'm a neuroscience PhD student (entering 4th year... where did the time go?). I'm not sure how I found your blog, but I stuck around because you seem awesome. And I might be in your shoes someday, so it's "work-related" (ahem, typing this from lab right now...).
That's right! This blog is VERY important for your career. Write it off as a tax deduction, if you can! Good luck in your 4th year, that's a doozy. But you're over the hump (probably)!
hm, I think I found you somewhere with ScientistMother/Isis/Drugmonkey/
GR/BiochemBelle? it's been a while so I don't really remember.
I've read more than i comment I think.... but throughtly enjoy reading your funny and insightful posts. Oh, and the booze of course
I'm a former microbiology postdoc, now in "industry" trying to find out what I want to do now* with my career.
*after opting out of TT hunt and that professorship that I really thought I wanted
It HAS been a while, chall! I remember you from my early days as a wee blogspotter. Ah, memories..... I hope industry is treating you well!
It is interesting on the other side of the wall... more paperwork for sure. But all in all, I feel like it's more similar than people give it credit for.
I'm a lurker. Hello! I think I found you either from Dr. Isis or Drugmonkey... I'm an all over the place lurker, so it's hard to remember who came first.
And I enjoy reading your success story! Academia seems a bit disheartening lately, it's nice to hear from someone who has actually "made it".
Thanks for de-lurking, Soupy! Glad to know I can bring a tiny ray of hope, faint though it may be, to readers hoping to stay on the tenure-track track.