I guess I skipped this step

[Corry]

I kinda skipped this step, I guess. It's not too late, is it?

I'm Corry (female -- hard to tell from the name, I know), I live in an apartment northern Illinois, and I'm 30.

I've always admired orchids, but never really thought about actually getting one until 3 years ago when I was in my last year at community college, when at the last minute I had to pick up an 8 week course because I ended up being short credits for graduating . . . all that was left was some boring thing that I can't remember and Annuals and Perennials. The class was pretty much just an identification class -- we had to learn the scientific and common names and the various physical and care characteristics. However, we also did spend some time in the school greenhouse assisting with some of the plant care, so I learned a few things. We had an orchid in there that I fawned over everytime I was there, and so, at the end of the semester, one of my classmates brought in her orchid (a phalaenopsis) that she'd been neglecting in a windowsill for a while and gave it to me. It was not flowering at the time.

And it aaaaaall started from there. :P At that time I was a complete newb, and I did what someone else in the class told me to do -- I stuck it in a windowsill. A west windowsill. That poor baby has a big ugly sunburn spot on two of it's leaves to this day. I thought I'd killed it, so I put it off to the side on a nearby shelf and ignored it with the intent to throw it out. When I picked it up to do just that a few weeks later, I noticed not one, but two spikes coming out. Then I was really hooked. :P

I bought another one 6ish months later, and yet another one about a year ago that I keep at work. A month ago I bought a mini that was really two minis in one pot, and just this week I was given two more by someone who didn't want hers. So that brings me up to 7. I'm currently going through a renewed enthusiasm for not just my orchids, but all of my houseplants (I have a lot between work and home), so forgive me if I end up posting a lot. :P

Anyway, I've been VERY pleased with this board so far! Everyone has been incredibly helpful, and I haven't really felt the (forgive the term) snobbery that you tend to get with ANY specialized hobby (I'm on a coffee board that I just can't seem to stay on for long periods of time because I feel like I'm looked down upon).

Oh, and I don't think I actually have to say this, but I can be a tad long-winded. Sorry! :P