[Annie]

I grew up with guns around, but rarely touched them. I wasn't afraid of them as much as I had a profound healthy respect for them.
When I moved out I never really gave much thought to them until a few years ago. Of all places to get interested, I met somebody on a vegetarian/vegan board who was a gun nut. Every time something was mentioned and I didn't know what it was, I'd either Google it, or ask a bazillion questions. I found everything incredibly interesting and ended up going to my very first gun show with my cell phone glued to my ear and a bunch of stuff that was sent to me that I printed out so I knew what to look for and what sort of questions to ask. Within a few weeks after that, I ended up getting my first gun and taking the safety classes because I wanted to know what there was to know. Now aside from my carry gun, I have other pistols and a few long guns and a couple shot guns and I'm desperately trying to get my daughter interested in shooting with me.
As far as the mindset, I look to Jeff Cooper's words: "If that goblin does "x", I will need to stop him." (The goblin being anyone who intends to harm me or my family)
If I can not look in the mirror and feel that I have what it takes to stop a threat with the tool I'm about to holster, I don't pick it up. So far, that hasn't happened.