i never answered my own questions so i'll do that now
my first exposure to pit bulls was when i was working in a boarding kennel during college. i fell in love. absolutely in love. i have met and worked with a lot of different breeds of dogs (three kennel jobs and now as a vet tech) and i have never come across another breed that fits what i want as well as pits do (though i really really like standard poodles).
i like that they are medium-sized (luce is 45 lbs, mushroom 52 lbs). i like that they are intelligent and very trainable, very willing to work and hard workers, as long as you keep it interesting. luce can be a very very intense, drivey dog and i just LOVE that about her. when she is on, she gives me such fabulous attention that i couldn't ask for more. i like athletic dogs, dogs that play hard, but also warm the couch cushions well. i like that they are total love sluts. they are not at all guard dogs. luce would watch somebody come into the house, take all my stuff, and then would most likely leave with them. she loves everybody. that's exactly what i wanted. mushroom's a bit more fearful and distrusting, but we're working on building his confidence with strangers.
and i will admit, too, i feel a lot of empathy with their plight of being so very misunderstood.
luce i chose out of a row of pits in the shelter. the expression on her face and the position of her body reminded me so much of another dog i know and adore, so i had to meet her. she dove snorting into my lap and i was sold. it was purely luck that she turned out to be the dog she did. or fate
doberkim knew mushroom and insisted that i needed him. we met and he and luce totally hit it off. he doesn't really do it for me- he is kinda too goofy and laid back for my taste- but he is the perfect match for luce. and he is the most snuggly dog ever.