I just jumped straight in... Fools rush in where angels fear to tread, and find I'm there first eating all the chocolate. I was a bit nervous at first, because this was my first ever forum and my first ever chat room.

I enjoyed it because it discusses the things I know about - music, literature, farts, cats, the abolition of the melodeon, that sort of thing. But then I got into some of the more personal stuff, people asking for help on certain issues, things I'd had experience with, and it was good to a) share my knowledge and suggestions and b) know that there was someone out there who had gone through the same as me and survived it. Those experiences ranged from abusive partners to writers' block, via knitting and garden design.

It took me a while to start my first thread, but it rapidly became popular and that encouraged me to post more and more ludicrous items. From being nervous and tentative at the beginning, I now find I can be my real self and as outspoken as I am in person. My interests are shared, my opinion sought and my beliefs respected.

I've had my share of flames and trolls, if you don't feed the trolls they shut up, but the flamers are different. They get personal. Were I made of fainter hearted stuff, that would have put me off. One particular GUEST has the ability to turn any inoccuous comment into a personal diatribe, but occasionally they expose themselves for the sad, 'Mensa' reject that they are.

One thing that has particularly impressed me is the chat room. People actually chat about stuff other than sexual organs. Whether this is because they "knew" each other beforehand, or not I don't know, but it does seem that every other chatroom I've frequented is nothing but a forum for asking for, or advertising sexual favours and tendencies. Mudchatters and catters flirt outrageously but they don't all push it in your face (unless you pay extra). The humour is earthy and irreverent, but manages to stay mostly on the inoffensive side of the line (just). It may be that it's because it's a members only chat room and that if you are a member of Mudcat, it's because you want to talk about the same things. I'm on other forums that deal with one subject, but that's all they deal with. They are a tool, a means to an end; whereas, with all the sharing of common experiences and music, discussions on life, the universe and bodhrains, Mudcat is a proper community. The fact that we have had gatherings proves this. Many of us have gathered together in one place and shared what we have in common.

I've found some great new friends here, I'm not sorry that MSN is closing their chatrooms, I've never liked 'wet pussies' that much any way - they smell funny and leave muddy footprints over the kitchen floor.

But like others, I miss 'talking' with my 'virtual' friends when the site is down, just like I miss talking to the people I spend my reality life with. The fact that I've met many of those 'virtual' friends, makes it more frustrating that I can't chat with them via the 'Cat.

Max has created the most amazing place here. I don't think he ever envisaged this when he started it. Life would be duller and blander were it to disappear.

LTS