Oh yeah, almost forgot. For me, the music fora I belong to are a way for me to meet, in person, other people with whom I have some musical interests in common. So far, because of my involvement in these fora, I have travelled to, and visited with people in New York City, Chicago, Tupelo MS, Windsor, Toronto, and Orillia Ontario (including a six week visit with Mudcatters in Orillia), Michigan, Georgia, and Florida.

I have met, in person (at music events inspired by internet fora, where we played music together - we jammed together) people from England, Scotland, Canada, Ireland, and all over the US. I expect to travel to many more places and meet many more people with whom I will share the experience of making music, by virtue of our considering each other 'real' while we make contact here in cyberspace.

I've met and played music with a lot of amazing musicians, amatures as well as professionals, whom I would never have met or played music with otherwise. So I'll continue to allow the internet to expand my world and my experience of the world. There isn't a continent in the world that doesn't have people in it who would welcome me into their homes should I find myself in their neighborhood, simply by virtue of 'knowing' them here in the Mudcat, with the possible exception of Antarctica.

Prior to getting involved with internet music fora, I had opportunities to meet, play music with, and do sound engineering work for and with some well known and very good musicians. But I have to say that those experiences were rather flat and lacked the richness that I experience playing music with people I've gotten to know on-line prior to getting together to play music.

Maybe you like your world the size it is. I'll keep expanding mine.