I am leaving in 5 1/2 hours for the airport. I have PM'd a few of you to personally thank you for your well wishes and generous offers.

My son is studying abroad in London this semester from a prestigious small private college here in the Midwest. He is enjoying himself immensly. I am coming into London to spend his spring break with him and arriving Friday morning after an all night flight. He has a whole itinerary planned for me and then we leave Sunday morning for Italy, where I have a cousin who has lived there for some 15 years. then off to Germany and 1 night back in London on 4/22 before I come back to chicago 4/23.

This is not a hoax or any bullshit.

As I have now been on Mudcat for 2 years, part of the real me is more there than perhaps early on. Aler Egos are never 100%, but are something that can be controlled to varying degrees as needed.

There are some very good people here and also some complete douche bags. The losers here are losers in life, and the winners here rise to the top like good cream. Both types are well represented in this thread.

I will be reporting back and if I can get on a computer somewhere, sometime, will report "from the field."