I'm so new to surfing that I didn't even realize how different the Mudcat Cafe is from other chats or sites. I was lcky enough to find the site early on and now this is the standard I expect. Scary thought, especially with all the characters that frequent this Cafe.

I started this thread because the name of it is generic enough that people may return to it over time when they join and start looking at old threads.

I'd like this thread to contain material on what your "membership" in this *community* has meant in your life. I would hope to see responses that start from how it has benefited you, and flow out into how your presence here has served others in your world. (I know it will contain lots of other wildly entertaining stuff too.)

If you can blue-clicky some old threads into this that you more senior members (heh heh heh) think would help new members find their way around the place, that would be super. I guess if that's already been done I didn't find it and there may be one link that goes to that.

Another topic in this thread could be, "Stages of Newbies."

Such as 1. You stumble in the door of the cafe because you just have got to pee or get a drink or a cup of joe or a lyric that's making you batty 2. You make whatever first impression your going to make 3. A habiyue responds and at least shows you where the litter box is and you are so grateful that you think everyone is a saint. 4. You become so enamored of the place that you write in every thread posted for a month and can't remember who you said what to. People start telling you how you're coming across and you realize they are human. 5. You learn how to search and you realize you are human too. 6. You read old threads because the new ones aren't getting action as fast as your craving demands, discover what an idiot you've been, and develop a new appreciation for those who came before you.