Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: 53
Date: 14 Oct 01 - 11:52 PM

i would like to meet rick fielding, since i've heard about how great of a guitarist he is,and i would love to see him perform, so rick when you come to myrtle beach s.c. please post and let me know. bob

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 02:55 AM

Never been to Myrtle Beach Bob, so if you know anyone who wants to hold a house concert,or if there are any folk clubs in the area send me a PM.

P.S. I ain't a 'great' guitarist....I try to be an 'interesting' one though. Far too lazy to really play like I want to.

Rick

P.P.S. Just to clear up something I mentioned earlier here. I talked about "mudcat alter egos" and "real personalities". I'm afraid I was being flippant (as usual) and not using the term accurately. One of the things I find fascinating is the "other" part of the person that isn't neccessarily on view in posts. Some folks are much more outgoing, some quite a bit shyer. Me, I suspect I'm a lot more 'reserved' on the Cat than I am in 3d...probably more of a worrier as well.

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: John J
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 03:53 AM

I'm not too sure id impoertant is the word I'd use, but it's a lot of fun!

John (Just home from Llanstock)

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 04:36 AM

Well, I'd hate to disappoint them when they realise I don't look like a Greek god (well, I do, trouble is ,it's Bacchus!)and that my singing is just as bad as I say it is!
RtS ("A face made for radio, a voice made for mime")

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: alanww
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 05:21 AM

I find it is great to meet the many varied characters who are part of the Mudcatters community, as I did last weekend at Llanstock 2. Such gatherings are the reality of life and going back to the usual (humdrum?) activities of everyday life is unreal ... !

Summertime when the living is easy ... !
Alan

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Gervase
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 08:13 AM

Most of the 'Catters I know well and see with any degree of frequency are people I knew and fell over with long before the Mudcat. That said, I've yet to meet a Mudcatter I didn't like, and I've had people say to me: "Are you Gervase from the Mudcat?" at various times (I suppose that's were it helps to have an unusual name and not a pseudonym here), and invariably they're turned out to be incredibly nice people.
Of course that could be just that folk and blues types are incredibly nice people anyway.
Whatever; I'd have no qualms about meeting someone from the Mudcat if they were in my neck of the woods or me in theirs. After all, music is the common bond here, and I want to hear other people play and sing (and I'm bloody envious of Micca going to the FSGW weekend!)

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: GUEST,skarpi Iceland from work.
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 08:28 AM

Hallo all, I say yes , but I have only met with one Mutcatter my freind Tony from Scotland. I whish I could meet more folks when time comes, it just a long way between us all and everything cost so much money. Hope seeing more of you all skarpi Iceland.

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 08:55 AM

On the subject of "never meeting a 'Mudcatter' I haven't liked", I could honestly say the same and some meetings have been rewarding in other ways. I had a particular chat with one who told me she "didn't like some of my posts..." - fair enough - but I think we ended up with a lot more understanding of each other.

I guess where I differ from a lot is that I place more importance on just meeting and getting to know people rather than Mudcatters. The first thing that really brought that home to me was Paltalk where I am far happier in open communities where I get to meet new people all the time, make friends, maybe introduce a few new people to folk music, etc. than keeping within a fixed circle and how well I get on with someone has nothing to do with Mudcat...

I guess although I'm not a great corresponder and a person who has (and prefers to have) few very close friends, I am far more "people" orientated than "Mudcat" orientated. Mudcat, in that sense is merely another means of making contacts and possible friends to me.

Shambles mentioned the Jug. That may highlight another difference between me and some others. If I went to a session in the Jug, I would be going for a session/music and meeting people would be the bonus. If I went to Llanstock, I would be going there to meet people and the music would be the bonus. I draw quite a strong distinction between the 2 and although I enjoy both, if I was really honest, my musical motives tend to be more likely to persuade me to visit somewhere than the meeting people motives. That is not to say that there are not a number of people I have got to know in Mudcat that I don't hope to meet someday.

Jon

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 09:10 AM

John Hardly, I WILL meet you some day! I tried to go to the St. James Art Fair week before last, but the weather was threatening, crowds heavy, parking difficult, my granddaughter sick, I had to drive to Atlanta...yadda, yadda, yadda. Maybe next year!

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Kim C
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 10:58 AM

I would love to be able to meet some folks and play some tunes and hang out. But I am the only Nashville, TN Mudcatter, and everyone else is so far away. :-( I am hoping to be able to swing it where I could go to some of these swell gatherings people have in other parts of the country.

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 11:02 AM


Remarkably, not being exactly in "mudcat territory," we have met a few 'catters, and the experience has been uniformly positive.

I have "met" a few mudcatters online that frankly "irritate the hell out of me," but with the exception of a few who were obviously 'outsiders' looking to SPAM us, there are none I can think of who would not be welcome in my home.

Being a rather mediocre musician, I value perhaps too little whether those who might appear at my doorstep are musically talented; and knowing as little as I do about "folklore" I grant only slight significance to how knowledgeable someone might be along those lines. Education is great, but the company of alive and aware persons is something of a treasure.

The thing that is meaningful to me is that those who have participated in the "mudcat experience" have been willing to share what they think, and how they feel, about issues worth discussion. These people are welcome in my home, and in the community in which I participate.

Should we happen to find ourselves not compatible in the longer term, I would offer that I have a large boot, which I have experience in applying, gently and otherwise, in the forcible eviction of three of my own children, when they "overstayed" their dependence. But I can think of no introduction that would immediately open my front door more quickly than "HI, I'M A MUDCATTER."

Come in, and WELCOME!

John

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: John Hardly
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 01:01 PM

I'm anxious for our meeting, Mary! You are right--the crowds and weather were brutal this year!

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Melani
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 10:09 PM

I just met Gypsy yesterday, at the Northern Cal RenFaire, and discovered--she's a girl! Not sure why I thought the opposite. Just one reason 3D meetings are good. It was unfortunately brief, since I had to run off to do a show. I'm looking forward to seeing more of you guys at the San Francisco Moby Dick Festival Nov. 3.

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Gypsy
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 10:40 PM

And i was just about to post, when you beat me! Melani, was great to see you. Sorry didn't make it back...was spellbound by Glenn Morgan (i think i can, i think i can....yeah, right!) and lost track of the time. See you next year!

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: MMario
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 09:18 AM

*grin* the mention of ren-faire makes me remember last year's visit to MD ren-faire - where my friends wondered why people kept coming up and stuttering over my name (new met 'catters tend to call me muh-mario, while strictly faire friends call me mario) - it was a little strange - as I actually met more new people who knew of me from mudcat that trip then I did people who knew of me from faire and Alt.fairs.renaissance newsgroup.

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Willie-O
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 12:15 PM

Yup, it is important.

I don't believe in virtual communities. Only real ones, and this is one. Part of the big folk music community.

I've been to three Mudcat gettogethers over the past year and a half: in Toronto, Ottawa, and Portland Maine. I've turned acquaintances into friends at each one.

Punching out interesting tidbits and ruminations, and occasionally heavier stuff (see loss of parents") on a keyboard is one thing, but nothing beats sharing music, food, drink and laughter in person. (And instruments)

And its great that the Cat is so geographically flexible--I think it is, anyway. Two or three or four folks getting together in the heart of the midwest is just as valid as those big wild parties we keep hearing about...anyway, you bring your family and musical friends, right?

Willie-O

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Diva
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 01:03 PM

Well I'm just back from Llanstock 2 and it was great to meet so many friends.....and the singing was superb. I would say if you get the chance to meet Mudcatters..go for it.

Diva

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: John Routledge
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 01:40 PM

Point well made Willie-0.

Even in big gatherings the key element for me is still interaction on a one to one basis.

Good advice Diva. I will reiterate "Go For It" John

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: GUEST,quiet guy
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 04:43 PM

Well, I dunno.

One thing I can't stand is really LOUD people.

Here in the UK, most 'gatherings' seem to involve 'Liz the Squeak' and from the posts I've read, she's really loud.

I don't think I would like that. I'm a quiet type.

Guy

No offense mean't to Liz - have fun and enjoy - just not near me

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Snuffy
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 08:00 PM

You've just got to pick your songs, Quiet Guy. At Llanstock, as soon as I started "Belles's Bonnie Bogie", LTS was out the door in a flash and didn't come back till I'd finished!

WassaiL! V

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 08:38 PM

I was at Llanstock at the weekend, it was really nice.I already knew about half the people there, but it was good to meet a few more Catters, Liz the Squeek, Mudgaurd, Lady Penelope etc.I would like to go to America eventually and meet some american Catters like Spaw etc, and thank Max in person for making Mudcat.

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 17 Oct 01 - 03:45 AM

well I thought it was great to meet up with Claymore in Ireland, and to get to know Fibula, who is an excellent laugh, and good company to boot.

Ella... hoping to meet some more of you some day.

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: BluesMojo
Date: 17 Oct 01 - 01:55 PM

I would meet a mudcatter if they were around the Anderson, IN area and wanted to show me how to do frailing on the banjo. Hell, I'd meet anyone if they could do that.

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 03:30 AM

I'm so glad this thread was started...has anybody noticed that it brought some seemingly long-lost 'Catters out of the woodwork? (Specifically, Shambles and WintersWages and Skarpi, all of whom I haven't seen here in quite a while; though I might be off on that--no matter.)

One of the things that keeps me hooked into Mudcat is that I used to live in a town (Seattle) with a large and active folk music community. Contradances two or three times a week, weekly song circle, old time tune sessions, more concerts and house concerts than you could shake a fife at, even a songwriters circle a couple of times a month. Now I'm in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and after being away from folk music for about 8 years it's been wonderful to re-establish contact with that kind of energy. I know there's contradancing on Oahu, and probably a song circle or tune session or two...but at $130 roundtrip airfare that's an awfully pricy evening out. (That's one reason I loved the old HearMe sessions...it was the closest thing I had to the old Seattle Song Circle: sitting around a living room with some old friends and new people, sharing songs.)

So yes, I'd love to catch up with some 'Catters, if any of you happen to be on the Big Island. And I'll be in Seattle next month (unfortunately just for a few days--a medical conference), and I hope to meet up with some of my old friends and maybe make a few new ones, some of whom could be 'Catters.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: GUEST,skarpi Iceland from work.
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 04:08 AM

Halló all, Mark I always gonna be a Mudcatter, once a mudcatter always a mudcatter. I am always around . All the best skarpi Iceland.

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Linda Kelly
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 04:25 AM

I read somewhere, that 1 in 4 people in the UK meet their partners in a pub or disco. Whilst it probably explains the high divorce rate, it seems rather precious to criticise Mudcat, which is a forum of mainly common interest, as an unsuitable place to form friendships.

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 08:43 AM

Relationship is what life is all about. Meeting other Mudcatters in person has enriched my life. I don't do it often enough.
Little Neo (urban hermit)

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 08:52 AM

I've met a number of 'Catters in the Toronto area. I have spent a bit of time visiting with Rick & Heather Fielding, met among others Bill Sables and Peter T. (where has he been lately?) at Tony Burns' place. These are some of the most interesting people I've ever met. In total I've probably met about a dozen 'Catters and I've found them all to be extremely nice people.

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 08:57 AM

What about me Mr. Steve?

:)

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Cllr
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 09:06 AM

I really enjoy Mudcat I enjoy meeting people especially ones who have similar interests ie folk music. I go to festivals all the time so I meet Mudcatters Hurray! Is it Important? enough that If the opportunity arose I would travel to a "meet of Mudcatters" of some sort (music based)

BTW Nortonl I think that your post was cut short what it exactly was it that Nuff was talking about and is Nuff another catter

Cllr

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: GUEST,Micca on Tour
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 11:09 AM

after last night(see Micca is here thread)

Definately

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 11:14 AM

Sorry Bonnie. I was including you in the nice category though.

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 11:34 AM

Ohhhh I am sooooo happy now!!!!!!

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: GUEST,Celtic Soul
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 01:22 PM

I would *love* to meet up with more Catters! Problem is timing. As in last nights Royal Mile thing with Micca, getting anyplace far from home on a weeknight is daunting for me with an elementary school age child.

*HOWEVER!!* Any Catters living in the Washington D.C. area who want to meet up at any weekend folk events, I am game!

Pretty soon, my schedule should be a lot more free on weekends, and I would love to find myself in the company of the fine folks in this area.

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: 53
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 04:14 PM

rick is still tops in my book.

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Whitedog
Date: 20 Oct 01 - 09:30 AM

I like to think of this forum as a Mutual Friend society, that it's a wonderful place to come and ask for help, but then you don't have to feel "obligated" to the ones that respond. It's not that I'm anti-social at all, but that I do well just to try and halfway keep up with my friends in my own little area. I'm a breast cancer survivor, have my times with depression (runs in family, not because of the breast cancer.), survived years of the black cloud of being At Risk for Huntington's disease (that was sheer mental torture, but I got the good news in 1997 when I took the test and found I was NEGATIVE for the gene), survived a motorcycle wreck, etc. Well, you get the picture!! I've been to various "support " groups and they served a wonderful purpose of being what I needed at that time. That's how I feel about this Mudcat forum. I feel it's a place I can come, in good times or bad times, but especially when I have some questions and needs that I would like to have an input on. It's not necessary that I meet you, and in fact think you would find me rather boring and a disappointment if you met me! Sometimes the dream or fantasy of things are better than reality. Having said all that, anyone would be more than welcome to my humble abode...if you can put up with my "grouchy" husband! HA He's a good fellow, just a born pessimist that even I can't convince to be happy. Our two married sons are just fine...they take after MOM! double HA. And yes, I still sign my name. Judy Malone

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Oct 01 - 08:44 PM

YES, esp. when I realise so many are in one place this weekednw here I am not! Have fune, all!!

luvyakat

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: Peg
Date: 21 Oct 01 - 09:20 AM

Worlds will collide once again when the Popular Halfwit (who I visited in England) journeys to New York to visit with InOBU; I hope to drop in as well for a few songs... but damn it, I do not think I shall see Micca during his American trip!

Peg

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: The Shambles
Date: 27 Nov 01 - 04:43 AM

Although meeting other Mudcatters may not be important, it could be vey important to the man who brought us all together.

I am not sure if this is already done, or to what extent but when a formal gathering takes place, it would seem to be the ideal way to show our gratitude by raising some much needed revenue for our creator?

Subject: RE: Is meeting Mudcatters important to you?
From: lady penelope
Date: 27 Nov 01 - 06:09 AM

Good point Shambles.

Yes, the question is deffinately what you mean by important?

I think it's a highly positive ( not to mention, bloody enjoyable and damned good fun ) step for a forum on traditional (style) music to take. Kinda, practice what you preach - ish.

On the other hand,it's not necessary at all.

The way I see it is, if I'd met a group of people at different festivals and we decided we fancied all getting together for a bash, just to see how it went, then it wouldn't be any different than what has happened here at Mudcat. How we came to know each other is not as relevant as the fact that we did As for those who have no interest in meeting the people they talk to here, well that's up to them. One of the plusses of the internet, is that you can be involved to what ever degree you want. I have been involved with organisations I had an interest in but felt I had to leave because I didn't want to wade hip deep in the subject 24/7. This can be as bad (possibly worse) as a group who that doesn't want to do any thing when you're all fired up and raring to go.

Yup, something for everyone. Not bad eh?

TTFN M'Lady P.