Is Mudcat serving a purpose?

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: Amos
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 02:35 PM

Well this dolphin washed up on the beach and couldn't get back into the water, but being resourceful he hopped up and balanced on his tail and made his way into a beach front bar, and begged for a glass of water.

The bartender declined, explaining that his girlfriend had told him that he served no porpoise whatsoever...

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: Mudlark
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 02:33 PM

Ah, Amos. To know you is to love you!

For myself, I have the usual addict's denial syndrome: I could quit Mudcat any time I wanted. I just don't want to. I do feel I may have crossed some line when I'm enthusiastically quoting something from an interesting thread, or talking about a friend I've made here, and the listener asks, "Now where, again, did you hear this/meet this person?"

Particularly if they are not computer/internet connected I find these people tend to edge away from me slightly when I try to explain just how much fun, how interesting, how downright rewarding Mudcatting is. I can see "poor thing, she doesn't get out much, does she" forming in their eyes...

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 01:43 PM

What I want to know is does it serve a porpoise? It's all yours, Amos... :-)

Jerry

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a porpoise?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 01:28 PM

"Will you walk a little faster?" said a whiting to a snail,
"There's a porpoise close behind us, and he's treading on my tail."

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: X
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 01:06 PM

I know of a group of people who gather to pick music regularly now who never would have if it weren't for Mudcat. Mudcat served purpose there. Thank you Mudcat.

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: Áine
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 01:01 PM

Way to go, Amos BOTF!! Now that's what I call serving a purpose!! Love it, and it'll be going in the Book as soon as I get back from Caitlin's soccer game (Go Eagles!!) ;-)

-- Áine

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: Amos
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 12:52 PM

Thanks, keed!! I like you too! :>)

A

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: harpgirl
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 12:13 PM

...Amos, you're weird! (and totally creative!)

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: Bill D
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 12:00 PM

and you may see here what happens if you eschew bowling from your life with rutabags!

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: Bill D
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 11:45 AM

un-f***ing-believable!...*grin*..less than 30 minutes....and now EVERYTHING has a purpose...and a song about it!.(and a good song, too!)

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: mack/misophist
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 11:26 AM

Let me ask a question in return, If this place WEREN'T filling a need, would the servers always (almost) be overtaxed?

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: Amos
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 11:17 AM

Bow! Bow! Bowling with Rutabaga
My Uncle Bob bowls the rutabaga way!
Bow! Bow! Bowling with rutabagas!
He slips out of the house at the end of each day!

We've learned where he goes, when the first twilight falls
He's knocking plantains down with his twenty-pound balls
It's kooky and weird, our sad family saga,
My uncle Bob bowls for boiled rutabaga!

The pinboy's a chef, with a tall crinkled hat
He cries every time his 'bagas go "Splat!"
Then he sets up some more, what do you think of that?
Bowling with rutabagas is sure where it's at!

Rutabagas are slimy and smelly and round
And they will not stand up, so they can't be knocked down
But they squash into paste when the balls come around
And the boy with a scraper sets up the next round!

Bow! Bow! Bowling with Rutabaga
Uncle Bob bowls the long night away!
Bow! Bow! Bowling with rutabaga
And he comes home exhausted at the break of the day!

We've tried to dissuade him, but Bob only snorts
We point out that rutabagas are really too short
But he says that our pleas will not stand up in court,
And the size of the target just doubles the sport!

Bow! Bow! Bowling with rutabaga,
Bob bowls for boiled rutabaga at night!
Bow! Bow! Bowling with rutabaga,
And when he gets home he's a terrible sight!

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: Jim McLean
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 11:09 AM

Through Mudcat I have been able to show that I am the author of various songs, previously thought to have been traditional. Only a couple of weeks ago a Mudcatter drew my attention to Maddy Prior's spurious claim on one of my songs. This led to a very interesting and rewarding investigation by the MCPS/PRS. Most days I learn something new from Mudcat and can only thank those out their who share their vast knowledge with us.
Jim McLean

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 11:05 AM

Some I get the impression that FolkClubs question was just a teeeensy bit tongue in cheek.

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: GUEST,the nameless one
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 11:04 AM

Yes. Everything serves a purpose, if not a large number of purposes. If you cannot see what those purposes are, then take another look.

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: Áine
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 10:52 AM

Dear MMario,

If anything, Mudcat has served the purpose of inspiring me to write a song about . . . rutabaga bowling -- Wow! That is, unless you want to take the lead on this one (hehehe). You write it, and I guarantee its place in the Mudcat Songbook!! Knock 'em down, dude!!

-- Áine

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: MMario
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 10:41 AM

Bill - it's impossible to play rutabaga bowling without rutabaga's - so even they have a purpose!

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: Bill D
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 10:37 AM

EVERYTHING serves a purpose.....even questions which serve as a bad example of what questions to ask!

(well...except rutabagas---no purpose has been found for *them* yet)

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 10:33 AM

Like Banjer I find it a great place to relax after work, meet interesting people & learn lots of great stuff.

Bob Bolton spoke & wrote a lot about it & when I got the dear little laptop last June Mudcat was the first URL I typed in & it is top of my bookmarks, the one I log into each night automatically then I might later visit some other site.

Even tho I've only corresponded with 2 Mudcatters I feel I know lots more from what you share about yourselves. Long live Mudcat & the interesting & informative Mudcatters.

signed satisfied customer

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: Amos
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 10:27 AM

While I apologize for the rudeness, it seems self-evident to me that a communication forum which generates thousands of posts every day from hundreds of people, day after day, is so obviously "serving a purpose" (whatever that really means) that the posing of the question is a glum confession.

A

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: CET
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 10:17 AM

I'm with Leadfingers on this. Mudcat has been extraordinarily important for me, most importantly as a way to meet other musicians and singers. I could probably count a dozen friends that I would never have met without Mudcat, and I hope to meet more as time goes on. I've learned lyrics, and found links to other great music sites on the Web.

However, this was a fair question and deserved a fair answer, not rudeness. If we think Mudcat serves a purpose, we should be able to say why.

Edmund

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: Sorcha
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 09:59 AM

Gives me another way to avoid housework.........

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 09:53 AM

Being impolite to Guest Folk Clubs doesn't do any body any good! Yes,of course Mudcat has a purpose and so do Folkclubs.We all get different things out of life in all sorts of different ways and being rude to some one who does not see thing in exactly the same way you do does not make any sense to me.Old quote'I abhor what he says but I will defend his right to say it with my life.

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: Banjer
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 09:49 AM

Well, bedsides giving any idiot that wants to take the time to ask dumb questions a forum, it also serves as a place to meet new and interesting people with similar interests that I would never otherwise be able to meet. I have also learned a lot about new songs, old songs, history on many songs and many other things too numerous to mention. It's also a place to come after a hard day at work and visit with folks and relax. Yes, I would say Mudcat serves a purpose.

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 09:46 AM

Is Mudcat serving a purpose?

George, Amos, Smallpiper, it has been good to meet you all here. We've had some great conversations in the last little while. Lets have a lot more.

Is Mudcat serving a purpose?

Don

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: Giac
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 09:43 AM

Go play in the street now, there's a good boy.

m

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: Amos
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 09:40 AM

Troll or not, it is an intensely dull-witted question.

A

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From:
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 09:39 AM

Yes.

Subject: RE: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: smallpiper
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 09:37 AM

Yes it is........ you have to work out what that purpose is grasshopper.

Subject: Is Mudcat serving a purpose?
From: GUEST,Folk Clubs
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 09:32 AM

Is Mudcat serving a purpose?

This is not a troll. This question is not any stupider than, "are folk clubs serving a purpose?" and that thread already has 38 responses.