This thread is a bit of a departure. It doesn't have squat to do with folk music, but it sure sounds like a bunch of folkies! I'd feel like a voyeur, having gone through all these personal messages, if i didn't leave one of my own.

I just recently returned to the 'Cat and the online world in general after a five-month absence provoked by a nasty Chernobyl virus that whacked my hard drive way back in the spring. This is one of the few online forums (two, actually, and the other is a private listserv) where I feel I can talk about what's fairly deeply on my mind, in my heart even--whether or not it involves arcane folk music trivia. My problem is it's easier to do it here than it is to talk out loud to the flesh and blood people in my own family, notably my spouse! (I do like being able to edit my words and take my time with them until they're ready to post, and get similarly measured responses) So if I spend too much time online, I feel like I'm isolating myself from her...she says she likes reading my outbound e-mail though so she finds out what I'm thinking. I kind of enjoyed a few months off the Net without a single working computer--had all kinds of time to do stuff (not that there's that much to show for it). Now we've each got our own Pentium set up again in opposite ends of the house...two solitudes. (One phone line)(Usually busy it seems.)

Fortunately I can post this, turn the box off and go up to bed. Anytime I like.

Who says I'm addicted?

Anyhoo, here's hoping better times for all of us that needs 'em! (my own current main pastime is getting physiotherapy on my left arm which I messed up yanking too hard on a chainsaw pullcord. Bleah.)

Bill