About the issue of 'famous' people coming here, staying awhile..then leaving, either openly or quietly.

In many ways this place is like a big folk weekend..(like the recent Getaway)--(most of you have attended something similar- from a one evening sing to a week-long social/musical/study session)....and you must have noticed the complex dynamics as groups formed, songs were sung, themes altered, new people come in, etc..

....Perhaps you have BEEN one of those who sang for awhile, then decided that the session was NOT going in a way that felt good--either you thought the topics and 'flow' were wrong, or you thought a few folk were hogging the limelight, or, perhaps YOU were one who 'needed' center stage and weren't getting it enough.(naawww...none of THOSE here).....in any case, groups formed, changed, broke up...and re-formed elsewhere.."..hey, Joe, several of us are going over to Sam's cabin and jam..it'll be...umm...more relaxed there.."....

Except...here, if someone doesn't like the mood, flow, topics, balance, etc., they can't just 'move' a bit...To this end, there HAVE been a few suggestions that we have multiple, parallel venues..(music, BS, political...whatever)...There is simply NO easy cure for all this, as we are VERY different people, with different value systems and pain thresholds..(perhaps comfort levels is a better term)*grin*...gargoyle is constantly decrying the loss of the 'old ways'...others are constantly defending the sense of 'community' and such that the BS threads and 'thread creep' bring..for them....

I, for one, am simple amazed that it goes as well as it does, given the diversity here!. Yet, I am NOT surprised, either, having met Max this year and having known Dick Greenhaus for years. They show an uncommon resiliance and tolerance for diversity and seldom stir the soup much....Dick fills the database with stuff for everyone, and Max makes new and better toys for us to play with....and LOOK at us!..sort of like American democracy...except with Australian and British and Icelandic...etc. thrown in...and even with all the amazing things in these societies, there will be those who choose to opt out and go live in the woods..or the outback,,or whatever,...or just lurk..(don't you KNOW shambles is reading some of this!) simply because they do NOT 'work well with others' or can't abide arguments or get overwhelmed by TOO MUCH INPUT!!..........

My friends, we can argue till we are blue in the face, but all we can really do is **KEEP ON KEEPING ON**....Max says he wants an open site full of diversity, and gg wrings his hands and grumps....and Shambles left because...well, he was Shambles and it upset him to be here...(those who have been here awhile know how I used to rant about content!)..

There are things which are simply so good, that even when they are at their worst, they are tolerable.(like sex, or Pecan Pie....(make your OWN list!)...but I put Mudcat on mine.

(probably the longest post I'll make this millenium)