Gee -- this really reminds of elementary school, when we had to write a whole page about 'What I Am Thankful For'. At that time, I was too afraid to speak from the heart, and would only repeat the standard phrases that every kid that age knows the 'big people' want to hear. How nice to know there's a place I can say what I really feel . . .

And that's the first thing on my list to be thankful for, the Mudcat, and all the people that I have met through it -- especially you, Jon. Even though we've never met or spoken, from your writing and your singing I can tell you are a good person with a good soul, and I'm glad that I coming to know you. I look forward to knowing you better and hopefully, some day meeting you face-to-face.

That goes for all my friends here at the 'Cat. I had begun to wonder if I had lost all interest in my music over the last two years, after surviving a very bad experience with some people whom I had attempted to teach and share with. After the anger cleared away a bit, there was only a numbness left in me for something I had cherished my entire life, and I was very sad -- sad to the bone. Then, I found this little corner of the ethernet, stuck my toe in the water after a while, and found that although there might be a few big fish that wanted to bite my toes, there were mostly very friendly fish-folk (or should that be folk-fish?) that welcomed me into their world.

Oh dear, I really could get carried away with the similes and metaphors, so I'll stop while I'm ahead. I just wanted to say that I'm very, very thankful for finding a place and people that made me realize how much I loved my music and how much fun it was sharing it.

Thanks to you all and a very, very, happy Thanksgiving Day to you all, Áine