Sorcha - I see. Well then, I sincerely apologize for my insensitivity to your problem and I will hereby cease and desist my unhelpful comments on your thread. But I WILL reply to the nameless Guest.

GUEST - You gotta be kidding. I HAVE had those "maturational experience(s) that a good (?) therapist would provide". Plenty of them. Let me see...I saw one when I was about 23 years old (I was depressed about a girl), and another 3 or 4 of them in my 40's, and another one in my 50's. My conclusions of their professional abilities were were...mixed. Some of them were pretty good, some not. They were all just fallible human beings, same as you or me or the next guy...and that should be borne in mind. Some of them really needed therapy, and some were GETTING it! What's good for the goose is good for the gander, isn't it?

As Ebbie said: "If we learned to listen to each other, psychiatry would be out of business." So true! Most people need a few true friends and loved ones whom they can really trust and talk to, but instead they pay some professional stranger $90 an hour to do it! Sad.

You know, most people who know me in real life think I'm a pretty serious guy. I run a small manufacturing company, have no debts, and have no bad habits. I don't drink, smoke, or do any drugs. I'm really healthy. I look surprisingly young for my age. I belong to no particular religion, but have spiritual beliefs. I am honest to a fault. I am totally harmless. I prefer non-violence, if at all possible. I believe in the healing power of forgiveness, although sometimes that's not easy! I seem to get along fine with former girlfriends (with the exception of one whom I deliberately avoid, because she's a bit of a psycho, and she lies like a rug, and plays really wicked mind games). (All her other former boyfriends avoid her too...I used to wonder why?...ha! Now I know.)

I come here, to this forum, mostly for three reasons:

1. a lifelong interest in folk music.

2. I have some friends here.

3. I can have some fun here. The fun is just joking around about things, telling stories, discussing philosophy or spirituality, and playing around with fictional characters like Chongo Chimp (which does no harm to anyone).

I do not agree at all with your superficial assessment of my character, and I think you are way off the beam in your assumptions about me. You'd make a lousy therapist.

Not that it really matters, because...who the fuck could care about what you or I say a year from now, anyway? Or even a week from now?

I think you are just taking yourself AND me a wee, wee bit too seriously!   (And Joni Mitchell? She's great. Very fine musician and songwriter. "My analyst told me, that I was right out of my head. I said, 'Dear Doctor, I think it's you, instead!'")

Sorcha - That's it. Just had to reply to the one who has no courage to post under a name here. And now...I'm outta here.