Well, since Susan asked. . .

I finally added myself to the rolls a few weeks ago, after guesting and lurking for a while -- I had a question that I wanted to ask and I felt that it was sort of rude to impose without first identifying myself.

I'm in Oregon, been here for more than 30 years after growing up, picking up a bit of a blues habit and going to school (not necessarily in that order) in Chicago (where i was a semi-regular patron of No Exit after they moved to Lunt Ave. and a volunteer food server at Amazingrace when it was in the basement of Scott Hall – just by way of historical context). I stumbled into the Mudcat while I was browsing elswhere trying to find a Rev. Gary Davis tab and came across a reference to the "Mudcat Blues Museum." Cool, I thought to myself, and wandered on over. I'm still here.

My musical interests are pretty eclectic, and depend on when you ask. Yesterday, while my wife and I were on a long hike with the dogs, I had Tom Paxton ("I Can't Help but Wonder Where I'm Bound," to be exact) running through my head – there always seems to be some music going on up there. Phil Ochs and Steve Goodman and the Clancy Bros. also regularly accompany me on my rambles. And all those folk who took some inspiration from Bert Lloyd and/or Davey Graham – Martin Carthy and Jansch and Renbourn and Anne Briggs and . . . – and Donegal fiddlers and uileann pipers. . . well it does go on. Of late I've been listening to a lot classical music, focusing on treatments and settings of folk songs and folk motifs by classical composers. I also have an ongoing interest in folklore and mythology.

I never played a musical instrument until I was in my 30's, when I picked up the guitar. I did write some political protest doggerel – anti-nuclear variety – in the early '80's for a band with which I was associated, but that was my one and only foray into public musical performance. These days I play at least a little daily in the privacy of my library, not too well but with great pleasure. One of these days I'm going to take some lessons (or so I've been telling myself).

To round it out, I'm a good cook (a major plus around the house) and a pretty decent photographer. In addition to may day job.

I'm glad to have found my way here – a most welcoming place, it seems.

And thanks for asking, Susan.

michael