I came here as a curious newby more than ten years ago, although I find that hard to believe. I found friendship, intelligence, a kind of dialogue that was nourishing and humorous, and felt right at home after a while. My observation is that, as in all groups, there is a core cluster of communication styles which characterizes the strongest voices in the group--the flippancy of Spaw, the infinite tolerance and helpfulness of Rick Fielding, Kendall's wit, Mick's breadth, the humor of BSeed and Swanno, the endless whacky intelligence of the MOAB crowd. Humor, intelligence, a little humility for flavor... Back then, too there were terrifically fun Song Challenges and fiction threads which I found I could fit into pretty well.

I have never felt like I was a member of "the Core", but I think that is a moving target based on the individual's before-and-after perceptions. ANyone who builds a lot of friendships through the communication of posts, messages and visits among Catters takes on the color of "old-timer" or whatever the notion is. That's the way reality is built, after all.

I dunno about treating anyone as dependent children. Even Barky has taken on her own standing as an young adult in my mind. One aspect of this that might have some bearing is the way-out crowd, people who are far removed from the core cluster of communication styles, either excessively narcissistic, aggressive, paranoid, or loudly dominant, folks who take themselves very seriously and say so stridently. Although I have little patience for this kind of extreme I try to be patient with them. And if they are willing to hold their position and keep on communicating they even take on the color (in my view) of "loyal opposition" voices, welcomed as outer-edge peers, more or less, after some sort of baptism by fire. I don't think of them in anyway as dependent, though. A little juvenile, maybe. I think they know who they are.

A