Four things I can point to that stand out with pleasure this year, and one real bummer:

I began doing volunteer concerts/shows/whatever for nursing homes and senior centers. What a great feeling!

I attended MBA (Maryland Banjo Academy) for three days of banjo heaven, in April.

I was invited to do (and did) a forty-minute featured spot at the annual public folk music festival sponsored by the Central Indiana Folk Music and Mountain Dulcimer Society in July.

I did my first Mudcat Concert on HearMe on October 12th. Now THERE was a high!

MAJOR BUMMER: I haven't been able to get onto PalTalk, for reasons undiagnosed, so have been deprived of those successor sessions to HearMe. Unfortunately, PalTalk's help available to those not already on is all canned text, none of which seems to address my situation, and you can't talk to a live representative who MIGHT be able to give some help unless you're already registered and in contact.

Dave Oesterreich