Oh, I guess I'll throw my $0.02 in to this very interesting thread. At the ripe age of 50, I came out of the closet, shower, and car, bought a guitar, took lessons, and joined a local (Branford, CT) Folk Music Society. The following year, 1989, I went to Pinewoods for the first time and I've been hooked on traditional music ever since. Six years ago, I moved, for a job, to a vertual folk music desert in rural Southeastern Oklahoma. The only traditional music here is country swing and the only popular music is Garth Brooks, et al. I'm fortunate however in that the Oklahoma City Traditional Music Association (www.octma.org) (I'd make this clickable if I knew how)is only 90 miles away. Because of our very active and exciting agenda, I have been saved from 'old folkie-dom'.

Helen, I truly like your idea about an old folkie retirement village! Imagine, if you will, a Pinewoods-like setting (with a few more comforts) in an environment of music, dancing, learning, sharing, and caring. I might even retire again for something like that! This may be meat for a new thread. Who's interested, how can we do it?