Hi,

As a newcomer to Mudcat, could I post my first impressions of Mudcat as it is today?

first, I find the off topic posts marked clearly, and most people are very good about stating what their post is about. This makes it very easy for me to pick and choose what I wish to read.

second, in the short time I have been here, I have picked up a wealth of information about several different areas of folk music, from new music, to hard to find web pages about civil war era music, to music sites on Paltalk, where I can listen to other musicians (alas, I haven't figued out how to get my mike to work yet!), to interesting bands or festivals, to venues where I can send to for gigs for my band, to one line jokes while tuning, the list goes on. These are ALL valuable resources for a working professional musician, and I am grateful for the resource.

third, To me, all folk music is about the people that love it, and many of the posts that are marked BS show us the personalities that are Mudcat. There is much knowledge here, but the people that post make the music a live and vital thing. I like the feeling of community, and I think that includes hearing about personal opinions, feelings, and even simple requests to help name a puppy or a kitten.

I don't know what Mudcat was before, but I know that for newcomers like myself, it is a very welcome change from many of the self-serving websites that are out there. I have a sense of community and sharing, with acceptance of many views and opinions, that is rare on the internet.

Sorry for such a long post.

Robin