First of all, kat, please accept my sincerest condolences on the loss of your mother. I lost my father ten years ago, and my mother just had a heart catheterization that had us all terrified (until the results came out yesterday, thank God). So I know what it's like. I'm sending you warm thoughts for happy healing.

On a happier note, kat asks whether anybody's made an actual match here. Protocol probably forbids me to name names (so I won't) but a couple of Mudcatter's recently had their first date here in NYC a few months ago --ending up at our monthly shanty sing!! (the perfect date) He actually flew up from parts South to meet her here. I'm not privvy to how things stand between them now (as a couple or not), but they're both really nice folks, and I'm in touch with her as a new friend.

Ariel, my guess is that about 20 Mudcat men jumped out of their seats when they saw your posting above, but something tells me it might be a good idea to include one's location (city & state only) in their list of "vitals." Not even as a "matchmaking" thing per se, but even as an ice-breaker for friendship, it might be helpful to know whether someone lives close enough to invite them out for coffee or a jam session.

Alice, that e-mail stalker of yours sounds really creepy. Eeeew. I hardly even know you at all, yet somehow I feel like some self-appointed big brother who looks out for you. Let me know if you need me to put him in his place (and I don't mean Montana either). What a shame, too, because I'd really love it if we could all become really close friends since we're obviously (mostly) all kindred spirits here.

Also on the subject of matchmaking, I submitted my photo about two weeks ago and it still hasn't shown up. Do any of you HTML-ers know how I might post it here myself and create a hyperlink to it? (You women could always use a good laugh, n'est pas?)

And finally, thank you to bbc for that lovely birthday card. You were the only one.

M