As the one person who has had more time to think about this and experience it firsthand........I don't think there is ANY way that Max could possibly have any idea what he created here.

This is the most unique place on the web, bar none!!! I have somehow developed friendships here that are as real as any friendship can be. My recent experience with the "Mudcat Phenomonon" leaves me humbled yet very proud to be part of this community and I wish I could pass on that exact feeling to everyone so there would be no doubt as to what this place is really like. There is nothing special about me, yet that outpouring of love and concern and willingness to help is something rarely experienced in the "Real" world. It's very easy to think of Mudcat as a little village with real streets and houses. I can see where everyone lives and see their kids, dayjobs, etc. There's lots of music and at various times different ones hang out at different places in everchanging small groups (not cliques). And every so often we meet for coffee, a little pickin', a little talk, a little BS, down at the Cafe which is some mixture of an old time General store and a "Cheers" type pub.

There is so much more I want to say, but I'll stop here, without getting into the jobs that everyone has around the town...not the day job but the Mudcat job. And maybe I should get into it because that's important to the concept of this place...everybody has a little niche that is theirs to fill and are all accorded respect for being human and humane.

Damn, what a place this is! Could Max understand what he was starting? Of course not, how could anyone? But thank you Max for turning the first shovelful of dirt to start the building process. You Max, like me, are in a unique position of feeling humble and proud and I'm sure you are as in awe as I over this creation.

catspaw