Great idea Sham! As a cure for the latecomer-sitting-in-front-of-you problem, have you tried keeping time with your foot on the back of their seat? Better yet, keep time BADLY on the back of their seat. No, just kidding, that would be terribly rude and not at all in the tradition of a warm, welcoming session. I've got it-- you could take up the bodhran. Oddly enough, we hardly ever have troble with people sitting anywhere near us... PJ