How did you cope without Mudcat

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Jun 04 - 02:28 AM

I got on with having a life

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: GUEST,harp
Date: 04 Jun 04 - 12:29 AM

don't you mean...how did Mudcat cope without me? LOL

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Bearheart
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 09:39 PM

I was away for the weekend and freaked when I got home and couldn't do my Mudcat catch-up, but then I got smart and emailed Kat, who helped me find the help thingy. Since I had gobs of other stuff to catch up on (gardening, email etc) I decided to give it a rest and check in later. A minor crisis (not mine, just one I needed to help with) intervened, so I didn't have time to think about it. So glad it's back though!

Bekki

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Don Firth
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 06:14 PM

Entertainment. Precisely my reason, too, Marty.

Actually, there was (and still is) an amazing amount of activity here in Seattle and the surrounding area. Singers who passed through during the Fifties and Sixties were pretty surprised once they got here—and equally surprised that all the activity here seemed to be one of the best kept secrets in the country. This I was told by people such as Bob Gibson (who was here for a couple of weeks), Theodore Bikel (here for several days), and many others.

That's pretty much due to the parochial nature of big eastern cities (and "Midwest" notwithstanding, I include Chicago in that). New York invariably thinks it's the center of the universe in all things, as often does the Boston/Cambridge area, the Bay Area, and of course, Chicago. The Greater Seattle area encompasses a population of about 3,000,000, all within a short commute. Lots of otherwise fairly knowledgeable people who live east of the Rockies seem to think that Seattle is nothing but a clump of log cabins and igloos. There were several coffeehouses and clubs here that were devoted to folk music, most of which were pretty damned nice compared to some of the establishments in the rest of the country. I didn't find this out until I got to the Bay Area and learned that a lot of the famous places everybody had heard about were real pits compared to some of the places in and around Seattle where I and other Seattle area singers regularly performed. Many visiting singers from back east, both famous and not so well known, were really surprised that the folk scene here was as big as it was, and confirmed that Seattle had great venues and enthusiastic audiences, and they loved performing here and came back whenever they could.

Also, there were local performers who were as good as anyone you could hear on records, but record company A & R folks didn't know Seattle existed and even if they did, considered it too far to come, so they never bothered to check the place out. A couple of local record companies were interested only in rock—they sneered at folk music, considering it an aberration.

The thousands of performers who show up at the Northwest Folklife Festivals, and the hundreds of thousands of people who attend (see other threads) should give you an indication as to the level of activity around here. And the circumstances that led to these mob scenes started way back in the Forties and built up over a period of time. In 1963, I sang several times for audiences of up to 15,000 at the weekly "Seattle Center Hootenanny" that ran all summer.   

Yeah, I've written over 100,000 words so far (first draft) with a fair amount to go yet. But those who have read parts of it, including those from other parts of the country, tell me they want more (often saying they had no idea there was that much going on here), so I have no fear that there won't be considerable interest.

Marty, I'm assuming that your question was serious. If not, then sorry I bored you once again.

Baseball here in the Fifties and Sixties? Couldn't tell you. I was too busy singing to follow it.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 04:47 PM

Burned a bunch of data onto CDs to clear off some space on my 40 gig hard drive. (Well, most of it was already backed up, but now the entire archive of a large client who hasn't spent any money with me for 6 months isn't cluttering up the drive and is all together on current archive CDs.)

Listened to a bunch of new music CDs I bought at a yardsale, as well as some I've been given recently and haven't had time to listen to.

Made a bunch of phone calls, trying to line up some stuff for Tom, who is back to work and unable to do them himself.

Cleaned out another pile of shhhhhhhh-stuff from around Tom's (almost empty) file cabinet. Threw a bunch of stuff out.

Filled the deck pots finally with dirt and, in between rain showers and hoards of hovering mosquitoes, got the nasturtiums planted as well as the first pot of salad greens. (I keep two pots alternating all summer.) Now all I have to get is a couple tomato plants. (Then Tom will rebuild the deck and I'll have to move everything.)

Oh, and while I was fighting off mosquitoes, I lopped off a bunch of small brush that's sprung up on the bank and did major surgery on the lower branches of a couple small evergreens that were encroaching on my flower bed.

And cleaned up some e-mail and did some other computer housekeeping. And emptied and filled the dishwasher. And applied for a couple jobs.

Other than that, didn't do anything except wait around for Mudcat to be back up.

Linn

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 04:26 PM

O, u!

~S~

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 04:25 PM

gawd, Ah luves it when she talks techie!

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 04:19 PM

BWL, my modem fried twice that way. Fortunately the supplier counted that as an under-warranty failure and replaced it, twice.

Nowadays we unplug the modem's power and signal lines, as well as the puder power line, when we leave the house and the forecast is scary. Surge protectors and UPS units don't always do the job, and the modem signal line can take the lightning and send it right into the puder.

I got the slip-on co-ax connector, I was doing this so often!

~Susan

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Once Famous
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 04:05 PM

I answer your posts Don for my own entertainment, as I have stated before.

You're right though. The Pacific Northwest folk scene in the 50's and 60's would not be very interesting to me. How could it even remotely stack up to Washington Square in NY or the Gate of Horn days in Chicago. I do believe Utah Philips came from there though, unless he came from Utah as his name implies which I don't consider the Pacific Northwest, as it it isn't on the Pacific coast.

Do you think the folk scene in the Pacific Northwest was as exciting as major league baseball was there in the 50s-60s?

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 02:18 PM

Apparently, this extensive MC downtime to which you folks are referring occurred at about the same time that a voltage spike from a nearby lightning strike fried the modem in my computer. I was blissfully unaware of Mudcat's computer problems as I had enough of my own.

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Don Firth
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 02:07 PM

Good reminder, Charlie. I've contributed in the past, but I'm afraid I've been a bit lax lately. A check is in the mail.

By the way, there you go, Marty, straight for the crotch again! You're certainly consistent. And as to being scorned by younger people, not very often. I'm generally regarded by those in the know as a National Treasure.

The book, if you're seriously curious, has to do with the folk music scene in the Pacific Northwest, especially during the Fifties and Sixties, as I saw it. Since you've already said that you find my writing boring, I doubt that you'd like it. I already have a working title. subject to change if I can think of something better. Sorry I can't use the title you suggest, but that would imply a subtitle, such as "An Autobiography of Martin Gibson as told to Don Firth."

As far as obsessions and sick old goats are concerned, why is it you keep answering my posts? There's that mote again!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 01:39 PM

We attended a wake for a fellow pastor's wife, involving a long, long drive listening to good classic black gospel.

~Susan

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Charley Noble
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 01:13 PM

I went to HELP when it was open and to the Annexe when I really needed an update.

But what I thought about is how dependent I am on Mudcat as a storage place for interesting threads and songs. And if Mudcat really went POOFF! it would be a real loss to our music/story community.

I've already made my major contribution to Max and this wonderful internet website. But I encourage others who care and can afford it to mail in their own contributions toward an industrial strength hardrive, with its own fusion-powered (or hamster) back-up system.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: beardedbruce
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 06:41 AM

"Mudcat'll be back
Tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar that
Tomorrow
Threads will fly...."

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 05:43 AM

It had gone????

It was still there when I looked at it on Monday night!

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: EBarnacle
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 02:14 AM

Oh, agony, I couldn't even tell that there was an unusual problem. My server has been refusing to connect me to the cat off 'n on, so it just seemed like more of the same.

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: BK Lick
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 12:49 AM

'Course there's Art's splendid collection of folkie photos to look at -- clicky here.

-- BK

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Little Hawk
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 12:36 AM

I have coped without Mudcat for weeks by going to Trinidad or Cuba and doing without computers entirely. And it did me a world of good, I can tell you! I hope to do it again in awhile. Internet addiction is a nasty, nasty business, and I could kick myself for the time I have WASTED on it. Feh! (I'm not kidding.)

It's just too damned easy, that's the problem. Same as most addictions. The road to perdition is paved with convenient distractions.

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Ebbie
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 12:22 AM

Martin is in the midst of a book about spelling- not writing it, mind you. :)

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Once Famous
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 09:13 PM

Don, please stop having wet dreams about me, if you are still capable. The feeling is not mutual, but I am sure you are somewhat used to being scorned by younger men.

Your obsession with me really makes you look like one sick old goat.

I think you could try to find something else to do.

What's your writing about? Just curious.

You could title your book, "My life as a hemmoroid."

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Deckman
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 08:17 PM

I resorted to cussing ... in Finn!! I even posted it on Max's thread when MC came back. Ever since, I've been expecting to be berated by some of our Finnish catters, and there are several. Or at least, I expect that they'll correct my spelling, but perhaps they're still in a state of shock!! Oh well ... to each his own. CHEERS, Bob

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Joybell
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 07:32 PM

Told myself not to panic, the sun always comes back again and it goes away regularly. The moon gets slowly eaten by the Giant Penguin and it comes back again. Joy

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 01:07 PM

I think he's been de-moted. ;~)
Giok

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Don Firth
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 01:00 PM

I usually check Mudcat in the morning right after I check my e-mail, then move on to my day's writing (working on a book, an occasional magazine article, and a still fuzzy idea for a novel), but yesterday I was out for the morning. I didn't check in until afternoon, and found Mudcat floating belly up at the top of the tank. Later, when it rose, like Lazarus, from the dead (to scramble the hell out of a couple of metaphors), I checked the threads about the Northwest Folklife Festival to read the latest posts, then checked the threads Marty usually pollutes, but found he hadn't said much of anything that merited one of my brilliant sallies.

By the way, thank you, Marty. One of the minor things I did miss yesterday was an opportunity to throw another harpoon into your sorry blubbery butt. Since you usually respond with such satisfactory bleats and whimpers, recently I've come to value our little exchanges of mutual esteem as a good five-finger exercise to begin my day's work writing. But no problem. By the time I returned home from my earlier activities, the day was pretty well shot for writing anyway. So be of good cheer; contrary to popular belief, your existence does serve a worthwhile purpose in the Grand Scheme of Things.

I wouldn't say I'm addicted, but I do miss Mudcat when it's down. I know, Marty, I know. Missing Mudcat on these occasions makes wusses of us all. But so be it. You might check the mote in your own eye.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 12:06 PM

Got caught up on some long-postponed e-mail, checked to see if Mudcat was back, made a bunch of phone calls, checked to see if Mudcat was back, did some odd & ends around the house, checked to see if Mudcat was back, looked up some stuff on the net I'd been meaning to look up for a while, checked to see if Mudcat was back -- you get the idea...

Over all, a more productive day than usual for me (not that I'm complaining about having it back!).

Cheers,

YY

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Once Famous
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 11:55 AM

No one's perfect, Giok. But why not keep working at it?

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 11:39 AM

Ah Martin;would that we were all as perfect as you!
John

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: GUEST,qwerty
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 11:25 AM

went out and got a life. now i just need a new shift key for the computer.

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Bill D
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 10:35 AM

coped? Oh,I just used the time I'd usually spend on Mudcat to visit all the OTHER sites on the WWW...took me most of the day!

Then I did more preparation for the crafts show/folk festival I'll be in next weekend.

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: GUEST,Hugh Jampton
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 10:33 AM

I certainly got a lot more work done!

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 10:32 AM

touche' freda!..xx..e

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: freda underhill
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 09:51 AM

sandra - aha! yet another talent added to your list!

martin - but back again today, I see!

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Once Famous
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 09:49 AM

I just said "Oh well."

Amused but thankfully not addicted with it all.

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 09:41 AM

the thread is theoretically about art on walls but potters off in all directions.

http://www.jonbanjo.com/forum/topic.asp?topic_id=831&pagenum=1&reverse=False&X=56

sandra

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: freda underhill
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 09:36 AM

which thread is it on Sandra, I just had a browse thru the annexe but didnt stumble over it..

freda

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 09:15 AM

I wrote my first song! Well, it is 2 verses of parody & is on the Annex (where I go every night after Mudcat) & it was bloody hard.

My writing style has't changed since I was 16 when my aunt said a letter from me was like having me standing there talking. I hate formal writing (reports etc) & changing a song so that it is acceptable in it's new form is bloody hard work.

But I might do another one day & make sure there are no typos (curses, foiled again)

sandra (I also went to bed earlier!)

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Snuffy
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 08:55 AM

Spent lunchtime exchanging e-mails with another Catter and the evening updating my CAMRA branch website and playing Minesweeper. Went to bed VERY early.

But the cat came back ....

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: kendall
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 08:11 AM

I spent the day scrubbing my Genoa. Somehow a mouse got into the sailbag and made a nest. That was bad enough, but it also chewed two holes. I hope it was the same one that I found drowned in the toilet.

Nothing can replace mudcat, but I went to MSN messenger and communicated with Jacqui C. If anyone else wants to connect with me, my name is Sailor34

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: jacqui.c
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 08:07 AM

Was able to use Messenger for my daily transatlantic chat session so didn't quite get as far as head banging, carpet chewing etc.

However, it doesn't help when you're looking forward to the next episode of Briefs or Boxers and seeing what's new.

However, we love you Max - you're the best!

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 07:59 AM

badly

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Morticia
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 07:47 AM

Cope? Who said I coped?

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: freda underhill
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 07:42 AM

tried the cat here and there during the day at work - no luck.

after work met with friends and did some work together on our local campaign for a Green MP. Had dinner together, chatted, went home, sent many of those emails i shouldve already sent previously, gossiped via phone with my daughter in Austria (Bugface) and spent a bit of time tidying things around the house. checked in and out of the cat, went to bed & read a bit, listened to music, dozed.

freda

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: A Wandering Minstrel
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 07:40 AM

There are all these teethmarks in the study carpet... :D

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Little Robyn
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 07:28 AM

I fretted too but then remembered a site I'd just bookmarked from another thread:Dots and midis

so I went there instead and wasted too much time!
Robyn

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 04:54 AM

Took the garden rubbish to the dump,tidied a cupboard full of wires, and computer bits. Tried to set up a wireless connection for my laptop, and discovered I also need a hub to go with all the rest of the bits I bought at great expense. Put photos of my grandson on a CD, made 9 backup CDs for my new computer[yes 9!] I also read a bit more of Kate Atkinsons book Behind the Scenes at the Museum, this is without doubt the finest book I have read in years, and I can't recommend it too highly READ IT!!
Oh yes I almost forgot....I FRETTED!

Giok

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Ebbie
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 03:46 AM

When both the Cat and the Help Forum were out was the worst. Once Help came back and I knew there were other sufferers out there I felt much better. :)

I also visited the Annexe; in fact, I started a thread there, asking if my system was the problem, since no one else had discussed the loss. Jon came back with the reassuring news that *nobody* was able to access it.

NICE to have it back.

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Sooz
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 03:44 AM

Ate more chocolate than usual.

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 03:38 AM

I discovered I do have a life ! I listened to Fred McDowell CDs, read E.F. Benson books, did the garden, washing, ironing, got stuff ready for Greece (off to Kalymnos in the middle of the night tonight/tomorrow)...

RtS
(now where are those song sheets....?)

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: fat B****rd
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 03:29 AM

.........no Mudcat yesterday !!!! I sweated, screamed, beat my head against the wall (no fear of brain damage)etcetc. But I was cool.....

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 03:29 AM

Me too, SCOOBY DOO. I was bereft. My only recourse was to send a complaining e-mail to another member. We commiserated with each other: He decided to go shopping and check back, I decided to go for a walk.

For me, I felt a weird sense of disconnection all day...How interesting that some habits when taken away, send us into a spin.

Mudcat Addiction strikes again!

..xx..e

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 03:23 AM

It was terrible. I spent 24 hours in hopsital with no computer access, only to get home to find no computer access here either!

And my mobile phone died.

And one of my kitties is in hospital too... but doing better.

In all, a real bummer of a weekend. It's so good to be back!

LTS

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: GUEST,Prize Pedant
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 02:35 AM

A good use of downtime might be to attempt to acquire a basic knowledge of correct English usage.

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Scooby Doo
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 02:23 AM

Well i had withdraw symptons all day.I kept checking every hour or so,i suppose we get use to it been here.

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: GUEST,reggie miles
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 02:05 AM

Well, as I stated in the other thread, I assumed the fault was mine, or elsewhere on the web, pop-ups, or some crazy new threat problem or isssue. I tend to think of the hardware that runs all of this as bulletproof at this stage but I guess not.

Subject: RE: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Rasener
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 01:50 AM

oops sorry, meant that to go as non music thread.

Subject: How did you cope without Mudcat
From: Rasener
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 01:49 AM

Well Mudcat decided to die a death yesterday. Did you survive?

Or did you have withdrawal symptoms?