It's been a little while since I was here, just wanted to say I'm glad you all still are.

I'm not having much fun with my health at the moment, but it's nothing serious, just uncomfortable.

I started something small (a local peer support group) that has just morphed into something larger, and I find myself suddenly up to my neck in learning phpBB to build us a forum. My respect for the amount of work involved in building/running one of these buggers has greatly increased .

Anyway, here's a Leafy Sea Dragon to cheer you up (yes, an actual animal - sea horse kind of deal).

.

So good to hear from ya! Thanks for keeping us in mind and thoughts. Peace to you and yours.

Hope the forum work goes well.

Kate


.

Always glad to see you.
I'm very glad you're doing relatively well.

I've been thinking about you quite a bit,
especially whenever I happen upon fascinating
world music and exotic instruments.

Although I've never done it myself, I kinda'
get how complex forum-building is, in as much as
I've had a number of friends build forums and
even code apps. from the ground up just for me
since "9-11"...kinda' like people building a dog-
house to house a favorite family pet,

LOL Interestingly enough, I've been on this
forum for nearly 10 years, yet I've never shared
the history of my long Odyssey with anyone here.
Other than saying that I'd been both Mod AND
Admin several times in my travels (travails?)

In fact when I first joined MacMinute I was accused
of being an an old "sock-puppet" because I was
so adept at post formatting.
I merely said; "I'm New HERE, but FAR from 'NEW'."

The only thing I can offer by way of advice is that
Free Forum Software differs WIDELY in complexity
and flexibility. Shop Around to see what suits you
before settling on any one...choose one with a
GOOD SPAM FILTER...and beware of Trolls!
either or both can run you ragged.

Good Luck, and Don't Be A Stranger!

Time sort of ran away with me... I didn't mean to be away so long . Luckily, one of the core members of this group I've started is a phpBB mavin, so though the learning curve is steep, we should be up and running soonish. It all sort of depends on my health. I'm on kickarse painkillers at the moment, and they're not conducive to long periods of concentration!

I've done a lot of modding myself over the last couple of years (and blimey, I'll have been on this forum for 10 years in the autumn). But I've never managed a forum before. It's going to start out with very minimal traffic, which means it can develop as the users' needs become clear.

This made me really feel the "hole" you'd left in the
Forum when Steve had recently posted a link to a
Japanese girl playing Hendrix on their traditional
Stringed Instrument.

I thought;
..."strings"? ...you want "STRINGS"?

Had you been here, I would have posted it.

Ravi Shankar's daughter, Anoushkar
. .
I loved this comment:
"I'm a simple guitarplayer; old and ugly!
She's the goddess of all human playing on strings!"

Dam!
That's so sublime it brings me to tears.

Glad you checked in dear... please take a chair ands stay awhile !!

.

Whoa! I'm impressed! Thanks.

.