From: owner-good-noise-digest@smoe.org (good-noise-digest)
To: good-noise-digest@smoe.org
Subject: good-noise-digest V4 #1
Reply-To: good-noise@smoe.org
Sender: owner-good-noise-digest@smoe.org
Errors-To: owner-good-noise-digest@smoe.org
Precedence: bulk


good-noise-digest      Wednesday, January 3 2001      Volume 04 : Number 001



                               Today's Subjects:
                               -----------------
  Re: community                                           [SMOKEY596@aol.com]

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 23:49:43 EST
From: SMOKEY596@aol.com
Subject: Re: community

First, I want to apologize for not responding to this posting earlier, but I 
think such a well thought out and heart felt message deserves the same in a 
response.

Bryn, I'm very sorry to hear of all the troubles that have hit you so hard 
this holiday season.  Lord knows, you of all people don't deserve them.  You 
are always giving so much of yourself to others, it just doesn't seem fair to 
have bad things happen to you.

I had the great pleasure of being a guest in your home recently, and I can 
honestly say what a warm, comfortable, and welcoming home it is.  But it 
wasn't the car or the computer or the disposal or the dining room table or 
heater that made it that way.  It was you and your family.  Everything else 
could be going to hell in a handbasket, but your presence and your openness 
and warmth and friendliness would more than make up for whatever else was 
broken or missing.

I more than agree with your assessment of our online community.  This 
weekend, I spent Saturday and Sunday (New Year's Eve) nights online for 12 
hours in a chat room with some of my "folkie" friends, most of whom I have 
never met in person (yet!).  We were listening to the webcast of Ellis Paul's 
(with Don Conoscenti, Christopher Williams, Rob Laurens, and even Vance!) 
four shows at Club Passim in Boston.  It was absolutely so much fun to be 
chatting with friends in Oklahoma, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and 
even Germany while we all listened to live concerts from Boston.  Technology 
is grand. :-)  I almost (almost!) feel like I had a better time here than I 
would have had I been there in person.  We are so lucky to have this medium 
and to be able to use it to gain that sense of community.  I am grateful for 
that.

In closing, I hope that things have gotten better for you, both concretely 
and spiritually, and that the coming year will bring more wonderful things 
your way.  You certainly deserve it. :-)

SMOKEY
"The memory is a useful thing, store the good stuff in the easy to reach 
places, put the rest in the attic with the cobwebs where it belongs..." 
- -Ellis Paul

------------------------------

End of good-noise-digest V4 #1
******************************