I'm not a frequent poster, but there are many many people here I've observed to be so knowledgeable and gifted and colorful personalities too. My hat's off to all of you, as you are all worthy of praise.

There is one special person I've gotten to know, someone I admire a great deal and always will.

VEGANGELICA (Erica)...a very brave, brilliant, kind and respectful person. Takes a genuine and generous interest in others. Stands by what she believes in, but always in a tasteful and good-humored way. Always responsive and never fails to cheer everyone else on.

I like to think we are alike in our “motherly” ways, Erica. But I wish I were more like you in many other ways. I wish I were as brave, smart, and strong as you. How’s that for starters?

With (((love))), and thanks for your friendship,
Liz

Aww, thank you, Liz. :) That means a lot to me, because I admire *you* and value your opinion!

I'm always excited when I see you are logged on, or have been recently, because it means I can go "hang out" with you online a bit, let my guard down, and just have fun and enjoy the comradery. I hope you had a good trip, by the way!

I agree there are many wonderfully fun people we interact with here...and you are one of the people where I think if we could actually meet, we'd get on *very* well, not just because of our similar situation in life, but also because of our general disposition and outlook that I think would pull us together even though we have some differences.

I wonder though, reading your lovely description of me, if maybe you haven't read my...er...raunchy posts? ;) Or the posts where I'm feeling cantankerous and a bit pugnacious. And sometimes I worry some of the things I've said about religion, or the way I've said it, will hurt you...and I want to apologize if that is true.

I think sometimes I react negatively to religions because they have so often been used as a weapon to divide and hurt people (including me). I tend to feel some resentment against religions that are judgemental when to me there is little logical basis for the judgements, such as the idea of a god sending some people to hell and some to heaven. If I believed in a god like that, I would form a labor union and go on strike to try to get the god to change its ways! And if I were a god, all my children would go to heaven, of course. :)

That being said, I have friends in the non-computer world who are of all different religious beliefs (or lack thereof). What matters to me most is whether a person is willing to be open about talking and sharing her views, even if they are different from mine. I will talk about and discuss anything...and being able to have that level of openness with someone who also enjoys it is more important to me than whether we agree on everything. So, I am very happy I can include you among my friends! Thanks for *your* friendship, (((Liz)))!

Thanks so much, Erica -- I had a good trip, although I'm still a bit worn out from shuttling between relatives' homes in four cities and towns within a week.

Funny, I have never perceived your posts as "cantankerous" or "pugnacious" or "raunchy"! Have I missed something??! :laughing: So my description of you stands, despite your protestations. And please, there is NO need to apologize for the things you've posted about religion! I actually agree with many of your criticisms of religious orthodoxy and especially as to the concept of a "punishing God" who sends people to hell, etc. So believe me, if you were to form your anti-angry God union, I'd a card-carrying, dues-paying member. ;)

jackhammer - There are a lot of people on here with expansive taste in music, but in my opinion jackhammer wins by a longshot. He has a band or artist for every occasion you throw at him. He is willing to listen to recommendations he has never heard of. He has the taste in music I want to have.

Freebase - The quickest witted here. No other member's posts make me crack up as much as his.

mojopunk - An all around nice guy with a great taste in music. Easy to talk to and open to all kinds of stuff.

TheCunningStunt - Like I said, always on here. Also the most persistent music lover I've ever encountered. It is ok if progressive rock doesn't do anything for you, man...I promise, there are other people out there who don't like it.

AwwSugar - Haven't talked to her much recently, but I know she is out there. Really nice person and the most personable person on this forum. Person.

right-track - Feels like the dad of MB (though I have seen him tear into people he doesn't like...always entertaining).

Number9 - Has my favorite taste in music on here second only to jackhammer. It is different than mine, but she seems to know what she likes and goes for it. I respect that a lot, and I always check her lastfm when I'm in the mood for her taste and need something new.

Paloma - The most entertaining member here. I love when I see that she has posted in a thread, it usually turns out to be very interesting. Even if it is just her saying she hates a certain album, the way she says it cracks me up.

Vegangelica - I feel like she puts more thought and work into her posts than any other member here. Sometimes that results in more of a quick skim rather than an in depth read, but I still admire her mammoth posts.

CanWllCorfe - I'm not even sure if I got his name right there. I'll go with it, I think everyone knows who I am talking about. He wins the quirkiest taste in music award. Quirky in a good way, though. He really knows his black metal and ambient electronic. I love atmosphere in my music, and he often knows just the artist to look into.

Zero1986 - According to his lastfm, he loves shoegaze as much as I do. That is good.

boo boo - I feel he is often the victim of the toneless text world we are trying to talk to each other in. Sometimes it is easy to infer a condescending tone even when none was there, and he picks up on it all the time. It does result in some pretty entertaining arguments, though. Part of the holy prog triumvirate.

tore - Second in the holy prog triumvirate and a fellow biologist. He produces some of the best discussion worthy non music threads out there.

Anteater - Third in the holy prog triumvirate. All I need is boo boo, tore, and Anteater and I don't think I will ever be short of prog in my life. They know their ****.

sidewinder - I don't know a whole lot about him, but my impression is working guy obsessed with music. I myself have a job where I am able to listen to tons of music, and I think he is the same way.

Janszoon - I feel like our tastes in music are tangential to each other, but not quite compatible. He seems to enjoy some of my recommendations and I enjoy some of his, but there are quite a few areas we don't agree in. This is a good thing though, I enjoy talking to him.

Urban Hatemonger - His comments can get old, but for some reason I always feel like I should be working for his respect. A response about an album I've been liking one way or the other can make or break my day. It's weird.

I'll get to the rest of you later. Unless I don't like you. Then you know....

I really don't mind any of you. I get along kinda-sorta well with all of you. sure, i've gotten into arguments but nobody's perfect. i guess I'm just a little too nice to be mean to any of you guys.

now somebody do me!

I always knew there was someone stalking my LastFM account.
I like your unexpected comments on my wall there, from time to time. :D

Aww, you're a sweet person, really. A person like you really makes a person like me smile. Person.

:love: But really, thank you! [=

Kayleigh - I ****ing love love love her and she should never ever go on holiday ever again unless it's to visit me. That way I won't have separation anxiety.

Kayleigh - seems nice enough. also seems like she is here more for the community aspect and much less about the music.

Kayleigh - She's purtty and one of the only fellow Electronica fans here on MB! :D

Thanks! :D Quirky taste award? That sounds pretty much perfect.