I love and treasure my stuff as much as anybody. I can also handle being alone and left to my own devices as much as anybody. But as I slouch into my twilight years, I realize more and more that what gave my life and the things I did with it the most juice was the PEOPLE I got to know and love through those activities. I remember "Twilight Zone" episodes where extreme introverts got their fondest wish to live in a world by themselves, no other people to bother them, and all the time they could ask for to read their books, or leaf through their card collections, or whatever else they thought was central to their existence. Of course, they soon discovered that it was those other people, bothersome or not, that gave these pursuits their meaning and brought them alive. Just as I feel sorry for anyone who didn't live in the heyday of neighborhood playgrounds like I did and get to experience all of the life-affirming joys, challenges, and life-lessons they gifted me, I likewise am so happy that I was in this hobby during the heyday of shows, where I had so many fabulous experiences of all kinds and made so many great friends I couldn't begin to remember them all. What a joy it was to see so many of the grizzled veterans I shared those with at the recent Philly Show, I could have given them all a big kiss to thank them for being there when we all had so much fun together and for being there still--if they would only shave. I would counsel those recent to the hobby to go to every show you can, no matter how big or small, while they last, I can guarantee that down the road you'll be glad you did, that's where your most enduring and fondest memories will have come from, the associations you developed and all the interesting interactions you had face-to-face. Just a little advice from another old guy pissing in the wind, take it or leave it as you will.
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