Topic: Sometimes Bad Timing is Good
What rotten timing, having to follow our Scribe Extraordinaire in acknowledging/celebrating this particular numerical milestone in my relationship with this forum. I can’t possibly compete, so I’m not even going to try. Instead, if the (relatively) brief and possibly soppy musings of a middle-aged bald man are not for you, this would be a good point to stop reading.
I joined this board during the most deeply unhappy and miserable time of my life, as regular readers may remember. Not in my wildest dreams could I ever have imagined how my relationship with the Bonamassa message board was to transform my life! Y’all know the ‘story’, so I’m not going to re-hash it here, except to say that Cathy saved my life from going straight down the tubes, and I would never have come into contact with her if I hadn’t fortuitously ‘discovered’ Joe’s music ,and if Marianne hadn’t pointed me here, and if…..
Everything changed for me after Valentine’s Day, the day I finally had the good sense to accept the hand of friendship that had been on offer since the day I joined up. The subsequent discovery that that was the very day my dear friend Libby joined the forum simply underlined the utterly ridiculous number of coinkydinks that characterize my entire relationship with this forum in general, and with some of its members in particular.
After being a member here for a while last year, I slowly but steadily found my surfing habits changing. I started spending less time on various football forums and more time here, at first because I was still ‘learning’ about Joe from so many knowledgeable people who knew so much more than I did, later for a whole variety of reasons. This trend has continued to such an extent that I now spend more time here than anywhere else on the web. At some point I also ‘discovered’ the wondrous Aladdin’s Cave that is the ‘Other artists’ forum and began to soak up lots of music I had never heard of before – another hugely enjoyable and rewarding learning experience!
Truly, my cup runneth over. Through this forum I have met Cathy, become even more immersed in Joe’s music, discovered a lot of other great music, made some very dear new friends and discovered that there is life beyond football! Becoming part of this board has given me the pleasure and privilege of getting to know some exceptionally good people, some in person (including Joe and the band), some only on the phone, and some with whom I have only emailed. I have been lucky enough to have established some friendships here that will continue for as long as I live. And that is a really wonderful thing!
In short (get on with it), I can only express my gratitude to Joe for providing this marvelous place, and for being that once- in-a-generation musician who grabbed me by the throat and made me sit up and listen. My sincere thanks also to those to whom I have become close, and to all of you who jointly contribute to making this the most excellent and wonderful music forum on the planet, if not in the entire Alpha Quadrant.
Oh yeah, and thank YOU so much, Universe!
Rock On and keep the Faith
none of us would be here...............
