[log in to unmask] wrote:
 >>  A column I wrote, which appears in today's edition of the
(Meriden,Conn.) Record-Journal (www.record-journal.com), honors our Sam
on the 169th anniversary of his birth.  <<

    Thanks Kathy, for the link to your column, I enjoyed it.  Now why
can't you write like that out here, on this forum?

    Am I missing something about this forum?  I have to admit that I've
been telling people that you guys are the stodgiest bunch I know of, as
forums go.  For example, I'm also on a Thoreau forum.  Now compared to
Twain, Thoreau was stodgy.   But his fans and acolytes are liberally
verbose and forthcoming with just about any thought or opinion relating
to Thoreau and his times; and having fun doing it.  At times, they even
open up inordinately concerning their personal lives, and how it might
relate to HDT, & the persons and times related to him.
    We've even discussed Twain on the forum, since Twain cracked on the
Concord sage Emerson, & Longfellow,
& Oliver Wendell Holmes (that dropped like a rock); and Louisa May
Alcott had a few things to say concerning Twains' corruption of children.

    So, considering this is a site in honor of the flamboyant, festive,
playful, extravagant, & prankish, Twain, you'd figure this forum would
reflect him thru his fans, scholars, and acolytes.  Don't get me wrong,
I'm very pleased to be a member, and to be kept up with things Twain,
but I sure would like to see more of Twain's verbose spirit out here.
In fact, I'm completely mystified that it's not leaking out all over; if
not filled with "in your face" posts, with much humor and playfulness.
To be blunt, it's not very Twainish out here, as I see it.  Why?

    But I did enjoy your birthday column, Kathy, to ol' Sam; -- with you
being so open and forthcoming with a personal, and touching, hurtful
moment in your life.  Now that's Twainish.  Keep it up.....please....and
throw in some shenanigans while you're at it...like Twain surely would.

Harold