Andrew, Slammr thank you for your kind words. So far I have managed to meet three members of the Archive in person. All three have been fine and interesting people people that I am happy to consider as friends. There are a few others with whom I speak on the telephone occasionally, and whom I hope to meet sometime soon.
Paolo was the first of the group that I met. He is clearly one of the nicest and kindest people I have ever met anywhere, under any circumstances. I have a business trip to his territory again soon and plan to take him out to dinner again.
I was in Slammrs territory to visit my son. We had a very pleasant (and very long) evening talking about our respective grandchildren and about various child welfare issues that concern us both. Should anyone ever question the redeeming social value of the Archive, I would point immediately to Slammrs wonderful stories. They show a kindness and caring for the welfare of children that is a direct extension of his personality. With minimal rewriting they could (and ought to be) be published in mainstream media. (Try his very brief Memories, (
http://www.eunuch.org/Alpha/M/ea_20921memories.htm) if youre not already hooked on Slammrs stories.)
Andrew and I mostly spoke pussycat to each other his three and my five. His are all senior cats, but I have the oldest at 23. We also spoke neighborhood critters skunk, raccoon, and coyote. It was a very pleasant evening, and one that I would like to experience again the next time I am sent to his neighborhood. Maybe Conway will let me really pet him, rather than just sniffing me and running away all three times.
I have another business trip coming up next month and Im making plans to visit some of the other fine people who frequent this site.
He came over to the apartment, inspected it, approved of it, and agreed with many others that three cats was about all it could comfortably take. 
