On Mon, 23 Sep 1996, Steve Weston wrote:

 > ...  I also
 > subscribed to rec.woodworking, and enjoyed reading posts by people
 > like Patrick Leach, Patrick Olguin, and Stephen LaMantia. ...

Hey!  That last name there rings a bell!  ;-)

Hi, fellow Steve.  (Did you know there's about 18 Steves on the list
now?  Makes me feel less sorry that I never was allowed, for
whatever reason, to join Mikes of America.) 

I'm about 75,346 messages behind in reading Oldtools, so I just saw
your post.  I appreciate (and am honored by) the mention, although I
should say I get somewhat embarassed to be singled out like that.  I
was just a minor sporadic contributor there, as here, and there are
at least twelve dozen dozen Oldtools galoots, and probably way more,
who back in rec.woodworking (as here) were way more prolific (not
more wordy, more prolific) and more broadly informative and
entertaining. 

And the neat thing is, they're almost all still around, right here
in Oldtools.  I don't usually gush, because I'm not the gushy type,
but I'd agree with Don Berry in a recent post of his, that this list
is a *great* deal.  Lest we forget: anyone recall before going
online, what it was like woodworking in total isolation from any
other woodworkers with similar interests?  The generosity of all the
genial and knowledgeable folks is the reason we're not alone
anymore. 

Sometimes it's easy to overlook that it's not really the computer
we're corresponding with, and I think it's good now and then that I
remember to remind the good galoot folks how very much they're all
appreciated. 

-- Steve LaMantia