[Margaret Benzer]

When I saw the email this morning, all I could think about is, who is this guy
and how did he follow me from one of the bulletin boards I left two weeks ago?
This other, local group's bulletin board had gotten crude and vile, bordering
on the obscene and disturbing.  I left after registering my objections.
Fortunately, I didn't receive any of the hate mail these fanatics are known to
send disgruntled ex-board members.

This happened mere days before the Vegas and Phoenix shows.  Needless to say, I
kind of had a feeling of dread of meeting fans of another message board .
Would they be snotty?  Would they be drunken jerks?  Would they be nasty to me
and my sister whom I would never have introduced to the people I met on the
other board?  I'm glad to say that my fears were unfounded.  The Powderworkers
I met in Vegas were just as great as those that I had met in Portland the year
before.  Talking before the show, between acts, after the show...these were the
best fans in the world.  Not a bad one in the lot that I met.  However, I am
talking about the Powderworkers here, not the people who were there because
they wanted to hear "Beds Are Burning" or were like the guy who, as Peter
joked, had a vocabulary of only two words, one of which was quite vulgar.

The Phoenix crowd was a different group altogether as there were only two
Powderworkers there and the venue was an all-ages event.  But there was a large
contingency of Aussies that made for an interesting group behind us.  And
everyone was well-behaved for the most part.  There was no snobbiness and group
of people were talking to strangers, something we didn't even do in Vegas.
Maybe it was because we were excited because we were getting updates on the
baseball game (go Diamondbacks), but Oils fans are not your typical rock band
fans.

Gavin, if you ever met me, you would probably think I was stuck up.  Why?
Because I sometimes get withdrawn in crowds.  (Quit laughing, Mai and Alan.)
That is, until I feel comforable enough to talk.  So if I show up alone and
don't know anyone there, then I do appear stand-offish, something I was accused
of on the other list.  So unless you have made an effort to befriend some of
these people you are accusing of being standoffish, then maybe it is because it
is actually the other way around.  Just swallow your pride and step up.  I did,
and made some real cool friends along the way.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.  By the way, I am bummed that
I didn't get to hear "No Time for Games."  But at least I got to hear "Put Down
That Weapon" so I won't complain too loudly.

Margaret

P.S.  I may be getting older, but I refuse to grow up. :-p