But I have preferences. I like home. It's ever so comfortable here. And now, thanks to the internets, I'm connected to the whole planet, and get to exchange information and opinion with my fellow homo sapiens. Excellent. I learn more all the time.

This place is as real, conversation-wise, as anywhere else. Present ideas, exchange opinions. I love it.

I am an introvert and I love people. But more so I love characters. I delight in interacting with people who are not cut out of cardboard.

I've had some interesting exchanges with fellow humans lately, both face to face and in the virtual world:

A very nice ticket agent who bumped us to first class. A former GOP Senator. A debutant. A member of a model train club setting up a very large holiday train display. An elderly captain of industry who was very interested in the gold biz. 30 or so relatives. CEO's and investor relations people. Multiple carbon copy e-mails, Lord only knows who those'll get forwarded to.... The neighbor, who looked after the cat while I was gone. There was that pretty mellow bartender in the airport where I watched the end of the the Colorado Nebraska game. Go Buffs! All kinds of lunches and dinners with friends. A university president. She was nice. Always remembers my name. A Billionare. This very nice couple who run an antique shop in Charleston. Showed us this beautiful music box. Chatting up with waiters, waitressess, cabbies, stewards, flight attendents, random people on the street who look lost, a dog or two and a cat who is nice enough to just listen.

Oh, and I totally pissed off Bowser.

Frankly, I could use a couple o' days doing the hermit gig.