[Harp-L] list-owner retiring?

["steve@xxxxxxxxxxxx" <swebb@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I think I might have met the elusive list-owner a long time ago at a 
Buckeye Convention in Ohio.
That said... we couldnt' give enough thanks for fjm for his steady hand 
at the helm of this sometimes-contentious list.
I started on Harp-L, I think, about 1997 or 1998. At that time I had 
been fooling with harp at least 15 years without making a lot of real 
progress. I should mention that I am not so very talented musically.
I became acquainted with Chris Michalek on Harp-L and I found Buckeye on 
here. I learned a lot from both of them, more from Chris than I realized 
until later.
But it was at Buckeye and SPAH that I found out how to make harps play 
better, how to play in third position (at least a little), and so much 
more. I met and was helped by such great players as Rob Papparozzi, Joe 
Filisko, Jelly Roll Johnson (who always came to Buckeye and answered my 
dumb questions), and a whole bunch of others, most of whom are on this 
list.
I became friends with Ed Vedock, Ken Hildebrand and Tom McGovern and 
Alec Brachmann, Hal Iwan and Tom Albanese. And I learned something from 
all of them and from so many people.
Now I am famous as a harp player (at least in my own home).
Nahhh... I never got really good at it, but I got better at it and I 
began to understand how the harp worked. A lot of that knowledge came 
right here on Harp-L.
I always look at this list kind of like going down to the neighborhood 
tavern and sitting around with some friends, except here we always talk 
harp. (almost always).
I did get good enough to play harp for 3 years in a trio after I 
retired. I got good enough that my musician friends invite me to sit in 
if I show up at one of their gigs to say hello. I live in a community of 
more than 100,000 people and I only know three other harp players around 
here. We  are all pretty much intermediate players.
One day,I hope, I will attend one of Jon Gindick's jam camps. I am 
always sure that the next event like that will put me over the hump into 
that "next" level, whatever it might be.
I'm not one for posting here a lot, but I spend half an hour before bed 
every night with you people and I would sure hate to see that change.

Please humor an old harp player late at night in a pensive mood.
Steve Webb in Minnesota.