Hi Ya'll, I have received a number of wonderful letters from folks, THANK YOU!! {{{{{{HUG}}}}}}} Some of you expressed concern that I am taking on too much with a newsletter. Let me try to explain. For over a decade I was very involved with volunteer work, in many fields, but mainly with animals. In Houston, I started a ferret club and did the newsletter there. From the start we had 3 vets and 3 shelters involved with the club, due to my efforts. This is pride, but it is also the truth. The club still goes on, run very well by Noni Clark. It has grown and will stay around. And this is a town that had 3 clubs die out before this one. I also have a background in journalism and in advertising photography. Yep, even got paid some for it. In other words, I honestly do understand the enormous task I have set myself. But I have lots of folks already begging to help and I have a great talent for doing this. I deal with 2 types of depression. One is a depression caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain and the production of serotonin. The meds help with that, although lately it is getting a little tricky due to changing blood chemistry from menopause. The other depression I have been dealing with is situational. This is what happens to everyone when they hit a rough spot in their lives, such as death of a loved one or divorce. What helps this is therapy, talking about it and doing something for yourself. For personal reasons, I have, for several months, not done a lot of things I wanted to do in the ferret world. I believed that the avoidance of conflict my inaction created would make me feel better. But, what I found out is that I basically removed much of the meaning from my life, for outside reasons. This was very self-destructive. It is a coping mechanism I learned from childhood abuse. I try to do what others want of me, rather than what I want. I have to take care of Margaret myself. I cannot count on anyone else in this world to do that. That may sound cynical, but honestly, it really all boils down to that for all. And starting this newsletter is doing something for me. It gives me meaning and purpose, it allows me to help with something I feel terribly strong about. I don't have to work, I have plenty of income. I have no kids and no family, outside of the fuzz butts. They do keep me busy but they can help with the newsletter too. ;-) I am extremely open about my thoughts. What most folks keep in their head, I say. I truly wear my heart on my sleeve. A friend of mine has actually noticed that all of the women of Celtic descent she knows are like this. I have always believed it is in the genes, or at least in the culture. And the South is a culture built on those Celts. So please, I ask once again, don't try to read stuff into what I say. I say what I think. If I am po'd, you will know it. I don't try to make private jabs to piss off anyone. I do employ rather pointed humor and get a lot of fallout from that. But it isn't maliscious. I make fun of myself in the very same manor. I have no control on what others think, all I ask is that you judge me for myself, only on what I say or do, not what anyone else says about me. So, if you have any ideas for columns, stories or anything else for the Mustelid Monthly (tm) let me know. I will be happy to discuss all. Or if you know of someone you think could write a wonderful article, useful, funny or other, please let me know. I want this to be for and about the ferret community as a whole. Let me know about show dates, fundraisers, etc. I want this to be a forum to get out info about the ferret community and give vets and others a place to go to. Maggie Mae http://www.missouri.edu/~c705570 [Posted in FML issue 2114]