My first post was in January 2001, but I'd been lurking for at least a year. Mudcat had a "Golden Age" where it was a real community. Just being a 'Catter was like belonging to an exclusive club - only it wasn't exclusive. It was open to everyone. I miss those days, and I especially miss the many 'Catters who've passed on. At some point, things started deteriorating, and a lot of people, including me, dropped out and moved on to places like Facebook. Facebook will never replace the old Mudcat - but Mudcat as it is now is only a shadow of what it once was. I do stop by and lurk occasionally, just for old time's sake.