[Jo]

Mmmm..... I agree with all of the above, but a point that still irks in my brain, is that WHY are people so concerned about what others think of them on a forum. We'll probably never meet up, though it would be nice. Cazzer, you say correctly:
People are only going to put on a message board what they want you to know about themselves.
But why do we care about giving information about ourself? The interesting thing for me, is that we could talk about the weather and impersonal things like that, but as humans, even on an anonymous forum where you sit in front of a screen and type, you still behave as you would in real life. We are conditioned. It's weird and wonderful. I am really surprised at myself, for example, how seriously I take things on here, and how hooked I am and happy to see certain people are on-line etc. It's strange. If someone had told me this years ago, I don't think I would have believed it, though I was also an avid penpal in my youth, so it must be something that was in-bred long ago!

Thanks Janet, for your nice comment about my ideas, made me feel good, even if we are only cyber-pals!  :-*