or possibly subtitled  "We, the unwilling, led by the unknowing ... etc etc".
 Hi, I have talked with some of you people on a one on one basis and
occasionally slam danced with the whole group when my sense of humor couldn't
keep my fingers of the f & j keys.
 
Our young parkinson's group in Phx, AZ (which I am still lobbying to adopt
the name of "The Young and the Restless" with little success) meets the
fourth Tuesday of every month.  This is not to be confused with the last
Tuesday which it often is but a couple times a year when it is not, we break
off into 2 discussion groups.  Isn't the Parkie memory a thing of joy and
beauty?  - I can lock my front door going to work and lose my keys in my
pants pockets before I get to my car.   But, I digress ...
 
Our next meeting, in late June, I volunteered to lead a demo/discussion
showing our electronic neophytes (anyone more that 25 pages  behind me in the
text) how to/what to/why to/ and how much is it going to cost me to type
session.  Topics might include but are not limited to:
 
1. a brief history of this whole Internet thang
2. how it works (god, don't you wish you knew? don't you wish somebody knew?
 sometimes don't you think this whole thing was incorrectly named and should
have been called "Son of Flubber" (for you off-shores, an oblique reference
to an old Fred MacMurray movie)
3. how to sign on, get it up and keep it up (nothing to do with a topic of
some considerable discussion in weeks passed)
4. what's available re: resources
 
Now, this is where you come in ... group participation.  Since all I have is
a valid driver's license and delusions of grandeur I need your help. Actually
we're in a little better shape than that - I've been computer systems analyst
and various reincarnations of similar electro-titles for the past 25 years,
taught computer classes in business  for about 10 of those years (corporate
metaphysics 101 AND 102 but NOT OR/ NAND 103) and snipe frequently from a 486
with a modem at home so we do have a platform from which to launch this
thang.
 
However, I am new to the Net and its webbery ways.  I haven't cruised enough
and haven't connected with enough stuff out there to fly this processor
upside down yet and do Blue Angel stints with the trackball ... yet.  What I
would like is any suggestions, references, electro-addresses, etc that might
be helpful in framing (not FLAIMING) this all  together.  From reading your
communications over the past 3 or 4 weeks, I know that some of you are pretty
heavy dudes and dudettes and are wading in waters I am still drowning in.
 Any help would be appreciated/any credit will be willfully given. If you
have anything you consider of use please send it to me at my AOL address.
 
Some possible contest rules (Barb Patterson, leader of this List, please jump
in and comment if you'd like to see this traffic pattern directed
differently)
1. to keep this from lighting up everyone's screen from here to Tunisia, I
would suggest you send your info directly to me ([log in to unmask]).
2. if you consider what you are sending is too important not to tell
everyone, please do so and I rescind #1
3. However, if the responses directed to me are not overwhelming ... it is my
intention to wrap the entire thing into a package summarizing what I've got
and make it available to everyone.  Credit will be given to contributors,
royalties will be given to me.  Suggestions are welcomed on this too.
 Perhaps you already have such a pkg in your archives or elsewhere and my
ignorance is showing.  If not, wouldn't it be nice to welcome people to our
list with a suggestion that they please read "xxx#3" for a list of
Parkie/internet reference materials?
4. Please keep it simple and global.  Remember mileage may vary depending on
local conditions.  All I want to do is show these folks how to get their
systems up and connected and how to connect with things like this list, scan
the archives of this list, maybe how to connect with a list of the Fed
senators and reps mailing addresses, the national Parkie orgs, websites, etc
over Internet.
 
I don't want to build either a word processing list or a database of all
known local parkinsons support groups (believe me, I have tasted failure
before).  We're looking for a head em up-move em out approach to a basic
session.  If it flies, flys, (you pick) maybe I'll revisit them and you with
an intermediate session request.  If not, ... call me Ishmael ... perhaps I
will go awhaling.
 
God bless or as Little Jack Horner is reported to have remarked offline - "be
careful where you put that thumb!"
 
Don Anderson