M5 1.23 crashing DP 5.1

[monkey man]

Monkey prayers apparently have an impact!! LOL!
Oo-oo, ee-ee, ah-ah, Amen.

Careful. That's the Z-Pain chant.

Oops. We don't want to go back to peeling bananas with our feet, now do we??!!

EMU's Z-Plane filters. Vocal "morphing" filters are featured.
They typically involve vowel sweeps much like yours.
I call 'em Z-Pain.
Use 'em the wrong way and they'll blow your monitors and eardrums, and cause you great Z-Pain.

[Frodo]

LOL!!

G'day, MM.

So, how shall we entertain ourselves this week during the ongoing wait for M5v2? You're most welcome to come to Middle-earth for a genuine Hobbit lunch or two, or we can continue our ponderings of M5v2's features-- as if that hasn't been done before!

How will these features improve your workflow?

Machy- Machy Features:

Stand-alone operation - In addition to supporting all major plug-in formats on Mac and Windows, MachFive Version 2 operates as a stand-alone application.

Unlimited parts - Currently, MachFive Version 1 provides 16 parts. Each part can be loaded with a different instrument (preset) for independent sequencing on up to 16 different MIDI channels per instance of the plug-in. In Version 2, MachFive lets users add unlimited parts to one instance of MachFive, eliminating the need to open multiple instances when more than 16 parts are needed. The stand-alone version of MachFive can receive on an unlimited number of MIDI channels, while the plug-in version supports up to 128 separate MIDI channels per instance.

Full-screen preset browser - As just one example of its entirely new graphics engine, MachFive Version 2's new preset browser fills the entire window with a semi-transparent, multi-column list for browsing soundbanks, preset categories and presets, making it much easier for users to find sounds.

Unlimited keygroup layers - In MachFive Version 1, samples can be conveniently and flexibly mapped as keygroups across the entire 128 MIDI note range and 0-127 velocity depth. MachFive Version 2 adds a third dimension, allowing users to stack unlimited layers of keygroups in one preset. Think of Version 1 as providing only one layer per preset. Now users can build multiple layers per preset and use sophisticated "rules" for switching between layers in real-time. For example, users could load various articulations of an instrument into several layers and use key switches to instantly change articulations (layers). Or they could use a modulation wheel to smoothly crossfade among several articulations (layers).

Enhanced Giga and EXS24 library support - Keygroup layering allows MachFive Version 2 to provide much better support for the use of sample libraries in the Giga and EXS24 sample formats.
Expanded modular synth engine - Under the hood, MachFive has a newly expanded, modularized synthesis engine that provides a host of new features. Two aggressive filters are supplied per keygroup, as are more LFO waveforms, pitch processing, time stretching, tempo synced multi-stage envelopes with unlimited stages and streamlined performance. Every synth parameter can be individually disabled to conserve CPU bandwidth.

Expanded envelope editor - Fills the MachFive window and allows users to click anywhere on the envelope graph to create an unlimited number of envelope stages and then drag them to create any desired envelope shape.
Expanded sample and keygroup editors - Both the sample editor and keygroup editor can be expanded to fill the MachFive Window for easier viewing and editing.

Built-in mixer - MachFive version 1 was designed to give users access to all of its features in one window. This instant-access philosophy lives on in Version 2. With one click, users can instantly view a full-fledged, intuitive, built-in mixer with channel strips, faders, pan pots, inserts and other customary mixer controls. This mixer is especially useful for stand-alone operation, where more sophisticated mixing is needed within MachFive itself.

LoopLab - This powerful new groove slice engine lets users perform Recycle style loop editing directly within MachFive and their host application sequencing environment. REX files, Apple Loops or other loop material can be instantly imported into MachFive and then triggered directly from MachFive. Or they can be split into individual slices that are automatically mapped to keys in a MachFive preset. Rendered MIDI data that triggers the slices to faithfully reproduce the loop can then be dragged and dropped as a MIDI file directly into the audio sequencer host for further sequencing and editing of the loop.

Real-time time stretching - Mono and stereo samples (keygroups) can be individually time-stretched to the extreme while maintaining their rhythmic accuracy and even pitch. Loops and other rhythmic material can be automatically stretched to sync their tempo with the host application tempo.

[monkey man]

Hey, bud. G'day indeed!
Thanks for the prompt... I'm alive again!
Seeing as you asked, and we're, er, wasting time, a somewhat rambling response shall follow.
Apologies in advance, especially if I end up venting...

Wow, man those features are overwhelming.
Actually, to me they all are!
I haven't had a sampler in 10 years or so, so you can imagine how blown away I'll be when Machy time comes along...

How will it improve my workflow?
I currently have no workflow, but in theory it should present many possibilities.
I've never even seen anyone else use a DAW, and since switching from the ATARI (RIP, bless her soul etc.), MOTU has been my entire universe.
Would you believe I haven't even used a VI properly yet?

I figured my main use for it would be to fill in gaps in the sound-palette:
I've never had a usable conga "sound" (I love congas).
The strings and brass on the (stock) XV-5080 don't bite, for mine.
EP's are a no-show, and SFX's would be handy...
I'm banking on the library being the biz this time 'round, so who knows?
Hopefully I'll have it within a year.

I feel a vent (!) coming on...
I refuse to complain, but after 20 years of fighting illness, poverty and incredibly bad luck, I sometimes wonder how much longer I'll last.
Got sooo much to give and all...
Gave up "women" 16 years ago for music, and I've got 6 crappy songs from 1998 to show for it!
Oh, well, ya just gotta keep givin'.

PS: The only alternative would have been to get Logic and, using its sound palette, make ripper demos or hittoons, then use that money to buy DP and whichever pro VIs and plugs I need!
Perish the thought.
I believe this may well be placing loyalty above common-sense, but, as stated, look at the alternative...
Bring on the new DP plug suite I say: compressor, convolution reverb, conventional reverb, capable sampler, and possibly a bread and butter VI? Please?

Catch you next time, h-man...

[Frodo]

How will it improve my workflow?
I currently have no workflow, but in theory it should present many possibilities.

In theory? LOL! You're right-- as long as we're patiently awaiting its release.

I figured my main use for it would be to fill in gaps in the sound-palette:
I've never had a usable conga "sound" (I love congas).
The strings and brass on the (stock) XV-5080 don't bite, for mine.
EP's are a no-show, and SFX's would be handy...
I'm banking on the library being the biz this time 'round, so who knows?
Hopefully I'll have it within a year.

Interesting. I've got a 5080 myself-- love that thing, but I do have quite a few expander cards which get much more attention than *most* stock sounds. But, I've been able to tweak some of the stock sounds to put them to good use.

I feel a vent (!) coming on...
I refuse to complain, but after 20 years of fighting illness, poverty and incredibly bad luck, I sometimes wonder how much longer I'll last.
Got sooo much to give and all...
Gave up "women" 16 years ago for music, and I've got 6 crappy songs from 1998 to show for it!
Oh, well, ya just gotta keep givin'.

20 years-- Hmm. Illness is no fun, but that "fight" thing--- that's good. Real good. The alternative is quite unacceptable. This is your life-- be there.

Don't worry about your output. You're on the receiving end where you need to be. Your time to give will be upon you soon enough, and you'll have quite a song to sing.

PS: The only alternative would have been to get Logic and, using its sound palette, make ripper demos or hittoons, then use that money to buy DP and whichever pro VIs and plugs I need!
Perish the thought.

Indeed. Perish the thought. Follow your heart and soul. To thine own self and to thine Creator be true.

I believe this may well be placing loyalty above common-sense, but, as stated, look at the alternative...
Bring on the new DP plug suite I say: compressor, convolution reverb, conventional reverb, capable sampler, and possibly a bread and butter VI? Please?

Catch you next time, h-man...

The healing power of music is indispensable. Having the creative tools you need at your fingertips-- ones that you believe in and ones that believe in you-- there's no other way.

In case you didn't know-- you are doing something right. Don't tell anyone, but you're on the verge of a major breakthrough.

Not to decide *is* to decide.
To stop is to surrender.
To quit is to lose.

To continue is sublime.

Chin up-- keep your head to the sky.... always.

Peace!
Frodo

[monkey man]

...I've got a 5080 myself-- love that thing, but I do have quite a few expander cards which get much more attention than *most* stock sounds...

Greetings, you all-pervading and omnipresent hobbit, you!
As always, your timing is impeccable, as I've been meaning to post a question regarding SRX cards for 6 months.
If I may, I'm curious as to a pro's opinion on which four would provide the most mileage.
Off the top of my head, (tiltes may only be approximations) I came up with the following (gradual!) purchase order...

1) Ultimate Keys
2) Complete Orchestra
3) World
4) Brass or Symphonic strings

Brass's usefulness would depend on the Ultimate keys card's palette.
Symphonic strings' relevance would depend on how usable the CO ones were...

The only "certainty" seems to be the UK card...
If the EP's, congas, strings and brass are up to it, I'm in heaven, and have a (monkey) band waiting in the wings...

Failing the acquisition of MSI, I suppose CO would be mandatory.

The monkey-band will explore poppy-rocky-funky-"latiny"-bluesy territory, FWIW.
You know I'll still respect you if you disregard this for now.
After all, who knows when I'll be able to raise the dosh?

[monkey man]

20 years-- Hmm. Illness is no fun, but that "fight" thing--- that's good. Real good. The alternative is quite unacceptable. This is your life-- be there.
Don't worry about your output. You're on the receiving end where you need to be. Your time to give will be upon you soon enough, and you'll have quite a song to sing.

At this point, you've already moved me to tears.

Indeed. Perish the thought. Follow your heart and soul. To thine own self and to thine Creator be true.

Indeed. No matter what the obstacles.

In case you didn't know-- you are doing something right. Don't tell anyone, but you're on the verge of a major breakthrough.

By now I'm howlin' like a wolf. OK; a baby!
What do I do? I just logged on!
It was obvious I'd have to come back to your post, Frods, but how would I do this?
Fairdinkum, I was a mess.

For an indescribable few minutes, I felt that strange "connection" thing I've mentioned before.
Seriously; it was "freaky" reading your post.
The post and the experience of reading it was "holographic" in nature.
Too many threads ( ) in "all" directions for the little monkey-brain.
Whatever you've done, Frodo, I am eternally grateful.

Not to decide *is* to decide.
To stop is to surrender.
To quit is to lose.
To continue is sublime.

Each of these has held much significance to my "challenge".
Of course, the lack of regular exposure to a hobbit of your calibre has meant the monkey's had to figure it all out.
Miraculously, he's succeeding. Slooowwwly.
At figuring it all out, that is!
Makin' music... now that's another matter entirely.

You'll appreciate the fact that I've deleted 5 jokes that were, according to time-honoured tradition, embedded in the text!
What I'm trying to say is that I'm speechless. Truly rare, yes.
Oops... make that 6 jokes. I've just deleted an interesting Data/Picard scene.
Oh, well; that's one episode we'll all have to miss!

Oh, yeah, I've been awake for 2 days, threw up my entire dinner at 7:30 AM, and was awakened by the sound of a chainsaw 4.5 metres from my head 2 hours later.
Not that I'm complaining; it was in stereo after all, with a circular saw in the left channel.
It's all happening over here, so your encouraging words couldn't have come at a better time, too.
What I'm trying to say this time, is that I don't know how to thank you for your counsel.

FWIW, the Data/Picard thing was a verbose exploration of the dynamic interaction between the impact of an experience, and the longevity and ease of recall of the resulting memory.
Short story: I'll never forget ya, cob.

[Frodo]

In case you didn't know-- you are doing something right. Don't tell anyone, but you're on the verge of a major breakthrough.

By now I'm howlin' like a wolf. OK; a baby!
What do I do? I just logged on!
It was obvious I'd have to come back to your post, Frods, but how would I do this?
Fairdinkum, I was a mess.

For an indescribable few minutes, I felt that strange "connection" thing I've mentioned before.
Seriously; it was "freaky" reading your post.
The post and the experience of reading it was "holographic" in nature.

How do you do it? You already are. Just keep doing it. It's called "living".

Yep-- time for you watch the first LOTR flim. Those "making-of" documentaries are no less inpsiring when you witness how dedicated the cast and crew were to the project. It was a rare glimpse into a rare chemistry where no actor, exec, or crew member considered themselves any better or worse than anyone else.

Frodo: I wish none of this had happened.
Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All you have to decide is what to do with the time given to you.

There's so much more to DAWs than locking oneself away cut off from the rest of the world. It's the Fellowship, contact, and life's experiences which fuel musical inspiration and creativity.

Short story: I'll never forget ya, cob.

Right back atcha, M.


Yes-- SRX cards are better than the JV cards. Don't have the Ultimate Keys or World, but I have Orch 2 and Strings. I find the percussion samples quite successful and usable to this day. Strings are good-- not as great as some of the romplers or perhaps not as good as some later third-party collections which might be imported into Machy, but they are good in a pinch.

Brass are probably least successful with winds only a notch above that. Don't know I'd recommend them, except the unit does work well in a live situation-- less twiddling, more playing.

Nice thing about the 5080 is the sampler player, but this is a bit unwieldy without an external CD-ROM and HD attached. The only real benefit to having this these days is where a soft sampler VI would hog RAM and CPU for other purposes.

My favorite card is the Dynamic Drum Kits with the Bass and Drums running neck and neck. These two collections are truly brilliant. The bass guitars were from an adapted collection done by Abe Laboriel, John Patatucci, and Marcus Miller. The fingering, string noises, mapping-- it's all there as is the essence of the character of these great players' sounds. While this set contains some additional drums that are better than the stock drum sounds, the Dynamic Drim Kits are first rate. I was able to fool a fine drummer who is also my mixing/mastering engineer. The B&D set is hard to find these days for some reason:

http://www.zzounds.com/item--ROLSRJV8010

But the Dynamic Drums card still seems to be afloat.

You'd mentioned congas. Hmm. I don't know what the percussion card offers. All other cards seem to have a limited selection of articulations and samples. I'm hoping that the MOTU's Ethnic Perc collection will eventually be usable with Mach5, now that the MSI set can be ported into M5.

Rambling done...

Cheers!

[monkey man]

Yep-- time for you watch the first LOTR flim..

This monkey's shaking his head.
He's organising a loan of all three at the moment.

Those "making-of" documentaries are no less inpsiring when you witness how dedicated the cast and crew were to the project.It was a rare glimpse into a rare chemistry where no actor, exec, or crew member considered themselves any better or worse than anyone else.

Heaven on earth. A dream scenario.
Having not yet witnessed such a thing, it's encouraging to know it doesn't have to exist only in my imagination.

Frodo: I wish none of this had happened.
Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All you have to decide is what to do with the time given to you.
There's so much more to DAWs than locking oneself away cut off from the rest of the world. It's the Fellowship, contact, and life's experiences which fuel musical inspiration and creativity.

Thanks to you, the Unicorns (sounds more LOTR than Unicorners, which at times makes us sound like we're goin' on a beer-and-bums roadtrip to Vegas or Venice Beach! Hmmm... now there's an idea. Lowenbrow, anyone? ), and of course the manner in which Jimbo administers the site, I'm feelin' it!
This is especially relevant for me because, after 12 years of shoppin' on the 'phone and not knowing anyone in the industry, I was beginning to get used to the idea that I may have to work in "isolation" (from the industry at large) for the rest of my life.
FWIW, I haven't officially done any work yet.
UnicorNation has changed my life.
I lost 120lbs in only...oops, sorry; I couldn't resist.

The Miraculous Melbourne Monkey Man wrote:
Short story: I'll never forget ya, cob.
Right back atcha, M.

I'm honoured to be a fortunate recipient of your knowledge and wisdom, Frodo.
I give what I can; I must.
It must be a confidence thing; you'd know the pattern well...
I just can't (for now...) bring myself to believe I deserve any of this.
Part two of the classic skin er, pattern would be that I've been a radical giver living amongst, um... what do you call it when you have to break the laws of science and nature in order to squeeze that red stuff from a stone?
Surround panned.
Further proof that "a picture tells a thousand words":
Enter stage left: Radically giving hobbit.

[monkey man]

Don't have the Ultimate Keys or World, but I have Orch 2 and Strings. I find the percussion samples quite successful and usable to this day. Strings are good-- not as great as some of the romplers or perhaps not as good as some later third-party collections which might be imported into Machy, but they are good in a pinch.

Hmm...thank you, Frodo. That's more than I expected, of course.
If I may ask, when you say, "Strings are good", are you referring to the string card, Complete Orchestra, or both?

BTW, are we playing with our pretend goaties as we "hmm"? I might try that from now on.
There's usually a fair bit of hmmming happening around the Nation; it might be fun to picture everyone playing with their chins as they hmm their ways through troubleshootin' paradise.

Brass are probably least successful with winds only a notch above that. Don't know I'd recommend them, except the unit does work well in a live situation-- less twiddling, more playing.

The grateful primate humbly asks, "Do you mean the brass and strings on CO or the SRX "Brass" and "Symphonic String" boards?"

Nice thing about the 5080 is the sampler player, but this is a bit unwieldy without an external CD-ROM and HD attached. The only real benefit to having this these days is where a soft sampler VI would hog RAM and CPU for other purposes.

Bread and butter machine for me, I figured.
No point mucking around with their unweildy sampling interface and engine though!
Hence the attempt to quantify the compromise that must be made sound-wise should I go SRX.
Just an updated JV would've done me and many others just fine, methinks.
An optional sampling engine would've been cool(er)?

My favorite card is the Dynamic Drum Kits with the Bass and Drums running neck and neck. These two collections are truly brilliant.

I remember during the Golden Age of Sampling (that'd be the EIV Age!), hearing the Burning Grooves demo along with some others.
You probably heard the CD. That early Spectrasonics stuff was in a league all it's own.
Roland did their number crunching on the files' sample-rates (22kHz?) and bit-depths (8 bit? Remember, it's a dynamic range thing and the synth engine's amp envelopes more-or-less compensate for this), but they still sounded good. Shows how good those mid-'90's Spectra discs were...
The kits that sound "small" and "squashed" were on the D&B SR-JV card, I presume.
I had pondered the Dyn Dms card, but was (eventually) going to ditch the DM Pro and grab a Roland TD-20 brain.
I'd just assumed the Roland would work fine as a keyboard-driven MIDI module.

The bass guitars were from an adapted collection done by Abe Laboriel, John Patatucci, and Marcus Miller. The fingering, string noises, mapping-- it's all there as is the essence of the character of these great players' sounds.

Yes, Abe, Markus and John are brilliant.
I joos to be a bass-player, so for authenticity's sake, I'll only use MIDI during writing and arranging.

You'd mentioned congas. Hmm. I don't know what the percussion card offers. All other cards seem to have a limited selection of articulations and samples. I'm hoping that the MOTU's Ethnic Perc collection will eventually be usable with Mach5, now that the MSI set can be ported into M5.

Hmm indeed!
I'm hoping MOTU will pass truncated (hopefully only mildly!) Ethno and MSI libraries on to good ol' Machy-boy's factory set.
Let's face it; they have something to prove here, and prove it they shall (we hope).
It's logical, Captain; all the work has already been done in those areas.

Rambling done...
Cheers!

I love it when you ramble, bud.
Cheers, indeed!

[Henry Warner]

I'm experiencing the same thing ... had to go back to DP 5.01

hank warner

[monkey man]

I'm experiencing the same thing ... had to go back to DP 5.01
hank warner

Sorry to hear that, Hank.
With Machy news on the way(?), I reckon you'll be able to return to the (for me, at least) snappy and stable 5.1. in "no" time at all.
Machy is on its way; I can feel it!

BTW, thanks for not allowing our extended OT banter to "scare you off".
Both Frodo and I would feel pretty darn bad had this happened.

Oh, well... back to the fun task of... waiting...

Go Machy! K2 Killer! Go Machy! Go Machy!
Go Machy! K2 Killer! Go Machy! Go Machy!

[Frodo]

Hey MM- with the ever-evolving avatar:

Have been out of town for a few days and see that much has transpired in my absence. Sorry for the delay-- will respond to your reponses in kind soon--

For now, the observations about brass and string quality, etc., was overall for both JV and SRX cards. The SRX are better than the JV series cards, but to my pointy ears they doin't quite "turn the corner" as with some of their other sounds. Strings *are* good, but no better than good. They are usable, though.

Brass, well--- let's put it this way: it you want *that* sound, it might work-- meaning, in a techno pop sort of track. The Session card offers a few more options in terms of character. There are one or two French horns that are not bad, really, on a card which I can't recall at the moment. But they sound a tad synthy overall. Like I said, if you want *that* sound then it's probably ideal. If you're looking to score LOTR Part 4, then you'd probably want to use something quite different.

However, the older Roland brass collection CD-ROM had some pretty nice samples on it-- used them for years in 48k on my old Roland S760 sampler. The biggest problem there was the internal memory-- so limited on what could be loaded at once. That's less of a problem with the 5080 if it's loaded with RAM, but these days with Machy in the house, it may be a non-issue overall.

Not sure how much of the CR-ROM was repeated on the cards.. hmmm.

Still, some of the romplers are doing better in terms of usability and versatility-- more bang for the buck.

Now, all we need is more buck for the bang!!

Peace.
Frods

[monkey man]

Hey MM- with the ever-evolving avatar:

Have been out of town for a few days and see that much has transpired in my absence. Sorry for the delay-- will respond to your reponses in kind soon--

Hey, Frods. You've been missed.
About the only creature not to have noticed the gaping hole that was your absence around here would have been... you!
Of course, that's an assumption; I'm learning not to underestimate your awareness...

For now, the observations about brass and string quality, etc., was overall for both JV and SRX cards. The SRX are better than the JV series cards, but to my pointy ears they doin't quite "turn the corner" as with some of their other sounds. Strings *are* good, but no better than good. They are usable, though.

Good enough for "classy" pop/rock?
Sounds like that's what you're saying.

Brass, well--- let's put it this way: it you want *that* sound, it might work-- meaning, in a techno pop sort of track. The Session card offers a few more options in terms of character. There are one or two French horns that are not bad, really, on a card which I can't recall at the moment. But they sound a tad synthy overall. Like I said, if you want *that* sound then it's probably ideal. If you're looking to score LOTR Part 4, then you'd probably want to use something quite different.

Is "that" sound just a generic snappy brass ensemble, or a specific sample-set?
Yay! Another legitimate use of the word "snappy".

However, the older Roland brass collection CD-ROM had some pretty nice samples on it-- used them for years in 48k on my old Roland S760 sampler. The biggest problem there was the internal memory-- so limited on what could be loaded at once. That's less of a problem with the 5080 if it's loaded with RAM, but these days with Machy in the house, it may be a non-issue overall.

When I eventually get Machy, I expect MOTU's factory set to deliver something at least as good.
If not, MSI is on the cards too.
I wanted to ease myself into VIs as CPU power, product development and industry consensus converge into a nexus that is propellorhead heaven.
I've already got my cap...

Still, some of the romplers are doing better in terms of usability and versatility-- more bang for the buck.
Now, all we need is more buck for the bang!!
Peace.
Frods

You're a funny little hobbit.

Thank you very much for those opinions, Frods; I wasn't expecting any more.
I suppose I should have known better!

I'm sorry, but I've been getting very ill from pushing the last week...
I may only log on every few days for a while, but will be in touch...

[Frodo]

Hey, Frods. You've been missed.
About the only creature not to have noticed the gaping hole that was your absence around here would have been... you!
Of course, that's an assumption; I'm learning not to underestimate your awareness...

this hobbit is oblivious-- I've never known this place to shut down in my absence!! I'm just happy to have this little corner of the musical Shire to visit when time allows.

Good enough for "classy" pop/rock?
Sounds like that's what you're saying.

I wouldn't say "classy" pop/rock. In fact, the dirtier the better. Techno may even be best.

Is "that" sound just a generic snappy brass ensemble, or a specific sample-set?
Yay! Another legitimate use of the word "snappy".

Hmm-- I wish I could send you some links if some audio demos could be tracked down. Hearing the sounds would be the best witness. I'd call them generic, I think... although they are a notch better than the 5080 stock brass, used sparingly in the track, the brass on the Session card can work well with synth bass and electronic drums. I've not been very happy with them using more "photorealistic" drum and bass sounds. They fare worse along side the higher end wind and string libraries.

When I eventually get Machy, I expect MOTU's factory set to deliver something at least as good.
If not, MSI is on the cards too.
I wanted to ease myself into VIs as CPU power, product development and industry consensus converge into a nexus that is propellorhead heaven.
I've already got my cap...

Machy is probably the most versatile way to go overall. That way you are not stuck on a specific library for everything, and if v2 is a true universal importer, then your options are endless for a great variety of sounds for any imaginable project.

You're a funny little hobbit.

Thank you very much for those opinions, Frods; I wasn't expecting any more.
I suppose I should have known better!

I'm sorry, but I've been getting very ill from pushing the last week...
I may only log on every few days for a while, but will be in touch...

LOL!! You know me by now-- give me a few minutes and I'll spill the beans for ya! Some people call that diarrhea of the mouth. Sorry-- just a hobbit flaw.

[monkey man]

u know me by now-- give me a few minutes and I'll spill the beans for ya! Some people call that diarrhea of the mouth. Sorry-- just a hobbit flaw.

Ah, yes... hobbit floors. Know them well.
Mostly covered with beans they are.

Thank you ever-so-much, Frods. Again.
You're a special companion.