Yes, you're right on the money Jussi:- things change over time. I no longer go running through the lignum chasing pig dogs so that I can severe the spinal cord of a boar with a khukri blow. It was great fun when I was 20, but it would kill me now.
These days I'm more in tune with ploughing through multi volume publications that deal with 14th century Jawa. I would not have been capable of this when I was 20, but I am now, so I've lost one ability and gained a different one.
But Jussi, please do not think that I lack patience. Patience is one of my very few virtues, and I have it in spades. I do realise that not everybody wants the same things that I do from a keris interest, and I do realise that for many people just being able to tell the difference between a Jogja keris and a Solo keris is a major leap forward in knowledge --- as it was for me many, many years ago.
I understand that we all need to learn our ABC before we can begin to read Shakespeare. My little bit of bitching above was because I truly would like to see some of our more long term members advance just a little bit beyond simple questions of ID, and begin to try to understand the significance of the keris within its cultural context. This is something I'd very much like to see, but if it never happens it won't deter me from jumping into discussions from time to time and annoying people.
Oh yeah --- Jussi, in The Land of Oz we tend not to address people by use of an honorific. In other words we do not use "Dr.", or "Mr.", or even "Prime Minister". If mister average were to meet the prime minister of the day he would most likely greet her with "G'day Julie". In fact, the use of an honorific can in some circumstances be interpreted as an insult.
So, may I most politely request that you address me as "Alan"? Regrettably we did not go to the same high school at the same time, nor do we belong to the same club, otherwise I would request that you address me as "Maisey", without the "Mr."
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