Inaugural post example

[B. Clay Shannon]

As mentioned in the "welcome message," it would be appreciated if each member of this group would briefly (or otherwise) introduce themselves the first time they initiate or join a discussion - in fact, feel free to make your first foray into this group a simple "hello, I'm here" message. As far as what to say, please mention at least What your interest and expertise in Mark Twain is. I will get things started, and hopefully "get the ball rolling":

I have been a Twain fan for about 50 years, since I was a young lad and read, at my mother's suggestion, "Tom" and then "Huck." I am a native California and, in fact, lived half of my life in Calaveras County (from 1968 to 1997); in fact, the first place my wife and I lived following our wedding in 1982 was Angels Camp.

Over the ensuing decades since that early baptism in the Mississippi waters into "The Twainite Zone," I have read almost everything Twain wrote, as well as much that has been written about him. Many of his books I have read multiple times, such as "Roughing It", "The Innocents Abroad", "A Tramp Abroad", "Life on the Mississippi", "Following the Equator" and the aforementioned Adventures - which are different at each stage of life.

In the spirit of Frost's poem "Two Tramps in Mud Time," I have of late determined to unite my avocation and my vocation, and am striving to make a go of a performance entitled "The Adventures of Mark Twain: As Told by Himself"; its facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/AdventuresOfMarkTwain/

I am going to be performing at Columbia Jr. College Friday, February 17th (coincidentally Hal Holbrooks' 92nd birthday) at 7 pm, and the same place the next afternoon (Saturday, February 18th) at 4 pm.

Additionally, I am recording, chapter-by-chapter, myself reading "Roughing It"; the first 12 chapters are available on SoundCloud and (having run out of space there), from chapter 13 on are available on Chirbit. I am currently up to chapter 22. Twain's other "travel books" may follow (those mentioned above).

BTW, I have also, in partnership with CreateSpace, created two English/Spanish editions of "Tom Sawyer" and "Huck Finn" that are available on amazon - each paragraph in the original language is followed by the Spanish translation.

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- Clay