I happen to be a fortunate man with a great partner. Ed and I both discovered Joni in college way after C&S came out. For some reason the college radio station was playing her pop hits "Help Me" and "Free Man In Paris" a couple of years after it's release. We didn't even know about MOA, Hissing, or Hejira. So after listening to C&S for a year or so, we bought DJRD. We didn't like it at first, but it gradually grew on *me*.
So after graduating, we bought all her first 5 albums which we both loved. My Dad who was a big jazz fan bought "Mingus". We both listened to it, and thought shit, Joni's just not as good as she used to be. So, my partner stopped there. He knows all the lyrics to STAS, Clouds, LOTC, Blue, FTR, and C&S. I bought her 80's albums, but he was already into different music by then. I kept buying all her CD's as they came out plus finally my favs "Hejira" and "Hissing", but he still liked the old Joni better. Luckily we had mutual friends who were as enthusiastic about Joni as me. That's when I did some research on the computer and found JoniMitchell.com, which lead me to the JMDL in Feb.'98. I just lurked for almost a year, but finally met up with some fellow jmdlers at her Atlanta TTT concert in Nov.'98. I would read Ed emails from a lot of the listers, and he found many of them insightful, funny or moving. He went to my first Jonifest in New Orleans (which I was really hesitant about meeting "internet people"), but we both found everyone so warm, loving, intelligent, and funny. Ed has missed the last two Jonifests, but he's going with me to the NorthEast Joni fest in three weeks. He's the one that really made me appreciate the song "Hejira". I'm not that great with lyrics or what they mean, but on one special night, we sat down with "Hejira" and went line by line and he explained what they meant. He and I were both blown away. How Joni could write something so incredible? Sorry to go on so long, but now Ed really loves Joni. Not as much as I do, but I'm very fortunate. He doesn't think it's strange that I read all this email and correspond with so many great people. It keeps me out of trouble ;~) Oh and as far as friends, when I tell them I'm going to a Jonifest, they actually think that Joni *is* going to be there. I've told them otherwise, but they always forget. They just think that Joni is some old hippy singer that they vaguely remember, and she hasn't anything better to do than show up to sing for some of her fans. LOL. That's fine with me, cause the talent on the JMDL is awesome!!! Jimmy, who also hates the Retards cover of BYT :~)
