Do you, or did you, have Audiophile buddies that you shared music, gear, times with?

Hi jim204, thanks for sharing.  Not to be cruel, but my friend, Chris, and I had the kind of relationship that some women think men don't have.  We could talk about anything.  We both lost our fathers much too early and took on family positions a bit before our time.  In both Father's deaths our Mothers needed us to the point that neither of us  really had the time to grieve our Father's passing. 

The actor Steve McQueen had told his son, Chad, after his son had  a hardship, Steve said "life ain't fair"....perhaps simplified, but rooted in truth. 

Thank you to all.  Sharing and caring is so much a part of the best of America's history.  I had the awful situation of picking up the dead twice in the military, including children, but I also had/have some of the best with my children and friends.  Perhaps the hard times tempered me and made me a better person, but I don't actually believe that.  What made me who I am is/was my family.  My great grandparents, my grandparents and my parents flow though my choices and what I have done to help others, especially in helping others that are not relatives or friends.  I have helped those that had terrible childhoods, and have seen the greatness that good childhoods can help to make happen.  I think that is part of the holiday season, remembering the whys of life, and the whys in so many things/ways. 

I sense some kind hearted, good people in this thread. 

I am not a student of the "human condition", ie: psychology or related fields, but over the years some of  the posts to threads would make for a good research study.  Nothing bad or good, just humans being humans with all to good and pitfalls of that condition.  

mapman, could not agree more.  In my early days I complained a bit about my generations point of reference being a Wurlitzer JukeBox.  well that is esoteric compared to an earbud.  

It would seem that from sports cars, to hi-fi, to TV and films,...many things are token versions of what was considered very good in the history of "hi-fidelity"....what we may have now is a sampled version of a recorded version of something that might be like "live" music...but not really. 

cd318
Thank you for your thoughtful and honest post.  Part of what I loved about Chris, Dave and Gary (all of whom have passed) was their honesty in all things.  Chris worked for a national leasing company that leased items that cost multi millions (the secret of a leasing company is that they get the income and the depreciation, and as many know depreciation is the next best thing to magic with taxes) 

I hope you and all on AudiogoN have good holidays and that some will take the time to help those beyond their family and friends...as there are people that have nothing and no future.  When I provided and  served a holiday meal to 50 homeless people I was humbled and within a week one of those homeless persons died by freezing while trying to sleep in a dumpster.  I wish that this was just morbid and the exception to the rule, but it is not.  It is part of the real "Dark Side" that is referred to in films....that Dark Side is in your town and many simply do not want to see it.  I am such a lucky person to be concerned with the sonic differences between world class audio gear.