Ah, welcome to this board. I want to respond to 
your last statement. I am not arguing with you, 
I'm just exposing a different perspective.
 This is the part of the statement that I am 
referring to:
 >>we only make "friends" 
along the way (and usually only with those who 
can help us)<<
 I think that the opposite happens, at least from 
what I have seen. I went into this hobby knowing 
no one. I began to "better" my collection, and 
ended up making some *real* friends along the 
way. One of the reasons it is so hard to get OUT 
of this hobby is because of the friends I've made 
through it! And as "collecting friends", we *do* 
help eachother (that's what friends do). And even 
though I'm wrapping up my collecting days, I have 
no intentions of leaving the friends I've made 
behind. 
 Just thought I would throw that in... sorry 
about the mini rant. :) Carry on.. carry on..

/Tara