Okay, so I'm a slow learner. It only took me three and half months to get up enough nerve to finally registar and stop lurking. When I say three months, I mean almost everyday since the middle of May I have checked out this website at least once a day, if not more. It wouldn't surprise me if at least 100,000 of those 14,899,663 hits to this site are mine.
So why the reluctance to join and what drove me out of lurkdom, you may ask? First of all, I have never ever done anything like this - never in a chat room, hardly ever even IM-ed, and even sometimes go for weeks without checking my home email - until last night. Last night I was enjoying myself, preparing to listen to the cellcast and comments, when the site goes all wacky on me - detouring me off the site to really, really obsure sites. I PANICED. Surely this site that has been my refuge and entertainment for three months wasn't going up in cyber-smoke. I had to register so I could chat with the pros to find out what was going on. So I did...finally.
When I did register, the most amazing thing happened. It was like Alice, stepping through the looking glass or Dorthey's first glimpse of Oz. All of a sudden, when I went to the cellcast thread, there were all these pictures on all the comment boxes that I had never ever seen as a lurker. It was amazing! For that alone I should have joined weeks ago.
I think I'm going to like it here in Oz, or maybe I'll call it Davidland. Now that my teenage daughter is back in school, I really don't have anyone else I can "Cook" with. She is way too loaded down with schoolwork. She has made me promise to keep her updated. We both already miss those precious nights we spent together this summer, huddle around my computer, looking for all we could find on Mr. Cook - such poiniant mother/daugher moments that we will cherish forever. She is already having Youtube and d_c.org withdrawals. It was absolutely the highlight of our summer. (My mom was sick all summer and passed away a month ago, so not the best summer for anyone in my family. My sister and her teenage girls were in town most weeks to help with my mom and while they were here, my daughter and I Cookified them as well. The family that "Cooks" together, stays together. )
Don't mean to be so long winded, but it's been building up for three months. Not only has Cook helped us through a tough time, but so have all of you and you haven't even known it. I'll never get an opportunity to communicate my gratitude to David, but at least now I can say thanks to you all now. Thanks!

Welcome! So glad you decided to introduce yourself and join us.

First of all -welcome
secondly, sorry for your lost. I'm glad that he could help you and your family thru such a tragic time.

its always a good thing to cookified some people and spending time with family and bonding is wonderful.
You never know you may have the chance to tell David how you feel someday, dream, dream big..lol

There is a thread where you can write directly to David. You should post your story there if you haven't already. I'm willing to bet he goes in there now and again.

Welcome, and glad you joined in. So glad that David and all of his wonderfulness was able to get you through a sad time in your family's life. Not only is he an amazing singer and musician, the stories about his kindness and good heart help reinforce your faith that there is some good in this world to be found.

Read Reggie Hamm's blog link on here today. It's about how he, David Cook, and some others crossed paths at a moment in time and that may bring hope for help for his daughter. All David had to do was to sing the song, and it's connecting others.

David has amazing potential to touch others. And this is just the beginning. I wonder did he ever think of this as being an effect of his music before?

Welcome to DavidLand! Sorry for loss.

Welcome, We are glad to have you with us!
I too am sorry to hear about your loss.
I know you will like it here in Cookiland!

Hi,
Welcome! I am new to the site also and am really enjoying it! I must add that this site is indeed very addictive...

glad you here sorry for your loss

I am also new to the site.... as of this weekend. I read your post, and it sounded a bit like I could have written it myself (except for your loss -- so sorry, it must be difficult).
I have been lurking (and Cookified) since mid-May, and check the website MANY times everyday!! My husband just graduated from law school, and we have 2 young boys. My husband has been studying for the bar exam, while I moved us from one state to another and took care of the two boys!! David Cook and this website have been my guilty pleasure.

I like to call david-cook.org, my "happy place" -- where I smile and forget about the stress of everyday life. The same goes for when I listen to David's music. He is absolutely an incredible human being and musician. I have NEVER done anything like this either, and have never felt so passionate about a musician. I finally came out of "lurkdom" per my husband's suggestion! I thought he would think I had finally lost it, but he encouraged me to register. I feel free!!! I love reading the threads, and most of all, seeing all of the wonderful photos!! : )

By the way, let me introduce myself... my name is Amanda, and I'm so happy to be officially part of DavidLand!!!

Welcome to both of you! This is the best place I've found for keeping up with David's doings. It was hilarious following the thread on Oprah the day it happened. More and more stuff is on here real time these days....

Welcome to the site! It's a pretty great site. What sucks is that my home computer didn't like it much but that's getting fixed right now so I'm using the school computers at the university I go to just to check it out. Gotta get my Cookie fix!