ALL CHANGE
Posted at 4:10 pm on 31/1/97
So it's October already, it seems an eternity since you last got sent a Madhatters, you're no longer speaking with the postman, your feeling tense, irritable and neglected. You've started drinking heavily and swearing loudly. Nothing seems to make sense anymore... right, yes, good, er, OK. Well, put down that Teeny Mag problem page, carefully now, before it goes off in your hands and rejoice for indeed, it's Madhatters time again.

As happens to us all at strategic points along the Road of Life, things here have changed here, moved on, metamorphosised if you will. Does this have any relevance to Madhatters you may ask? Well, perhaps... Firstly it goes someway to provide, nay, furnish myself and the rest of the Madhatters Editorial team with an excuse for MH being late. You see, many of the friends and fellow Hatters we know have just undergone great periods of change. Such changes, which curiously seem to happen bi-annually (that's every two years to people who did Combined Studies - ho, ho, the old ones eh? Nurse...my medication please) manifest themselves in many different ways, new job, new house, new partner, new car, demotion, promotion, that sort of thing. With us it's all of the above, plus a new change of address (see elsewhere this Issue) but before going off on a one way trip to 'Thought for the Day' land, all this waffle must stop and be replaced by an apology for Madhatters failing to hit the Summer deadline. Sorry. There, that's better. To move tangentially onwards perhaps with this narrative, then.

Such news, for those who have paid money to come on the Cornish Banquet in Port Isaac (the MH Annual Reunion 1996), don't worry all is proceeding to plan. Yes, I have cashed your deposit cheque, you will need to pay the remainder quite soon after receiving this. For those that haven't there are still a few places left if you wish to come - see page 2 for full details. Quite honestly, we have been overwhelmed by the response so far. We have fifty people going at the moment so it looks set to be one hell of a weekend for all!

As for the rest of the news scattered before you in this issue, well, its been an eventful six months since the last MH to say the least. Most of the articles here deserve much more coverage than they have been afforded. I would have enjoyed doing a massive supplement this time with many photos, but alas I have changed jobs so some of the equipment previously available, alas was no longer! All of the stuff in this issue is still suitably relevant (except of course Chris Hanham's column) if less visually stimulating.

So just as you had given up all hope of ever receiving correspondence again, Madhatters is back. Stronger, maybe a little older and wiser, perhaps more readable than ever. A shining literary beacon to remind you that old friendships never die, they merely grow stronger even if occasionally they get left in the corner to fester for a few months. Enjoy this issue, keep in touch, which of course is ultimately the reason why we do this, and finally do take note of the new Madhatters address.