I no longer have the time or inclination to leave comments under most images. I value my friendship with so many folks in the fractal gallery..as well as other galleries..and I certainly don't want to hurt anyone's feelings by neglecting to comment, but the time has come to decide whether or not my comments are motivated more by friendship or artistic merit..or simply by what I find to be worthy of comment. From now on I will be more discriminating- in terms of which images I choose to respond to, and less prone to comment on almost everything posted. I'm sorry- in advance- if anyone is offended by my decision, and I don't expect to receive nearly the response to what I post as I have in the past. I've been aware of the "you pat my back and I'll pat yours" mentality that seems to happen almost automatically..but, latley, it has become more of a concern, because I see, that unwittingly, I've become part of the problem..and have been for quite awhile. Friendships that are based upon mutual back-patting are not real friendships, IMO; rather, they are associations co-dependent upon supplying daily fixes for recognition. Harsh, I know..and I should probably speak only for myself, but I see it in several of us who post on a regular basis..and, I need to overcome it, despite what you need or don't need. Please don't interpret this as ingratitude. I'm sincerely grateful for your comments AND your friendship; time and the factors that motivate comments are the primary reason for this post. Best regards, Linda