Don't be discouraged, Ophelia! Please keep going. Unfortunately, one of
the problems with this medium is that you can't see the person you're
talking to

This is one of the main problems with the Net in general and newsgroups
in particular. I was involved in the 1990's with the development of
videoconferencing and the transmission of extra-mural distance learning
courses. Often acute antagonism developed between students and
tutors - even if they could see each other via the video network. This
was cured quite simply by moving the tutors around the centres so
that they could meet the students personally. The cure was permanent!

Phil
Northern Highlands of Scotland