Welcome---and feel free to be here when you can! (I read your forum post....) I don't think anybody takes attendance, so you can certainly come and go as you want or need to and no one will mind. We mighgt miss you, though!
You are right--this is one of the friendliest groups I've encountered, and would much rather spend time here than on some of the other sites. Some are more interested in selling things than being a community. Bead-Spacers are a family first, that's what I like.
I go to all of those places too! I also sometimes find beads at wal-mart or on ebay. Have you been to Swift-Water Beads in five points? They also have some interesting beads that you can buy in strands or individually like at Beads etc.