JeffB said:
Gary, thanks for answering my questions, though your answers sparked a couple of new ones, if you do not mind. 
1) Jim as the man behind FFE has a fairly poor rep here @ EnWorld. Many folks not only have problems w/ FFE's lack of understanding for D20 rules, but many also disdain the higher than average "power level' and emphasis on story/fluff elements (personally I like the FFE products, warts and all). I would assume Jim's gaming style in his home games would flow with that high power, story heavy theme. I get the impression that style of gaming is not exactly your cup of tea so to speak. Would you care to comment?
No question about it, I am a big fan of the METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA game, and that was what I was mainly referring to when I spoke of playing in a game run by James M. Ward
I can say that Jim has been the DM in a number of AD&D game sessions I have played, and his material was indeed high level, but the emphasis was more on exploration and action than on story.
You are correct, amateur theater is not popular with me, as I think that the story in a RPG campaign needs to be outlined by the DM, then "written" by him and the players' characters in interaction with the campaign environment, so that the events that take place are unknown until they have taken place.
2) Are there any of the people I mentioned that you have not had contact w/ in many years that you would like to get together with and BS, or play a game with? IOW, who were some of the folks you really enjoyed working and/or gaming w/ at TSR who seemingly have dropped off the face of the earth? (so to speak). Not Rob, Frank, and Jim, but some of the others (if any).
Thank you again.
The short answer is none. I do get together with Francois MArcela Froideval every couple of years, and we remain in touch via email and telephone. He is the only one of the former writers from TSR that was omitted from my list. There are a number of players from my campaign, or met at conventions, that I enjoy encountering online, via email, or in person--and that I manage pretty well.
My main creative contacts these days are with writers with whom I am currently working, and those are quite stimulating and enjoyable.
Cheers,
Gary
Cheers,
Gary