Larry, great story and welcome back to Astronomy!
You're right - astronomy is much more accessible these days than it was 5 or 10 years ago. Which is great for us, and great for the future of astronomy. Big telescopes are cheaper, and sites like IIS help people to choose the right telescope and make sure they don't get ripped off or disillusioned by a $50 ebay refractor!
I hope you enjoy your time at IIS and look forward to your many contributions and questions!