Yes, I did get the email.

And I thank you for your comments. I may come off as a bit gruff but at my age (60) you don't call everyone dear and sweetie without getting into trouble.
But I do indeed love what I do for a living. I love the interaction with the customers. I love the friendships I've made over the years with both fellow exhibitors and promoters.

I've made cyber friends with fellow exhibitors and have met at shows. Sometimes we find we've been doing shows together for years.

I've made friends from all over this great country. When we do a show in NY state we see friends from Michigan and Wisconsin as well as Colorado and Florida.

We've witnessed real friendships. At a show a few years ago in CT we all were setting up the day before and the promoter got a phone call from one exhibitor that was coming from PA. He was towing a 30 foot race car trailer full of crafts when he broke down in NJ. Another crafter who was in CT and setting up grabbed the phone and asked where he was. He then got in his tow vehicle as he had the same type of trailer, and drove to NJ to get his competition's trailer and brought it back to CT so everyone could have a good show! One time in NJ an exhibitor went to a restaurant Saturday evening and his van was broken into and he was robbed of 2 days receipts. Over $10,000. We took up a collection for him on Sunday... and he got MOST of his losses back! You don't see that very often! I've seen beginners setting up and seem lost at what was going on. A seasoned exhibitor stops and helps out.

I don't know of any other profession where there is such comoradarie.

This is indeed a great business to be in. And when I do a school or fire hall show I see the same things. People helping others. Newbies being helped by those that have been there before. It happens at all levels.

I love what I do. And I enjoy the people I do it with.

Chris in VT