All I need is this BOARD to stay on the wire. I have been collecting only for 365 days - a complete full year today.

I came to realize early that this board was more important to me than any other means of getting and collecting chips.

Every time I needed a chip I would just simply post the "wanted chips". I would get an average of 6 to 7 responses. Then the process flow flawlessly into a trade or a buy. It took time before the final trade is consummated but I learned so many things in-between emails about the other partner in the trade - this is more valuable to me than the "bay and at bay" way of getting the chips.

I found both new and rare chips here in the board.The board is totally free cost me and the trading nothing.

Outside this board I found all the auctions except those in the national and local club like "cloak and dagger" sort of situation. They disguise their names, use different email address and PO Box. Why the secrecy if I may ask?

There are many of my early trading partners whom I miss although they still email to me but I found their messages to be "meaningless" and "devoid" in a sense that they wrote without their "humane" traits anymore, as somebody has said no "feelings".

Why because they are now very busy with the auction board. They would rather be selling in the auction than deal directly on a one on one basis. They would rather deal with a "mass market", faceless if you prefer.

The "economies of scale" takes precedent on them so it is not the chipper anymore but how much chips can they pass on to the auction and sell to the public that matters.

LET ME SAY THIS PLEASE. I would like to APOLOGIZE (and I regret) to all the readers if they think I am insenuating to anybody here in the board or outside it. No MALICE is intended. To my trading partners I just miss you all.

Leonidas