Rene,

I, for one, am thankful that someone is setting up a chip show. Although I'm
very new to the hobby (only about a year or so), I'm finding that I really
enjoy it. The things I enjoy most are the pieces of history that you stumble
across in collecting, meeting all of the different folks with a common
interest, and mostly, just the sheer appreciation for the beauty of the
chips. I had a blast at last year's convention and I'm really looking
forward to your show.

Don't let the grousing interfere with the real enjoyment you get out of the
hobby. Try to remember why you got started in it in the first place.
Passion in people is a good thing, even when it sometimes runs amok. Everyone
wants to see the hobby flourish with as little commercialization as possible.
That's noble. I just hope we all don't run each other out of the hobby in
the process.

I might make a suggestion that those considering not coming to the show
consider that they are letting the "slabbers" win in a sort of way. If
no one is there to educate the newer members and/or more casual members
against the problems that this practice brings to a hobby, the "slabbers"
go unchecked. Maybe instead of boycotting, they can come and have a good time
in spite of them. Maybe even distribute a few harmless pamphlets describing
the effect that the practise has had on other hobbies. I didn't appreciate
the problems at first. To me, it sounded like a good idea--protect folks
from the unscrupulous few out there. But after reading some posts, and thinking
through what it has done to other hobbies, I'm ready to sign the list. Let
them show up to the show, heck, even the convention. When they see that they
aren't doing much of a business, maybe they'll give up.

Andy,

If you read this, sign me on the list unless you consider my thoughts
above to violate one of the principles. If so, e-mail me as to why.

Bryan Jimison, R-4813
(baefamily@excite.com)