Hi Guys,
Lots of good information, especially the last guy who hadn't been to a MAX before, I applaud your effort to help. Ironically those are indeed good ideas and I will address them in a bit.
But first, let me address the BAN issue and put this to rest:
EVERY business has their black list of people they choose to not do business with.....EVERYONE.
The only difference is they do not talk about it, nor should they. And it most certainly does not belong on the internet.
I have never provided my "side of the story" and I am sorry, but I have zero intentions of ever doing so....
Reefer's Garage for whatever reason chose to post private information in a public forum and now he/she will have to deal with the repercussions of doing so.
Incidentally, I've never even met the gentleman, so I will not pretend to judge someone 30+ years of life on this planet with what little limited information I have/know.
My reasons for eliminating him/her from our contact list were for business reasons only, nothing personal.
That being said, I am extremely reluctant to continuing the MAX show for these very reasons.
People make assumptions from the absence of fact, and once the momentum gets going, well......
We are caught in that momentum.
I find it very difficult to ask our professional clients to travel hundreds, if not thousands, of miles across country (and God only knows how expensive that is) to exhibit to all us HERE....only to be met with (or NOT met actually) by people who's decision-making capacity are limited to the local folklore and/or hearsay story of the day! On a personal level: If you've never met me, spoke to me, or even seen me for that matter (nor would you in most cases) I am pretty darn confident that you are ill-equipped to JUDGE me!
Let us get down to brass tacks.
Tammy and I have created this show for the betterment of the hobby since day one.
Since day one, we have taken NOT ONE DIME in compensation for our efforts.
the MAX show has been a philanthropist's effort since the very beginning. (we have never made this public information before)
For TEN YEARS Tammy has endured my fascination with this hobby, and the related show that evolved from that passion.
more importantly, she has accepted an understanding that we would never prosper financially from our efforts.
Just how many wives out there would accept such conditions?
That being said, if people get the impression that MY reputation is worthy of raking over the coals, you are more than welcome in doing so (I have nothing worthy of protecting)
HOWEVER, if anyone has the impression that I am going to CONTINUE this event AND work for free, AND somehow walk around with my tail between my legs as if I'm a beat dog who has done something wrong.....sorry folks, that isn't going to happen.
IF people want an event every April, I suggest making a change of heart, VERY SOON!
For those who really don't give a darn either way, continue the bashing to your heart's content. I am strangely neutral. (Tammy on the other hand deserves the world by most counts)