George,
In response to your attack on me, in which you wrote.
"Waylan, now wait a second. Do you want to play?
This response submitted by George on 1/20/06 at 9:29 AM. ( ) 205.188.116.138
Then you have to pay. Competitions that are "free" still have to be paid for by SOMEONE. Maybe instead of expecting to walk in, drop your mount off, and then retrieve it afterwards, you might want to volunteer your time and become involved. You'll quickly see that such affairs are backbreaking, thankless (seems you're leaning that way) and frustrating affairs dealing with enough egos to fill the Titanic. Many states DO have reciprocal agreements, but you're still expected to pay entry and registration fees at the least. For NTA affiliated states who transfer your points to the data bank, there's still more work to be done while you're trying to bask in your glory. So, save yourself some agony form people like me and don't start whining about how expensive competing can be."
By no means am I wanting anything for free. I did not even mention wanting anything for free, nore did I mention anything about money, much less "Whining about how expesive competing can be." Money is the least of my worries. By the way, For some reason God has blessed me and I am fortunate enough not to have to worry about money in the first place. My post was only to find out if there are more competitions out there in Texas that I could attend. I am an amatuer and I am not in this for the "ego of the Titanic." I am in this to learn from professionals such as yourself. I want my mounts to be as good as can be. I know I am a beginner, but I want to learn. And I understand by going to a competition a judge will critiuqe my work which in turn will only make me better. I do belong to the Texas Taxidermy Association Inc. Fell free to go to thier website and see my name under members. I do "pay" money for this. And I "will" be "volunteering" my time at the Texas Convention in Galveston this June. I will be helping in the process of assembling and disassembling the panels of the show. It's not much, but hey it's more than some people. I did not plan to "expect to walk in, drop off my mount, and then retrieve it afterwards." I'm wanting to pay my dues and that's why I thank it is crucial to get the opinions on how to improve my work. I am a Firefighter by trade and I know all about paying your dues and knowing your place in the chain. All Iwas want to do is better myself in the taxidermy profession. I was asking if there where more competitions out there so I could go to more and learn more. To my understanding Texas only has one competition a year. I just wanted to know if there were more in Texas out there that this site did not mention. So I don't know why you attacked my post. Once again I didn't mention anything about money. As of now, I respect and listen to just about everything you say on this site. I know you have the experience to back what you say. As my dad says, "You either love George or you hate him." Don't worry George, I still love you. (Not that you care. I am just being sarcastic.) Even though I think you attacked for no reason. Your the one that put things in my post that I did not say. I still respect you opinion and knowledge.
Waylan
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In no way shape or form does that sound like a personal attack. It sounds like George is just filling you in on how competitions work.
George is a big baby and if you don't do things exactly as he does it's wrong. Yeah he is a wealth of knowledge, but in taxidermy, that doesn't make his method better than anybody else's.
Michelle, maybe I read his respose the wrong way. If I did, then by all means, he does have my apologies for misinterpreting his post.
Waylan
That is "response" not "repose" sorry about that.
arrogant a## who thinks his opinion is the only one that matters. Do as I do ignore him and his smart mouth.
man oh man
George has probably forgotten more than both of you two know together
hes a great wealth of knowledge
sure he doesnt sugar coat it
but he come on calling him names is not gonna help
he just recently said hes leaving the whole krowtann thing alone
when Brian gave us the skinny on alum. not being a primary ingrediant
Steve you say in one part of your sentence hes a wealth of knowledge
and in the same breath his ways might not be the best
you cant have it both ways
God i wish when i started out i had George and a few others to
listen and learn from
AND DAN you should have kept ignoring and not posted at all
and Waylan (see what you started)calm down
the post was not a personal attack the way i read it
im glad you still love George
come on guys there are fewer icaons posting and if they are
they are not doing it as often
it will be a sad day if George would stop posting
man oh man just the shear number of post George gives with info.
is staggering
take some time and stand back and look at what he gives
wipe the back of you ears and support the icons we have left
paul e
just thought i'd drop my 2 cents worth by saying that you post did not sound like you were looking for something for free. george has a tendency to be very direct and often times reads into things in the wrong way. i don't see anything wrong with what you said except for the part about being blessed with a lot of money. i'm wondering how that is with you being a hose puller and all. from my experience hose pullers get played to sleep and cook. my only thought would be that it's because as little as hose pullers really do work they have time to work two full time jobs. maybe that's why you have so much money.
Waylan, you misread the intent of the posting. Competition (which I consciously DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN)is a stressful and expensive proposition. Seldom do states, even large ones, host more than a single show in a single year. Since 95% of the work in set up, acquiring judges, awards, facilities, and laying out a program is usually done by less than 5% of a membership, it costs these people tons of time (and money) that they give freely.
Now I understand Dan and Steve are wearing soiled diapers as they aren't housebroken yet, but when their pimples clear up, they'll be better behaved. So before they lauch on their usual gutless (notice neither of them have a last name or an email address) tirades about what I might know about competitions, I'll just tell you.
Here in my home state, I'm chief cook and bottlewasher of the Delaware Competition. There's so little help here in even this small state that if I get sick, we have to cancell the competition (like we did last year). You can't imagine the hours it takes to get things aligned. For the last 5 years now, I've been very actively involved in the NTA Show and Competition. I get and schedule all the seminars as well as help (some say hinder -especially the prima donnas that I remind in specific language are just "taxidermists" like the rest of us)in other areas of the show. For the last 3 years, I've set up the awards banquet and MCed it. Fortunately Greg and Cindy Crain know the ropes and have guided me over certain obstacles, but it never fails that there's SOMETHING we miss or mess up on.
I PURPOSELY DO NOT COMPETE. I found that by running a show or competition, actually competing is a hinderance to you. Other competitors always have that jealous streak questioning your accountability or judges' objectivity towards your entries. If you compete, you can't criticize anyone,because as I said, the prima donna's that we usually get (and who do exquisite work, I might add) EXPECT to be treated differently from the "beginners" and "novices". By not competing, I don't have to play that game. It's hard to be blamed for bias when you don't have anything at stake.
And Waylan, I DO CARE that you love me. I don't intentionally try to be a bas***d, but I don't try to pull punches either. Many people on here have taken things I've said personally and later come up to me and tell me that what I'd said stayed with them long after comments made by those trying to blow roses up their butts. Most taxidermists are good people who do exactly that. I still recall the names of every sorry SOB who kicked me out of their shops in the 1950's, but the lesson they taught that I try never to forget is that knowlege is a very powerful thing. I try to pass along everything that I can because of those SOB's. Sometimes adults feel as if I treat them like children (Dan and Steve are good examples here), but we all have moments of childish stupidity. When I have mine, I stand up and say, "Yep, you're right. I'm a dork." and then move one with the lesson learned. That usually makes the "adult" madder in that he'd hoped I'd take it personal. Try my way a few times and see if it doesn't make you feel better inside. LOL.
And good luck in your competing. I'm glad to hear you're willing to help. Most competitions appreciate that more than you'll know.
George,
Thanks for your response. I didn't really mean to cause all this name calling. That was not my intention. I just wanted you to know that I was not in this for the reasons you may have thought. I am truly wanting to learn all I can.
Waylan
As for as TOPDOG goes,
Appearently Sir, you have never tried to fill the shoes of us "hose pullers." You sound like a typical person who thinks a firefighter does nothing. Maybe some firefighters are that way, but I assure you the majority of us firefighters would kindly challenge you to even try to fill our shoes with a days work. You are right about two things though. 1. We can cook and we do eat good. 2. I didn't make my money in the fire service, I was a Mechanical Engineer for 16 years. With my job I do risk my life and I am willing to lay it down to save someone like you, who seems not to appreciate what we do, and I only get paid pennies to do it. But I am glad to do it. Just remember when its your worst day, you call me.
Topdog, After reading what I posted to you, it sounds like I was bashing you. I didn't mean it to sound that way. I actually thought it was funny, I have not been called a hose puller in a long time. LOL
Sorry that my post sounded bad in the way I put things.
Waylan
I guess I better get off this site today before I start making everybody mad. LOL
But you see now what a humbling experience it can be when you fit on both sides of an issue. LMAO. You'll get used to it.
Thats exactly what I thought George. I started laughing at myself.