[TheForge] ABANA membership

[Bob Ehrenberger]

Dan,

But what about us struggeling professionals.

I had a lot more disposable income when I had a salary/day-job and I just
was a hobby Blacksmith.
Now that I'm blacksmithing full time things are pretty tight.

Bob Ehrenberger
Shelbyville, Mo

To: theforge@mailman.qth.net
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 10:00:59 -0400
Subject: Re: [TheForge] ABANA membership
From: Dan Tull <dan_tull@juno.com>
Reply-To: theforge@mailman.qth.net

Dave
I think you missed Mikes point. No, NOMMA does not
have as many members as abana. NOMMA is a very professional
organization of professionals. And run as such. abana is a club of
hobbiest,
dictated to by artistic professionals. That's why you had to start HB.
The bulk
of abana's membership is hobbiest who are trying to be inspired by AR.
That's why the local "guild" is so important. They offer what the
hobbiest/pro
needs in calendars, how to's, etc. in six or twelve issues for $15 to
$20/yr.
Maybe abana needs to have a hobby division @ $25 / yr to cover HB.
and a pro division @ $125 to cover cost of AR.  Pro's can write the cost
off, and
travel great distances to conferences, and show off their wares in the
AR.
The point is ...is that $45 is a burden to a lot of strugeling hobbiest
whereas a lot of them would love to get "needed input" at a cheaper rate.
But , maybe again, the board doesn't want those lowlifes, who have the
ability
to think for themselves.