Today [12]

Today .......... has been a very introspective day for me. Thinking of retiring from the business I've loved for 33 years now. It ...... has passed me by? Moved on? Its just not the same business I've worked in for so long. Watched it change from the sidelines so to speak, as I've been involved with smaller shows for the last 15 years or so. Just didn't realize how the industry was evolving in the mainstream. The practices allowed and even encouraged by the majority of independent contractors (my part) are just.......... immoral (?) to me. All the rules on behavior have went by the wayside due to the sluggish economy most of the shows are mired in. I don't know if I can continue being a part of it. A real ethical dilemma for me. I have about a week before I have to report back for work ..... a MAJOR fair ....... and I , I just don't know if I can show up.

Other than that, today has been a pretty nice day

I'd say most important, do you have the ability to walk away, monetarily? I always thought things like circuses, amusement parks, and Fairs would endure as there is a certain...primal is not quite the word...innate desire to enjoy such things. But the video game, always connected, instant gratification generations that are growing up now may think these things too hokey? Any business has to change to try and keep up with demand. Progress isn't always a good thing, but things have to go where the patrons (money) are.

I wonder if Baseball won't fade away at some point. But golf is also a slow game, and it's popularity seems to be increasing.

If you can afford to walk away, and you can't bring yourself to do business the way they do these days, you may know what to do. What will you do with yourself?

A Guy

indianacarnie said:

Today .......... has been a very introspective day for me. Thinking of retiring from the business I've loved for 33 years now. It ...... has passed me by? Moved on? Its just not the same business I've worked in for so long. Watched it change from the sidelines so to speak, as I've been involved with smaller shows for the last 15 years or so. Just didn't realize how the industry was evolving in the mainstream. The practices allowed and even encouraged by the majority of independent contractors (my part) are just.......... immoral (?) to me. All the rules on behavior have went by the wayside due to the sluggish economy most of the shows are mired in. I don't know if I can continue being a part of it. A real ethical dilemma for me. I have about a week before I have to report back for work ..... a MAJOR fair ....... and I , I just don't know if I can show up.

Other than that, today has been a pretty nice day

Hope you come to a good decision, that sounds like a hard one. You have to stand by your values, so if stepping out is necessary then do it. You have many years experience, so if possible hang in and show them the right way to do it.

A Guy said:

I'd say most important, do you have the ability to walk away, monetarily? I always thought things like circuses, amusement parks, and Fairs would endure as there is a certain...primal is not quite the word...innate desire to enjoy such things. But the video game, always connected, instant gratification generations that are growing up now may think these things too hokey? Any business has to change to try and keep up with demand. Progress isn't always a good thing, but things have to go where the patrons (money) are.

I wonder if Baseball won't fade away at some point. But golf is also a slow game, and it's popularity seems to be increasing.

If you can afford to walk away, and you can't bring yourself to do business the way they do these days, you may know what to do. What will you do with yourself?

A Guy

Dude said:

indianacarnie said:

Today .......... has been a very introspective day for me. Thinking of retiring from the business I've loved for 33 years now. It ...... has passed me by? Moved on? Its just not the same business I've worked in for so long. Watched it change from the sidelines so to speak, as I've been involved with smaller shows for the last 15 years or so. Just didn't realize how the industry was evolving in the mainstream. The practices allowed and even encouraged by the majority of independent contractors (my part) are just.......... immoral (?) to me. All the rules on behavior have went by the wayside due to the sluggish economy most of the shows are mired in. I don't know if I can continue being a part of it. A real ethical dilemma for me. I have about a week before I have to report back for work ..... a MAJOR fair ....... and I , I just don't know if I can show up.

Other than that, today has been a pretty nice day

Hope you come to a good decision, that sounds like a hard one. You have to stand by your values, so if stepping out is necessary then do it. You have many years experience, so if possible hang in and show them the right way to do it.

A Guy : Its not so much the patrons........... its .....its the way "we" handle them. Attendance has been steady or up actually. But show owners and fair committees have raised the cost of business so much that the independents (the people I work for/with) have almost to a man reverted back to ..... practices I don't agree with. Theres other ways to win a dollar than cheating someone out of it!

Dude : The thing is ..... they KNOW the "right way" and either can't afford to do it that way or won't. I know this business inside and out, from entry level concessionaire to ride jock to booking agent to straight sales to Agent (something different). I know the pressures on "our" business model and wonder why my beloved business is seeking the lowest common denominator (it seems). I'm watching the cheaters win and the agents doing it "right" being eaten alive. I just don't think I can keep on doing what I do while turning a blind eye to its corruption. Thank you both for the input, I need all that I can get right now.:)

Going to throw my 2 cents into the pot...
1. Was in Pharmaceutical sales for 10 years where I met with Doctors, Pharmacists, and Hospital staff to promote my line of medication. Then generic drugs hit the market so I left.
2. Got my Real Estate license and did loans for customer's buying and refinancing their homes for another 10 years.
The bubble got bigger and boom there went as value of homes took a nose dive. R/E agents buyers started cheating on the loan papers so I said adios!
3 Used my military schooling as a Pharmacy Tech and worked in one of California's finest prison for 12 years until my wife's MS took a turn for the worse so I retired early to provide home care for her.

My point is indianacarne what ever road you take do the absolute best you can and never give up or lower your standards.
Something good will come your way.
Dennis(THW)

One is never wrong for doing what's right, Do what you think is the right thing , then never look back. As Dennis said above, something better will come your way , that I'm sure of.
Sending prayers your way, will keep them going for you and your decision.:)

Normally, on Sundays, I wake up at around 12 noon. Would have few beers on Saturday night and sleep late and wake up late on Sunday afternoon. This has been continuing for a while now. So thought of taking a break from this routine.

... Said NO to beers yesterday, slept early, woke up at 6:30 AM, went for jogging, then gym, came back home at 8 AM and had a breakfast!

Good Morning! :)

Good morning Dinesh. They have a saying, the early bird gets the worm.

Dude said:

Good morning Dinesh. They have a saying, the early bird gets the worm.

True mate.

Today I refurbed an old XP computer that the Desktop case needed to be replaced. It had a bad ON/OFF switch. I had run a temp one from the MB to the outside of the case & taped it down with Duct Tape.
I moved everything to a new case & fired it up. It booted up smoothly, then my login icon :)
Then it asks for the password, Whoops, I forgot what I used on this computer from 2010
Looks like tomorrow I will take a trip Back in Time to find my password