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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="comic sans ms" color=#c00000>Fellow Listers (root cause for the list unidentified as yet...),</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#c00000>The convention was as satisfying and as exhausting as usual...the only negative (and a small one at that) was that the Exhibition Hall seemed a bit less populous than usual...not by those attending, but those exhibiting. The quality of the exhibits is not in question, simply that there seemed to be fewer of them.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#c00000>Personal thanks to Laura Olsen and Jack Wyatt, Isaac Sadigursky, Mary Cushing Smith, Paolo Faziolo and Rick Baldassin, Joe Garrett, Richard Davenport, Roger Jolly, Steve Pearson and Joe Swenson, Ward Guthrie, and finally David Carpenter, in the last class I was able to attend. Informational, inspirational, rational...and occasionally crazy in the ways that we understand so well...and VERY much appreciated! Needless to say, there were a raft of classes that I was unable to attend because they conflicted with the above...but that gives me a reason to keep attending. Perhaps next time....</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#c00000>One of the main reasons for going to KC was to see the Home Office...particularly the museum. Jack Wyatt (may he continue forever...or at least longer than I do) asked for reactions, both positive and negative, then asked if I would pose these to the List in the hope of generating some discussion that would be helpful to the evolution, as it were, of the museum. Jack asked first for the negative reactions. I had two, but they are so related that they could be the same thing. I would like to see a published Catalogue of the holdings of the museum...I mean, I would readily PURCHASE a catalogue of the museum! Related to this, the descriptive material (perhaps condensed somewhat) could serve also as signage for the various items (instruments, etc.) on display.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#c00000>The positive reactions were on the tip of my tongue...I came to see three categories of items in the museum...1) the instruments themselves, 2) action models, many of which are original or primarily original from the manufacturers represented and 3) a collection of historic tools. I was not disappointed. The museum space could always be larger, but I was impressed with the amount of space dedicated to it in a building which must accommodate a variety of functions while maintaining the day-to-day operations of the PTG. And if the museum display becomes a rotating one, with instruments and/or tool displays changed from time to time, then I say there is one more good reason to attend future conventions in KC!</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#c00000>There! I've had my say...what say ye????</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#c00000>Hello to those Listers...Listees?...that I met for the first time face to face, and to those I've known for a while...that's another HUGE reason to attend. Nice to see actual faces and hear actual voices, isn't it? Yet, I returned to the realization that I SAW Phil Bondi once, but wasn't able to connect just then, and I somehow missed Alan Barnard completely, but I DID meet Brian Lawson, who assured me that the world was still out there (!), and....I'll stop now, without even MENTIONING Dave Andersen.....! "And a good time was had by all!"</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#c00000>Let's do it again!!!!!</FONT></STRONG></DIV></DIV><BR><BR><DIV>Stan Ryberg <BR>Barrington IL <BR><U>jstan40@sbcglobal.net</U></DIV>