Show Sleuth: Correct me if I'm wrong but in earlier postings you wanted ferret show people (coordinators, showers, venders, etc) to dress appropriately so they can act as a sort of ambassador from Ferretvania to all of the foot traffic that comes through the shows, right? And yet you want the shows to be off the beaten track? This sounds like wanting your cake and eating it too. You want everyone to dress "professionally," but I might remind you that a lot of these people are not professionals, they just love their ferrets... and their neighbor's ferrets, and the ferrets in the next state... Although I personally have no tatoos or body piercings, I am willing to talk to ALMOST anyone about my ferrets...or his ferrets, or ... Exotic pets tend to have exotic humans. If there are so many of that type of person running around at shows that it bothers you perhaps you should take up keeping yippy little pooches. You want only ferret related items in the raffle -- by donation, of course. I think if it were really "all for the ferrets" in your mind, it wouldn't matter if it were a basket ball (which my ferret loves) or a ferret ball. The purchase of the tickets still goes to a worthy cause. You mention that the rabies clinic is a "nice element of the show, but didn't change the show in any way." Again, if it's all for the ferrets, I think that "nice element" should have played a larger roll in your judgement. Your fixation with things like traffic, the hall, the raffle and other people's attire seem to me a bit superficial. If you really want to encourage good shows, encourage good turnout by talking about the positive reasons for a ferret owner to attend. I think the best reason so far not to attend is fear of people judging me on qualities I consider superficial and inconsequential. [CC] [Posted in FML issue 2838]