Why I will NOT be going to Connections this May

Richard definitely a trip to Peru, including macchu Picchu, The beaches in the north, the food, the jungle, the montains is much more worthy than Connections.

You might try to reduce the cost of the trips, maybe is not necessary to stay in the Hilton and some things can get cutoff as well. But yeah its a good excuse to escape the routine for a change.

Hilton? Just drive down there and stay at a Super 8 or something. If I ever go no way am I bringing my family either.

Yes but I don't think the beach at the old Victory Field is quite as nice as Clearwater Beach.

I will go to the one in september and it will only cost me $400, of course it helps that I can go home each night from the convention.

Got to Vegas by yourself and only stay 2 nights. That's what I do only to see a few people face to face and work out things that are better done that way.

No shopping, no casino, not there to tour...only there for business.

anything else is as you said....not worth it.

Actually, Rich I would say no matter what it is not going to be worth it.

Hey now, South Florida on the Gulf side ain't nothin' to sneeze at! Was at my parent's place a couple weeks ago. Took these pics at the private beach club where we eat lunch.



Walking up to the beach club




The restaurant on the beach




View from the restaurant




Pic I took from top of my parent's building




OK, kinda mean, but for good measure, check out the worst toupee I've ever seen. We ate right next to this guy at the beach restaurant one day. I risked my life to get this picture:

Another complaint is the time of year the events are held. They are at each end of the busy season for a lot of cleaners. How about a having an event in Feb? After the holiday expense but before serious seasonal cleaning ramps up. It just amazes me that the major events supposedly for the cleaners are held at times inconvenient for the cleaners.

If you are not going there to learn then not worth it for you Richard, you are a seasoned vet who will not learn much. Though your wife and kid would love it while your at the conference. Clearwater beach is amazing, white sand, hot sun and a beach night life that can not be explained, its New Orleans on the beach at night. Then one day you could shot over the bridge and go to Busch Gardens or maybe Disney World. I went last year and I met alot of cool people but I live here. Would I pay 6 grand? I would probably not.

Oh ya Fort Desota beach has been rated the number one beach in the world for many years, it is not that far from clearwater beach.

Down here the trip is also tax deductible. Does that work for you Canadians?

The Vegas show is always the same day my kids go back to school in September give or take a day. Really bad timing as we would have just come off a 2 week vacation.

I can do Vegas for under $800 and yes there is a tax deduction.

Connections even in Florida should not be a vacation if it is your only vacation of the year. I mean, its just the US---the land of fatty greasy food and too much butter--- I can think of about 100 places in Canada I would rather explore.

6 grand for a bloated gut and smelly farts? no way. take off eh!

4 days at a carpet cleaner convention is about 3 days too long. At best i would stay 1 night and 2 days and go by myself, save the family trips for family. Would agree if you are only taking 1-2 trips in a year then make them count.

There could be an easier way I don't know about, but if you open a free account at Photobucket.com you can upload pics from your computer or phone and then they are hosted online. Then you can choose from 4 different types of links to post the pictures in various formats such as in email, on a forum like this one or on your website. I don't understand the different links but you just learn what's what through trial and error.

I have the Photobucket app (also free) on my phone which makes it super fast and easy. I can take a pic and have it posted on TMF in less than a minute.