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Acid Attic BearsFlying over sea is so expensive I know... :(
But you would be just like at home in the chalet, and I would cook for you :). I promise :).
Flying Fur StudiosYou sure are convincing!!! I wish!!
French food is YUMMY!!!!!
I know a little french, but it's Quebec french so I guess that doesn't work with you.
A Chalet sounds soo nice.
Thanks for the offer.
Mountain Dreamer BearsI did help send a pedophile to jail for 7 years.
Good for you Tammy!! 
It is sad how many sick people there are in the world now. 
Bonnie
Patsy Lake BearsSounds wonderful
Posts: 2,203OK my turn, I also take anti depressents as well. I also have a sight case of Ceribral Palsy and Hydrocephalis. People don't Know because I appear normal. 
Mountain Dreamer BearsBonnie, we must be kindred spirits. I too am deathly afraid of W's and centipeids. Have been all my life. Don't mind snakes, etc but if threatened with a W I would tell all, including where my children were hiding.
The bravest thing I did in my life was: I had brought a pot growing celery in for the winter and it was on a window ledge behind the couch. I watered it and a W actually crawled out of the pot and onto the counch, beside my 1 mth old son. To protect him I grabbed a LARGE handful of kleenix and picked up the W and threw it into the fire.
That was brave Marion! Phobias have no logic or reason and can be completely crippling. Overcoming yours just proves what a great Mom you must be. 
You too, Sandi!
I don't mind spiders and snakes and most other insects, but I have to say worms are really gross! Yet I still put on a happy face when I see one so that my 2-year old daughter will not grow up fearing such things...
...There were sooo many worms and centipedes underneath those darn stones! The centipedes just scurried away but the worms couldn't get into the ground because of the black liner from the pond. I felt terrible for those ugly little things. I thought the scorching sun would fry those little buggers so I scooped them all up with a stick and moved them to the grass. And my little girl was right there with me so, of course, I had to do it with a smile on my face. We had a lovely afternoon chatting with all those darn worms.
One worm is bad enough. When there are bunches of them the heeby-jeeby factor increases exponentially! Yucko. And centipedes and millipedes.. ugh, ugh, ugh! Way, way too many legs for one critter!! Logically I know those things want to get a way from me (almost) more than I want to get a way from them, but just the thought of one of them mistaking my pantleg for a safe hidey hole just about makes me pee my pants.
Marion from France, I'd love come to a mountain in France to visit you if I could afford it! I don't speak a lick of french though except "How are you?" and "Fine, thanks." At least I can visit you here.
I can so relate to so many things everyone has shared: hostess neurosis, being a people pleaser (that's a BIG one for me), being an introvert, etc. etc.
I think your all great just the way you are!! :hug: :hug: :hug:
Bonnie
Canna Bear Paint
Kelly!
You're in Rochester?
Yup, I am in Rochester! You don't have to rub it in 
I'm a grad student locally so I'm in and out all over the place constantly, maybe one day I'll even graduate (again). Hey, you should arrange a visit during the Rochester doll and bear show, it's twice a year spring and fall. Small show and mostly dolls, but there are a handful of really nice bear artists there as well. I'd tell you exactly when they are, but I haven't gotten the 2006 information yet... I need to get that info to Deb as well, so hey, maybe we could all meet at one of those!
Cheers,
Kelly
I wanna come! I've never been to New York! How far is Rochester from Manhatten? I've driven from San Diego, CA to Victoria, BC, so long distance road trips are old hat!
Hearts Ease Bearsvery interesting thread! no real secrets anymore at 49! boyh sides of my family tree are covered in bottles! some career alcoholics! the rest on moms side are borderline paronoid or schizo ( sp?) .fun family! you gotta love them anyway! i am very shy at first meeting but love to have people visist! stop in when in VT! the picture of my dad is use as a logo is the essence of my family to me..i see a beautiful little boy who couldnt understand why his alcoholic parents couldnt keep him and care for him..her sisters kept having to go get him to keep him safe,,so they finally "adopted " him..and he never felt trulyy loved all his life or worthy even tho he was surrounded by people who adored him,, there is documented evidence/ studies that creative/artitic people are like 75 percent more likely to be related to or have some kind of depression etc..mathematical and scientific people have like a 10 percent or less chance! intersting! and my other secret is i really worry about people liking me and what they percieve of me! soooo pleeease somebody answer this or MY paranoi will kick me :):):) deb
Acid Attic BearsHugs Deb :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: .
Upstate New York[Hey, you should arrange a visit during the Rochester doll and bear show, it's twice a year spring and fall. Small show and mostly dolls, but there are a handful of really nice bear artists there as well. I'd tell you exactly when they are, but I haven't gotten the 2006 information yet... I need to get that info to Deb as well, so hey, maybe we could all meet at one of those!
Giddy at the thought! :lol:
Shelli ~ say 300ish miles. Probably 5 hours or there about.
Baird'sBears WooHoo!
It's true--if you look at the lists of creative people with various health challenges, they include almost everybody who is anybody. It kind of makes you feel sorry for all those poor normal people, doesn't it? 
Kelly, I like Rochester . . . lovely old houses, humungous university/medical community . . .
My Wellesley roomate came from Rochester. Her dad was an undertaker, owned the Ashton Funeral home, and they lived upstairs!!
I spent some pretty dreary time last weekend at the Amtrak station, but met a very funny lady there, and we spent the train-ride back to Toronto knitting & talking & searching for clean bathrooms.
Now that I'll have a place to stay, I'm definitely going to check out that doll/bear show!
Eileen
Out 'n About BearsHi Sue Ann
I wasnt diagnosed with Asperger's until 1999!!! By then, I had grown out of lots of the difficulties I had when younger, and these days, I pass as "normal but shy" to those who dont know me very well! But I do take the dreaded Seroxat (Paxil to you!!), as it helps considerably with my crippling anxiety.
How old is your daughter? I know a couple of females with Asperger's, but there are far more males!
Luv Helen
Back Road BearsI've never been to Rochester, NY... only Deb's corner..... Corning/Painted Post area. It's a wonderful drive to get there with all the farm land... even saw an amish horse and buggy while on a little side trip to somewhere??!!
I'm game for a trip to Rochester!!!! Perhaps a bunch of us could come and turn that Doll & Bear show into a Bear & Doll show?? Keep us updated on the dates, Kelly!
Canna Bear PaintI'll find out about the dates! Must warn you all though, when I say small show, I mean small I've only attended as an exhibitor once, there were only 3 or 4 bear artists and a room full of dolls. I wound up watching doll people walk past us the entire day, that was about it. And there weren't even that many of those! (That was the experience that kind of soured me on mixed doll and bear shows, I'll be honest.) It's more one of those shows where if you happen to be IN Rochester it's nice to visit. There's certainly space to exhibit and it's REALLY inexpensive, but unless you bring a truckload of bear collectors with you, don't hold your breath for great sales (or, in our one experience there, any). <sigh> That having been said, it was our very first show and it was invaluable to us to meet the bear artists that were there. We love 'em to bits, they were very kind to us as rank beginners and very supportive. Actually, as a bear artist, the highlight of that show is that Peter Epolitto sets up several tables stocked with Edinburgh stuff. You might not MAKE money, but you can always SPEND money
Incidentally, if everyone is going to congregate to a show in New York, what about TBAI in Binghamton? Teddy bear extravaganza! We've been there once as visitors and once as exhibitors and it really is fun for everybody. The gallery is mindboggling to see in person, there are 55 bear ONLY artists there from all over the place, both magazines are represented, the banquet is great, the awards are fun. It's not exactly in the same league as the Rochester show, you could actually stay all day at Binghamtom and still have bear stuff left to do. You kind of run out of bear stuff after 1/2 a hour in Rochester. Well, don't say I didn't warn you
Eileen, if you're going to be back in Rochester in December, go to the JoAnn store in Greece (W Ridge Rd). I LOVE Greece (hey, 21st safest town in the entire country according to a recent study!), I lived there for three years and still would if I hadn't run out of money this year 
Anyway, that JoAnn store is BIG and it does have a ton of seasonal sales on right now. And as an added bonus, a couple of hundred feet farther down the road is a gem of a place, the Craft Antique Co-op. Huge building, two floors, hundreds of vendors. They are currently doing their Dickens celebration, which is a very Christmasy thing to see! All the vendors dress up as Dickens characters, and they have live choirs and bands doing Christmas music for the shoppers. We went last week and they had two choirs and a brass band. Lots of fun and a UNIQUE place to find Christmas gifts (and bear accessories)! They are open Wednesday through Sunday this time of year, don't know if they have the music every day though. Highly recommended! Greece has some very neat stuff hidden away. There's a Barnes and Noble at the mall that carries, for reasons I will never understand when every other place in town doesn't, BOTH TBR and TB&F AND the British mags Teddy Bear Scene and Teddy Bear Club International. Go figure! See why I like this place? (Shelli, I looked for your article last time I was there but they still had the November issue and you must be in December! They'll get it eventually!)
Shelli, Deb's right though I'm not exactly sure how long the drive is. I remember it being 6 1/2 hours the one time I went between the two, but it was part of a school bus trip many moons ago, and those always go slower than everything else on the road. Depends on how fast you drive, I suppose. Binghamton would be MUCH closer to Manhattan, for the record, like 2 1/2 hours closer. Hint, hint
Hugs,
Kelly
Kelly, are you and mom doing TBAI next year? I got an invitation (or at least, I think it was an invitaion) after the last one to consider participating again. That's how I interpreted it anyway; it was worded a little bit vaguely. What are your thoughts?
I'll admit, I'm frightened to death to be around the creme de la creme in this industry; two major magazine editors; and a room full of bear lovers with cash to burn for a good cause. That's a lot of people to impress in one feel swoop!
I'm doing very well in terms of prices and demand and awards and am grateful every single day for it; no taking advantage of anything here, no assumptions about what tomorrow holds, no resting on laurels, and not nearly a big head. I'm working as hard as I ever did to please myself and my collectors and to make ends meet.
But... to call myself "seasoned" or "experienced," especially when it comes to the real-life, exhibition-type stuff, would be a major stretch, and I'm terrified of being a bumbling fool, for the peer group I so admire and respect to witness! I did okay at Nevada City, but hubby was there to help every step of the way. Not sure that would work out for the trip to NY, tho, which is so much farther away. Also, my sons are in school at that time of year, which makes the timing of it very challenging, to say the least, because, due to the distance -- all the way across the US of A -- it's not a quick and easy, one-suitcase trip. And, needless to say, for these same reasons, it's a VERY pricey jaunt, even for such a reputable and profitable show.
Talk to me, girly!
Posts: 3,177I have to say in all honesty that i have have NEVER met a bunch of gals with as much balls as you lot - you are all fab and i'm sending beeeeeg hugs to you all.
BIG UPS TO YOU ALL
Penny, flawed in many ways but far too damn happy to care
Canna Bear PaintYup, my mom and I will be exhibitors again at TBAI. I know their schedule for putting the show together this year is really different than it was last year... last year with Millie's ill health everything was thrown much later, and apparently there was even a point where they thought about cancelling it. So this year everything is pretty much done already, which is more the norm for them.
But from what I saw last year (no expert though), they had several of their artists drop out as the show neared, for whatever reason, to be replaced by people on the waiting list. Wasn't it Laure from this group that only got a month's notice to be an exhibitor last year? They may even have been a few people short for the actual show last year, I didn't count 55 names present, though maybe I was missing something? It may not be too late to submit an application and get on the waiting list, try contacting Cindy Malchoff if you're interested. We did attend one year as visitors before even attempting to get into the show, it made it less of a scary unknown when we applied. You could always plan a trip to come visit and check it out for exhibiting in the future, and then if you happen to get in off the waiting list... more power to you! Besides, it really should be a pretty nice trip between there and Manhattan, if you like to visit the latter!
I can't blame you for not wanting to do a cross-country trek with your cubs, I admit I'm too chicken to try that one. We got invited to the January show in San Diego but haven't worked ourselves up to travelling with our bears by plane yet. Too many horror stories! One woman at the fall Schaumburg show had a bear with a growler in her suitcase, security didn't like the sound so they tore the bear to shreds and gave her back the head only. AUGH!!!!!! Though there are an awful lot of bears artists who fly safely with their bears all the time, it's just that if someone is going to have bad luck, it will be ME. Supposedly the answer there is to SHIP the bears ahead of time, it costs a bit but at least they get there safely. Aw heck, if anyone wanted to ship bears and supplies to us, we could even throw them in the back of our van and meet you at the show. Or maybe we'll just keep any bears that are sent our way
:twisted:
And by the way Shelli, don't worry about fitting in, you silly goose! They are super nice people there one and all, they seemed perfectly happy to see new faces. The show organizers do a great job of getting everyone, both artists and collectors, together as part of a big happy family. I really like the Schaumburg show as well, but TBAI really does have a different feel to it, it is very warm and familial (that is a word, isn't it?). I remember seeing a photo of your table display at the show you did, and even if you lifted that exact setup bears and all, you would fit right in. Every artist there is not the creme de la creme, remember I'M there
Hugs,
Kelly
After watching these posts grow at an alarming level I ought to contribute to say that I have a phobia of moths. It wrecks the summer months and stops me going abroad where I may encounter large species. I leapt out of a moving car when I was 20 years old because of one..and have got off public transport and walked home.
I can't even look at a photograph of one.
Terrified of passing it to my children (my sister and mother and her sisters all suffer from it) I decided that I would try to not show my fear around them and thankfully they are not scared. My husband is fantastic and he gets them out of the house if one gets in...but my nephew takes pleasure in scaring my sister and I with them. I have thought of hypnotherapy but the thought of having to encounter one stops me from going!!
I know how ridiculous it sounds to others, and I can deal with spiders and pretty much any other insect. But I can spot one of those fat hairy brown little creatures a mile off.
Posts: 3,177LOVE MOTHS flitter flutter they go
HATE SPIDERS 
tickatickaticka they go across the floor
penny
See...I think moths go tickatickaticka.....and that's the sound I hate. I don't know about spiders coz I don't mind them hanging around.
Posts: 8,574Here's how the hubs and I handle 'social anxiety disorder'. We don't.
We have been solitary type people all our lives and don't see anything wrong with it.
Marian I can go weeks without seeing anyone but the cats, dog parrot and hubs. But I feel fullfilled, am busy, and don't understand why it is considered a disorder if one wants to stay in their own world and not interact in the other real world. What's the real world got that our own little world doesn't?
I think I had my fill of socializing when I worked....24 years later its a delight to be alone. Especially with TT
Poor Marion, I'm sorry you have these feelings. These kinds of feelings do make us feel badly about ourselves 
Upstate New YorkIncidentally, if everyone is going to congregate to a show in New York, what about TBAI in Binghamton?
Yes yes yes!
I was sick when I realized I missed attending this year ... and only and 1-1/2 hours away!
Past Time BearsHi Sue Ann
I wasnt diagnosed with Asperger's until 1999!!! By then, I had grown out of lots of the difficulties I had when younger, and these days, I pass as "normal but shy" to those who dont know me very well! But I do take the dreaded Seroxat (Paxil to you!!), as it helps considerably with my crippling anxiety.
How old is your daughter? I know a couple of females with Asperger's, but there are far more males!
Luv Helen
Helen . . . Sherry is 39 and we had no idea about what her problem was/is until a couple of years ago. Just knew she really embarrassed us by being so unfriendly and cold to people - even family. She hated going to any social functions and now we understand why. She's being treated and is much more pleasant and does cope better. Just wish we had known more while she was growing up!! :doh: :doh:
Dilu I love all of your little smiley pictures and signs. So fun !
