OK, now I'm going to vent about one of my biggest pet peeves in the balloon industry - or at least on another very popular balloon related site.

(heavy sigh...)
Why is it that artists are constantly complimenting pics or DVDs and saying how great they are when they aren't? It's especially bothersome in the category of DVDs/videos. If an artist creates a dvd and the work is less than perfect for one reason or another, shouldn't that information be made public or at least brought to their attention? It's not always in the artist's best interest for their peers to tell them that their work is of a certain caliber when in fact it isn't. Most often times it seems people want to "say something nice" rather than be honest and risk hurt feelings. However, constructive criticism can be just that - constructive, helpful and valuable.
I once bought a DVD that was highly recommended online. When I watched it, the sound quality was SO bad at some points I couldn't even understand what the artist was saying. When I mentioned this to friends at the next convention, they all said their copies did the same thing. ??? Why hadn't anyone mentioned this before instead of consistently saying, "_____ is a great DVD"?!
Now, I'm not saying you have to blurt out, "OMG, the sound sucked and you shouldn't buy it!" But one could easily comment, "The sculptures are great, but the sound quality made it difficult to understand some of the instructions."

Ok, I'm done

I have a collection of around 160 video's/DVD's and CD's and yes the do vary in quality.
Here's the list, although it needs to be updated again as I've got a few more CD's to add to the collection.
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=461&hilit=collection+of+dvd+s
I only have one which is a tape so fairly old that the sound is so bad and the tape looks like it's a copy of a copy so I couldn't see or hear anything at all. I bought this from a well respected wholesaler in the US and did mention the problem but never heard nothing back from them.

Who would you like to work with dead or alive?
When doing any sort of line twisting, I love working with anyone I can "play off of" - people with a sharp wit. It's a sort of sarcastic taunting back and forth. I think the audience enjoys the playfulness.
I've had the opportunity to work with so many of my favorite balloon twisters, I can't really think of anyone. Well, everyone again!

What is the largest sculpture you've worked on?
Don Caldwell is my ultimate balloon idol. I have admired him since I bought his first video. Lucky for me, Don twisted in a restaurant that was closer to my home than his own. I would frequently stop by just to see what he was working on. He had a very unique situation where he would create large scale sculptures to decorate the lobby and display cases one day a week. On a few occasions, he would allow me to assist him on his endeavors. WHAT a learning experience!!! He is truly a master of his craft.
Once he envisioned a group of restaurant guests waiting in the lobby (Six, to be exact) complete with beverages and hors d'oeuvres. Halloween was a giant Frankenstein's Monster with the Doctor sitting on his shoulder. Christmas... Wow, Christmas! Don's idea was to create a life-like tree. He created a framework of a 6' tree. Don, Eddie Medrano and I spent the next few hours creating branches to insert into the framework to look like a real tree. We weren't done there - next came the ornaments! We left Don to create the Santa and suspended reindeer!

Marie, Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions on the forum
Did you tell us what make you laugh?

What makes me laugh?

My mother-in-law is coming to visit for a month... So, not much, lately

well that made me laugh

Graham,
In all honesty, I spend the majority of my time at conventions laughing! I love everyone that I've met in this great community of ours. OK, before you call me on it, of course there are a few exceptions, but we don't need to mention them! For the most part, balloon people are some of the best in the world! I've met people from all over: The Netherlands, Japan, Slovenia, Belgium, France, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Spain, Canada and a few odd ones from the UK... Even when language is a barrier, balloons transcend that.

We put our personalities, our politics and even our religions aside for that brief moment and we share our passion. And for that time... all is right with the world!
Thank you so much for letting me share. I can't wait to see you again.
Huge hugs,
Marie

It's been fun reading your replies and I wonder if I should ask who you don't get on with but knowing you as I do that may be a bad move and you may overload the forum with your replies
Well I'm looking into coming over for diamond jam in August and then on to a magic masterclass in Vegas
I'm writing this while on the train up to Scotland.

Odd people? - in the UK? - Surely not