last scheduled speaking stop

[dick benbow]

is this weekend for me in the tri-cities area of washington state. I'll be talking to Mid Columbia members and quests in a Q and A session saturday. If your close to that area hope you'll stop by.

it has been my privilege to share information with many clubs this year, and it's funny...I always learn something new as well...plus an opportunity to meet other koi folks as friends....

[Carmen Stafford]

Dick,
I just met you for the first time when you came here to the Tri-Cities to speak to my club today. We sure enjoyed listening to you. And I came away with new information, which was much appreciated. After the meeting, Dick came over to my house to look at my fish. I was interested in getting his opinion on a wound one of my fish had. Then a small group of us went out to dinner and I loved his stories of traveling to Japan and to New Jersey, among other places. And, regarding my pond, it meant a lot to me that a person who has seen and owned many beautiful fish, liked one of my pond pets! Thanks Dick. That made my day!

Carmen

[dick benbow]

Thank-you Carmen for your kind comments. I thouroughly enjoyed myself and it was fun to meet new friends and share information. Take good care of that Douitsu Ake mae Kigoi you have, really liked that koi! I think your new plan to enlarge your pond and improve your filtration is gonna make the hobby a lot more enjoyable. Hopeful to get back over again maybe for a club function next May....thanks to Ron and all the members......

[BobinCA]

Dick,

Do you ever get down this way, to the Bay Area, for any speaking sessions?

Bob A

[dick benbow]

I've not been invited much past the northwest, because people are familar with me and i get recommendations from those clubs I have previously visited. I have written a few newsletter articles for clubs nationally that have asked (asagi being most requested)

Most speakers I was familar with will address a specific topic and bring a powerpoint presentation. What used to frustrate me was as a member of the audience I could see this guy ( or gal ) had wisdom i wanted but maybe the topic of choice was not exactly where i was at the time. So I would wait afterwards in hopes of asking a question....sometimes I would get to sometimes I didn.t get an opportunity. So when I started sharing info it was in an informal question and answer session, no topics barred and I'd share what I knew. If i didn't know the answer that's what I'd share. About the only props i'd need were a chalk board so I could illustrate things if need be.

A couple of times at a local dealer I was able to schedule lessons on tosai selection with say, 6 people in a group, where we went thru half a dozen color varieties one by one and ended up with the best choice of what was available and the knowledge to know why. I'd schedule 2 in am and 2 sessions in the afternoon. This is very popular but access to the koi can take some arrainging......and work in getting everything prepared.

not against getting a chance to meet new koi friends and sharing information.....

[MikeM]

Dick, I think a club would love spending a day having you advise on selecting tosai from among a tub full! I'd think a dealer close to the club would be happy to participate just because of the future sales the knowledge would generate. .....Sounds like a way to cover the travel expenses so you could visit all the West Coast dealers!

[Carmen Stafford]

When Dick came to our town this last weekend to talk, the thing he did that I really liked was he started the talk with questions, any questions the audience had. Then we went to a topic followed by more questions. This was great because oftentimes people come to these events with a "burning question" and like Dick said earlier, may or may not get a chance to ask it. It was a nice, informal way to lead a meeting. The people in my area have "pets". We don't have high-end fish or the money necessary to buy such a thing. But we enjoy our pets and want to take the best possible care of them that we can. So it's nice to get good information from speakers such as Dick, who are willing to spend the day with us. And, yes, we hope to bring him back next spring to look at some tosai.