First I bought a great Verna figure from John Pizzi. It's a gorgeous female figure and I'll admit I got it at a steal. Now after reading Wanlu's posts on marionetts I've commissioned Frankie (Maps) to build me one of his wonderful marionettes. If I keep this up I'll have to walk to venthaven 2011. Any one else having trouble keeping their money in their pockets till the convention?

Brad

Brad;

I thought John Pizzi was only interested in performing illusions that focused on slicing, disassembling, dismembering and chopping up audience members?

Yes. Even though I can't attend the convention this year anyway, the government and the oil companies are doing all they can to deplete me and my wife's coffers!!

CaptKirk;
You’re a Ventriloquist, get a business licenses and you can deduct all your figures, props, gas and all related expenses for vent work, Including the whole conVENTion trip from your income tax

Buzz: great idea but work won't allow me to get away this year:o( I DO plan on going next year, Lord willing. I own a mini-farm in Northern Indiana about 110 miles south of Chicago and 98 miles from Indianapolis. I hope to be there and then just drive over to the convention and stay in the local area throughout and then go back to my farm for a few weeks:o) We bought the farm 3 years ago and have never stayed there one day! I was there the day I bought it for about an hour with my Mom and realtor and that is the last time I was there too! Looking forward to staying there for a month or two and attending the convention next year!!!

My funds were depleted before I could even think about it since we're going to be making a big move to another state about a month before.
So hoping for next year myself.
I thought we were actually moving closer, turns out the convention is an hour farther away from where we will be living from where we are now. On the plus side, I have a friend, another vent, who lives exactly half way from there. So if we go the same year, I can meet up with him at his house and we can drive the rest of the way together, and even if he wasn't going, I could still stop and get to visit on the way there and on the way back.