CompuServe Messages

Kev' I've got to beleive the off-months of Chicago are a lot more liveable than the Steamy "off" months of Atlanta Dallas etc. However there's always the Big City thing to deal with too. I've grown less and less tolerant of some of the goings on in the larger cities and find it harder to justify subjecting myself or my family to the everyday problems of big city life. While I truley love to meet all the great folks here that are associated with 3D Studio and it's creations, I find it diffucult to put my family at risk. I've been to conventions all over this country so one big city is pretty much the same as another…however the last few years we've witnessed shootings, and been backed in to doorways by gangmembers as well as robbed and it's getting to wear a bit thin. 8-( I'm beginning to feel that every time I go to one of these things I'm putting my family at risk. That's not much fun when your trying to enjoy the show and relax now is it? I used to think that there was always a certain percentage of risk involved in just getting up in the morning..so, what the heck. However the things that have been happening latley at some of these big city convention centers and in the nearby hotels has caused me to start looking at the real percentages. To a criminal those Convention Badges are just a big sign saying "I've Got Money, I'm from out of Town, Follow Me! The Hotel we stayed in in Florida Acutally had Armed Guards Stationed in the Parking lot as we came and went during the whole week we were there. I didn't know whether I should have felt safe or not? I think I've gone on about this a bit too much. However you can understand that this has gone way past the joking stage for us given our past experiences. LaTER Murph'