GMaquarium
New member
Now that I am home and the little one is sleeping I can finally sit down. Its not my fault this whole thing started and the thread was locked before I could speak my mind. Sorry to keep up with this and truly hope this thread does not get out of hand. Perhaps this will be the only comment here. But I really want to add a few words. I normally don't have time for so much typing, but had to pull up the keyboard on the laptop for this one.
I try to build my life on the lessons I learn along the way. I can honestly say I learned at least one today. I guess no one is immune to cyber bullying. Cannot help myself but take this for what it is, feeling being put down by a kid.
As far as I am aware of we have actually never met. Just in February he asked me via pm where the shop is located. Don't think I was present while he visited the shop. He judges and criticizes me without any knowledge or basis. So If I may use this as my platform to clear my name to those who also have not yet met me and may believe this nonsense. I am not sure what I have done wrong aside from not going along with video games idea. As any other human I do not appreciate being talked about as a bad person. Having seen your style and pattern Brandon aka xxspyderxx, you are sure to have multiple comebacks to every word I say. So I will at least tell you a bit about myself so you can have some facts to judge me by.
I am a second generation professional aquarist. My father and his brother have both spent their lives doing this. I was raised in a home not only filled with tanks but also with neighborhood hobbyists who came to trade and talk fish, so, open to the public swap is not a new idea to me. Helping the local aquarium community is my duty. I spend every single day of my life for about as long as you have been alive helping people with their aquariums. I take on average about 10 days off per year and work pretty long hours. Not because I get paid per hour, in fact I can honestly say I don't earn above minimum wage. All of the money that I do make from the pure profit you speak of go to daycare where I pay strangers to watch my baby, while I am out shoulders deep in fish poop or on side of the road in my truck answering dozens of emails, pms and texts. If perhaps I am stretched a bit thin and mine or store's service reflects this, I am sorry. I don't like excuses and will look over my work to ensure that everyone gets top notch service. 100% as we all know is impossible. There are days with enough madness that I cannot even explain.
Aside from the whole bullying thing, I learned that kids these days really do need to shut those screens off. One of the reasons I have always been trying to get the club going is to have a real life interaction with people. Face to face is what I am used to. I may sound much older than I actually am but seems like young people really don't have a sense of reality. Fighting against video games is my life. I work with parents and teachers on that point alone. We as people need real life interaction. Real life teaches young people a sense of responsibility for words and actions. There is no restart button on a fish. If its dead, game over. I also think the same could be said for rambling nonsense out of place to slander someone. Never actually introduce yourself or say something in person, yet hero on the screen. Brandan, who every those people are, I strongly suggest you don't involve yourself in gossip they may say about me. Because you never met me, this is of poor taste.
This is also the reason I like the idea of physical club meetings, like most real clubs around the world. The forum board has always seemed to me like a classified ad section. So we tried to start educational and topic specific meetings. This is time I have put in over the years, afterhours at the shop. Many folks on this forum came in and took part. Money has never been the drive point and I believe its clear to all rationally thinking people. It is even coincidental that we decided to do a hobbyist of the year award. To bring honor to a fellow club member and bring the club together. I planned to say a few words about this very thing during the meet.
Brandan, I have nothing against you. You spoke your mind and something should be said for that. Although your point of view is wrong and hurtful, perhaps this is the only way you can express yourself. Although I am offended and upset, this is a mere scratch to me. I come from a different world, one that was filled with religious persecution and poverty. My family and fish have always been all I had. My reputation is my reward. This is something I am actually able to keep and earn, not the money that I give away to strangers. I am forever grateful to all my friends in the upstate reef community who not only enjoy knowing me but also help support the shop. Because real life interaction of even giving your money away for a fish or coral is much better spent with a friend and not a stranger. By friends of course I am talking about hundreds of people who live in the upstate ny region.
I try to build my life on the lessons I learn along the way. I can honestly say I learned at least one today. I guess no one is immune to cyber bullying. Cannot help myself but take this for what it is, feeling being put down by a kid.
As far as I am aware of we have actually never met. Just in February he asked me via pm where the shop is located. Don't think I was present while he visited the shop. He judges and criticizes me without any knowledge or basis. So If I may use this as my platform to clear my name to those who also have not yet met me and may believe this nonsense. I am not sure what I have done wrong aside from not going along with video games idea. As any other human I do not appreciate being talked about as a bad person. Having seen your style and pattern Brandon aka xxspyderxx, you are sure to have multiple comebacks to every word I say. So I will at least tell you a bit about myself so you can have some facts to judge me by.
I am a second generation professional aquarist. My father and his brother have both spent their lives doing this. I was raised in a home not only filled with tanks but also with neighborhood hobbyists who came to trade and talk fish, so, open to the public swap is not a new idea to me. Helping the local aquarium community is my duty. I spend every single day of my life for about as long as you have been alive helping people with their aquariums. I take on average about 10 days off per year and work pretty long hours. Not because I get paid per hour, in fact I can honestly say I don't earn above minimum wage. All of the money that I do make from the pure profit you speak of go to daycare where I pay strangers to watch my baby, while I am out shoulders deep in fish poop or on side of the road in my truck answering dozens of emails, pms and texts. If perhaps I am stretched a bit thin and mine or store's service reflects this, I am sorry. I don't like excuses and will look over my work to ensure that everyone gets top notch service. 100% as we all know is impossible. There are days with enough madness that I cannot even explain.
Aside from the whole bullying thing, I learned that kids these days really do need to shut those screens off. One of the reasons I have always been trying to get the club going is to have a real life interaction with people. Face to face is what I am used to. I may sound much older than I actually am but seems like young people really don't have a sense of reality. Fighting against video games is my life. I work with parents and teachers on that point alone. We as people need real life interaction. Real life teaches young people a sense of responsibility for words and actions. There is no restart button on a fish. If its dead, game over. I also think the same could be said for rambling nonsense out of place to slander someone. Never actually introduce yourself or say something in person, yet hero on the screen. Brandan, who every those people are, I strongly suggest you don't involve yourself in gossip they may say about me. Because you never met me, this is of poor taste.
This is also the reason I like the idea of physical club meetings, like most real clubs around the world. The forum board has always seemed to me like a classified ad section. So we tried to start educational and topic specific meetings. This is time I have put in over the years, afterhours at the shop. Many folks on this forum came in and took part. Money has never been the drive point and I believe its clear to all rationally thinking people. It is even coincidental that we decided to do a hobbyist of the year award. To bring honor to a fellow club member and bring the club together. I planned to say a few words about this very thing during the meet.
Brandan, I have nothing against you. You spoke your mind and something should be said for that. Although your point of view is wrong and hurtful, perhaps this is the only way you can express yourself. Although I am offended and upset, this is a mere scratch to me. I come from a different world, one that was filled with religious persecution and poverty. My family and fish have always been all I had. My reputation is my reward. This is something I am actually able to keep and earn, not the money that I give away to strangers. I am forever grateful to all my friends in the upstate reef community who not only enjoy knowing me but also help support the shop. Because real life interaction of even giving your money away for a fish or coral is much better spent with a friend and not a stranger. By friends of course I am talking about hundreds of people who live in the upstate ny region.
sounds good to me 
