P3D Profit or survival?

["Dr. George A. Themelis" <DrT-3d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

So, you really think I make a profit from this?  

I wish!!!

Several years ago I promised my wife that, instead of leading our 
family into bankruptcy with my newfound addiction,  I'd rather open a 
3d account and operate from there.  That's what I am doing.  Have you 
noticed how my selling has spurs of high activity?  That's when my 3d 
account is down to zero and I need to sell goods to buy film to shoot 
stereo pictures. 

Even though I try and operate within the 3D account, I always end up 
in the minus.  I then write a $1000 check from the family account to 
the 3d account and pray that my wife does not notice it.  Good thing 
she is not paying much attention and managed to slip two such 
checks under her nose just a month before the NSA convention.  
(Please, don't  tell her!)  I always promise to myself that I will 
repay.  I have good intentions.  I managed to refuel in the NSA trade 
show but still have not returned the money.   So, you won't see me 
selling for a while... :-)

Now, imagine this:  It is a lovely sunny afternoon and you can 1) Go 
to the park and play with your kids or 2) Go down the basement to 
sweat over a red button viewer and breath black bakelite dust while 
opening the apertures to 7p.   What would you rather do?  You think 
I'd pick #2 for the money I charge?  

So, why do I need all that money? As you might know, I don't own any 
fancy equipment.  For the longest time I used one Realist camera and 
one red button viewer.  (Now I have 3 cameras and one viewer).  
Sometime ago I thought I needed a Brakett Dissolver.  You know how 
much black dust I have to breath to come up with the $1800?  Why did I 
buy the Dissolver?  So, I can improve the quality of my 3d 
presentations in our club and elsewhere, so we can get more people 
into stereo.  I recently got a film scanner so I can enter stereo 
slides into the newsletter.  And a copier so I can save the club some 
money in photocopying (I thought!  But was socked to see how much 
toner this baby eats!)  And, don't forget the film!  My biggest 
pleasure is taking pictures.  I have to do quite a bit of selling to 
buy and process this film.  And, finally, I try to support other 
hobbyists and organizations by "buying" from them.

For some people selling is not about making profit.  Selling is about 
survival.  And selling is about servicing other people and their 
needs.  I see young people like Paul Talbot discover stereo and fall 
in love with it until they see the problem.  So Paul had a nice idea 
and came up with a neat product.  That's GREAT!  I will support this. 
We need more people like that.

The "litmus" test:  Yes, I do deduct the conferences as business 
expenses.  You know why?  Because I am honest and I declare all my 
income to the IRS.  You see, when someone buys a Realist for $75 in a 
flea market and sells it for $100, they have to declare the $25 as 
profit.  The IRS does not care if you call yourself "Hobbyist" or 
"Profiteer".  And, when you show profit, it is only fair to deduct 
expenses associated with it.  (I am honest but not a sucker. :-))  I 
made "profit" in the NSA trade show.  I will deduct all the expenses 
as business-related even though I had a blast!  (Please, don't tell 
the IRS!)

I am sorry that a simple question about the value of information in 
the web got twisted to this.  I know Steve Dudley and I admire him for 
being a 3d hobbyist.  We had transactions in the past and I believe I 
have treated him fairly.  I still have one of his red buttons in 
my basement... Sorry Steve for the long delay but, you know, some of 
my non-profit related activities make me look totally unprofessional.
Because that's what I really am!  I am not a "professional".  I try 
to do "professional" work but I am really a hobbyist like you are.

Regards,

George Themelis
(titles omitted :-))


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