Hey, Mikey.
Thanks for asking.
No, I haven't seen, felt, or heard any interference coming from you.
Regarding how much personality to "show"... It's a difficult topic to address for me, because when I first came on the boards in the 1990's, I still had a lot of "carpet cleaner" in me. As a result, I was pretty "open". Sometimes, as a manufacturer, that can get in the way. But the "box" was opened long ago.
The main thing at this point, regarding a change of "presence" is to hold my impulses and remain "quieter", regarding opportunities that come whizzing by for a "fire-storm", so to speak. (Like the one that's going on now with Nick and Greenie, then everyone else piling on.)
In general, if there's someone who I don't like, don't feel comfortable around, has been two- faced (acted as a friend, or friendly, yet stabbed me in the back when they thought I wasn't looking), I simply ignore them from that point on. (That's in personal life as well as business.) Life is too short to waste time on "drain people", and I don't encourage them to hang around. So, the fact that I called you a while back when you needed some help, is an indication that I don't see you as acting that way.
As for the rest, I feel pretty comfortable in saying, "What you see is what you get." I'm not into pretenses and I'll tell you my actual take on stuff, when asked (though I may not put it in writing at times).
I know for a fact that one of my strong points is the fact that I used to clean carpet as an occupation for years. It helps me relate to our customers better and it helps me help them in ways that someone who has never actually cleaned, can't. But it's difficult to "switch gears" sometimes, between relating "a lot" (and being totally open) and "relating just enough" (and fitting the manufacturer "mold").
Duane
