Random Thoughts On SEMA The Mystique Of Tinting Wear
Last year I went to SEMA for the very first time. This might surprise some of my readers because I obviously had plenty of opportunities to go there when I worked at 3M.
Frankly I was embarrassed to go in those days because the tiny lunatic fringe window tinting team was forced to share the booth with our BIG Brother 3M Automotive Aftermarket associates.
They did so much more business than we did that we were generously assigned a tiny section of their booth generally hidden from view.
I'd send two of my sales reps to the show and tell them to watch what they said but promise me to have a good time.
Unfortunately I missed out on getting a new wardrobe of logo shirts generally varying in color each year. This was my main disappointment because I had a full closet of 3M logo shirts, blazers, jackets, sweaters and caps dating way back to 1974.
If you include the cups, picnic coolers, pens, pins and assorted plaques I hoarded over my 33 years there, it's small wonder that once I left 3M my first action item was to visit a clothing and stationary store!
Pragmatically as ever; I did give away boxes of my old 3M shirts to several current 3M window film dealers. Why waste free clothing in these harsh economic times?
One of these dealers calls me in the AM every time he wears one of my hand-me-down shirts "for good luck."
Nowadays our primary objective is to score an invite to the Hospitality suites or cocktail parties thrown by the manufacturer's who still have enough discretionary income to afford to have an open bar! I'd like to thank Suntek ( I understand that their logo undershirts are being worn inside some other company's logo shirt?) and LLumar, of course, for last year's free appetizers and adult beverages.
The number of manufacturers who choose to exhibit has dwindled these last few years as some major players pulled out of SEMA. Cheapness has been turned into a virtue with their spin about "the change in landscape" or some other self serving gibberish.
As mentioned I did go to SEMA for the very first time last year.
A victim of TV commercials I did the Price Line thing and got an incredibly low cost package for air and hotel.
I found myself staying at Circus-Circus.
It turned out that while the hotel was close enough to walk to the Convention Center it was in fact a DUMP.
Quite the disappointment.
It made me recall back to 1999 or 2000 when the IWFA held a meeting at the old Debbie Reynolds Hotel. Several of us 3M types participated and we were supposed to stay at the hotel for a few nights.
Our leader (I'll let him remain anonymous) opened the door to his room, looked around and turned back to the lobby. Within ten minutes he had arranged for us to stay at the Venetian Hotel. (Thank you!)
Leave it to me to rub that in the faces of the rest of the manufacturers who politely remained at the Debbie!
I found myself in an elevator with the chap that then fronted for Solar Gard.
Of course I was wearing my 3M shirt (totally red which clashed with my eyes) and a blue 3M baseball cap (just in case anyone was confused concerning the company I represented.)
I recognized him from the earlier meeting and politely asked him "if Solar Gard was planning to change their company name to Sold Again?"
He didn't smile.
I'm certain that made quite the impression on this fellow. ( I am quite certain because this same chap reminded me of what I'd said to him 10 years later and he still wasn't smiling despite the fact that he no longer worked for them!)
I asked the CP Films lady in charge how Lou Marr was doing in retirement?
I felt obligated to call the Hanita Films Juanita Films, to the face of the Hanita manager who immediately corrected me, believing that somehow I really thought that Juanita was indeed their company name.
He was noticably miffed with me, and as a comeback he asked me if I ever took off my 3M cap? I advised him that in fact I slept with the cap on because it would give me creative 3M related thoughts while I slept!
I guess the bottom line here is that while others figure out how to have a good time and gamble; I'll be dying to see all the new logo wear my friends and enemies are wearing at their booths?
As for myself, I'll decide what to wear when I pack my bag later.
Posted by Mike Feldman at 10/31/2010 9:24 AM 
Categories: Humor Unusual Weird
Tags: Random Thoughts On SEMA The Mystique Of Tinting
Categories: Humor Unusual Weird
Tags: Random Thoughts On SEMA The Mystique Of Tinting
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