Monk, we have not yet heard anything from you about Shibaricon. Are you going?

So I’m guessing by now since I have not said much on the topic that you have probably already drawn your own conclusions, but here is the “official” word. After giving the matter a great deal of thought, many conversations with those I trust the most and lots of consideration I have chosen to not vend at the event. I know, the biggest bondage rope maker in the world not attending the largest rope conference in the world, what gives? Politics, you ask? Bad blood, perhaps?

Nope, nothing so juicy I fear. In the end it came down to simple economics really.

The workload coming in via online sales have reached a point where diverting stock, labor, travel expenses and shutting down the shop for over a week just does not make economic sense at this time. Simply put, I have more orders than I know what to do with and going to a show, even a huge one, would in the end cost me more money that I would make by staying home and filling existing orders.

While I am very disappointed that I won’t get to see many of my good friends and customers at Shibaricon this year, but it would be unfair to the hundreds of customers who have placed orders, paid their hard earned money and are waiting patiently of their rope. I am trusting that those of you going to the event will understand that this is nothing personal, I adore you all and want you to have a great time.

Of course there is a silver lining to this, no death march for yours truly. Sure there is a ton of work to do, but it is more of a “Moderately Overwhelmed, Damn We Best Get Back To Work” march and not the “Bone Crushing, I Have Not Slept In A Week And There Is No End In Sight” march.

If you listen close you can hear a collective sigh of relief from my partners

So there you have it, the official work from the man himself. Sorry I could not give you better gossip fodder, but in the end it came down to the old saying “A bird in hand is worth two in the bush” and right now we have a lot of birds in our hands.