Thank you very much Kate! I was considering joining ICES for quite a while now, but something just didn't sit right with me. Now I know I made the right decision in waiting.
Good things will happen for you, because you are a good honest person. I just wish that good people would stop being taken advantage of, I hope this gets straightened out for you and in a timely manor.
All the best
Shannie
I think it's very sad that the singular experience of Kate--in an event that has taken place only twice (2008 & 2009) for a total of less than 30 people--would bring anyone to the point of completely dismissing the HUGE positive impact of ICES !
...
Rae, I see where you're coming and I agree with it kinda.
For one thing--I do own my failure to achieve this CMSA. Which was decided by three women who did not know their own rules. I can b*tch about it too but I freely and clearly posted my miserable results. So set that aside for now.
The hugest problem and the only real reason to discuss this here is the horrible way ICES conducted cake business--Dude, Dude, put a clause in the contract!!!!!!! (the cake contract that grows bigger and bigger with each bridezilla story we hear)
Going out of their way both years to mess with people's head about results. Among other things.
And the non-start? No no no, I mean they were real sweet to come over to my table and say Breathe Breathe. It'd a been a real shame for me to keel over and screw up the ticket sales. 
But seriously, ICES puts on a big convention where lots of vendors and teachers from all over converge--that's pretty cool.
So when/if it's convenient for you to go to convention join and go but honestly there was never any other reason for me to join. I re-upped for the certification.
However the fact that only a handful of people have tried out for CMSA in two years and only a few of those have been ill treated is a great reason to think several times about joining an obtuse egocentirc organization like this. I was not alone in my failure, Ices also failed.
Despite my achin' ego, I am vocal about this. I'm the tip of the iceberg kwim. Wonder how many other folks stuffed it in how many different Ices arenas?
They've made some piss poor business decisions and then they compounded it with official silence. shhhh....
And--no one is preventing anyone from Ices to respond here. They are more than welcome to set me and the story straight.
I did go back today & look at my results because I'm still pissed that somebody gave me a 6 for part of a category under piping--for piping and I noticed I actually flunked a coupla other full categories too--ruh roh.
And while I did hear from two folks who were associated with this year's certification neither of them were authorized to refund me so in my previously fevered state I discounted their input. One was nice one was mean you do the math. And they were responding to multiple emails so they totally didn't count.
So there's that for full disclosure--please chalk it up to my battered brain.
Just to clarify what I mean, that was for full disclosure--Ices has not addressed my complaint* about how they conducted the event except to dismiss it. And that's wrong in my opinion.
*preventing me from starting while they perused the rules without recompense, not contacting us as promised.
Y'know what else was ridiculous I mean absolutely stupid?
Skirted tables with tableclothes~~deliver me! Part of the deal was fondant covering a cake. On a cloth covered table? Pure dumb.
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