In looking over this thread as it's progressed today, it's interesting to note that I've had one-on-one lunches or dinners with 6 posters on this thread (you know who you are), and attended group functions with 3 of those that I can recall, plus 15 other posters on this thread, most recently in Seattle. I really can't think of any bad experiences to post. I don't think it's the norm for FTers to be ran off at any event I've been to, and if there's a pattern to make folks feel unwelcome it must have gone right by me, and I'm probably towards the top of the list for attending events over the last 7 years.