> We gripped so hard to get our dive club meetings so we could meet other
divers, well
> after we joined elsewhere they are finally going to have there first
meeting on july 5th the
> day after my 40th birthday.

Sherry, while you should get what you pay for, diving is also a sport of
self reliance.  Why not step up and do something about getting what you
want.  The club issue is a good place to start.  Clubs are groups of people
with enough of a common interest to make it worth while to meet.  Meetings
can be anywhere, not just at a dive shop.  Why not get together with your
fellow divers and make the club independent of the business that you've been
having problems with.  An independent club can pick and chose who gets their
business, can often get deals not available to captive clubs and, best of
all, can use their financial leverage to effect changes that will benefit
everyone.

>I know another one that runs really efficiently but its really too far away
and they teach SSI
>and not PADI aka (Put Another Dollar In).

I know quite a few good PADI instructors, but have problems with their
corporate attitude.  While I don't have a PADI card, my wife does.  Both of
us have SSI cards and I have NAUI and TDI cards as well.  You may assume
we've seen good and bad in each of these agencies.  Our experience with SSI
has been very positive.

I often recommend those who have taken courses with only one agency to
branch out and get some experience with others, particularly when the agency
they're most familiar with is PADI.  PADI tends to teach their way as
gospel, never exposing their students to the variety of options considered
equally or even more effective by other agencies.  This is good for
business, but bad for their students.  The more diving expertise you are
exposed to, the better you are able to pick and chose what is best for your
own diving and the better able you are to do so on an informed basis.  If
the SSI shop isn't really too far away, consider using them for a specialty.
You may like what you get.

Lee