• Posted 12/19/2024.
    =====================

    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Brian Barczyk

WebSlave

WebSlave

Maybe seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.
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A friend of mine from Tennessee stopped in the other day and we were talking about people we know in the reptile industry. When I asked about Brian Barczyk, he told me that Brian has pancreatic cancer. I was shocked. Been out of the loop myself for quite a while, so I haven't really been following any news about much of anything.

Pancreatic cancer has a very low survival rate, from what I understand. I went to YouTube and watched some of the later videos Brian had posted, and some were extremely heart breaking. I tried reaching out to Brian, but haven't received any responses. I guess a lot of people are doing that, and I imagine this is damn overwhelming to him. So doesn't surprise me much not to hear from him. Used to do a bit of business with him back in the SerpenCo days.

The world seems to REALLY suck lately........................
 
I'm sorry, I thought you knew. Obviously you had more important things on your plate.
 
Yeah, well, at least I don't have to tell Connie about it. She liked Brian too. It would have been a burden I would just as soon not have to put on her mind. She always had such empathy for other people.
 
He just went into surgery this week to remove blood clots. He looks a little better than he did earlier this year. It is such something very hard to deal with.
 
Blood clots are apparently not unusual when chemo drugs are involved. What makes them immediately dangerous is when they migrate to the lungs or the brain.

Connie had one in one of her legs after she had her initial surgery, but it was small and not considered as life threatening, so she was put on a blood thinner (Eliquis) to deal with it. She stayed on that blood thinner for the entire time while on chemo.

Must be some serious blood clots in Brian to have them surgically removed.

I really feel for the guy and everyone around him. As someone told me when Connie was first diagnosed, "Get ready for both of you to go through Hell." Man, he wasn't joking.........

Just today I took down the quite long "garland" that Connie had made from all of her medical ID bands she had accumulated while fighting her cancer. And that didn't even include the ones she got at her first cancer treatment center. I didn't know what to do with it, so I just wrapped it around the container with her cremains in it.
 
I just saw today on Facebook that he had multiple strokes today and was in the hospital.
 
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Damn. I didn't like the sound of him having surgery for blood clots.

2023 is going to be a crappy year to the very end, isn't it?
 
Heart breaking........ Doesn't look good for him. He likely has more clots developing in his body from the cancer.

I sure got my fill of seeing Connie with the oxygen tube in the nostrils over the past few months before she passed. Really wish I would never have to see another person have to have one of those to help them keep breathing. :(

As for this being a "happy" New Year, well, so far it really isn't........
 
This was posted a couple hours ago. Brian is under hospice care now. He pre-recorded most of this, knowing his health was declining.

I met him once; I had gone to pick up a carpet python I bought from him. I opened the bag to check it out, and it promptly clamped onto my hand! Everyone was just standing around, so Brian went and got me some paper towels. He was trying not to laugh, but then I started laughing, so we joked about carpets for a couple minutes. Nice guy. It's so sad that he won't see the opening of the Legasea Aquarium.

https://youtu.be/xwQYlNbfHRY?si=XzF29R0fOtQyAUsu
 
That was an extremely sad video to watch. :crap:
 

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On behalf of the Barczyk family and our entire team at The Reptarium, it is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved Brian Barczyk.

More than the guiding light of our organization, Brian's fervent passion for reptiles and wildlife, along with his steadfast dedication to education, has touched innumerable hearts and minds globally.

Our deepest sympathies are with Brian's family, his friends, and all those whose lives he has touched. We've lost an exceptional individual – a visionary, mentor, and friend. For those of us who had the privilege of working alongside him, Brian's absence leaves an immeasurable void.
As we navigate this difficult time, we find comfort in the memories and the lasting light of Brian's work. He will be deeply missed but indeed, never forgotten.

The Barczyk family invites you to join us for a Public Memorial Walk-through to honor Brian’s memory. The event will be held on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at Heritage Church, located at 44625 Schoenherr Rd. Sterling Heights, MI 48313 from 1-3pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages you to show your support by visiting https://thereptarium.com/pages/brianbarczyk . Your engagement and involvement are greatly valued during this time.

Also, at LegaSea's opening, visitors will find Brian's handprints. Guests place their hands in his, continuing his legacy in a simple, yet powerful gesture. Please continue to follow this page for updates.

Brian, we will see you in the next one. Everyone else, see you at LegaSea.

- The Reptarium Team.

Contact Information for Inquiries and Tributes:

For media inquiries, please contact our Marketing Director at [email protected]

and

For more information on how you can become a LegaSea sponsor, please email our Director of Community Relations at [email protected] for other questions, please email [email protected]
 
Damn. I was afraid this was coming soon............................ :(
 
I would like to go, but besides having my own recent situation to deal with, if those cold temps up there hit me, I might be in the express lane to the pearly gates too.
 
WebSlave said:
I would like to go, but besides having my own recent situation to deal with, if those cold temps up there hit me, I might be in the express lane to the pearly gates too.
Click to expand...

You have quite enough to deal with, and it's bitter cold here.
I'm not going to make it to the memorial either ☹️.

My husband has been feeling like crap for several
days, so he went to urgent care last night. He has RSV, and as it turns out, I do too. I started feeling like I was coming down with something, so I went today, and tested positive.

It's very contagious, so I could never risk spreading it to other people.

I'm sure there will be photos/video posted. The local TV stations ran stories about Brian, so they may be there too.
 
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