I have a friend who is in town from NYC staying with me for a week. He is working at a different level than me. It is a window into how it really happens on a day-to-day basis. I surf several of the acting forums and right now there is a lot of controversy going on with paid casting director workshops. It is known that I attend many workshops in addition to many other things that I do to advance my career. It has been said that I am hurting myself by being associated with these establishments. Do these people think that CD's ask me what workshops I go to when I come in to audition? They don't. It's mostly like apples and oranges. I think some of their points are valid, but I am not convinced that workshops are the evil thing that they are proposed to be.