OMG Rhuelina, your hand quilting is exquisite! All your echo quilting that looks like only 1/4" apart is indeed a lot of hard work! I handquilt too and like you I do have an appreciation for the beautiful machine quilting and I have just invested in a longarm machine myself. I agree that the all over meander doesn't do a thing for me either and definitely don't want to fall into that trap simply because it is quick and easy to do. For a quilt that will be roughly loved, a utility quilt and some charity work it is fine and a good way to get comfortable with longarming and machine quilting. But I feel so many quilters get stuck in a rut of doing that and nothing else.
It takes a long time to handquilt and I have so many quilts inside of me that want to get out so I invested in a long arm. But I will still continue to hand quilt. I also agree that shows should judge handquilting as a category unto itself.
Your quilts are beautiful I especially like your NY Beauty quilt with the concentric circles quilted all over. Do you quilt with a lap hoop or do you have a frame?