Very nicely put.
What concerned me about this thread is the underlying motivation. swflyer really wants his friends to contribute towards his "excitement" by paying part of his costs. What makes him think that passengers will be excited by flying with him? Most will be slightly nervous and apprehensive, after all, they don't know how good he is, how long has he been flying? The number of no shows for trial flights is an indication of how some people regard flying in a light aeroplane which in the main is more terrifying than exciting.
He would be better off going on trips with club members where they can share their experiences, knowledge and costs. At least they are all aviation enthusiasts to start with. Taking up a reluctant passenger is no fun for the pilot either.