Jason closes his journal... Thanks!! I love you!!

[Tallman]

Ped, one has made a huge step in life when he/she decides to listen to the old ones. There is a wealth of information to be gathered there. One time in the church group that I was attending the discussion of the Sunday school classes came up. I mentioned that I couldn't understand why the classes were put in categories according to age. They were putting the high school kids together and the young married people together and all the wise ones (older folks) together and so forth. In this situation they had kids discussing and gathering "wisdom" from other kids. How great can that be? Where are the young married people to gain knowledge? From other young married people? Come on - the wisdom was all over in another classroom circling among the old ones.

 

[modern_pioneer]

Jim part 1

Today, as I make my last entry about my past and how I came to be. I hope you have learned about the people that have greatly effected my life in many positive ways. There is one person, maybe the most influential one in my life, that I am going to tell you about, Jim.

There is a fable told of two bulls standing on the top of a hill, Jim would be the old bull and I would be the young bull. ( There were two bulls standing on a hill, the young bull says to the old bull " lets run down and talk to one of those heifers " the old bull looks at the young bull and says " lets walk down there and talk to them all. "

Jim was my boss 40 hours a week, and my mentor during the evenings and weekends. I spent 11 years working for Jim at both times. One day, after I worked for Jim for about six weeks, he handed me my paycheck and said " I have been lookink for some one like you for forty years ". " If you want to come to my house this weekend, I have something I want to show you ". So I did, and he asked me if I would be interested learning my trade the way it was taught and done hundreds of years ago. The promise of making extra cash was a bonus that I couldn't pass up. So for the next eight months I would work close to jim listening and doing before I would venture solo in the evenings at my own house doing my own projects to take to a big Arts and Crafts show coming in late fall.

I had purchased a book, Lanterns that lit our world and decided that I would make hurricane lanterns to take to the show. In seven months I would make 19 different sets of lanterns of my own design to take to the big show. I did work very hard making and design them, and I spent 50+ hours making each set.

When the show came, booths were small, so Jim had his booth, and I had one on the other side of show. It was a two day weekend show. Friday evening was set-up time, and we had to be there selling from 9am til 4pm. Bright eyed and bushy tailed I was there at 8am talking with Jim, he wished me luck, and I went to sit at my booth.

Shortly after it started, I had made my first sale. I priced my lanterns in pairs from $175.00 - $225.00 a set. So that first sale made me happy and thinking more positive about learning my trade. Not having a watch on, shortly after that sale, I made another. Then a gentleman from Lancaster County Pa ( I was living in VA at the time ) stopped and looked at my lanterns. He had picked several up, looking at the quality and design, and started to set some pairs to the left side of the table, I was thinking, huh??? He would pick one up, set it down and picked it up again. Then he would either place it back down or set it aside.

While he was looking at them he had asked me about myself and my trade. After making those first two sales I was very passionate about what I was doing. He had placed 7 pairs of lamps to one side, he then looked at all the price tags. Than he pulled a huge wad of cash out of his pocket and handed me $1325.00. I was so excited I was shaking, I place them in several boxes for him. After the sale, he told me he was from Landcaster County and owned a store there, he then said he cold sell the for $400.00 plus each, I was like " ok.... great for you " I just made the sale so I didn't care.

By 1:30 pm the first day of the show, I had sold all my lanterns and had a huge wad of cash in my pocket. Excited to tell Jim, I left my booth and made my way to his booth. When I got there I showed him my wad of cash. Then he asked me how many sets did I have left, I explained I had sold then all. He looked down at the ground and shook his head. He then asked me how much did I sell them for, I told him. Jim looked at me and asked How long did they take to make? I told him 50 hours a set, he than said so your willing to work for $4.00 an hour? That's when it hit me....

I was foolish and ashmed of myself, but I will never forget the giggle that man made from Lancaster after he bought those 14 lanterns.

So understand the fable now?

 

[modern_pioneer]

Jim part 2

You know, I know that at some point in your life you have fallen upon hard times. Sometimes those hard times might last for years. Even though during those hard times, the clouds would part and for a moment the sun would shine threw giving you hope to carry on. Me too, I am glad that I went threw those tough times, just not alone.

Jim was my rock and mentor during the hardest times of my life thus far. Not only did he teach me to work with my hands, he also taught my mind. When I wanted to through the towel in, he would grab my arm and say wait a minute this to will pass. When I lost belief in myself, he believed in me enough for both of us. Some might say, turn to God, I did but he wasn't done with teaching me about myself and his help would be slow to come. But God gave Jim me, and me Jim.

At my day job, I would see people get laid off left and right. When times got better, new people would be hired. Sure Jim would keep me on, but I am very good at what I do, so there is some credit from my side. One day the owner of the company would confront me about a position I had applied for at another company. I think its wise to keep your current employer in check with your wage as long as you have something to work with. As a highly skilled worker, I had that on my side, I was making $17.00 an hour and the new position offered was for $18.50 an hour to start and the position capped at $23.50 an hour.

So the owner asked if I was happy, I said I was but could use a raise to cover health care and cost of living. My strong arm tactic didn't work and I was fired. Jim knew it was coming but also knew and had faith that I would move to bigger and better things. There were no hard feelings between Jim and I, I had used the tactic on my own and walked out on the limb solo. I did get that job at the starting rate, but 5 months later I would walk out, hitting some one elses time clock for the last time, and start my own business with $500.00 to my name, a family to feed, and a house to pay for.

Bitter-sweet

Four months after going into business for myself, I called my old employeer and ask to meet with the owner. I said I wanted to meet with him, he was not always at the shop so you had to make an appointment. The following week as I walked in his office, there sat Jeff (owner) Jim and Chris (who took over my old job). I greeted them and sat down, Jeff began to ramlbe about giving my old job back, but at a much lower wage, I think he offered me $14.00 an hour. What he didn't know, but soon would find out, I was there to offer him a chance to bid on one of my jobs. I would give a 1k today for a picture of the look on Jeffs face at that moment. LOL.... Jim smiled and laughed out loud. Jim did bid my job, in the true spirit of " Yes I can " gave that job to Jim even though his bid was $400.00 higher than my lowest. My little back at you was directed at Jeff not Jim. When the job was complete and I went to pick it up, Jim and I were laughing together about what I just pulled off. Still makes me laugh.

I have to keep up with Jim, just the way he is, and we speak on a regular bases. He came to visit me last summer for a couple of days. He was raised about an hour away from where I live ( that's odd ) but true. When Jim walked into my shop and looked around at all the equipment I had purchased to manufacture products, he smiled and put his hand on my shoulder. He said " see I knew you could do it, this is the reason I went to bat for so many times that my hands were sore " I knew he was telling me the truth. Like a son to a father, I hugged him and thanked him for everything he had done for me, and taught me.

Jim and I remain good friends and share our lives like a real father and son do. He is thinking about moving back up here when he retires next year. That would be great..... As he gets older and needs my help, I will return to him everything he did for me.

 

[modern_pioneer]

In this situation they had kids discussing and gathering "wisdom" from other kids. How great can that be? Where are the young married people to gain knowledge? From other young married people? Come on - the wisdom was all over in another classroom circling among the old ones.

Isn't that the truth???? What do they say? The blind leading the blind.

Besides, what could all the older couples teach each other, I mean I know you never to old to learn, but the benefits of the older couples with the younger couples would of had a much better outcome, IMHO...

 

[modern_pioneer]

lalala...... I got sunshine.... on a cloudy day.... I am so glad.... it decided to come and stay....

I was up early this morning, DS went on a overnight camp trip w/ his troop, and the Cubs scouts that are going to advance into Boy Scouts next year came along. One of them took a hot stick and hit DS right in the chin leaving a nasty burn with small boils. The whole burn is only 1/4 wide, but it's 1 1/2 inches long, DS is was upset cause it hurts. He didn't get much sleep last night, so I told him to take a nap till I needed his help later.

Two years ago I bagged up some leaves, added some water, closed them up. I opened those up this morning and added them to the garden, it was dry enough to till them in.

Today, after 5 months of saving their money together, I am going to take the kids to buy their wii game console, used of course.

I woke DS up at noonish so he could help me recover the boat, what a mess. The mooring line got tangled in the lttle fish house and was stuck. I built a structure two years ago so the little fishes had a good place to hide from the big meanie fish. Once the little ones get about a month old they won't fit into it any more and are fair game for good eats.

So anyway, while trying to get that un-done my leg slipped off the bank into the water. OH MY GOSH WAS IT COLD!!!! The tractor wouldn't make it up the hill because the ground was too soft, so I went got the truck and used my winch on the front to pull the boat out.

After we got that out DS and I started to pick up all the fallen branches in the yard, DS yells " DAD the pools busted". As I walked over I could see that there was almost no water left inside, oh thats real great...

I placed all my indoor plants outside to get some much needed sun, then I place my garden plants outside. The cat tries to get some attention by rubbing againist one of my plant pots and knocks it over, so I yelled at her now she's all mad at me. I am having my lunch now, fried egg sammich, and it's now cold because I had clean up the plant.

But hey, the suns out and its 50 degrees

 

[tommywalnuts]

MP, I was re-reading your first postings here, and I have to say I know exactly what you mean about the country store being the gathering place. I grew up in a small lake community called Lebanon, OK. It is on Lake Texhoma, and probably has a standing population of a couple hundred, not counting farmers spread out in the country side. Actually, we lived about 4 miles away, an easy bike ride or canoe down Huani creek(probably more miles this way, but the fishing is awesome). Anyways, the center of town was Roy Orr's grocery, a rambling barn like structure with lean-to's and added on rooms sprouting from all sides. Roy Orr's sold camping and fishing supplies, ammo, groceries, feed, hay, bait, and cold sodas. There was a scuffed up table and chairs for the domino games and a corral out back for riders at rest or livestock on consignment. Beside the entrance was a bulletin board covered withcurling photos of hunters with deer, turkey, and hogs as well as fisherman with the big catch. It was all us young'uns dream to be on that board someday. I used to love hanging out there, goofing off with the guys under a trio of huge cottonwoods. Someone always caught a snake lol.
Sadly, Roy died when I was a teen. Some out of town folks tried to make a go of it, but the first thing they did was trash the domino table. Folks gradully moved down to Melba's grocery, another store, but it was never the same. However, while I never made Roy Orr's wall of fame, a childhood buddy and me did finally get on Melba's board with a 128 lbs alligator gar and a bunch of flathead cats, all over 30lbs. Its nice to pop in there on occasion and see our pic slowly curling from age...but theres no dominos rattling in the background, no cloud of pipe and cigar smoke or bags of feed to lounge about on before heading home.

 

[modern_pioneer]

I know Tommy, reflections of yesterday seem short lived, until some one finds a reason to pass it forward.

In 2006, I went back to the farm the bank took. The house I spent so many good times was gone. The barns were left to fall, and the sad state of the farm I worked on so many years was left to just die.

Some will say daffodils have a life of four years, but I beg to differ, I planted these daffodils with my mom along the path to the barns some 29 years ago. So they are, still today.

Every year we white washed the pens with lime to keep flies down. I also built a hay bin for our jersey(sp) milk cow.

The granary with its hops (frozen in time) was still standing.

I took two things from the farm that day, a upside down horse shoe that me and my step dad nailed up, and a bird feeder left in time, that I made for my mom that wasn't finished.

 

[modern_pioneer]

With respect to a private email, I don't mind being who I am as much as you might despise who you are in relation to who you think I should be.

It shouldn't matter what I drive, or what level of living a SS life you think I should live.

I didn't come here for popular vote, I came here as me.

Now, to put you in your place, I was published 7 times last year. But I am not big headed about it.

It's no big deal to me, have a go at me if you want, but remember I didn't write you. From what I gather here on SS it's you that has a problem not me.

 

[freemotion]

 

[miss_thenorth]

I don't mind being who I am as much as you might despise who you are in relation to who you think I should be.

Well said!!

We all come from different income brackets--having more or less does not diminish the fact that we are all here to become more SS. And our income brackets should not be the deciding factor on whether we 'want ' to be more SS.