How'd it go today?

Just say, “Yuroshiku onegaishimas“ with a big smile and nod your head a lot and laugh nervously while rolling your eyes around...
... oh, wait, are these folks your hosts and you are trying to be reasonably pleasant?; that would be different.
In that case maybe teach them a word in English and then ask them to help you understand an equally cryptic term in Japanese?
 
Friends of my hosts, Pat. I can take a little of it, but when people are lining up..... I don't think there is a remedy, without appearing unpleasant. I should probably be more selective about parties, ask if anyone I don't know is going to be there. :/:
 
Pissed off my best client today, lost a $50K per year account. That's almost half my income. Looks like I won't be eating $30 steak dinners 3x per week any more.
 
I trimmed tree, boss showed up and threw a fit and wanted a bunch more cut, I yelled at him about hacking trees and then I whacked off three big bottom limbs to fulfill his specs. I despise trying to fulfill other people's unsustainable mental images of what they think a tree should look like. After 3 years he was still telling me what limbs to cut.

Just more proof in my mind that nobody appreciates what we do and 99% of clients would prefer having a trained monkey to cut the limbs they point at. After all, every person that looks at a tree knows how to cut it. They just hire us because they are afraid of heights. We don't know anything, either, and will frig up their trees unless they stand there and tell us which limbs to cut.
 
Finished roofing my shop. Roofing in shorts is for the birds! Got approval on a big water oak with a stress crack in it for next week. Two weeks of no tree work is killing me.....
 
It sounds like you frigged up.

I'll be fine. I learned long ago not to let any one client get so important that they could harm me by ending our working relationship. I may have been spoiled by the extra dollars but I will in no way be in any type of financial hardship due to this. I've been turning down work every week for months. But this is exactly why I refused to allow them to schedule me more than 2 days per week.

At least I still own my home, two vehicles, and my bucket truck will be paid off in 6 more months. I'm on easy street.
 
Wouldn't it be cool to be diligent and put that bucket truck payment money aside 7-months from now. Sock it away, don't touch it, let it grow. Then a few years down the road, IF you need to replace your current truck, whip out the cash and drive away in your new to you truck, debt free.

It's fun to dream...
 
Slammed 2 hemlocks today for an uptight stuffy nerd. He loosened up as the day went on though. The one tree was right along the driveway. I bombed logs right down into a stake body. Otherwise, I did nothing noteworthy, cool, or out of the ordinary.
 
I'll be fine. I learned long ago not to let any one client get so important that they could harm me by ending our working relationship. I may have been spoiled by the extra dollars but I will in no way be in any type of financial hardship due to this. I've been turning down work every week for months. But this is exactly why I refused to allow them to schedule me more than 2 days per week.

At least I still own my home, two vehicles, and my bucket truck will be paid off in 6 more months. I'm on easy street.

One door closes and another will open.

Driveway clearing again today in 101 on black top with a chipper in full sun. IUt sucked and I get to do it again tomorrow :P
 
Pissed off my best client today, lost a $50K per year account. That's almost half my income. Looks like I won't be eating $30 steak dinners 3x per week any more.

Doooode that sucks. I hear ya about not bending to "while your up there" BS, but it sounds like you got it together and I am sure you will all the better for it.

I sharpened a small pile of rocked chain, cleaned up and tuned a few saws, and cleaned the shop all in all it was a good rain day. Oh and drank a few beers doing so.
 
Brian, that sucks man. That would have be hummed out big time. But, other doors eventually open in place of the old account.

My thoughts.....
I agree with you. We are the professionals, we know how to do our job. We don't need instruction. However, a customer has absolutely every right to make requests. We don't go to a restaurant and eat what the chef surprises us with. We order, based on HIS menu of options. It's a 2 way street. Now, when customers want bullshit work done, I decline up front. If they want certain limbs removed, and have a legitimate reason why things would be better that way, then I do it. I don't go for the whole point and guide me routine while I'm in the tree. No way. But if the customer has requests, I fulfill them using solid tree care practices and techniques. Provided that was discussed up front.
 
I bet he needs you more than you need him. Get on to the next. :)

I TD a Maple, and pruned some White Pines. Customer made me a cold cut sandwich, it was great.

Delivered a load of firewoods logs, now fixing to put the shock back on the dbike.
 
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