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I Forge Iron

Diversification in a challenging economy


Mainely,Bob

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The jobs are not rolling in and in light of the tanked economy I have been considering widening my field of options to employment outside the metalworking field.Take these two for example;

The first is a real consideration as the person who proposed it and I get along very well and have a bit of history.He knew about my wife`s construction/caretaking business and called looking for her(unfortunately her arthritis had caused her to get out of that).I listened to his problem and went over and took care of it.He understood that I was in the middle of treating and recovering from an injury and still allowed me to be his"0ne armed gardener".
His regular carpenter/caretaker and I knew each other well and Les was much surprised to find that "one hell of a good metalworker"(Fran,the caretaker`s words) was tending his garden.
Fran died this last winter and now Les has asked me to consider replacing him and taking care of both his gardens,house and rental properties.Apparently a(former) one armed gardener can get ahead in the world,can`t speak for the paper hangers though.

The second offer leads to an ethical dilemma.
I have been asked to consider working nights for a new age shop down in the Harbor.The owner feels having a large,heavily tattooed,older individual in the shop will help convince out of state teens not to shop lift his crystals and Harry Potter wands.
On one hand I don`t do much in the evenings and the idea of eating free ice cream(the woman next door and I are friends)Getting to watch the girls go by and collecting a(small) paycheck is tempting.
On the other hand he also sells rolling papers from behind the counter and me being an employee it may look like I condone that sort of thing(I don`t). I`m also sure I`ll be asked to check ID at some point.

The challenges and dilemmas of a changing economy.

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Just something to consider on #2, when I was in the army a number of other soldiers bought rolling paper and tobacco to roll their own cigarettes. Some did it for the shock value (superiors suspecting something other than tobacco), others did it to burn pipe tobacco without having to carry a pipe.
I'm sure there are a number who would buy the paper without the intent of using tobacco but there are some who buy it for use with tobacco. So long as nothing illegal us being sold I wouldn't have a problem.

ron

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Hey Bob, I roll my own (tobacco) cigaretts. I also smoke camels. I like cheap tobacco (Topp) but hate cheap rolling papers...does that make me a bad guy?

Another way to say this, I have worked in the past for men I did not respect. I was able to do this because; what I did was legitimate and I did it well.

One way or another, the bills must get paid.

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Bob,
unfortunately people judge us on our looks all the time. I have long (mid back) hair that I usually keep in a ponytail. I have had a few people ask me if I had any weed on me, and I tell them no. They don't know that I have never touched the stuff, but they figure I am just another long haired hippie, not the right leaning gun toting guy that I am. My long hair is just a personal preference at this time in my life. I would find it a problem if I worked in a place that was selling something under the counter that was illegal-papers are not. Don't judge the purchaser either, they may not be who you think they are either.

Personally I think we would be better off legalizing pot, and taxing it like tobacco. That would do more to curb the illegal profit motive than anything else we have done in this war on drugs.

Now back to diversification. All businesses have to do some adapting to survive. Specialization can lead to going under due to market fluctuations, this isn't our grandparents economy. With global competition we no longer have the luxury to do one thing, and doing it well. My goal is to keep a roof over my head, and food on my table. I am a machinist first, but I have worked for a small foundry, an automotive lift/hydraulics company, and the Jelly Belly Candy Co as a mechanic. I am now back to machining as a tool maker for a small company that is itself having to adapt to a changing economy. We are no longer pursuing just electronic , but automotive, aerospace, and firearms parts.

As for myself I am looking to start a business of my own. I have over 50 ideas for various products, and services that I would like to pursue. I like the people that I am working with now, but I am not getting the satisfaction that I had when I ran my own business years ago.

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You can buy rolling papers without them being from "behind the counter", usually in the tabacco section along with the pipe tabacco. I would have problems because they are hiding them and no telling what else is "behind the counter".


Re-read the part about him dissuading shoplifters. Some states may also require they be placed back there. 'newage' shops typically attract more sticky fingered types than most other places.

People in my town used to get riled up about gas stations selling blunt wraps. If your moral compass swings that way, then abstain from working there.
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Bob stated his concerns himself when he said "The second offer leads to an ethical dilemma." That very statement is what I based MY reply on, he seems to have a problem there. If he has a problem with what is "under the counter" and still pursues the job then... It's still an integrity thing. Maybe he needs to find out IF there is anything else going on before a dicision is made. Could very well turn out to be a good job.

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Bob stated his concerns himself when he said "The second offer leads to an ethical dilemma." That very statement is what I based MY reply on, he seems to have a problem there. If he has a problem with what is "under the counter" and still pursues the job then... It's still an integrity thing. Maybe he needs to find out IF there is anything else going on before a decision is made. Could very well turn out to be a good job.


Took a look,What`s for sale is things for smoking substances other than tobacco.
While this is not against the law I feel that illegal use or abuse of any drug is the hand of evil at work,work I don`t wish to contribute my efforts to.Any intelligent individual can look around them at the people who are effected by the use of drugs and see that.
In case you`re interested I consider alcohol and tobacco to be a drugs too.Just because they can be legally consumed doesn`t mean they aren`t destroying lives.
Here`s yet another dilemma,feeling the way I do I`d still think about taking a job where I may have to ring up a tobacco sale or work as a door man at a club(I`ve been asked to do that too and did not follow up).
Question for the more enlightened,What is a "blunt wrap"? Those were being sold at that shop too.

It`s always a learning experience to have to look at how far you`re willing to go to keep the wolf away from the door.
When the bottom fell out of the Texas oilfield I dug ditches and mowed lawns in order to put food on the table and save enough money to get out of there.
There were people selling completely furnished homes in town for $10,000,talk about a wake up call!Now my few remaining native Texan friends tell me history is repeating itself and the boom is coming back. :(
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<Question for the more enlightened,What is a "blunt wrap"? Those were being sold at that shop too.>

From Wikipedia <<A "blunt" may also refer to a marijuana cigar where the wrapping is a tobacco product. The leaf of a spiral wrapped cigar is moistened (usually with saliva) and removed. The cigar is then cut and the tobacco is removed. The marijuana is then rolled in the paper and the leaf is hand rolled back on to the cigar. An alternative method is to cut the cigar length-wise (including the leaf) and use the paper and leaf as a wrap for the marijuana.>>

I am also a refugee from the oil patch. Early 1981 oilfield jobs were everywhere, and I could support a wife in grad school and a child in daycare in Wichita. One year later, zilch, and I had to move back east and work in the family business. There used to be a sign or bumper sticker that read "Lord, let there be one more boom, and this time I promise not to pi$$ it all away"

Fast forward. So now I teach welding part time at a community college and hope that budget cuts don't kill even that. But it is honest work where age and experience count, and I seem to have a flair for it.

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Here is my bit-o-wisdom for what its worth..

Whats important is that when you wake up in the morning and head out to do what ever it is you do... That you do it with some pride and purpose. That you feel good about what you do and why you do it..

If its to eat free ice cream and oogle the girls... Sounds good for at least a while..

I have had several jobs that just sucked the life out of me. That every day I showed up I felt a little more like crawling in a hole.. Most times these jobs paid me the most money and to the rest of the world looked like the "best" jobs.... The jobs that I felt good about, did not always look like the best to others.. I put in septic systems, Sacked and stacked 100lb bags of animal feel at a mill... drove forklift in a -38 deg freezer on 12 hour shifts..... All those jobs where better than sitting at a desk making big money....

Sounds to me like working in the pseudo-headshop is not for you... With your self professed views it sounds like it would violate your "feel good about it"

I believe that a man who wants to work, will find work that is worthy of him... And a man who "really" does not wish to work, will do something that he can justifiably hate..

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