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Conrad
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Posted: Sun Sep 28th, 2008 03:05 pm |
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Howdy all!
My name is Conrad, I'm originally from Detroit, 7 and Hoover. My Great Grandparents had a house in Algonac on the North channel, right across from Harens Island, and Dickenson Island. Most of my summers were spent up there when school was out, helping gramma and granddaddy, and going boating and fishing. When I was 12 the folks moved us out west to Aurora Colorado, a suburb of Denver. Well the folks have been gone now for 18 and 20 years respectively, and I just lost my babysister right after the New Year. So other than my daughter, who lives with her mother, all my surviving family is back there, home.
I picked up an old 1966 Lone Star Medallion II a couple years ago, and last september started a hull up restoration, and modification on the thing, that took until a couple weeks ago to complete. I know you're thinkin' what a boat in Colorado! Well, the land locked duck ponds we have here aren't the greatest, but they at least let me get a little boating and fishing in, but the fishing is usually slow due to the pressure on the lakes. But boating must be in the blood, as my daughter took right to it with no problems. So at least we have some fairly cheap entertainment and can go for the day, although she really enjoys the overnight fishing trips, since dad doesn't mess with her, and we both just relax from the daily grind.
It's not like the old days though when Dad and I would take his '55 Cruise Master over into Fishers Bay by Harsens Island, and load up with close to a hundred perch and bluegill in less than 8 eight hours, or drift fish for walleye on the North Channel, and have our limit in an hour or less. I really liked going out on Lake Huron when the weather and water was good, those squalls can be downright deadly if you're not careful. That's where dad taught me how to use downriggers, and boy were there some big fish down deep.
It still amazes my kids that you can go out on a lake that's so big, you can't see land if you go out far enough.
Anyways, I had to come home in March, as grams passed away, and my aunt and uncle took me up by the old house in Algonac, and over to Harsens Island, and all the way up to Port Sanilac on the waterfront road, and hiway. But I knew the moment I saw the North Channel, Middle Channel, and South Channel, I would be homesick. When we went through Anchorville, and passed around Anchor Bay, they said it was if I had never left, I knew every road, even if I couldn't remember the names of all of them, but I was able to navigate all the way up to our destination from memory, and the lasrt time I was bak there before grams funeral, was 33 years ago. Boy it's amazing what we remember. Yes ;ots of things changed, but some things were as still there as if it were yesterday.
So if I can find some kind of work to earn a living, I'ld be back home in heartbeat. Hopefully the Post Office calls! Good job, good money, and good benies, and retirement. Plus it would give me a real good reason to own a boat! Seriously, unless you go to one of the big resivoirs, the average lake here is barely 30ft deep, but with the average drought conditions, even the big resivoirs are hurtin'. It would just be neat to take my daughter out on a big body of water where she could open up the throttle and really put the boat through it's paces.
Here's a pick of the old boat on her maiden fishing voyage last week.
Attachment: DSCN0563.JPG (Downloaded 100 times)
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IndianRvrShiver
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Posted: Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 11:31 pm |
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Conrad,
You sure have a way with words!! You painted a beautiful picture with your descriptions of your younger days!! I spent a fair amount of time around those St. Clair River towns & your words brought back some fond memories!!
Thanks!
IRS
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Conrad
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Posted: Sat Oct 4th, 2008 06:12 pm |
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No trouble man. I really do miss those days. Some things from those days seem like they're so far away now. But like yourself, I have the great memories of having been there.
What was really cool too was seein' folks still icefishing on Anchor Bay in the middle of march. That used to be a lot of fun. But I remember the ice being so thick that dad would drive the old 69 LTD out on it, and after choppin' a hole in the ice, we would sit in the car drinking beer waiting for the fish to bite. (Must be from Michigan, sitting in a car icefishing, with the heater on, drinking cold beer) But as dad would have said, it was cool man.
Even my lab would have a good time there, goin' duck hunting over in the marshy area(s) over on Dickenson Island. Too when we were over on Harsens going along North Channel Dr, we followed it around and were going down the Middle Channel, and I couldn't believe seeing houses had been built on Dickenson Island but built to where it looks like when the water table comes back up, those houses may flood as they look real low, and since the water is low, it was only 8 inches deep by the old family spread along the seawall, where it was 3 ft. deep back 30 years ago, so if that water comes up another 2 to 2 1/2 ft, I think those places are going to flood. Or else they'll need to build a dyke around them, and have a no wake in the channel, which would be idiotic.
Thinkin' about visiting maybe for Thanksgiving, so I come home on a good note, and not for another funeral. Besides, my aunt and uncle live in Sterling Heights, so it's a pretty nice part town.
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Conrad
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Posted: Fri Dec 26th, 2008 05:41 pm |
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Well, it looks like I'm headin' back that way the second week of January. I have tryin' to find work since May, and it's no go. I'm almost broke, and outta time too. And my Uncle said he wasn't gonna let me live on the streets, so so I'll be headin' back to the old neighborhood for a few months until gram's estate is done, and then we're going to head up around the Port huron Lapeer area. At least I'll have a roof over my head and can help Uncle with any remodelling, or home repairs that are needed in return until I find something.
Between my aunts and uncles though, they do have some driving jobs I can at least apply for, that are local tyoe jobs.
It's not the way I wanted it to work out, but there's not much choice now. It sucks I had to close the business back in May.
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73Lifeliner
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Posted: Tue Dec 30th, 2008 04:48 pm |
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Best of luck. I too, would love to move back to Michigan but right now the economy there is terrible.
Richard
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Posted: Tue Dec 30th, 2008 06:32 pm |
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If your in technology its not bad :-)
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73Lifeliner
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Posted: Tue Dec 30th, 2008 06:41 pm |
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Or the funeral business. I have been in the funeral business for over 38 years starting in Flint, MI at the Zelley Funeral Home. I then got into the hotel business and have been a hotel General Manager for 30 years managing over 55 hotels in that time. Currently I operate an oceanfront hotel here in Florida and I'm a licensed funeral director/embalmer at a local funeral home which, my wife happens to be the general manager of. Yes, she too is a licensed funeral director/embalmer. Keeps us buzy but I'm not complaining and glad to have a job.
Richard
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73Lifeliner
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Posted: Tue Dec 30th, 2008 06:44 pm |
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The funeral home we operate (not owners) and an aireal of the oceanfront hotel I operate.
richard
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Posted: Tue Dec 30th, 2008 07:09 pm |
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Ok you sold me.. so im ready to come down. ... whats the rate :-)
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Posted: Tue Dec 30th, 2008 07:09 pm |
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To the "resort" not to the funeral home.
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73Lifeliner
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Posted: Tue Dec 30th, 2008 07:45 pm |
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I can cut you a deal on either one. I can offer a Michigan Special Rate of $69 plus tax depending on the dates. No Daytona 500, Bike Week, Easter, ETC. We're just finishing the construction project which has been on going for 16 months. We had to redo the door systems due to hurricanes that tore us a new one in 2004 & 2005.
Let me know.
Richard
1.800.BEACH.14
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Conrad
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Posted: Wed Dec 31st, 2008 01:09 am |
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73Lifeliner wrote: Best of luck. I too, would love to move back to Michigan but right now the economy there is terrible.
Richard
It's not too good out here in Colorado either. Stores are going under left and right. The only real "industry" here was hi-tech, and most of that moved overseas about 8 years ago. My exgirlfriend got laid off from hi-tech and had a heck of a time finding work.
On a sidenote, Denver was better when it was a cattle town. Also over the years the military closed down three outta four bases, so that influx of money into the economy is gone. So other than that there's not much left, unless you work the tourist seasons for skiing in winter. Which I'm not a rail-rat personally. Or as the locals in the mountains call them, tourons. Trouble is, with my folks, and now my babysister buried, I have nowhere else to go except the streets, or back where I have family. Plus I've had a couple hits on driving jobs back there, where I 've had none here as everybody is on a hiring freeze until March at the soonest, and I'll be bust before then with the costs here. I can at least make what little I've saved stretch a bit further there.
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73Lifeliner
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Posted: Wed Dec 31st, 2008 04:35 pm |
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I hear what you're saying. I'm pretty much covered in that I'm in the funeral business but our main income is from the hotel and that, is not looking too good. The owner tells me to hang in there but when you're losing over 50 grand a month just how long can he hang in there.
What a FREAKING mess.
Richard
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Conrad
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Posted: Wed Dec 31st, 2008 08:08 pm |
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| My point exactly! Just how are you to survive if you don't have clients? Or the clietelle you had can not afford to use your facility? It's happenning everywhere in the country now, not just Michigan. But hopefully since Michigan is in the worst shape compared to many other states, maybe we can turn the commonwealth around and make it a leader to getting out of this mess. But it will be up to us, the people to do so. The electorate won't do it. We must.
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Posted: Wed Dec 31st, 2008 09:59 pm |
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I believe after July or so people will start to come around again and spend money. Everyone is a little scared right now to move or do anything.
Every time I go to the Gas station to pump gas in my car im thankful to see the price down to a decent price. I think everyone's mind set is like this. They go to the pump and they hope that the price stays still.
The only shitty part I see is that people raised the price of products and goods when the gas prices went up, and they did not adjust prices back down again.
Overall prices are higher the econmony is down and we are all still scared. Lets hope that our money stays local and competion increases and drives down prices.
Im optimistc !!! Happy New year everyone !
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Conrad
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Posted: Thu Jan 1st, 2009 01:22 am |
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Prices didn't start to rise right along with the price of gas, and now since we've been fleeced and so have the merchants, they are trying to recoup too.
The main thing to watch for, is if the Federal Reserve starts pumping out more currency, as the threat of hyper inflation will be the next pitfall. The differences between now and the crash of '29, is that there were far fewer home owners, and we had an industrial base for manufacturing even though it was stifled during the depression of the 30s, and most importantly, there were no Visa cards Mastercard, Discovery, or American Express pieces of plastic for people to default on.
Although I'm not gonna run around like chicken little with the sky is falling attitudes, but I will be very observant and plan out how I do things that way. After a good 3 years of gas prices through the roof, the American Peolpe have been squeezed like turnips to the point there's no blood left to be squeezed.
Most importantly, we need to get our industrial base back, or we not be rid of these horrible downturns.
I found this on a different forum and it hits the nail on the head pretty good.
Will there be more cutbacks? Perhaps this says it all...
To All My Valued Employees,
There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn't pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country.
However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interests.
First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back story. This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You've seen my big home at last years Christmas party. I'm sure; all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life.
However, what you don't see is the back story.
I started this company 28 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living apartment was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you.
My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.
Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting the Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the Goodwill store extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was birthed in the 70's. My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.
So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5pm, I don't. There is no "off" button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to my hip like a 1 year old special-needs child. You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden -- the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations... You never realize the back story and the sacrifices I've made.
Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail-out all the people who didn't. The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.
Yes, business ownership has is benefits but the price I've paid is steep and not without wounds.
Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:
I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada. Zilch.
The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check? Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country.
The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy.
Here is what many of you don't understand ... to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it now.
When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart? Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the poor of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine. Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep.
So where am I going with all this?
It's quite simple.
If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple. I fire you. I fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's future. Frankly, it isn't my problem any more.
Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire. You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.
If you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about....
Signed,
Your boss
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Posted: Thu Jan 1st, 2009 03:58 am |
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You can NOT say that gas did not raise the price of goods and services throughout the country. Companies passed on the bill to the consumer. We are no longer dealing with small business as majority, big business has control of our country and they were not going to take any hit from the economy they did everything they could to pass on the bill to the consumer and still are.
I have read your post before this is a old tail of the poor boss having to support the economy. I'm one of these business owners that pays taxes to the Government. I figure I have a fair exchange with the government. I don't think that I would hire people if they gave me tax breaks. I would be putting it in my own pocket saving it for the future. You can't ask for less when the debt is higher. You have to keep a steady move forward and take no risk until you can afford it again. We cant take the risk of taking less from our businesses. We all have to work to afford the future, balance the recked ship and smile because we are doing it as a team.
This economy is fell apart because gas prices, allowing handing out $250,000 loans to McDonalds workers (subprime lending), inflated property values, our Govenment spending to much money over seas on wars that failed to provide any return on our dollar, borrowing money from Japan and the China, and a slew of other issues.
Its been poor management at the government / big company not the tax bill we have to pay.
Again I say im optomistic that things will come around again but its not going to be soon.
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Conrad
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Posted: Thu Jan 1st, 2009 05:31 am |
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Gas prices did affect everything, but it wasn't a one two punch one after the other. There was a delayed reaction to it. Out here in Colorado the prices of merchandise in the stores and wholesale shops didn't start to climb until the price of gas got around 3.75 a gallon. Plus there was something about the the aviation fuel that escapes me right now with the airlines and the JP suppliers that got tossed onto the gasoline price we ended up paying at the pump (businesses included). So in essense we were bailing out the darn airlines again. And my attitude is, if they can't operate efficiently in the business world, let them fail, and get somebody who can operate a business properly to take their place. Don't let the government step in and buy up the business, it will wreck it for sure. Besides the gov. has no business sticking it's nose into private enterprise. At least in the operations of it. They aren't businessmen, they are mostly attourneys.
Anyways, that's just what I've observed and think about the issue.
Also, I apologise for not being clear on that point. I was a bit vague, and it could be misread.
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Conrad
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Posted: Thu Jan 1st, 2009 05:39 am |
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And yes, the other mismanaged points you hit on also affected the economic situation.
Borrowing heavily from other countries, making oans to those who couldn't afford it, and whole slew of idiotic bullshine. And let us not forget the insurance companies turning more so into investment camps for the benefit of the corporate office, and yet if you have wreck with your car, they do everything to prevent you from collecting on what paid into them. It's a combination of crooked moves from the top to the bottom, and corrupt non-representing representatives.
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73Lifeliner
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Posted: Fri Jan 2nd, 2009 05:03 pm |
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Well so much for lower gas prices for they are beginning to go up again. Station across from the hotel went up .15 cents a gallon over night-WHY? Oil is on the rise again so, it was sweet while it lasted. Rumors are Obama will add as much as $1 a gallon gas tax since gas tax revenues are down. Do what we do when rev goes down, CUT YOUR SPENDING.
Richard
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Posted: Fri Jan 2nd, 2009 09:43 pm |
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@73 Where did you hear this? This seems like disappointing news.
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73Lifeliner
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Posted: Mon Jan 5th, 2009 05:12 pm |
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Rumors on CNN. Get this, Oregon wants to add a mileage tax to people's cars because gas tax revenues are down. People with hybrids do not use enough gas and it is not P/C to drive a SUV.
Typical.
Richard
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Conrad
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Posted: Wed Jan 7th, 2009 03:42 pm |
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| It's typical. The push has been to get people to drive less, and then when they do, there's a need for for another new tax. If these idiots that get elected would try to reign in the spending and quit conducting themselves as though there is an indefinite ammount of money to spend, maybe we could find an end to the darkness in the tunnel.
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