have you lost any friends

alexander38 · Post by **alexander38** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:38 am

The down turn in the economy has cost me people I thought we're my friends. Due to them wanting to borrow money ($ 50K ) and the need wasn't for food or anything it was to support the lifestyle of over spending, and I had one ask me for a job and when I told him he wasn't qualified and it would cost me $1500.00 to send to driving school and I wanted a 2 yr comment from him he said NO ! And now he's pissed at me.
So I last night I was watching my puppy's play in the backyard and token on a cuban and enjoying a Irish whiskey (neat) and started too laughing about it. These so called friends all had office jobs and letters after their names and now are broke. I really don't feel sorry for them, in away I feel like telling them I told you SO. and here's some of why I don't feel bad about it.

11th grade asked not to return to H.S. (don't ask)
in the Navy two day's after 17th B-day
21 married and wonderful blond Italian from upstate PA
by 30 a Daddy of 2 great girls and a Chief (E-7)
started a well and sprinkler biz in 93 and sold it in 01
95 retired from Navy. Thanks to Al Gore's military cuts.
01-04 project manger for co. I sold it to.
04 bought a FedEx ground route and now have 5 of them.
2010 sit on my ass
trough all of this I saved at least 15% of want I made each month and never bought a new truck for my self ( wife and kids got one every 4 yrs.) but I lived at my means. So am I a bad guy for telling these (friends) No ?

sorry for the bummer rant but I know you guy's will tell it like you feel
it

foofer b · Post by **foofer b** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 7:58 am

Sounds like you and I have been blessed abundantly. nevertheless,I too get bent sometimes when friends or employees moan about the hard times they are going through, when the troubles are mainly cuz of the decisions they have made. Like too much mortgage, too little savings, too few marketable skills, living beyond their means, or buying a Chris Craft (!). What really gets me though is the feeling that since their life kinda sucks right now, it is somehow wrong to openly enjoy one's own good fortune around them.

Despite how they got into the mess though one has to feel some compassion for their plight.

The friend who turned down the driving job you offered to buy for him was just a dumbass though, there ain't no jobs out there right now.

foofer b · Post by **foofer b** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:00 am

Oh and the clincher is when employees moan about being broke, when they won't even work all the hours you offer them.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:14 am

You did right and you have done Good !

larglo · Post by **larglo** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:22 am

I feel somewhat out of my class being here on this forum. I get the impression most, if not all the members that post here, seem to own businesses or work, making very high salaries compared to what I ever made.

But having only a high school education, got married, raised 4 kids. During that time I must have been laid off from work five times or more, loosing most of what I had each time. I was 49 yrs old the last time, having moved from Illinois to TN for a job that lasted almost five yrs. Seven thousand others got laid off the same day.

I went to school after that at ITT Tech and learned computer drafting, It took 18 months to complete.
I finally got a job with an engineering firm who designed hospitals. I was 51 yrs old at the time, I retired after 11 yrs there, at 62 due to illness, (cancer). I'm 68 now and still kicken'

During all that time and hardships, I NEVER ask for one dime, from anybody! I now live on my SS, my wife's SS and some disability.

Most here, on the form, have larger boats, make a hell-a va lot more money than I ever did.
I have to grin sometimes when some of the replies I get from members of the forum, would require me spending a great deal of cash, at least for me anyway!

I got our Trojan last summer, (which put our budget on life support) that I have been wanting most of my life. I have been working on it most of the time we have had it, but starting this spring, we hope to start really enjoying our F25!

But you all seem to be a great bunch of people! With the things looking rough for the economy, I just hope I can hold on to Ms Glory!

Larry

foofer b · Post by **foofer b** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:45 am

Don't let our fancy clothes fool you none. Most of us are just plain folks. Heck I am just a poor shlep who mows lawns for a living. I own a small business, getting smaller every day that Obama stays in office. There are more than a few of us that own old Trojan's not only cuz they are good boats, but cuz they are a lot less expensive than newer models.

MTP · Post by **MTP** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 9:14 am

Larry the part you missed that makes you fit here, is that you are rich with morals and a good person....

alexander38 · Post by **alexander38** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 5:25 pm

Amen to that Larry, Hell some are rich and some are wondering how many trips we can make this year gas,food and dock fees. I think about every dime I spend on my boat. I by no means am rich middle middle-class I would say. But was raised dirt floor poor in SE Texas and wasn't going to live hand to mouth and thank God I was blessed not to ever have to. And do feel for the friends I've most likely lost but I know how and what they've spent their money on 5000 square foot houses cars and other stuff that's not worth a dime now. And in times like this one has to take care of ones own, right ? And as far as being plain folk Walmart is my place, and you'll never see me in a pair of pants I can't clip my pocket knife to. just sayin' FooferB I know what you mean the well and sprinkler biz up here is dieing guys are doin' jobs at cost. And the lawn guys are going under.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 5:37 pm

There is more to being rich there money .

foofer b · Post by **foofer b** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 10:33 pm

Heck , Larry, with these tough times , we take the boat to what we call "economy lake" half the time lately, cuz it is 12 miles from the house and only 3 miles across the lake. So we don't burn much gettin there or gettin around when we do get there.

chas1450 · Post by **chas1450** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 8:45 am

hey Larry, I am not rich, I am very fornate to still be working and to have a job, yes I and my admiral live aboard our Trojan, but she is 31 years old and we just bought her 19months ago, I got to work another 54 months untill she is paid off, then maybe I can retire at the ripe old age of 65, cause my 401k when south or better yet just disappeared with our great leaders, so I am just blessed to wake up on board " THE LADY STAR " every morning, best of luck to you

bfly71 · Post by **bfly71** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 9:32 am

prowlersfish wrote:There is more to being rich there money .

I couldn't agree more.

larglo · Post by **larglo** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 12:14 pm

Well, I was right about one point,,,,,,,you really are a great bunch of people!

I was thinking, perhaps, I was a little over my head! It is truly sad that people who has worked all their lives to build a nest egg to retire on, only to loose it due to the politician's screwing it up. Not only should they not be re-elected, they should be in jail. That means on both sides of the isle!

The only way we might cure all this, is to vote everyone of them out of office. Even if we get rid of a few, (very few) good ones. Any of them that has been in office long enough to buy a tailored suit, or get a custom haircut, has been there to long!

Well, I hate to get started on this, it only makes my blood pressure go up.

But thanks fellows.

Larry