The What Made Your Day Thread

[Destroysall]

[The Real McCoy]

This was actually yesterday, but I picked up another mowing job; temporary, but better than nothing. I usually charge between thirty-five and forty-five dollars for a mowing, depending on the amount of trim work/clean-up (i.e.-trash in the yard, obstacles and such) that needs to be done. This guy asked me how much I charged, and before I could speak he asked me if $75-$100 was okay.

That might not sound like a lot to most of you, but for me, right now, it's like gold coins covered in diamonds (little bit of dramatic effects there...). I won't charge him that much, but it give me a nice amount of wiggle room compared to what I usually deal with. Two mowings will put me ahead of the game a little bit. Yay!

[jellydonut25]

$75-100 for mowing a lawn is a LOT.

I pay $50 for mowing and edging to my guy.

[The Real McCoy]

I'm not sure what the going rate is nowadays. I need to do some research, because any new customer I get I'm going to have to raise my prices; it isn't economical any more to charge less than forty any more; my long-time customers (three years or more) get the same price; it's not fair for me to raise on them in my opinion, but the new people are going to have to come off of some more dough.

I don't have that much work now, and the amount of driving I have to do was killing me in gas. I've had to start using my Dad's truck, because I can't afford to keep mine filled up (plus, it has a few more bugs that need fixing).

Anyway, I'm taking this a lot more seriously than I was last year, and while it hasn't got a lot better, it's still an improvement, and it's been paying off. I've been thinking about advertising and trying to do this full-time; it sucks in the late summer months, and business slacks off a lot with the dry periods, but this year has been magical; our rainfall this year is three or four more inches over what it was for the entire year last year, and we haven't gone more than ten days without rain in months. I've been mowing my yard about every six-seven days, but it needs it after about four-five. If I knew it was going to be like this, I would have tried to get more work.

[canofhumdingers]

[jellydonut25]

[king_ghidorah]

[Destroysall]

[klen7]

[jellydonut25]

So, excuse the mediocre video editing, I just looked at my very first piece of editing software this week Thursday morning, and prepped this to be shown Thursday evening.

I used this video to tell my parents that this week, I saw LBJ's heartbeat...no, not Lyndon Johnson....LITTLE. BABY. JELLY.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KSusb-mr2I

I'm gonna be a dad. (those of you who know me on facebook, please don't say anything about it on there...i haven't told everyone yet; we're still quite early in the pregnancy)

[klen7]

Congrat-u-freakin-lations man!!! It is a game changer but I wouldn't trade it for the world

[lhb412]

Mazel tov jelly!

[The Real McCoy]

Might have gotten myself a job. I was at the golf course having lunch with some friends and overheard the manager talking about a guy who'd just quit that day. I don't like being pushy, but the guy is a friend so I asked him if he needed some extra help on the current task, and he said yes. Two days later we were out working, and he tells me the other guy they had working there quit, and asked me if I wanted to mow and do other things for him. It doesn't seem like much, but I feel good about it because I actually took some initiative and asked, seemingly at the right place and time. So now I feel all smart and stuff.

[jellydonut25]

Honestly, I've gotten over the "pushy" thing over the years. You gotta look out for you, first and foremost, plain and simple. Kudos to you for taking the chutzpah to ask for the position.

[lhb412]

My cable lineup has changed, and now I get MeTV - the best of the 'classic TV rerun' channels that have popped up in the last few years: Batman '66, Columbo, Kojak, Rockford Files, Star Trek, Lost in Space, The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock, The Rifleman, and Svengoolie!

[Silver Kamen]

Beat my father in the card game Truco today; since he's the one who taught me the game, I think it's a big deal.

[MekaGojira3k]

Came home and found this plugged in on the porch.

[lhb412]

[Destroysall]

[jellydonut25]

Thanks for the well-wishes everyone.

Got to see a few more pics this past weekend. Though baby was uncooperative so we're waiting on bloodwork for a confirmation of gender, since LBJ decided to face away from the ultrasound with his/her legs crossed.

[Silver Kamen]

[Hybrid Gojira]

Grats Jelly... Mine is due in March.

Last night he was kicking hard enough that I could see my wife's stomach move...it was the first time that's happened so consistently. It was amazing.

[Silver Kamen]

[jellydonut25]

[Hybrid Gojira]