Re: [CH]V6 #258 Extending the listening season

GarryMass@aol.com
Fri, 6 Oct 2000 23:19:57 EDT 

In a message dated 10/06/00 8:17:39 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
jim@wildpepper.com writes:

<< :-)  "Hi Mr. Banker, here's my plan- I'm going to beg (or Begg :-)
 everyone I know to help me out for free."  Great professional plan, huh?
 ;-)  I'll make it legit or not at all. >>

James, 
(with a school teacher, squirm in your seat, scowl directed at you) 
Listen up.

I may not be as rock-ribbed an independent as Lord Byron, himself, but I do 
admire your all-American "can-do;" "I'll make it on my own" attitude as much 
as Byron would.  But this time it's misplaced.

I'm hoit.  I loved Cameron's offer and was going to send a "me too" for our 
appearance at Habanero Dreams next year.  Given all of your "extra" 
kindnesses and attitudes ("here's your sauce, send me this amount of money; 
and oh, it's OK, I'll absorb the loss on the shipping costs myself") we'd all 
love to help.  If it offends your professionalism, tough-ski skovloski.
Here's your new business plan: "I know that everyone laughs at the value of 
volunteers (except in hospitals, and Tennessee, and during the Revolution, 
and the Civil War, and Nader's Raiders), but these volunteers are my friends. 
 They're coming in from all over the country, at their own expense, to make 
sure I don't leave too much crop in my fields.  I guess that they're not 
really volunteers, since I'll be paying them according to the following 
collective bargaining contract: free peppers for their first hour of 'work.'  
A bottle of Smokin' Chipotle mailed to their eldest child for the second 
hour, a bottle of Ralph's presented on site for the third hour, ...etc."
You know, Jim, it's good work if you can get it.  In fact, it's really not up 
to you.  "Geeze Jim, I picked six bushels and I can only fit two into my 
luggage.  Whatta you wanna do with the other four?"  Of course, you could 
tell me not to come, but I'd be heartbroken.  The drawback is that we might 
give you more crop than you can process in a timely way (a Ph.D. in 
Organization Behavior suggests that sort of problem), but, if not then why 
not?
You've been a wonderful friend, an advisor, a business "partner" to most of 
us (maybe all of us) on this list.  You really oughtta pay attention when 
"It's a Wonderful Life" churns through its horridly interminable reruns this 
Christmas season.  Corny as it is, it's about us and the way we feel about 
you.

Sir Gareth (armor streaked with salt water rust)