Folks,
I probably shouldn’t write this post, and I definitely shouldn’t publish it. Well, I’ve never been one who does what’s best for himself. I have to learn the hard way. What follows could easily cost me customers. Heck, it could cost me my company. But I don’t care anymore. I am tired, and I’ve had enough. The time has come to take care of Joe for a while. So, if you have ever thought of us as friends, or you just like to use TMD resin on your models — and you want to keep it that way — think long and hard before you read this post. Maybe it would be best to just let this one go? For the rest of you,… Well, here —>
***FINAL WARNING***
IF YOU ARE NOT A NORMAL, WELL-ADJUSTED, RATIONAL ADULT
DO NOT READ PAST THIS POINT!!!
To put this in the cleanest military terms I know, I have a terminal case of the G.I. Flu. Or, in armor terms, my ‘give-a-crap’ is dead-lined. Now, if that still does not make sense, too bad. Go ask a vet friend to explain it further, ‘cause I ain’t gonna.’
I didn’t even bother trying to work on new masters this week because I have no business touching Karl’s work when my head is in the place it is right now. Not to mention the fact that, when I feel like this, I simply don’t want to do anything that requires me to think or care. To be honest, I was lucky to get my orders shipped this week, and even that required the utmost discipline and effort.
I’ve had a tough few years, but I was handling it. In fact, things were starting to go better for BB and I than at any other time in our lives. But then the world went insane.
In the first draft of this post, this is the point where I went on an ‘Edgar Friendly’ rant that would have made Denis Leary proud, but I deleted it — mostly because it was a little too honest (and way too salty). So, I will try to explain my current emotional and mental state this way:
I know a lot of people who are self-employed. The government has not given them any help. Instead, it is trying to put them out of business. Entrepreneurs can usually deal with this: the government is always trying to put us out of business. But this time is different. This time, our customers have turned against us, as well. It’s not enough that we are going bankrupt, but our own customers are demanding that we shut down and commit financial suicide in order to prove ‘we care.’ Please, tell me, what part of putting in 60-80 or more hours a week for a net monthly income of $600 doesn’t prove that I care about you folks out there? Yes! That’s right! You read that correctly: I put in 60-80 and sometimes more hours every week to bring home $600/month! But, if I complain about how the shut-down is taking away even my measly little $600, I am suddenly a selfish, greedy, ‘rich’ business owner who doesn’t care about anyone but himself. Well, all I have to say to that is, go auto-rotate!
Still, I have been dealing with this, on top of the stress of the last two years. Then I started to have trouble with those customers who live overseas. These are the people I think of as friends who lecture me about how evil and wicked President Trump is. Hey! I didn’t vote for him (but I didn’t vote for Hillary, either). I have never really liked Trump, but I know how to find the truth, and the simple truth is that Trump has been falsely accused of many crimes that were actually committed by the people these overseas ‘friends’ tell me I should be supporting. If there is one thing I cannot stand, it is someone who levels false accusations against innocent people! But I can deal with this, too. After all, these ‘friends’ only get their news from the political Left, so why should I expect them to know, let alone recognize the truth?
I have even been able to handle all the people who have been complaining to me about the mail running slow. At this moment, when I am succumbing to this global suicide pact, I am having to replace orders, pay for the overseas shipping out of my own pocket and even refund orders that will eventually be delivered — sometimes, twice! Why? Because it is somehow my fault that this global insanity has messed up their county’s customs and postal systems. Personally, I have orders coming from formerly reliable vendors that have been in the mail for over two months now. I do not bother these vendors. I have the shipping and tracking numbers. I know my orders are stuck in the postal system log-jam. I know it is not that vendor’s fault, so why bother them? What can they do? But people bother me for this same thing, and demand replacements and refunds is what is happening. And yet, that still isn’t what put me over the edge.
No, what put me over the edge was when one of these ‘friends’ who has been lecturing me about everything that wrong with America, and about how we should make everything free — like they do in his country… (deep sigh — count to 6, 7, 8, 9,…).
The last straw was having one of these ‘friends’ place a $250 order with a message asking me to mark it as a gift for $10 so they would not have to pay the 27% VAT tax in their ‘perfect, this is how it should be done, everything is free‘ country.
This was when I realized that everything I am doing, all my efforts to keep TMD running, is just me killing myself — literally — for nothing. ‘They’ are going to put me out of business, and it will be my fault for being such a greedy, selfish, uncaring person. Apparently, I am supposed to realize that profit is evil and the only way I can prove I am a ‘good’ person is to give everything I make to someone sitting on their fat butts in their mothers house telling me I was allowed to take my $600/month from them because my skin happens to be lighter than theirs. I’ve had it with self-righteous people like that. They can go R. Lee Ermy themselves!
Folks, this week was the last straw for me. I will keep running this company as best I can, but I no longer care if it survives. In fact, I am going to start selling off everything that is not absolutely essential to operations. If I cannot see a use for it in the next 12-18 months, it’s going to go. I’m almost debt free, and this sell off will pay off the rest of what debt I have. After that… Well, after that, I will have the liberty to just close down and disappear any time I get tired of putting up with ungrateful people who cannot learn to live and let live and just share this hobby together.
Then, to top it all off, I was told I will be losing a buddy soon. I’ve known him since I started TMD. In fact, I met him because of this company. He was one of my first pattern makers. I hate loosing friends. The whole week has turned me into someone I have been trying hard to leave in my past. I am struggling to hold to my faith, and this whole post is a terrible witness for the Lord, but at least its honest. I just pray He will forgive my lack of self-discipline. I am supposed to be able to control my anger and show a patient, agape love for everyone, but He forgot to remove the Marine in me when I converted. That little green amphibious machine in me is my own personal Hulk, and I can’t always keep it under control.
So, there it is: this is where my head and heart are at right now. I do not need any phone calls or emails. I’m good — honest. I’m not going to check out of the world, just the world around me. TMD will still be here — until they shut it down (and they will — watch). But I’m not going to work myself so hard anymore — not for something I fully expect to be taken from me in the next 2 years, or for people who really don’t care about anything but themselves. No, sir, I am not going to do anything but pretend to join ‘Them.’ And, if this bothers anyone out there — well, tough! Just delete all links to me and TMD and forget we ever knew each other.
Black 3, Actual — OUT!
with all due respect…. “Fuck ’em if they can’t take a joke”.
Joe, I’ll be keeping you in my prayers and when I pray my Rosary. Don’t let those who are negative nabobs get you down. Keep your faith in the Lord and He’ll get you through. We’re in stormy times but we know He’s always with us. Time some time off for yourself, shut off the idiot box(TV) and recharge your batteries. Go find a go to kit and build one. I think by now you know mine have been Asuka Shermans from all the stuff I got from you!
Say a pray, take and a breath and say another prayer. You’ll get through this and WHEN you do, I’ll be buying more of your stuff!
Your Brother in the Lord,
John Stimitz
Thank you, brother 🙂
Joe,
Those who try to lecture you about our president and other things ignore and do no business with them. Another words fuck them! I have family that is so liberal they have no clue. We disagree on how America should be. I love them but screw them too. It is depressing but continue and you will get your mojo back. My dislike of Biden and the rest of the so called gang is immense especially the dumbo mayor of NYC Wilhelm DeBlasio..
Hang in there
Randy Tegnazian
NYC
Thanks, but please understand, I do not like or dislike Trump. I just HATE when ANYONE is FALSELY accused. The man has plenty to dislike about him, but I have yet to see a legitimate accusation leveled against him. Heck, the very people who accused him of all these crimes have now been PROVEN to have committed perjury! And they are not even mentioned by the people who keep acting as though the false charges are true????!!!!
And this isn’t even what is bothering me the most. Folks, if we can no longer admit when a crime has been committed unless it is by ‘the other side,’ we’re lost. THAT’s what I’m trying to come to grips with: the realization that the world really and truly has gone mad 🙁
Joe I get what your saying please do whats right for you and take care. From one marine to another semper fi.
Urah!
Dear Joe,
Take pride in your work! In the past years I ordered a couple of times from TMD and guess what…. every time I use your accessories or models, I think ” what an amazing quality, and how useful these little things are to us, modellers”. Thanks to you Joe, many modellers find ways to more enjoy their hobby, and you are parts of it! I can’t take away your disappointments in your daily life, but be sure I regard you as a most skilled, customer-friendly and innovative personality! Best regards from the Netherlands!
Gert
Thanks, Gert. This means a lot. I do what I do for people like you, and knowing that you know it… Well, that keeps me going 🙂
Cheers
Hey Joe We’ve got the same left wing loonies in Australia that are ruining my Country as well. I’m ex Army also and wish we could declare open season on them and rid the world of this pestilence. Me and my ole M60 could make a world of difference to their influence. If only these people would apply the same dedication and endeavor to making this world a better place instead of destroying it. Hang in there mate, you will find that you have plenty of support from real world people. I’m still building the 6T bilstien crane I got from you years ago and , as Gert says “what an amazing quality” Cheers mate and God bless you and yours
I know. I have mates down under. They keep me informed of what is happening in your country. In fact, I have friends all over the world. I have a friend in Hong Kong who I cannot reach now. I worry about and for him, as I do for everyone in places where the do-nothings are trying to destroy their societies. But calling them do-nothings just proves I am heartless, at least to them. Never mind that, when I do so, I am accusing myself, as well. You see, when I was young, I suffered from the same do-nothing delusions of false victim-hood. BUT I GREW UP! These 30+ y/o brats have not, and their 60-70 y/o hippie leaders in their Marx and Che shirts are even worse. They tax us all to death then funnel the money back to themselves so they can make us pay for our own destruction.
OK, see, there you went and got me going again, and just when I had started to calm down. Now I need another case of beer and bottle of whisky 🙂
This makes me want to give you a big hug and buy more, lol. I can’t stand those who want to lecture others on social systems all the while trying to commit tax evasion and fraud. Do they not realize that you can be jailed for lying on those forms let alone you can’t insure it for more than the asset value?
Thanks, that means a lot, but don’t go placing an order just because I blew my top. I’m good — honest. I’m just hacked off past my point of being able to keep my mouth shut. In fact, I might have bit off a chunk of my lip trying LL 😀
As for those who want the customs forms altered… Well, I don’t think they much care about anyone other than themselves. But I could still tolerate it. It is when hypocrites start accusing me of being selfish. That’s when I start to look for my rifle, and, as an old M60A1 tanker, that would be of the 105 mm caliber 😉
Okay, well, the only part of your caveat I can cop to is the “rational” part. That said…
Yeah. I get it. As a friend of mine (who’s crazier than any five maniacs I call friends) once said, “There’s nothing wrong with the world that getting rid of most of the people wouldn’t solve.” Far too many seem to think they’re the ONLY real person and that all the rest of us people-shaped things are just props for scenery and resources to be plundered. I like the author, David Drake. In one of his books (Lacey and His Friends) he stated something that I quote far more often than I’d prefer to:
The thing I like about assholes is that they never take very long to show you that they’re assholes.
People. Arrogant, ignorant (frequently both at the same time), hypocritical, selfish, mendacious, and there’s BILLIONS of ’em. It sounds like you’re up to your situpon in ‘gators and the swamp still ain’t drained. Do what YOU do, how you do it, and for whatever reason motivates you to (or not to) do it/them. Anything else is setting yourself up for a right proper rogering.
Your products have made my armor models better. You stand by your product. You care. As long as you have your business running, I will be a VERY pleased customer. When you fold up the tent and roll out, myself and others who Have a Clue will certainly understand.
Thanks, this means a lot.
Say, would that be the same David Drake who wrote the Hammer’s Slammers series? Or has my memory failed me yet again?
Yup…same guy. Don’t worry about your memory until you do what I just did. Walk around looking for the coffee cup you’re holding in your hand. ::rolls eyes:;
Thank you. I assure you, I will keep TMD running until I either die, or ‘They’ make it impossible to do business anymore (sadly, I fear that day is coming much sooner than we realize, but, until it does…)
Cheers 🙂
To all the ‘woke’ people, “get a life, get out in the REAL world and get real. Oh, silly me, you ‘woke’ up to that idea, that would mean having rational thoughts, having compassion for your fellow man, respecting his rights, living in harmony with nature and all God’s creatures etc etc. Once again, silly me, that definitely wouldn’t suit your sinister agendas, would it!!!
one last thing about this conversation, it was getting me down so I played some John Denver All is right in the world again we will endure
LOL, thanks, that made me smile 🙂
Joe,
I read your blog for the first time in ages yesterday and felt I should respond but didn’t. Then guess what I woke in the night and you were on my mind. Firstly I want to say that what I admire about you is that your faith in the Lord is not only expressed in word but in deed. By that I mean that it clear you have always sought to run your business in a way that pleases Him, in the knowledge that will witnesses to your love for the Lord and your neighbour. I also need to say that I applaud your honesty, as I believe it’s the best starting point. When you look at the Psalmists and the Prophets and see how much they were tearing their hair out in exasperation at this world and the people around them, you can also see that honesty is where many of them start too. May I encourage you to carry on being the man of honesty and integrity we so clearly see you to be and to take some time out to chill too and allow the Lord to minister to you.
You’ll be in my thoughts and prayers
Graeme
Graeme,
Thank you. The words seem too simple to express how much your comment meant to me today, but they are all I know to say 🙂
To think that my faith can be seen without me having to say anything… Well, I know of no higher compliment that can be paid to a believer. You give me hope that I am actually doing what I am commanded to do, and I needed that. So, again, thank you 🙂
YHWH Bless you,
Joe