NOBODY GETS JUSTICE.

PEOPLE ONLY GET GOOD LUCK OR BAD LUCK.

Orson Welles


Good Sunday Morning Body Shop Fans!  Bon Jour Mon Amis!  Lets reflect upon the people of the shop life, the customers, applicants and employees.  The last two weeks, after several weeks of not being able to light fires under certain employees, I decided the old motto of, "change your people, or change your people." was in order. 

I have learned the art of pissing someone off and having them quit, which is much better than going through the HR motions of warnings and finally firing them and then arguing with Unemployment, the State Department of Morons who love to spend your money.  Did you know if you come to work drunk and get fired, the state will pay you to stay home and drink more.  The scenarios are endless.  I had a young man get pinched and not show up for work for a week.  His fiancee called and said he was in jail and she was not paying the bail, so it was unknown when he is coming back.  I replaced him and when he finally called, his job was gone.  He was way past the legal "job abandonment" laws .  Yet he was paid unemployment!  Now I am a little smarter...I piss them off and they leave.  Usually, it takes very little to anger (spoiled and lazy Neanderthals) employees of a certain mentality.  Just asking them to pick up something usually does the trick, or ask them to hang up their cell phone and look at what they are doing. 

Thus, three employees are gone.  Now am trying to find replacements who want to work.  I interviewed a young man, who came to me, and we talked for quite a while.  We agreed he was experienced, wanted the job and was to call Friday and tell me how much notice he had to give at his present job.  He did not call, so I called him Saturday.  He answered the phone and hung up on me!  It seems they ignore teaching any kind of professionalism in school anymore, along with ethics.  If high school is the only schooling some people get anymore, it seems they need to teach young people how to behave in employment positions.  I am only obligated to employee them and pay them.  It is not up to me to teach them to get up in the morning and at least fake coming to work.

So, the customers.  Had an adult man leave his car for a repair to a door which was hit and needed replaced.  The work and price was agreed upon.  There was a small dent on the rear of the SUV that the customer did not want to pay for or fix.  Upon his picking it up, the first words out of his mouth was, "You were not able to fix that dent??"  Does this sound as offensive to you as it always does to me????  I had my Hot water heater replaced a month ago, I did not ask the plumber when he was done why he did not replace my furnace too!!!!!    

A father/son duo came in a while back with an old mustang they were flipping.  It was a mess, but they were all over cheap.  Did not want to pay for ANYTHING except paint.  Were told and told of the issues that may not look good.  Cried poor, did not care, just wanted it to look better.  It ended up looking better than it had a right to.  They came in screaming about how unhappy they were and pointed out areas of body work repair that we did not do.  I reminding them that they did not want it.  I ended the argument. He said, why didn't you just fix that part on the bumper, it would have taken 10 minutes.  I said, funny thing about employees, they won't work for free.  It would take two hours, and obviously you do not know anything about body work.  He said, well, if you had called I would have paid for it.  I said, Son, you came in all about budget, budget, budget (meaning cheap) and if you wanted a steak dinner, you should not have ordered a hamburger.  They paid and left with smiles on their faces.  Sometimes, I believe it is all a well planned act to try to get money back.  Woe to the business man who falls for it. 

We have not been making the magic number lately.  The number which means we can pay all the bills each week.  It is so tough on me, I get tied up in knots.  I just keep watching my 401K go into payroll.  The reason is the dead weight we were carrying.  Got rid of dead weight now need to find live weight.  It never ends, it is day to day, life or death and I am getting very weary.  There are more changes in the wind. 

I watched Chef Ramsey and saw the difference it made when the Chef was fired and a good one hired.  Say Goodnight Gracie, Frazier has left the building.

Hell's Bells and Let It Roll!

Mon Ami,   Bon jour,  

It is Sunday afternoon and I am not ready to begin again tomorrow.  Who do I try to kid???  It never ends in the first place.  This is where, I pick up where we left off...  

We are having a half price paint sale and out of somewhere in society come the very unusual.  Ring, Ring, Thank you for calling bla, bla, bla,,,,,,"I want to know how much you charge for replacing two fenders, repairing a bumper and...I am very sorry sir, I cannot estimate repair over the phone, you need to bring your vehicle in and... "CLICK".  You are probably tired of hearing that story, ME TOO! 

I am reading a book about character and the people who have in their real lives, exhibited extraordinary character and it's attributes.  I am humbled.  If I may, "Character is Destiny" by John McCain.  Not that I am political mind you, I am just so bull headed about proper behavior in society, especially in leaders.

My compressor friend, Mr. Durango was in this week, to repair the next most important machinery in the shop, the air compressors.  Long, wavy blond hair in a low ponytail.  Tight Wranglers with a slow, lazy gait.  It is amazing how the dust parts when he walks through the shop.  It is pure Reverence, man!

Another local shop owner called me this week regarding the local baseball team who thought we should spend a few grand each for advertising in the program and get 8 tickets in the cheap seats for it.  We said, Naw, don't think so. But thank You anyway. 

I was wiping a car in the back and look up and see two salesmen talking to my body man, Angel.  My philosophy is to scare them the first time they come in and they will be brief each time they come back.  Having never seen these men before, I go into my stern mode...Excuse me.....who are you?   Well, no one comes in my shop without my permission and you have one minute.  As they are shaking and leave quickly, there is several minutes of awkward silence.  I am feeling a little bit bad that I was so sharp, and Loudly, Angel says, "Well, you chased them the hell out".  Loud laughter erupted everywhere and broke the tension. All had a good laugh.  The one guy who has been with me since day one came up to me and said, "I have not heard you laugh in a long time."  Wow, I need to find myself, my old self again. He was right, I had not laughed since my son left.

I called a gal last week, who has left her totaled vehicle in my lot for 3 months now, promising me she is sending a tow to pick it up.  Now, bear in mind, I have been polite for 3 months and this last call I got firm.  Well, she told me I had an attitude problem.  WHAT!  Then she does what some women are so good at and went off on me and I could not get a word in, so I hung up.  Is it any wonder that I am not the nicest flower garden in the neighborhood anymore??

Dear Readers, it is a tough time to own a business.  That comes as no surprise, I am sure.  I had to referee an argument between a customer and my employee over what the customer said our price should be!!!  Would she go into Kroger and argue over the price of a can of peas?  I have to laugh or I would not be sane.  I sent her to my competitor. Let her argue with him. 

Remember my employees who tried the workers comp scamming things???  Well, they both have lost, but since it is bureaucratic, we go back and back for appeals.  I now have to attend a hearing on whether the one gal who scammed and lost has to pay back the money the state gave her.  DO YOU BELIEVE IT?!  They gave her the TEN GRAND. Now, I am sure she has spent it and why should I be involved in getting it back???  If I give a con artist money, and it is gone, who gives it back to me???  I know the state somehow thinks it is up to me to cover the money they gave her when I am begging them not to do so.  NOW, they want it back.  Hells Bells, Are they going to make a stone bleed, it is spent and gone people! The public sector are morons.  

I turn 61 next week and completely alone. I am sure that is why I am crabby.  A customer handed me a note this week with his phone number and an invite for dinner, another handsome gentle man told me I look liked the kind of lady who is and should be spoiled....I hesitated and he smiled and said that was a complement and just say thank you.  I guess it is good to not look my age, but my brain still hates the clock.  

We had over 45 cars last week and I am sure we will get as many this week.  Like I said, it does not end, we just keep on painting.

Thanks Devon (the painter)You rock.  God Bless, Shangri La, just getting a little older.  

Body Shop, The Play, Scene One

SETTING:  the front office in a auto body shop in the mid west.  Several people are sitting waiting on estimates.  Two male estimators are waiting on customers.

SCENE OPENS:  Hazel (65 year old lady) is sitting with her friend Mildred (70 year old woman) waiting on an estimator.

Hazel:  Mildred!!!!  did you just see what I just saw?  (said with surprise and shock)

Mildred:  What?!?  No, I was reading this People magazine. What happened?

Hazel:  Oh Mildred, what is this world coming to???  Some people must really be brought up in a barn.  (Hazel shakes her head in disgust)

Mildred:   What?

Hazel:  That guy getting his estimate just went into that bathroom and took a tinkle with the door open!!!!!!   THE DOOR OPEN!  and he washed his hands and flushed and...oh shhhhh, here he comes.

Mildred:  You have GOT to be kidding me, Hazel.  That is just dirty!  Oh,  shhhh shhhh shhhh.

Scene closes:  Phones ring, shop owner walks out of her office laughing (she saw it too)  More customers walking in.  Life goes on in the body shop.


Shangri La

Somewhere over the rainbow........

Bon Jour Mon Amis.....I just have to let everyone know this one.

I have seen people repair their own cars with:  bathroom calk, wall plaster and paper towels and glue, but today we estimated painting a car that the owner did his own bodywork using CONCRETE.   How creative is that?!  But jeez, it looked like hell.  

Shangri La

"When I Drink Alone, I Prefer To Be By Myself"

George Thorogood



Bon Jour Body Shop Fans,  another late night and I have to refer to my post of 5/18/12, "Production, Personal Cracks and Skid Marks."  I have a different body man out back, yet my eyes are burning!  It must come with the territory, much like plumbing.  I mentioned it and Jake, my estimator said he noticed it too, thank God, I was worried I was getting nasty eyes.

I was the first one here and worked in the shop for 45 minutes till anyone else arrived.  I was so.....so.....mad, but I guess I had no real right to be.  Everyone seemed to see it and the day was productive. 

We have a car in shop that is owned by a complete lunatic.  I have asked everyone to hold their breath when they are in it as it may be contagious.   I have met doozies, but this guy is out there.  He left a 10 minute message on the office machine telling me, now bear in mind, I could only get about every 4th word, that he valued his privacy and since he gave us his personal info, address and phone, he had to change it all.  He kept repeating how inconsiderate we were to be so careless with his personal information which he valued so........it went on and on.  Address and phone number???

When he calls, I swear he is drunk, but when he comes in, he is the same.  Some would say, who am I to talk.

I have a couple of guys working late in the back, we are so busy now, it is a glorious thing.  It is a whole different kind of stress, but better than the "no business stress".

If you want a steak dinner, do not order a hamburger.  My mantra.  My new business rule...no Corvettes for less than $3500.  When a vet owner comes in and says he wants a cheap paint job, no one here had better ever again believe it.  We will  not talk to a Vet owner unless we are at the over three grand mark.  I just got rid of "Seth"  a vet owner who wanted it cheap, cheap, cheap.  We, none the less, gave him a high end service at half price, then the complaining began.  He wanted the ultra high end type of service, without the price tag.   By the time he fussed (I am being kind) with Corporate enough, we had to do the entire car over.  Actually, it looked no different at all, but he was happy because he got away with being a pain in the back side.  I made him sign a doc that said he would take what he got and not sue or complain ever again.  I am surprised he did that as I could have  caused him great regret.  But, some people you just want to go away.  SO! the rule is all vets start at over 3 grand.  Don't call me if you are a vet owner. They are universally jerks.

I have not had a knock down with anyone for a while, but it is coming as we are ramping up.  Peter has the patience of a saint and he is good at dealing with the kind of people who will try to run me over in the parking lot.  I don't miss those days, it was more fun with my son here.  I have a couple of cars that I block in at night as I know they will be "stolen" because I cannot get the owners to come in and pay for/pick up their hoopdies.

I am about 10 pounds over a size two and my boyfriend gave me diet pills for Valentines day.  I am going to ruminate on that for a few days before I form an opinion or shoot him.  Speaking of shooting,  last night, late, I heard noises in the shop and while I was walking the dark shop with my gun in my hand......I thought about the days I used to teach Sunday School.  I am not believing the life I am in.  It is a cruel joke and I have entered the Body Shop Zone.  I want to write children books and a sit com, but for now...a body shop blog.

Bon Nuit, mon ami.    Shangri La

Trust Not Him That Has Once Broken Faith.

William Shakespear



Bon Jour Mon Cheri'!  I trust everyone has had wonderful holidays and is now on their way to all forms of recovery.  I am.  Between, the election, Hurricane Sandy, the Holidays and the fiscal cliff......I about broke!  It was the perfect storm of economic disasters........

Now, we are full of cars and customers who do not understand why a dent cannot be repaired while they wait.  We need a Body Shop Drive Through.

I have so many stories, don't know where to begin.  My Gen. Manager found a child hiding in the parking lot at 8:00 in the morning.  He was seven and lost.  His mother had dropped him off at the bus stop on her way to work, but he had missed the bus.  So, he was trying to get into one of our cars to get warm.  It was nice to call the police for something other than a crazy person refusing to be civil.  The child and I talked and had a drink of water while we waited on the nice police man.

The guys are working late and I am writing to you.  Speaking of the guys, I have a NEW Bodyman.  His name is Michael and (don't tell him) he cracks me up.  I want him to focus on work and get things done and he wants to crack jokes.  (I'll have none of that)  He told a story of being a child and going to confession in Catholic School, back in the day, and telling the Priest, "Bless me father for I have sinned.......Father, I shot JR."  He insists on having a sense of humor even when I am running around like a mad woman.  I recently had new HVAC units installed in the shop area, much to everyone's delight, and I was at court the afternoon they were finishing and I heard he was telling the installers, they had better have it done by the time I got back, they did not know me, I was crazy......  I am not sure how to take him at times.  His work is good and I do not scare him, I guess I will keep him.

This is tax return season, so I am doing a lot of Gangster cars.  If you did not remember, my shop is in the hood.  Again, how did I end up here?  God has a plan and I do not need to know it, just keep up.

So far, both employees who have tried Workers Comp Scams have lost all their appeals.  It is a waiting game to see what happens next.  I got a lot of grey hair over these issues, and am tired of driving down town to court.

I love everyone as I am supposed to, but I am older.  I guess and do not get the dread locks and pants falling off.  (I am sounding like my mother)  I had a guy call the other day with an agenda.  He asked me questions, just to get mad and call me the c... word.  I hung up.  He called back and told me he was calling the corporate office and telling them I was a "C...".  I asked him if he needed the number.....  He hung up this time.  I wanted to *69 him and let him have it, but just walked out into the shop and grabbed a grinder and started to grind a car......much to the fret of Gilbert who was trying to repair the car.  Maybe body work is something I should learn to do before I grind a car.  It is the only thing I cannot do here, except paint, which I really do not want to do.....yet. 

I received an email from a gal I went to High School with, before most of you were born, and she told me I should publish these stories in a book.  Maybe someday.......

I am looking at my list of cars...each one is a story, some people are out to scam, some are sincerely in need of compassion, but you cannot tell the difference.  When you give you get everyone in town crying and wanting not to pay.  I cannot pay the bills as it is, what do I have to give, except a good job at a fair price.  Why is that not enough???

The government is a joke.  I have been to so many "court" things with workers comp and unemployment, and all they do is "IDIOT" stuff to decide how best to waste my money.  I actually have started to send the President emails complaining about this lunacy.  I am waiting on my response.  I am waiting, yes, you read that right.....for Homeland Security to come and get me.

I miss being a mom and a grandmother.  I wish I was a retired, married woman, but we all cannot be.  I continue to argue with, listen to, advise, yell at, pay 14 men.  What is a woman to do.  God Bless Everyone.  Especially, Jeanette,  who reminded me today why I am a Christian.  Love to The crazy Italian, my personal lieutenant, Gilbert, Durango and all my loved ones in this crazy sit com of life.    Bon nuit.  Shanghai La

FIRE IN THE HOLE!!!!

Gentle readers,

The end of a crazy week.  Started with  my new body man setting a car on fire while welding...  The new body guy asked the old body guy if I would be mad!  OMG!  Hells Yea!   He was told no, but that if he did not tell me I sure would. Oh Yea, you have been doing this 30 years!  Hello...Basic welding 101 means No fires!!!!  Never weld after noon in a body shop.  If anything is smoldering, you will know by 5:00.  When my guys weld, they always have water ready.

We painted a big old boat of a classic car bright pink.  Oh yea, Pink.  I ran out into the parking lot before they left to be sure they knew they had picked pink,  PINK.  They said yea, they wanted pink, then I could feel the contact high from the skunk weed inside the car.  FYI, they loved the pink when they picked it up and it took an hour for the skunk weed to dissipate from the front office.  Of course they loved the metallic pink.  The car was worth $50. and they could dump it when things got hot.  That is the makings of a good drug car.

BBB finally got fed up with the Yellow Mustang guy!  That argument has been going on since July.  He is the guy who told me he would make me a laughing stock.  He got nothing, nowhere.  We are the ones laughing at him.  Some people are beyond the realm of normal.

Had to run to the emergency clinic last night....Gilbert, my body man tried to cut off the top of his thumb.  I hate it when they run up front bleeding!  But, he was ok, bot now he is all thumbs.  (sorry, had to do it)

A dear friend of mine, a professor of Sociology at the local large University left his car this morning.  My employees found a Zales bag in his car with a diamond bracelet in it for his wife for Christmas.  The receipt said a grand!  I called him and thanked him for the bracelet and he told me now I know why they call them "Absent Minded Professors"!

I was humbled by my crew and their honesty.  Of course, at the meeting when I thanked them, one guy said he had to wrestle Gilbert to the ground to get the bracelet away from him to turn it in.  All guffawed.

Again, today, a man left a car and on the front seat was several hundred in cash and several checks.  We had to call him to come back and get it.

What is it with the Season of Giving????  Is the stress of covering all the Santa bases too much and everyone becomes brain dead?  What if we were not so Honest and Christian?????

I will tell you what, I would have a very nice diamond bracelet on my arm right now!! 

Love all and God Bless,  do good to all God's Children,  Shangri La  

DANG ME, DANG ME, TAKE A ROPE AND HANG ME....

Bon Jour Mon Ami,  Good Sunday AM.  I am sitting in the kitchen, early, listening to the rain.  I am always so happy when it rains on Sunday and not during the week.  It hurts business.  Speaking of business....

We have a "regular" customer, Mr Hinker.  Mr. Hinker is 80 and has had 3-4 accidents in the last 9 months.  We have fixed his car in the same spot several times.  We have also become very fond of him.  He brings gifts each time he comes.  He said he had to be careful, as his wife gets jealous.  Well, this last accident he paid out of pocket, but lost his licence anyway.  His Dr. had him get tested as part of a physical and he did not pass reaction times.  So, he informed me that driving his car home from my shop would be his last drive.  He then gave me a hug and told me his life was over and he was not a man anymore.   DARN, that is so hard.  I hugged him and told him all the platitudes I could think of.  We have all been there, taking away a licence from an elderly man for their own good, and others, is the hardest thing to do....for everyone.

The phone continues to be a delight to us all up front.  Yesterday, I answered the phone and a lady (elderly and drunk) asked to speak to a police man.  "Mam, I am sorry, you must have misdialed."  Is this bla, bla, bla,.  "Yes it is"  Well, who are you!  "Mam, this is a body shop for cars"  (Laughter, I sure can use some repairs...can you get the phone number for me or connect me?  "No I am sorry I cannot.  Then she hangs up on me!  The temptation to star 69 and hang up back is looming.   

Drama in the back continues....There is drama when we do not have enough to do and there is drama when we have too much.  I have a compulsive talker in the back.  I try real hard to keep him busy.  I am told the compulsive talking is complaining.  I cannot understand what there is for him to complain about, he enjoys everyone he works with, gets the hours he wants and has not made this much money in a long time!!!!  Don't know, Don't get it, Don't want to know, Don't care!

I received an email a couple of weeks ago from a gentleman saying he has a 12" x 18" dent in the roof of the car he just purchased.....how much?  Sir, cannot guess, please bring your car in for a bla bla.  He then wanted to know if we could just pull it out and put in bondo the same color of the car and smooth it out.......He came in and announced to everyone he was an engineer and knew what needed to be done, could do it himself but did not have the time.    He left his car as it was a Saturday.  When body men, etc., came in on Monday it was determined that a tree fell on the car and he needed a new roof.  Peter called him to explain what needed to be done and that against all odds, had found a used roof to cut costs. Mr. Engineer started to cuss and scream that we were x$&())(&##*)_  and %^(++%$@!!@, then hung up on Peter.  We parked his car outside and deemed him a lunatic.  The next day his wife picked up the key and apologized for his behavior.  Sometimes, you just got to let it go.

I have two women working in the back.  They are both excellent and hard workers.  One has been out for two months trying to get a phony workers comp claim through and get money and paid for not working.  The other misses about two days a week, ex husband, sick, son sick, etc. etc. 

Now, I ask you.....I am a woman and work everyday about 10 hours. I do not miss work every time my ex-husband calls.  I used to hate the  competing with men for jobs and equal pay for equal work back in the day.   Felt it was so unfair.  We women worked harder than the men and kept our homes and kids going.  It seems women now want to screw up all that we accomplished for them. 

I will think long and hard about hiring women again, that so sad. 

I have had to change myself quite a bit just to stay in business.  I have to not trust, I am going to start drug testing, require proof of Dr. apts, etc.  TRUST NO ONE!  Be tough, no one's mom, bank for shrink.  Boss and that is it!  It is this or go under.   Most people know when they have it good and work hard.  But many do not and the revolving door keeps going straight to the unemployment office and hours of paperwork for me. 

I cannot find good people and see signs all over town, "Help wanted".  The news says there is record unemployment.  I sat in a restaurant for lunch yesterday, and the TV on the wall just kept flashing advertisements for getting unemployment benefits, even if you have a job making less than you used to. 

I have no comment, I just do my best. 

Monday starts a new week, December.  I just cannot fathom where the year went.  God Bless all.   Shangri La.

JUNK MAIL.................

Bon Jour Mon Ami!  It is all good, almost. 

We are over the four year mark.  Not bad for a small business in troubled times.  Just too much to do everyday.

Let me share with you my most recent thug.  I was running the back, dirty, cold and looking wild with the blond hair flying all over.  I had my borderline goth jewelery and nails on.  My manager, Peter came to get me saying there was nothing he could do with this one.  Gangster did not want to pay for his car.  I was in no mood. 

Me:     Dude, what is your problem?!
Him:   Why you come at me like that? 
Me:     Hey, pay your bill and we have no problem. 
Him:   No!
Me:     Then you cannot have your car,
Him:   Then I will take it,
Me:     Then I will put it inside,
Him:   Then I will steal it,
Me:     Then YOU will go to jail..........glaring at each other for several minutes. 

Arguing begins,  I won't argue, sir, (OMG, please pull up your pants)  You need to pay for your car or I will call the police.  You signed this form, it says the color you wanted all over it, if you wanted a different color, you should have said so then.  He leans over the counter to get in my face and growls, "I will dis God if I want Lady".  I think I was supposed to be scared but just started to laugh and told him, "DUDE, I do not want to be anywhere near your soul when your time comes!"  My employee in the back, Dan, keeps tapping on the window wanting to tell me something. 

Anyway, the police arrived, he paid and hid his face.  Means:  Warrant pending.  But police do not care, no one runs his name because I am the dreaded body shop who rips off all the local gangsters.  I will never get that reputation to go away.  Cop wants to know  why I was in talking to his lieutenant.....why should I tell him and how does he know who I talk to????  I noticed the officer stayed in the parking lot until the young man left.  I did appreciate that.

After everyone left, I asked Dan what he wanted...He wanted to warn me that he knew that guy and he was scary, appeared he had killed a girl once and was never was arrested.  Dan was watching out for me.   I appreciated that, but called the police boyfriend and he followed me home.  I believe, if they do not think they scare you, they will stop trying to be scary.  But, it does not hurt to take precautions.

Thug number two.  He is a really good guy, in reality though, very dangerous, but has been coming in for years, very respectful to me.   He brought in the worst hoopdy I have seen in a while.  My painter said if any one put his name on that car he would deny it.  It was purple and looked like it had the pox.  In comes my guy with two other younger guys.  The contact High from the  skunk weed was.......well, you had to be there.  They were so high, they were in the parking lot going "OOOOOOh....AWWWWWWW....Dude this is so cool. 

They paid, hugged me and left.  We all shared the contact high for an hour.  Lots of fun.

Don't get me wrong, we have had a lot of wonderful people, happy, etc.  One guy came in two days after he picked up and noticed his car was clean.  Wanted to know if he owed money for cleaning.  That was a first.  A truly nice man, but the guys had to tease and state he just wanted a "Bromance with Peter" .

We have a lot of new employees.  I am running the shop again, it is crazy fun.  We are having a half price sale.  I had enough a while back and told everyone I am not their Mom, Shrink or Bank.  I have become the typical jaded owner.  No more nonsense on my watch.  Andy Spumonie would be proud. 

Here's to all who own a small business in Ohio and have to deal with the State like I do.  I hate you government people!  I hope you all get yours someday.

Time to brave the cold and cut bushes.  I have not paid myself in three weeks so I have to do the lawn work at my home myself.  I guess that is not funny is it. Sorry.   I am trying to find it in me to laugh about all this again.  It is coming, I know it will be OK.  Happy Thanksgiving to all and lets start Monday and make some money!!!!!!!  Shangri La.

Here's to owning your own business!!!!!

Good evening kind readers,

It is late on a Friday and I just finished cleaning and prepping a truck for tomorrow in one of my paint booths called London. I named our two paint booths London and Paris.  Even the reps know when I call for service to ask, is it Paris or London.

My painter agreed to paint it in the am on a Sat, for me, God love the man.

I have been very depressed lately, thus, you have not heard much from me.  It is hard to be funny when everything stinks.  I have lost my son, and nothing can make that ok.

So I will give it my best.

We get these calls...I have never talked about the phone calls, just the people who come in.  I get hung up on so many times because I cannot give someone a price on a "dent" over the phone.  "Well, thanks for nothing!!!" click.

Peter did an estimate for a very nice gentleman, a huge discount and he make an apt. for Monday.....today he called, said, "I do not like you people and I won't be there Monday."  CLICK.  What the hell..???  Was it Bi-polar or a bad reaction to alcohol???

I am thinking everyone in the shop needs to spend one half a day on the phones to work in the back.

I had a lady bring her car back today complaining about spots on it.....bug guts..., yes, bug guts.  Oh yes, that is my problem lady.  let me repaint your car!

It was a stress day in the shop.  Man drama to the max.  I did manage to get stuff done,  I just want to tell the GUYS to grow up.   Egos, why did God create them?

So, I continued my conversation, "what is normal"  With my PHD in Psychology friend.  Definition of Normal:  2% variation from the mean.  Ok, I now have several definitions.  I wish I could talk to the College prof of Sociology who first defined "normal" for me.  Is there a normal????  Not here!

 EVERYONE!  have a great weekend.  Shangre La