Taking a break due to losing focus

tylermo · Post by **tylermo** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 12:29 pm

Greetings all. Tylermo here. It is with great regret that I'm pulling out of the Troll Lord scene for awhile(at least). I own a small business, and things have been going well until recently. Castles and Crusades really has nothing to do with this, but here it goes. I lost a building contract with the state of Missouri. My company used to be owned by my best friend's father. I worked with the two of them as a part timer from 1987-mid 2003, until taking over the business. A few of the buildings we cleaned back then are a still apart of the lineup. Anyway, state buildings require an every 3 years bidding process. Since the 1970's my old boss' company has kept the contract...until this year. I knew there would be a walk-through with other prospective bidders, but hadn't really heard anything from the state. I'm not sure if they mailed, e-mailed, or called me for the walk-through in 2006, but this time they tried to call. Here's the punchline...I'm on DIAL-UP, and usually don't have much work to do during the day. Other than taking care of my daughter, running some errands, etc., it's not uncommon for me to be online. Well, that means my phone line might be busy. Apparently the folks in the state capitol only had my "busy" home number, an old cell number, and my wife's e-mail(not sure if any state e-mails ended up in her spam filter, or not). We missed the bidding process, and have lost a building that I was in good standing at. The local office manager is as shocked as I am. Thankfully, I have a couple of newer buildings that will cover the loss, but it's a heart breaker. In the end, it's clear to me that I have lost focus despite my good track record at this building, and all of the others. For me, there will be no more conventions, little or no visits to the forums, and virtually no more anything. Mind you, these things have NEVER affected my work, but it doesn't matter. Short of taking care of my four year old, and(in November) a new born, I am going to load my schedule full of nothing but work, work, work, and more work. It's going to be all business all of the time. If it doesn't involve the pursuit of making more money, and paying bills, it has no meaning. I appreciate the friendship, and good times I've had with all of you. Bye.

Buttmonkey · Post by **Buttmonkey** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 12:36 pm

Oh, that sucks hard. I'm very sorry to hear that. Good luck with the refocusing!

Omote · Post by **Omote** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 1:30 pm

All the best man. Take care of your business and the Crusade will be waiting for you when you return. Best.

~O
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Lord Dynel · Post by **Lord Dynel** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 1:57 pm

Man, that's terrible, tylermo. Hopefully everything will work itself out in the end. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, man, and hopefully everything will be okay!
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serleran · Post by **serleran** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 1:59 pm

Fun interrupted by work is crap. Reality does not need to intrude. Kill it.
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slimykuotoan · Post by **slimykuotoan** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 2:09 pm

tylermo wrote:
full of nothing but work, work, work, and more work. It's going to be all business all of the time. If it doesn't involve the pursuit of making more money, and paying bills, it has no meaning.

Hmm, definitely do that for a while, then get some balance back into your life. Perhaps a cell phone that's only a business phone, etc.

Waay back a few years ago, I was involved in a line of work that involved a great deal of stress, and involved a great deal of responsibility, so I worked, worked, and worked, for three years without a single break. Well, at the end of that period, I wasn't a fit person to be around, so work began to suffer.

Balance my friend -just tweak your life instead of making it one-sided the other way IMHO.
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Go0gleplex · Post by **Go0gleplex** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 2:37 pm

Good luck mate.
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Orpheus · Post by **Orpheus** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 2:42 pm

One word: iPhone.

Post by **Breakdaddy** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 4:21 pm

We'll miss you at TC and Gen Con, but you've got to do what's best for the family, so good luck!

Lord Dynel · Post by **Lord Dynel** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 4:22 pm

slimykuotoan wrote:
Hmm, definitely do that for a while, then get some balance back into your life. Perhaps a cell phone that's only a business phone, etc.

Waay back a few years ago, I was involved in a line of work that involved a great deal of stress, and involved a great deal of responsibility, so I worked, worked, and worked, for three years without a single break. Well, at the end of that period, I wasn't a fit person to be around, so work began to suffer.

Balance my friend -just tweak your life instead of making it one-sided the other way IMHO.

This sounds like good advice to me.
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Troll Lord · Post by **Troll Lord** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 5:28 pm

Wow Tylermo, That's horrible and I know how you feel with the business side of things, running a small business, even little distractions can cost big. I wish you all the luck in getting where you need to be. And Omote said before, we'll be here waiting for you on your return!

Steve
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Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 6:50 pm

What Slimy said. Ultimately you need balance or you go nuts. So concentrate, get everything worked out and organized, and keep your life balanced.
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Aladar · Post by **Aladar** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 7:16 pm

Best wishes crusader. Just remember, to add in a little fun stuff now and then to allow yourself to unwind, or even the work will get to you too.
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Sundog · Post by **Sundog** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 7:35 pm

That's dreadful news, Tylermo.

Our slimy friend mentioned a dedicated business line, and that's a very good diea, even if it's just a pay-as-you-go mobile that you use purely and solely for business contacts. They'll appreciate having a line they can always contact you on, too.

Others have mentioned not overcompensating for this setback, and from experience I think they're giving very good advice. I was similarly work-focused a few years ago, thinking I could do everything, I had to do everything. Eventually, after giving me months of warning which I soundly ignored, my own body shut me down. To this day half of my face remains paralysed, and the odds are that I will remain this way until the day I die. Don't let your family forget what you look like. As long as you're making the payroll, food's on the table and the bills are paid, there is such a thing as enough money.

Anyway, enough blather; advice is one thing, support quite something else. I hope that you'll see your way clear of this setback, and when you do wander this way again, we'll be waiting.

Be lucky.

Rigon · Post by **Rigon** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:26 pm

Best wishes Tylermo, and hopes of your return.

R-
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tylermo · Post by **tylermo** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 1:30 pm

Update: out of four bidders who were at the walk through(and we unfortunately weren't), only two of them submitted. I asked what the lowest bid was, and was told it was 300 dollars under my monthly fee(which is already more than fair, and has been the same since my ex-boss had the company. The rate goes back to at least the late 90's. The way things are written, they had to go with that lowest bid. Even if I had been there, it sounds like I would have come in 2nd place. No matter the 35-37 years that my company (between 3 owners) had successfully cleaned the building. It still hurts though. This building(among two others in particular) have great sentimental value. They're the ones that I cut my janitorial teeth during my sophomore year in 1987. I'm not going to get over this for a long time. On a side note, it's funny to mention that the facilities manager from the state, my former boss who cleaned that building from 1972-2000, and the local office manager all have their doubts that this building can be well done for that price. I'm sure they'll do most of the standard cleaning halfway well, but can they afford semi-annual carpet cleanings, dumpster services entrance mats(dumpster and mats will cost them 110, or so a month), stripping and waxing, mowing, etc at that price? Only time will tell. Unless they really screw it up, I won't have a chance to return until the next bid in 2012. Even then, I suspect I'll have to bid 50 or 100 dollars under what they bid this time to get it back(and they're not even making five bills on this job). Even then, I'm not sure I could do it for that(with just myself as THE employee) for that price. Well, that's kind of the latest. I'm probably still going to TC, GC, and DC this year(those events will get my mind of this somewhat). It's not like I've cancelled my admission yet. I feel slightly more at ease knowing I could not have beat their bid, but it's not much consolation. I guess they either don't know what they're getting into at that price, or we're entering an era in which people will pimp themselves out, so they don't have to serve french fries, or run a cash register. I'll be around. Thanks for the comments. Like I said, I should be at the upcoming 3 or 4 cons as I wait for this other competitor company to implode.

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