Not Crazy, just BiPolar(Your Input Welcome)

[Jumper]

Well if that subject did not catch your attention..............................

Let me start off by saying some support I have received from this site while in hospital was super.

Aside from being sexually assaulted therein, and the 14 electro shock therapies I got (all my own choice) , I have emerged, quite a bit healthier in most cases, and trying to ponder the future............

There is a military pension, complete with benefits including health and dental which covers my roof, utilities, taxes and my food (NO FUN). I own a half of a $215K house(the bank has the other), and another $50K in contents. No vehicle.

At 43 I can not become a full time climber, though I would play hockey as a goalie 7 days a week if I could find a game to get to.
Ie. I am active.

Without getting into the nitty gritty further, I would like to go back to Community College to get into this industry further....though what I have seen as an employee makes me hesitate. I am 43 and have some physical impediments that would utimately prevent me from being an "I CAN DO IT TOO" boss, though I believe I could pass the climbing portion of the course I have looked at. Or should I just take what comes to me as a ground guy, and hope for a good company that will further me along that way.

Your earnest and sincere inputs most most welcomed, I know others here have bared themselves with severe cancer and substince abuse, thus I have too with my head!

Any POSITIVE input greatly welcomed.

Mitch aka Jumper

 

[treeguy347]

My father was hospitalized for bipolar and severe clinical depression. I'd don't quite know how to say this, but it's really great to see that you want to live your life still. I can't offer you any advice as to being a groundman, but I wish you the best and my thoughts are with you.

Brandon

 

[Jumper]

I think I have more to offer than being a ground guy........I need some more schooling ie book learning to round out what I already have,learned on the job, and a BA 20 years ago ,for the worth of the paper it is printed on.

I really enjoyed working for the first company I started with, then things sort of fell apart the second half of this year past.

So where to go from here???????

 

[treeguy347]

Possibly consulting?

 

[Jumper]

Agree , but you need some credentials ie experience (which I think I am getting) and a community college paper at the minimum to get into that....which means I need to go back to school, for at least two years and possibly four for a BSc(Forestry); my BA is in Commerce so little crossover skills likely

 

[treeguy347]

What does JPS have? He's a consulting arborist.

 

[ORclimber]

43 seems a bit late to be looking for a groundie/climber position. You are definately in an enviable position with pension, benefits, and equity in a house though.

I don't think getting a BS degree will get you where you want to be unless you just love school and want something to hang on your wall. I have a BS in Forestry, am a certified arborist, licensed pesticide applicator, county library card, etc. and I've learned more about trees by working on them and reading arboriculture books than I did in college. I think if you just read up on arboriculture, attended seminars, took some community college classes, and got some good experience you could be just as effective and save some money.

What about getting a job with a do it all tree company as a spray tech if your up for pulling hose and pushing a spreader. It's a lot physically easier than dragging brush/climbing and you would learn a lot about tree ID, insects and diseases, and turf. You could then get into sales and would basically be consulting, diagnosing tree problems and estimating pruning and removals.

Or, you could downsize your house and go mechanized. Buy a grapple truck, Bobcat, or stump grinder and sub out to other tree companies.

 

[Jumper]

The house is going is a given. This place was too big in 1992 when I bought it, and I use about 1/3 of it today. Real estate agent has already been in, and the necessary upgrades being done (main floor carpet)

I think I had a job with a "do it all" company until they closed shop, but I am hopeful that the interview I had with a small closeby company owner might bear some worth. He does not do fertilization and I think there is money in that having as you said dragged a hose (/w needle) and I know where one(Brand new Rittenhouse) is for sale, likely cheap by now if not reposesed, so perhaps we can grow together. PS I would rather drag bush than sit on my *ss so I guess there is something to be said for hard work.

I had the interview last week, and he insisted on picking me up here.....I knew for a fact my house was a lot larger/ more $$$$$$ than his,(because I rode my police auction bike by) even though I can walk there in 10 minutes. Anyhow he has a 2002 F-250 Diesel and my 150,000 mile '94 Ranger(but paid for) got put to rest in Nov so I guess all things even out in the end, though I really did not want him to see where I live, nor does he have my complete resume.

What tangled webs lives lead........

 

[Jumper]

Further to last

He does not have a stump grinder either, and I know where one of those is available too.......

Maybe we have to have a good game of hockey (which he professes to have played at one point-no probs-I have some old equipment and he can aim pucks at my head) and talk business...... sell all this sh*t, including the $5K Rolex, buy a new truck, some equipment, and move onwards. Your input appreciated greatly.

 

[ORclimber]

There is lots of $ in spraying. I used to work for 2 companies that had multiple spray rigs and climb crews. 1 spray tech could make as much as a 2 man climb crew on a good day without the physical risks. However, as with any trade there is a lot to learn about chemical application. A lot of legal crap, record keeping, licenses, correct timing of applications, chemicals are constantly being approved or discontinued for use, correct pest ID is 100 times easier if you can just call an experienced coworker/applicator on a cell phone. I think you could learn a lot more, faster by working for someone else for a year than starting out on your own. Learning the ropes on someone elses dime.

$5k for a watch? That's more than I paid for my used stump grinder.

 

[murphy4trees]

Seems like I know a lot of people on medication for depression, bipolar etc.. and over the years, I have had my ups and downs as well.
There must be something we as a culture are doing or not doing that is throwing our bodies out of balance..
Perhaps it is environmental poisoning.. in the air or the food etc.
Or perhaps there is somethink lacking in modern diet... Since I met my wife I haven't really had the kind of lows I used to experience... She cooks a lot of salmon.. And I heard that the fish oils have a lot of Omega 3 fatty acids.... and that some think that a major cause of depression is lack of Omega 3s..
Anyhow I orderred some Cod liver oil online and been on it since Jan 1. I think it helps.. See the below link and info.
God Bless,
Daniel



http://www.mercola.com/forms/carlsons.htm

Here's a note from my order confirmation
"Carlson's Cod Liver Oil
Thank you for your purchase of Carlson’s Cod Liver Oil, a brand I have found to be the purest and most potent. Adding fish oil/cod liver oil to your daily diet is one of the most important dietary steps you can take, as the Omega-3 fats are so necessary to optimizing your body to fight and prevent disease, so your purchase today is certainly a wise one! I recommend one teaspoon for every 50 pounds of body weight daily. If you have any questions regarding this product, please do not hesitate to contact the support team at [email protected]. I wish you a long, healthy and happy life! - Dr. Mercola ."

 

[Kevin]

Jumper;
Maybe a job in line clearing with the big A.

 

[Stumper]

Jumper, I'm glad that you are back on the forum and pursueing the life you want to lead. Besides ground work and pesticide applications there are other ways to be involved in the tree care industry. As Down to earth has suggested, you can go into business for yourself. If you don't want to invest as much in equipment and deal with a crew you could still go it alone. Specialize! Becoming a consulting Arborist has already been suggested and is the only area where I think going back to school is actually important. You could get into stump grinding as a specialty. You could also specialize in areas that require very little climbing. Shrub care and fruit trees for example. My personal choice several years ago was to work alone and minimize the climbing. I advertise myself specializing in Fruit tree pruning, Shrub care and Stump removal. I don't turn away very many big climbing jobs (some I decline, some I accept). Advertising as I do seems to generate more calls for the things I advertise. I still climb but only a few times per month(sometimes I go weeks between climbs). There are niches in the business if you look for them.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Since you are in a large metro area, i think you can move around the local market looking for the company you want to work for. Everyone is willing to hire a guy to drag brush and show up every day. You can shop that around, find the guy and then maybe aoffer to by in as a limited partner if you get along well. IMO you should just keep learning the trade. If you have the moeny gor a decent stumper, maybe you could get it and part-time sub your service out. There are a number of guys in this area doing that.

 

[Jumper]

TANX

All your comments and input GREATLY appreciated!!!!! I also have recv some private messages.

My plan is to speak to my prospective employer and see if he would not like some $$$$$$ put into his company as a partner, maybe not 50/50, but whatever. He has no stump grinder, nor the ability to deep root fertilize so perhaps that is a direction he/we could expand(he indicated he wanted to go there). I have the $$$$$$ and the interest so there is a mutual interest there.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I've been talking to a number of the people i climb for about doing organic fert through them. mailing to their client list.

 

[murphy4trees]

If you buy the new equipment and sell and service his clients with it then give him a healthy percentage to make it worth it for him. Then go approach other companies in a similar situation and develop youir own clients too...
I smell money!!!
God Bless,
Daniel

 

[Stumper]

Good advice about partnerships! Even when both are TRYING to share responsibilities equally it doesn't often pan out. My advice would fall in line with Murph's. You could even work as an employee but have YOUR stumpgrinding business. Work in conjunction with your boss with a percentage split on stumpgrinding you perform trough your association with him but if at any time you decide to go your own way-- no ties-you and your equipment just keep doing your thing.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

If you buy the new equipment and sell and service his clients with it then give him a healthy percentage to make it worth it for him. Then go approach other companies in a similar situation and develop youir own clients too...

The concept is to do it all as a subcontract, so my name does not come into play with the variouse conpanies. No signage on the truck, generic door hanger stating the job done and the bill will be mailed, then I don't have to do all the billing for every job

 

[Yellowdog]

I know guys in their 70's bringing in a couple k's a month in stump grinding. Stump grinders are affordable now. Take it another step forward and get a small skid steer to do stump removal as well as grinding. A 1 ton truck is a must if you want to haul. Spend more on the truck and you will save headaches later. A good used skid steer will make you money as you can sub yourself out to established tree companies and make short work of brush dragging and log moving! My dad just retired after 30 years in telecom and he's learning heavy equipment. He's 50 something.

Good luck