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Post by steev on Jan 18, 2017 2:43:30 GMT -5
OMG! The guy that showed up today is the guy who couldn't tell Crocosmia from Douglas iris or bearded iris. OK, I need a grunt badly enough to put up with this for a while, but I will definitely be looking for a sharper tool, (him not being the sharpest in the shed) as he expects to get a driver's licence in three months and thinks he'll be a truck driver, so he'll dump me like he did before. I'm trying to run a business here, not an employment agency of last resort for people who've lost, or can't find, or very temporarily need, other work. Reliability is a factor with my clients, which is why some have been with me 35+ years. No way I can rely on this guy; he'll bail just when business is heating up.
If I find a good prospect, he's toast.
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Jan 18, 2017 4:50:28 GMT -5
I had a novice helper last spring. I invited her to weed the garlic bed. She couldn't tell the difference between grass and garlic. I was completely flummoxed when she asked me to describe the difference to her!!! How am I supposed to describe that??? To her credit, she picked it up in a few minutes, even if her supposed mentor was less than helpful.
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Post by rowan on Jan 18, 2017 5:45:38 GMT -5
When I see people on Facebook gardening groups suggesting IDs of plants but are so wrong sometimes I want to tell them not to guess and don't write anything if you don't know, but then I remember some of the times I have had helpers in my gardens that could honestly not tell the difference between weeds and plants I want to keep even though it is so obvious to me that they look so different and I point out the differences. Some people just don't seem to be able to see differences in colours, textures and the like. You can get two very vaguely similar plants side by side and some people just can't see differences.
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Post by philagardener on Jan 18, 2017 6:40:32 GMT -5
I had a novice helper last spring. I invited her to weed the garlic bed. She couldn't tell the difference between grass and garlic. I was completely flummoxed when she asked me to describe the difference to her!!! How am I supposed to describe that??? To her credit, she picked it up in a few minutes, even if her supposed mentor was less than helpful. Well, that's easy. The garlic are the ones that have bulbs when you pull them up! |
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Post by steev on Jan 18, 2017 12:19:22 GMT -5
Even easier, garlic smells like garlic.
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Post by richardw on Jan 18, 2017 12:29:03 GMT -5
Reminds of a local man (late50's)who does gardening about the area, fine mowing lawns or weeding native gardens, but in flower or vegetable garden, not so good.
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Post by steev on Jan 20, 2017 0:38:13 GMT -5
We all have our areas of expertise, but it just pisses me off when I point something out to a helper and he then makes it clear that he paid no attention nor thought about it, whatsoever. I mean, I understand that people are loath to admit "I don't understand", but that's so counterproductive; we aren't reptiles; we aren't supposed to know all we need to know at birth. Somehow, "I don't know what's going on" seems to be more threatening than "I fucked up, but it's not my fault, because I didn't know what's going on".
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Post by steev on Mar 16, 2017 21:55:56 GMT -5
I am SO pleased to note the effect our President-in-tweet has had on the casual-labor pool; having had no regular helper for months, I noted this week that a large building-supply site in Berkeley had no casual laborers (mostly Peruvians and Mexicans) on the streets around; further, lower High Street in Oakland (mostly Guatemalans and other Central Americans), a primary casual-labor venue in Oakland, was similarly deserted. I can only assume that folks in North Carolina and Pennsylvania (for instance) are packing their stuff to come to Cali to fill the jobs these "illegal aliens" were "stealing" from them; I tried that sort of field-work in my teens, so I know that ain't gonna happen; praise those willing to do that work; they ought to be thanked, not vilified. Guess what folks: your Cali produce is gonna be more expensive, regardless of drought relief. Oh, well, you can always get it from places with fewer pesticide regulations; at least it'll be pretty, though perhaps more toxic. Always remember: you can wash off the bug-shit, but not the pesticides; they're incorporated into the food. Hmm; incorporated into corporate food; yes..
As a small business owner, I believe the President has my back; that's where he's sticking the knife.
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Post by philagardener on Mar 17, 2017 5:21:38 GMT -5
If His plans go His way, there will be a lot of folks from the various .gov'mental institutions like EPA, DOE and NIH looking for work opportunities . . .
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Post by steev on Apr 12, 2017 1:29:50 GMT -5
Not to disparage them, but they won't know shit from apple butter about landscape maintenance (no reason why they should, nor why they should be in condition to do it, though I doubt not, they are good at their jobs, which are clearly not being rationally evaluated).
While I'm sure the (hopefully very temporary) President would be pleased, I think your capitalization of those (H's) is inappropriate; perhaps something more in scale to his tiny hands?
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Post by steev on Apr 14, 2017 0:58:54 GMT -5
I started a new guy this week; he's from the uplands of Guatemala; green as Cali's drought-broken grass; he's willing to work, but so clueless. Oh, well. it's a process, as my periodontist tells me. I so hope this isn't going to be as aggravating as learning to "properly" care for my teeth. I don't remember Grandad having more than 5 or 6 snags, but he gummed his way to 73 years, which I'll not see 'til August; Pop had bridges, but he made it to 83; I think I'm good to afflict the world to at least 93, prolly longer, as heaven don't want me and hell won't have me.
Also, I expect to live longer than either of them because I bust my ass mostly daily, unlike them.
"Use it or lose it", as they say.
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Post by steev on Apr 15, 2017 4:18:16 GMT -5
The new guy faded after two days, like the one before him.
A client called to ask whether I'd died or wanted them off my list; twenty+ years they've been with me; I'd think they'd appreciate the jungle in which to hide Easter eggs for their grand-kids.
Truth be told, I'm getting tired of this grind; not the work, but the "workers".
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Post by SteveB on Apr 15, 2017 7:41:53 GMT -5
The help is hard to find. But if your looking to hire people to give pay checks to, you'll get many applicants...
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Post by steev on Apr 15, 2017 12:34:01 GMT -5
A house-mate opined that maybe it's my breath, which was a relief, as I'd feared my looks were gone.
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Post by SteveB on Apr 15, 2017 22:49:31 GMT -5
Ah, if it is after all your breath then a few garlick cloves will help freshen it up a bit.... Looks are more difficult to mask, unless you go the way of the paper bag..
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