Suckered again!

[Trout]

I've got this guy at work who wants to buy my steelhead trout so he can give it to his buddy for his 40th birthday....
a bunch of them are heading to Montana on Wednesday for a weeks fishing trip.
the guy who is having the birthday doesn't know that everyone is going so it's going to be a big surprise when they all show up at the cabin..

when I finished the trout I told him I would sell it for a $150....well I guess that was to much considering that he's also paying $1,200 for the trip....
so today he was kinda bummed out at work because he doesn't have a gift for his buddy and was telling me that he even went to a craft show hoping to find some kind of fish to give him..

this guy started pulling out all the stops!
his mother died late last year and his dad decided to sell his house so I bought their new dinning table valued over a $1000 for $150 so naturally he had to throw that in..

he also mentioned how I gave all my other fish away for raffle prizes..

his dad gave him a brand new Craftsman router and at one time we had talk about me buying it from him so he brought that up too...

so I told him $75 and the router he could have the fish...and I think that still to much for him...
I'll probably end up giving it to him for $50 plus the router..
this way he'll be happy, his buddy will be happy and I'll be the hero again!

Trout

side note: on Saturday Mrs.Trout and I was invited to fished with the guy who got my salmon as a birthday present and he was very happy to get it. come to find out his wife waited an extra week to give it to him because she wanted to wait until his big family birthday party...

me and my fish, I still don't have any on our wall...

[Sawduster]

ya got a heart the size of California, Trout
I have very little on my walls too, but my spirit is happy, and someday I'll make time for my walls
When I look at all the greed and selfishness in this world, I''l take " sucker " any day

[lucky788scroller]

or... clobber the tight a$$ on the head with the fisn, AND get the router!!! Dale

[Gill]

Cash buys you wood for new projects, it buys blades and it pays for the electricity you use cutting your wood. Second hand tools don't!

You're too soft, Trout. A really nice guy, but too soft for your own good.

Gill

[CanadianScroller]

Well Mr Trout I feel for you.

People really have no idea what is involved in crafts and art unless they have done it themselves.

I often see work of artists in the gallery at work. I see the prices. I sometimes even think, Hey I could do that. then I have to add, but not for that price.

Then there are others, where the art starts at $1500. and I think to myself.
wow I couldn't make money like that through scrolling.

Don't get me wrong I do not have contempt for the artists, nor do I have contempt for those who do not appreciate the work that any artisan takes.

The thing is we are not talking about a non skilled manual labor job that pays minimum wage we are talking about a craft that we hone and develop with each project we produce.

I guess that is why I do not like to sell things too much. I get disheartened when I see what people are willing to pay.
It may be hard to figure out how much to charge but it sure saves the heartache if you can get a price established before you start.

I actually don't mind being a patsy too much as long as it is not the same people doing me in all the time.
If everyone walks away a little happier than when they started then that is a good thing......

Did I mention I don't make much money scrolling?????

[Marcel in Longueuil]

What ticks me off in your post Trout is that the guy is willing to spend 1200$ on the trip to be with his buddies, really wants to give a gift, knows what he wants to give because he's seen the quality of your work and knows his buddy will just love it, and his other buddies will be envious of the great gift "he" gave, but he won't fork the 150$ bucks for it... and lays a guilt trip on you to top it off.

And the worst part is he'd probably be complaining if you gave him something substandard for free (not that you would give something substandard)

People like that should be avoided: The eternal whiners that take advantage of everyone and think everything is owed them.

I know: he's a coworker you tried to be nice to.

Sorry for my rant, people like that just push my button.



I feel for you, he wants it for free or as a trade for the router.

Good luck to you.
Marcel

[Trout]

before this gets to out of control..

the guy at work that wants to buy my fish is a great kid..he's been working for us for a few years now and he's a single parent trying to raise his 15 yr old son an a single income...which is pretty hard to do here in California..
He's been planning this trip for a year now and has been saving his money and vacation...
the guy with the birthday is his best friend and he thinks that one of my fish would be the greatest gift he could give him especially with the fishing trip...

as for me..I'm lucky to be able afford the things I do..
I admitted I let my Salmon go to cheap but this one here I don't mind to much.

this weekend we had a committee meeting up at the river for our up coming fishing get together and all I heard was how everyone wants to win my fish. that alone made the time and money worth while..

as for the horse head I'm doing now, sure I think I'm crazy for all the time I'm spending on trying to get it as good as I can just to give it away but when they open it up on Christmas morning it will all be worth it...

Trout

[Gill]

Shame on you for asking such a great guy to spend $150 in the first place. Now you've probably made him feel very uncomfortable about the whole issue. Heck, I think you should just give it to him for free and offer to donate a sum to his favorite charity by way of apology.

Gill

[Trout]

it's not a done deal yet....

you guys and gals are the greatest....
thanks for being here....



Trout

[core-eagle]

Trout,
You can tell him it looks like he will have good weather for his trip to Montana. It looks like it will be nice all week. We will be in the mid 70's daytime and mid to high 30's night. Do you know where he is going? I'm up by Glacier Nat Park, westside.

By the way, Nice job on the fish!!

Tim

[Marcel in Longueuil]

NOW that you have given more details,

I take it back, and side with Gill.

And you exempted from the donation if you...

Trade it for the router, no extra money asked.


You big softy,
Marcel

[lucky788scroller]

yeah...ok, i changed my mind too, dont clobber him with the fish, save that for the next guy. If you want to help him out, offer a few free lessons to his son on your scrollsaw, it could change his life! Dale

[Trout]

done deal...

I've done 2 steelhead trout and both have gone to good freinds....

$65 and the router...

I've already been out looking at router tables and accessories....
I even have a sign job lined up and she's willing to pay the $$ which will help pay for the sign making kit....

here's the best part..these are called bragging boards, there used to show your catch...

I'm going to start making personalized ones and I know everyone is going to want one....

Trout

[Sawduster]

A tip of the ol' fishin' cap, Trout
....from one " sucker " to another
Way to go !

[CanadianScroller]

Hey Trout the bragging board is a great idea.
I didn't relly understand what ot was at first glance.

I know how much you like fishing and scrolling so here is another idea.
I wish it were mine but.... it is from issue 10 of SSWC.

Scrolling Photographs

Berning, Michelle M.
Relief cutting makes them POP
People, Relief, Photographs, Wall Hangings, Plaques
Spring 2003 #10 : 24-25

What she did was set the scrollsaw table on a slight angle to get a relief cut.
She would then cut the outline of a feature in the photograph....say the fish.
The fish then sticks out slightly from the rest of the photograph looking larger than life.

You can cut animals, people and cars in relief too and the picture really pops.


You can get the back issue if you need it.