Posted on Jul 22, 2016
How do you prefer meeting people: organically through friends, spontaneously, or third parties arranging serendipitous encounters?
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This is the situation: I recently starting using the gym at the University of Alabama. I prefer running, but the humidity is too much in July. When I am in the gym I work out by myself because I prefer not to get into a pissing contest over workouts. The other day I noticed what appeared to be a professor trying to arrange a meeting for me and another person. What would you do?
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I prefer to meet them on my terms, for a reason (other than I am an ass).
I have the fortune/misfortune to have my farm on a major biking and walking route for tourists coming to Northern Michigan. When it was originally built the outbuildings were put right at the setbacks for the road. I am in favor of tourists 19 hours a day. I am more than happy to show them around the farm and let them see the goats, horses, chickens, etc. During the summer I probably average 2-3 tours a week. I also run my woodworking and carving shop and on premise
But when it is milking time, (two times a day, for 2-1/2 hours 0430-0700 and 1630-1900) I have no time for tourists. I have my hours posted. But many tourist do not care. I cannot even afford to walk slow. The screaming goat commercials are not far off. 48 screaming goats who want their grain and to be milked (a full udder is painful) is a crappy situation, and timely milk sanitation is literally a consumer safety issue.
I try to be polite, but if they don't get it the first time, I give them a choice; "start working, get ignored, or come back in ___hours". Unfortunately I've developed a reputation for being a grouch with the tourists, except the ones that accept my invitation to come back in an hour or two.
I have the fortune/misfortune to have my farm on a major biking and walking route for tourists coming to Northern Michigan. When it was originally built the outbuildings were put right at the setbacks for the road. I am in favor of tourists 19 hours a day. I am more than happy to show them around the farm and let them see the goats, horses, chickens, etc. During the summer I probably average 2-3 tours a week. I also run my woodworking and carving shop and on premise
But when it is milking time, (two times a day, for 2-1/2 hours 0430-0700 and 1630-1900) I have no time for tourists. I have my hours posted. But many tourist do not care. I cannot even afford to walk slow. The screaming goat commercials are not far off. 48 screaming goats who want their grain and to be milked (a full udder is painful) is a crappy situation, and timely milk sanitation is literally a consumer safety issue.
I try to be polite, but if they don't get it the first time, I give them a choice; "start working, get ignored, or come back in ___hours". Unfortunately I've developed a reputation for being a grouch with the tourists, except the ones that accept my invitation to come back in an hour or two.
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Sounds like you have your work cut out for you Major. Hope you have a good weekend. I appreciate your response.
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Maj John Bell
LCpl Sam Flynn - I have my hours posted every 24 feet for 120 feet from the drive. But walkers, joggers, and cyclists (who probably are ready for a break) feel free to engage anyways.
The goats know their milking sequence and assigned station. But if I get delayed, the goats assume command, with a vengeance. Dairy animals get unruly when their routine is changed. Their internal clock is amazing. For every 5 minutes I'm delayed, it takes me about 15 minutes to restore order.
I think a lot of people don't get a lot of contact with goats, and goat kids are way more fun to watch than puppies or kittens, especially when there are 80+ running around like head butting rockets. Lets just say I almost always have a few fence leaners when it is time to grain the kids, even at 0600.
I really don't want to hurt feelings. A lot of these people become woodworking or carving customers. I'll give the tourists a rejected kid to bottle feed if I prep. I pay for labor with coffee and cinnamon toast.
The goats know their milking sequence and assigned station. But if I get delayed, the goats assume command, with a vengeance. Dairy animals get unruly when their routine is changed. Their internal clock is amazing. For every 5 minutes I'm delayed, it takes me about 15 minutes to restore order.
I think a lot of people don't get a lot of contact with goats, and goat kids are way more fun to watch than puppies or kittens, especially when there are 80+ running around like head butting rockets. Lets just say I almost always have a few fence leaners when it is time to grain the kids, even at 0600.
I really don't want to hurt feelings. A lot of these people become woodworking or carving customers. I'll give the tourists a rejected kid to bottle feed if I prep. I pay for labor with coffee and cinnamon toast.
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It is very hard to say. There are tradeoffs in everything we do, SGT. Thank you for your response.
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Meeting people through friends and activities is ideal. Although, I am not against a third party trying to arrange a chance encounter between two people either provided that the environment is not too tightly controlled. I appreciate the response, Sir.
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