Posted By: Bob M
Post 10000, another milestone, and more... - 06/22/08 11:59 AM
Ladies & Gentleman, ...it has happend. My post clock has rolled from four numbers to five numbers. It has been a long time coming and it is a sign of things changing in my life.
As in past significant post number changes, I usually place a dedication to mark the event. I saw the 10000 coming and once again immediately thought of our friend, Fred Kulman. Although Fred is no longer with us, I think of him most everytime I open up www.lighthousekeepers.com.
Some of our present forum members have never had the priviledge of meeting Fred but those who did will always remember him as a somewhat quiet, soft spoken but extremely friendly man. Lets face it, in reality Fred was a character and I mean that in a good way.
Life threw Fred a few curve balls in his later years, but he didn't let it stop him from doing what he wanted to do. He was truly an amazing man that I will always remember. To me, Fred was every much a part of Harbour Lights as the Younger Family. Rest in peace, old Buddy! Your memory lives on in my mind.
Up above I spoke of changes in my life. As a result of an aggravating injury, I have decided to retire from the job I held for the last 35 years and four months. It was a rather tough decision to make, but it was time. Now I know the meaning of, "You'll know when it's time to go". The time has come and I will be officially retired as of June 30, 2008.
Part of my incentive to finally pull the plug was not the dreams of never having to go to work and having all those leisure hours to do just whatever I feel like doing, but rather a job offer that I couldn't refuse. Lorna and I talked it over for quite some time and felt it was the right thing to do. Needless to say, I've been working at my new job for one day a week for the last six weeks, and I'm very optimistic about my future in the private sector. The people I'm working for couldn't be any nicer. I feel extremely fortunate to be in their employ.
Other things have changed in my life too, namely collecting Harbour Lights. Oh yes, I still have a cellar full of them, and my curios proudly display them. Actually, I think the quality and workmanship gets better all the time. I will purchase future HL's, but only those I like.
As you know, I was a long time auto ship customer who purchased one of every new LE, AB, Lens, etc. I was one of those customers retailers dreamed of. I bought everything no questions asked. All the retailer had to do was get the product in and ship it out to me. Lets face it, that was a 100% return on their money with each and every new release. But, my dealer started to ship later and later. He even called me when he learned I was unhappy and all but promised to take corrective action. You know what? That never happend so I dropped the auto ship.
I no longer buy one of every new release. As a matter of fact, I haven't purchased a new Harbour Lights product in 2008 other than the Wisconsin Point Collector Forums Exclusives. I bought two of those because I could see the hand writing on the wall. These will be worth more than I paid for them. That doesn't happen very often. If you haven't purchased yours yet, I would highly recommend it.
Another thing happend that dimmed my collecting "flame". I purchased a considerable amount of the Founder's Collection with dreams of getting like-new lightning rod and in some cases, green water pieces, and perhaps a California or Canadian piece. Yes, I did get brand new single-digit pieces and all were "mint in the box", but that's what they were and nothing more. No lightning rods, no water color variations, no California or Canadian pieces arrived at my house. Prior to my Founder's Collection order being filled, I received a phone call from Harbour Lights asking what my ultimate first choice was. That didn't take much thought. I told them it was HL 128, Southeast Light. I was advised by the caller that wouldn't be a problem. I was pumped! I was extremely excited! Southeast Light was the first HL I ever purchased. I bought it at Shelia's on Block Island. It was the beginning of my collecting years and I even took it to the max by "getting them all". Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed in the fact that Southeast Light didn't arrive at my home as I was led to believe that it would. I felt mislead. That, my friends, changed my collecting habits forever. I went from being a prime customer to just another person buying a piece every now and then if it makes me smile. Now I'll just sit back and purchase a New England piece or two whenever.
Giving up auto ship #23 on all LE's and #15 on AB's was tough to do but cutting the cord seems easier now. There are some advantages. I don't have to worry about where I'm going to put all those new HL's (storage area is filled). I sure can use the money saved to pay for more important things as our economy worsens each and every day.
My collecting "flame" has been reduced from a torch that could light a harbor, to the size of a pilot light on a gas stove, but it still burns and may some day once again light the harbor.
Bob
As in past significant post number changes, I usually place a dedication to mark the event. I saw the 10000 coming and once again immediately thought of our friend, Fred Kulman. Although Fred is no longer with us, I think of him most everytime I open up www.lighthousekeepers.com.
Some of our present forum members have never had the priviledge of meeting Fred but those who did will always remember him as a somewhat quiet, soft spoken but extremely friendly man. Lets face it, in reality Fred was a character and I mean that in a good way.
Life threw Fred a few curve balls in his later years, but he didn't let it stop him from doing what he wanted to do. He was truly an amazing man that I will always remember. To me, Fred was every much a part of Harbour Lights as the Younger Family. Rest in peace, old Buddy! Your memory lives on in my mind.
Up above I spoke of changes in my life. As a result of an aggravating injury, I have decided to retire from the job I held for the last 35 years and four months. It was a rather tough decision to make, but it was time. Now I know the meaning of, "You'll know when it's time to go". The time has come and I will be officially retired as of June 30, 2008.
Part of my incentive to finally pull the plug was not the dreams of never having to go to work and having all those leisure hours to do just whatever I feel like doing, but rather a job offer that I couldn't refuse. Lorna and I talked it over for quite some time and felt it was the right thing to do. Needless to say, I've been working at my new job for one day a week for the last six weeks, and I'm very optimistic about my future in the private sector. The people I'm working for couldn't be any nicer. I feel extremely fortunate to be in their employ.
Other things have changed in my life too, namely collecting Harbour Lights. Oh yes, I still have a cellar full of them, and my curios proudly display them. Actually, I think the quality and workmanship gets better all the time. I will purchase future HL's, but only those I like.
As you know, I was a long time auto ship customer who purchased one of every new LE, AB, Lens, etc. I was one of those customers retailers dreamed of. I bought everything no questions asked. All the retailer had to do was get the product in and ship it out to me. Lets face it, that was a 100% return on their money with each and every new release. But, my dealer started to ship later and later. He even called me when he learned I was unhappy and all but promised to take corrective action. You know what? That never happend so I dropped the auto ship.
I no longer buy one of every new release. As a matter of fact, I haven't purchased a new Harbour Lights product in 2008 other than the Wisconsin Point Collector Forums Exclusives. I bought two of those because I could see the hand writing on the wall. These will be worth more than I paid for them. That doesn't happen very often. If you haven't purchased yours yet, I would highly recommend it.
Another thing happend that dimmed my collecting "flame". I purchased a considerable amount of the Founder's Collection with dreams of getting like-new lightning rod and in some cases, green water pieces, and perhaps a California or Canadian piece. Yes, I did get brand new single-digit pieces and all were "mint in the box", but that's what they were and nothing more. No lightning rods, no water color variations, no California or Canadian pieces arrived at my house. Prior to my Founder's Collection order being filled, I received a phone call from Harbour Lights asking what my ultimate first choice was. That didn't take much thought. I told them it was HL 128, Southeast Light. I was advised by the caller that wouldn't be a problem. I was pumped! I was extremely excited! Southeast Light was the first HL I ever purchased. I bought it at Shelia's on Block Island. It was the beginning of my collecting years and I even took it to the max by "getting them all". Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed in the fact that Southeast Light didn't arrive at my home as I was led to believe that it would. I felt mislead. That, my friends, changed my collecting habits forever. I went from being a prime customer to just another person buying a piece every now and then if it makes me smile. Now I'll just sit back and purchase a New England piece or two whenever.
Giving up auto ship #23 on all LE's and #15 on AB's was tough to do but cutting the cord seems easier now. There are some advantages. I don't have to worry about where I'm going to put all those new HL's (storage area is filled). I sure can use the money saved to pay for more important things as our economy worsens each and every day.
My collecting "flame" has been reduced from a torch that could light a harbor, to the size of a pilot light on a gas stove, but it still burns and may some day once again light the harbor.
Bob