Bugger! I was let go today. The winery I was making the wine for here in Michigan has lost a lot of money due to our freaking Governor shutting down the state and so the CEO has decided to eliminate my salary from the payroll. I know of no wineries in my area that are looking for a winemaker so it looks like I will need to try to sell the house. Then what, who knows. Prayers appreciated.

Good luck with it all.

Good luck. Come out west

Lord God Jesus, please help our good friend rufous land on his feet. Thy Will be done, Amen.

California probably needs winemakers.

Sorry, that sucks!

I'm sure they do because anyone with 1/2 a brain is leaving the communist state of Calif.
Including us LOL

Make moonshine instead?

We'll pray for you rufous. Any other fields of endeavor you might find work in, at least temporarily?

I lost my job also, back in October. I'd worked for a year at the local technical college in continuing education. Continuing ed, for those not in touch with it, runs like a business at most schools. It's very dependent on its revenue stream. The panicdemic pretty much shut it down and, as the last one hired, I was first out the door. They did have some part time work for me, but that's dried up. I'm probably way better off than most in this situation. All my (adult life) I've gone back and forth between manufacturing and education. (I'm a journeyman tool and die maker and I have undergraduate and graduate degrees in education.) I retired "officially" 15 years ago. I have a pension, social security and lifetime, no-cost-to-me health insurance. Also, I have a much younger wife who does very, very well and has made it clear for a long time that I don't need to go to work if I don't want to. I've had several jobs since "retiring", mainly in manufacturing. I just can't seem to want to lock up those Gerstner chests for the last time. I have an interview this week for what will probably be my last manufacturing job. It pays well and it's a type of work I've always wanted to do so we'll see where it goes.

My thoughts and prayers are with all who are losing, or in danger of losing their jobs. For most of us, a lot of our identity is tied up in our work. It's a real punch in the gut to lose your job, especially if you're in an area without a lot of options. The big thing is to not panic, think straight, inventory your resources and weigh your options. Make a plan. Talk to people who've BTDT.

Brew beer..... the free states love beer

Come to Nevada, there is a winery in Pahrump. Our gov keep shutting stuff down but few pay any attention.


mike r

Really sucks man. I wish you a quick recovery from this setback.

Damn Rufous, so sorry to read this 😕

Here’s hoping for the best possible outcome.

Your next "adventure" will be much better than your last one. Think positive and make it work for you. Have fun.
Like they say "when one door closes, another door opens".

Sorry for the bad luck man. This bish governor needs to be dropped in Lake Superior

Your governor brought Covid to your state?

I’m currently on my second layoff from the Covtard restrictions. Work for a regional brewery that sold pretty much exclusively through their own restaurants. Company is teetering on the brink.

C store/retail sales are through the roof. On premise sales are in the schitter.

I thought alcohol sales had increased since Covid.

If you do, be sure to stop short......If you can smell the salt you’ve gone to far. Back up about 6 hours. Lol.

Package sales are great. Convenience stores, grocery, liquor stores....are killing it. Little guys without good distribution rep or those that rely on in-house sales are taking it in the azz.

Talk about a lazy prayer....

The most powerful prayer you can pray is simply ..."Thy Will be done, Amen"

Feel free to do better Bob.

Man, I hate to hear that. Through life's greatest trials often emerge life's greatest triumphs. Here's hoping it works out that way for you.

Damn! Sorry. I went though a furlough from April through June. I was worried it was permanent but luckily I was brought back. The democrat governors are the real virus.

I can’t think of a better opportunity to take the skills you cultivated working there to start your own wine business.

Prayers sent and wishing you the best of luck

BTDT.....it sucks but you will get through it and be better off in the long run.Best of luck.

Rufus. Probably atleast 12 winery's in the Black Hills area of SD. Do some searches on the internet. MB

Michigan is bad shape...more than most realize. Lost mine in May and we are still trying to find our way.

Keep the faith...when one door closes another one opens.

I was gonna PM you but you’re ignoring me. That’s so Christ like.

Probably just trying to keep from losing IQ points from reading your stupid shyt.

Fuggin Idiot.

Best of luck Rofous.

You should threaten to beat him up. You are so scary when you do that.

Prayers are sent.

No, but they can implement misery and striped pajamas because of it, not of any borne of Constitutional authority of course.

+ 1

Prayers sent.

Covid is real. That is a fact independent of what you want to believe. You can ignore the disease, pretending it does not exist but by doing so you give the virus what it needs ... a host which will pass it along bringing sickness, death and financial hardship.

There is no easy way out but I believe relying on solid science to break the chain, no matter how inconvenient, beats the hell out of pretending the problem does not exist.

Not to derail this thread, Bob, if you have something to say to me, say it "out loud".

Thanks folks. Sadly once again it sure didn't take long to turn this thread into a bunch of BS. Oh well, I sincerely do appreciate the thoughts and prayers of those who meant it.

I have been through this before as well. It has been quite difficult in general but God has seen me through.

I interviewed for a winemaker position in Rapid City several years ago and would have lived to live there. Suitable positions don't come along very often anywhere in the country though, let alone in the Black Hills.

Good Friend Rufous, a good man lands on his feet running every time. Keep that chin up!

Life exists. I plan on not hiding from it.

The fact of the matter people can stay inside and be safe from life or get living. Its pretty odd, in America, one should be able to choose risking life or staying inside. One can stay "safe" and have everything delivered to your door.
It might shock you people fought wars, built industries and existed before "science" and politics shut the world down.
"Science" is what created it....

I can schit in a box and slap "guarantee" on it if it makes you feel better.

Stay the [bleep] inside, stay out of your car and for God sakes continue to let someone else make your decisions for you

Yep
Newsoms Winery's are still open even after he told everyone else (his Competition) to shut down due to Covid

Tell us how you wear out work boots while being retired? Do you chew on them? You re a hack sucking on the govt tit

You won’t see it if I’m on ignore smart guy! Just stick to favorite brands of peanut butter type threads .

Rufous, NC has a pretty decent winemaking region in the foothills and Piedmont area, you msy could look into that area if willing to relocate. Prayers that God will see you through this troubling time.

Well said .. Hawk....

I don't need to tell you anything shyt for brains. I do more before 8 am than a mouthy little sock puppet punk like you does all day.

Well Bob, I'm taught to Pray for my enemies, no "enemy" you, I pray all the same.

Let us return to our good friend Rufous, and helping him out.

Rufous,

I'm sure most here have your sympathies.
It's BS and I hope it turns around for you tenfold.

AMEN!

Tough news, sorry to hear. Keep your head up.

Damn Rufous, I'm sorry to hear this. it really pisses me off, your the second person I personally know that has been financially devastated by the queen of darkness.

Sorry to hear this.

California is having a bad time with the wine industry. Sales did go down according to Gallo, less exports. Zinfandel vineyards have been being pulled out for ~2 years now, many replanted with nut tree's, and this year most farmers I know barely broke even with the price of their producing tree's and with many first- crop next year. Plus this year a lot of other growers had their contract denied due to "smoke damage" but interestingly only certain wineries refused grapes after the smoke hit us, others didn't reject crop. Playing games, imho and other vintners around me. I think most white's were picked before the smoke damage.

That winery in Pahrump buys it's juice from California, at least they did ~ 6 years ago, Napa and Lodi, they told me. Don't they only have about 40 vines along their entrance?

Good luck with whatever you find

Allen

This is pretty good. You are getting close!

+2

Prayers for you and yours.

Sorry to hear, hope one door closing opens another for you, might even get a better gig.

AMEN!

Keep your chin up, man.

I lost my job of 27 years in April. It came as a complete shock.

I worked on the farm in the summer and worked construction in the fall. (Don't do the latter. It sucks. lol)

Now I have a job that I love at a different mfg. plant, 6 rural miles from my house vs. 35 urban miles to the former job.

The guys I work with are all great and the best part of it all, it's not freakin CORPORATE!

I'm making way less money but am much much happier.

You'll land on your feet.

rufous, sorry to hear of your ordeal. But, you sound like the kind of guy who bounces back quickly.

Rooster7, congrats on finding a good spot.

Thanks LD!

Sorry to hear that. I have a couple good friends in the same boat. One is an architect.

Any chance the winerys up north need your expertise? Leelanau or Old Mission areas, or over by Paw Paw? There's also free grant money to cover payroll expenses with the PPP that was passed last week. Surprised your CEO doesn't apply. Every company owner I know of got in on the first one. Some to the tune of millions.

Good luck.

Am sorry to hear of your predicament, rufous! You hang tough, and will keep you and your loved ones in my prayers. You are certainly not alone in this mess!

When the final tally is in, (if it's ever published, highly unlikely) the number of businesses that have shut down for good & the job loss will be staggering.

But of course, that will all be swept under the rug & hidden from view, by both the media & .gov.

And, so much of the populace is already on the .gov tit, that most just don't give it much of a thought as long s they're not too inconvenienced by the businesses being lost.

Michigan is a sad state, maybe only behind NY & CA.

MM

Very sorry to hear that I wish you the best that sucks I cannot say how much we despise this governess.

Feel bad for people there. All the while, that swine and her family continue to live like royalty doing as they please whenever the please. Just isn't right.

Communism at it's finest.

The farther you go north the angrier the people are. My son lives in the Sault and manages a building supply. He has never enforced the mask or shut down. He told me the people in the UP are so fed up with the governor. They would be happy if someone blew up the bridge. Whitmer is hated by most people outside of Detroit, Lansing and Ann Arbor.

Did you work at Tabor Hill or Round Barn?