Reba Ad insulting "mowers"

[DanG]

Anybody else happen to catch the pro-mo for the up coming episode?
Her character's daughters boyfriend says he's going to get a job & learn how to mow.
And she makes a snide comment about it.
Saying that thats something you have to learn?

I feel insulted.;)

Dan G.

[eggy]

In the buisness world we are next to the owest of the low on what people think....but who cares, as long as you are happy....I have lived with the title of Lawn boy for ever........

[Albemarle Lawn]

Is what this dude who worked for me in the summer of 2000 said until he was fired.

He seemed to have a problem with crashing my ZTR's into tree stumps and breaking spindles.

AND he would take 15 min to edge 20' of concrete.

I have bumped stumps but never with enough force to break metal.

ANY MONKEY???

I bet some of us make as much $ as attorneys!

SHHHH !!!!! DON'T LET THE WORD OUT. LET 'EM THINK WE ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BARRELL.

I bet lots of us have customers who earn less than we do and yet they still look at us like lower class.

AGAIN

Shhhh! Let it be our secret.

Ken

[GroundKprs]

Don't belittle the general populace because the job of lawn mowing is considered empty headed. I'll bet Bill Gates even mowed a lawn at one time in his life. And any one of us who mowed a lawn before deciding to make a business of it, remember how you would view the lawn mowing if you were not in the business.

Joe homeowner pulls out his Lawnboy or Toro, or jumps on his Deere or Wheelhorse. Why does he do this week after week, and the job is so mundane? It is an escape! Sealed in a cocoon of noise, the rest of his ratrace world ceases to exist. The grumpy boss at work is forgotten; even if the old lady nags, you can't hear her; the kids can fight and hassle each other all they want, can't hear them either.

And what is there to concentrate on? Just ride or walk behind the machine, and relax your mind.

So is it any wonder that the lawn guy is looked down on by the general public? His job doesn't take a whit of mental work, he gets to escape the ratrace so much, and I'm so jealous of the SOB that he gets to spend all day like that. LOL. If only they knew. LOL

[awm]

i really dont think we are looked down on that much.
i know some lcos that seem to look down on others w
less quality equipment. its a source of amusement to me.
they show their own lack of growth.
as for REBA ill forgive her if she will sing real pretty to us ,
just once on her show.later now

[mdb landscaping]

i saw that too. i kind of took offense to it, but i dont think people in general look down on landscapers. she must be all washed up if shes on the WB channel. all the actors and singers that cant cut it end up there. of course, that is my opinion. please no arguing.

[kutnkru]

Originally posted by mdb landscaping
... i dont think people in general look down on landscapers. ...I too agree that most people do not frown upon Landscape Contractors. These are not whom she was referring to. She was talking about LMOs.

Many people may bash or insult Lawn Maintenance Operators but its ironic how as Jim pointed out these are the same people that when they need to get a break from their hectic lives turn to the solace of their Murray and Weed Eater -LOL!!!

I think that peoples perceptions are primarily based upon what they see. I know that in some of the more upscale neighborhoods where fly.by.nighters cannot prevail these homeowners have a different view of us, mostly; say compared to some of the middle class ones where any Jabrone can cut the grasses.

Kris

[Runner]

What gets me, is that after having almost 20 years invested in a professional landscape and grounds maintenance operation, I still get an occasional simpleton that says. "So, are you still mowing lawns?":dizzy: As for Reba, well, she can grab MY string trimmer anytime!:p

[Got Grass?]

I agree that its bad for our image.
Yeah, I agree there is very little to lean if you want to mow a lawn. Anyone can mow a lawn and almost everyone has at one time or another in thier lives.
Its so easy, anyone can run up to Wall-Mart and buy a $100 Eletric or gas mower and away thay go mowing thier lawn. Most 10yr olds can do it.

Now before everyone starts getting upset let me finish.

This is all thay know, all thay see. Thay think that if thay can mow a lawn, anyone can and its easy money and yeah it is at times.

BUT, there it a lot more we do then just mow a lawn like:
Cutting with a professional $4000+/- mower VS's the $100 one.
Knowing how to properly use & maintain our equipment, How to stripe, cut at right lengh, not scalp, run over things, not thow grass everywhere, not clump, mulch, sharp blabes, even cut, when to cut, when not to cut, cut what with what, etc....
We can also tell when something is wrong, with our equipment and how to fix it.
Why the lawn is dying, watering problems, drainage problems, light, nutriants, soil condition, erosion, pests, insects, fert, fungi, etc....

We also trim arround borders properly w/ scalping.
We clean up our mess (grass, leaves, dibres) w/ blower.

I know I left a lot out but I'm only tring to make a point.

Most of us at least can and do most of thoes things, thats what makes us a "PRO". Yeah there are people that dont, thay are called "Scrubs" and the reason our reputation always gets trashed. The ratio between the good and the bad is very close compared to any other line of work, and we end up getting sterotyped with the bad. Unfortunatly there is nothing we can do about it. No one forced us, we choose to get into this line of work. There is a great demand for our services and people see the demand, thay try to hard to quick to make money thinking thay can be one of us, or take buisness from us by offering it at a lower price. The only thing we can do as buisness owners is make our own buisness stand out from the rest in our market area by offering the best service at reasonable prices. If we do this we have no need to worry about them, as the right people will take notice.
If people would rather have the bad person service thier lawn then fine thay would have been a bad customer anyways.

I would rather dress in old jeans and a t-shirt then a suit & tie.
Lawyers make a ton of money and thay show it off by driving arround in thier BMW's , living in thier $300,000 house, showing off thier money and thier whores, and expect us to serve them for dimes....
One day I may make more then my customer, and I will laugh when I see the for-sale sign on his house when I go to service it. I'll offer to buy the thing becasue he is being put in a nursing home, cuz he is so weak from doing nothing but sitting on his ass his whole life.
I'd rather people think I dont make much. As thay will treat me more like a real person, and not expect anything from me. I'd be a real person and not someone fake. I'd be happy.

[Got Grass?]

Dang, I just relized how long my post was.... think I'm going for a record or something..... Just felt like venting and stating reality.

[Lawns2nv]

Got Grass ? " I couldn't say it any better " :}

[Runner]

Not to get off the subject or anything, but you got down on the keyboard! Because that post had just came up, and you and I must have started typing about the same time!:D

[Guido]

All the snoody SOB's that think that they are better than people in the service's industry, especially construction, need to be reminded how much we impact the way they live.

Someone cut down the trees to make room for his house.
Someone built the house.
Someone built and maintains his car.
Someone built the roads, highways and bridges so he can use his car.
Someone plows the snow so he can get to work in the winter
Someone takes out his garbage so not to attract disease and pests.
Someone ships everything in and out of his office so he can conduct business.
Somone maintains his telephone service.
Someone keeps the properties from being overgrown eyesores.


To make all these success' possible, it took the REAL WORKERS of AMERICA to build the setting for them.

I'm happy with what I do, and that matters more than Reba's respect or the money, and it should for you guys too.

[jeffex]

someone actually watches the "Reba" show????!!!!!!!
did you wife make you watch it? send all hate e-mail
only kidding!!!!! I know many people with very important titles and heavy responsibility that don't make the money lcos make!

[AltaLawnCare]

Very well put, Guido!!,

We are the "cogs in the machine". People who work in the service industry are usually capable of being self sufficient and don't have to depend on others to do every little thing for them.

On a positive note, in the movie "Me, Myself, and Irene" the good looking leading lady exclaimed she went to college and majored in horticulture to become a super over a golf course turf greens.
:p

[Richard Martin]

According to the last issue of Lawn & Landscape we rate right above the chimney sweap in terms of professionality as preceived by customers.

[Runner]

I don't know why, but this conversation just made me think of this thread.
http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?threadid=6522&highlight=movie
Also, one thing that we have to consider, it was mentioned that Reba had insulted the lawn industry, well think of it like this: Imagine what WE do to the country music industry everytime we sing a song!:D

[LAWNGODFATHER]

Who' Reba?

I spend to much time on here to watch whatever show it is.