Unfortunately we are about to say good-bye to a key person in our office. Our book keeper is leaving the life of logging and taking a job in the real world. I say real world because she is leaving behind the crazy roller coaster ride that we live with every day. She soon will be pushing the numbers in an office where things are more predictable, where I am sure cash flow is never an issue, where the numbers just need to be moved here and there to accomplish things with a huge organization behind her to back them up.

Tom and I have been working to find a replacement for her, which has been no easy task.
We needed to find someone willing to hop on the roller coaster and stay on. Even if they get a little nauseous from the big dips in the tracks, even if the weather is foul, and even if the barkers on the sidelines are trying to lure this person from the crazy ride. We needed a new member for the team that was up for the challenge.

As I interviewed each of the candidates I would explain how we need to care for our crew just as if they were a band of rock stars. I am not kidding! Finding a good skidder operator or feller buncher operator is like finding a replacement for one of the members of Aerosmith! Not only do they have to be very good at what they do, but they have to mesh well with the other members of the crew, because if the replacement doesn't fit, or doesn't work hard enough, "The Boys" will chew him up and spit him or her out!

With such a specialized group of professionals, it's not easy to replace them. Skidder, feller buncher, and crane operators are not a dime a dozen. So we care for them like members of a rock band. I was telling one of our truck drivers this story and he screamed "where are my green M&M's!"

So besides taking care of all our accounting needs the new person has to care for "The Boys". Remember all their birthdays, keep track of reviews, order supplies, keep creditors and venders happy and enjoy the thrill of the ride.

So everyone that we have talked to has heard the drill, “this job isn’t easy, it’s full of stress, you need to let things roll off your shoulders, you need to be up for the challenge, eager to learn and support an industry trying to survive.” We need someone to ride the roller coaster into the future with us, as we hold on for dear life!