"Some thoughts for rough times"

Jim:

The content and intent of your column this week, as usual, was thoughtful and timely.

"And, by the way, John Yolton, speaking of Caterpillar, you might want to check out "Closing with Creativity" this week."

Interestingly, I was trained as a heavy equipment operator during my active service to the US Army, assigned to Fort Lost in the Woods, Misery (Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri). I had the time of my life learning to operate earthmovers and scrapers, haulers, road graders, front end loaders and, you got it, Caterpillar bulldozers. Never applied the fun after leaving the service.

John Yolton
SKF
Eureka, California, USA

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Thanks for your ongoing emails. Your recent one on hard times is a good lesson for many.

We sailed across to Scotland in 2008, so I was not near a mill for some time. Photos and some descriptions of cruise at http://mccubbin.ca/TransAtlantic08/TransAtlantic08Home.htm

Hope we can get together sometime in 2009. I guess that PAPTAC in February is the most likely. Our current plans are to be home most of the winter except mid January and mid-February, and to sail West coast of Scotland May till September, with a month in Norway. I have some on-going work, but also consider myself partially retired.

Neil and Helen McCubbin
Foster, Quebec, Canada

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Thanks, Neil--that looks like it was quite a trip!

Jim

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Hi Jim,

I have just finished reading your column and wanted to thank you for your courageousness in writing it. It is so easy to pour out ink giving advice and so-called understanding, but it seems to me that this becomes real and meaningful only when the writer puts himself squarely behind the pretty words. I think you helped many people with that column. You are now, for them, an example of "making it," not just a columnist whose words they will forget when they surf to the next thing. It was a grand Christmas present you offered to your readers, Jim, and I wanted to salute you for doing it.

I must say I often miss the old Tappi days of meetings, plans to make things better, and hopes that they would be. Times are tough indeed. Thanks for helping us all remember we have the strength inside to get through them, and maybe, indeed, make them better.

Cheers, and a very Merry Christmas!

Cheryl Reimold
Scarsdale, New York, USA

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Thanks, Cheryl. When I first saw I had an email from you, I thought you had finally become completely fed up with my often atrocious grammar. Thanks much.

Jim

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Hi Jim,

I really enjoyed reading your "thoughts for rough times" thank you for your insights.

Best Regards

Pat Mc Bride
Technical Manager
Riaupaper
Pekanbaru, Indonesia

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To solve your this week riddle, I would first fly to MDW or ORD, then to YYZ, next to YUL and finally to BNA for the Opry. Happy New Year!

Bill Hohns
Marietta, Georgia, USA

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