Tony the Balloon Guy

Mmmmm, pumpkin pie in the morning.

Have a fun day!

www.TonyTheBalloonGuy.com

Last week a really good guy we know made a joke about Face Painter Phyllis (good-natured – nothing bad).

When we (Face Painter Phyllis & Tony the Balloon Guy) saw him again this week, Phyllis made sure he knew that I had told her what he said, and she did it in such a funny, mock-angry way that he bent over laughing.

A little later, laughing again, he asked me, “Why you gotta throw me under the bus like that, Tony?”

That got me thinking.  When guys are talking guy talk, what’s OK to tell the missus, and what’s not?  After all, Face Painter Phyllis is my best friend, so I include her in all my guy talk. 

And, sadly, she feels fine talking to me about things like fabric, and fancy bags.

Have a fun day!

www.TonyTheBalloonGuy.com

Last night I (Tony the Balloon Guy) met a man who used to pay to do balloons.

For those of you who haven’t figured it out yet…

DON’T pay to have your book published.  That’s a SCAM.

DON’T pay to have your music recorded.  That’s a SCAM.

DON’T pay to do balloons.  That’s a SCAM.

Do what you love, but get paid for it!  Would you pay to cut someone’s grass?  Would you pay to be someone’s doctor?

When you first start out in any business, you may have to work for less than someone who is more experienced.  And sometimes you may trade work for something other than money.  And sometimes you may want to work for free for family, or the church or school you belong to, or a charity you believe in.

But never pay to work!  That’s just silly.

Have a fun day!

www.TonyTheBalloonGuy.com

I (Tony the Balloon Guy) live near Brooksville/Spring Hill, in Hernando County.  I get my car fixed in Port Richey, in Pasco County.  Why?

I used to live in Port Richey, and started going to Hatfield’s.  Early one morning, back when I had a real job instead of our celebration-industry family business, my car was just running awful, and Roger (Hatfield, from the family in the famous feud with the McCoys) wasn’t in yet, so I went to another garage on the same street.

The guys there plugged the computers in and diagnosed everything.

ME:  What’s wrong?

THEM:  Your car is very sick.

They proceeded to give me a list of all the things they would have to fix so that my car would stop running just awful.

ME:  How much will that cost?

THEM:  $1,200.

ME (seeing Roger opening his gate):  Let me get a second opinion, and I’ll get back with you.

I chug the car over to Hatfield’s Automotive.  Roger listens to it for a second.

ROGER:  When did you last buy gas?

ME:  Last night.

ROGER:  Someplace different than normal?

ME:  Yeah.

ROGER:  Sounds like you got some bad gas in there.

Now I’m not saying there aren’t honest car fixers in Brooksville – I’m certain there are.  But I’ll keep driving or AAA-ing my car down to Hatfield’s every chance I can. 

And I’ll keep doing my best in my job, hoping that people feel as good about what I do as I feel about what Roger does.  Everytime someone calls me for the second or third birthday party in a row, or the same event year after year, I’m glad to be the one they know they can count on for their celebration the way I count on Roger to keep me on the road honestly and fairly!

Have a fun day!

www.TonyTheBalloonGuy.com