Something very odd happened to me today.

A local business does on-location computer repair, install, etc. I do too, but on a much smaller scale. I don't even advertise, I just offer if someone mentions aloud that they need such a thing. I've gotten a referral or two from an innkeeper I help out, but that's about it. Let me put it this way -- I do about as much home theatre hookup as I do computer-related things.

So the owner of this other business walked by today. They also sell computers so I asked if they had something pretty low-end for a client to just check mail. Now here's where it got odd...

During the conversation he asked how much I charged. "Twenty for the first hour, ten for each additional." It was at this point that I got a Good, Stern Talking-To about how I'm undercutting guys like him. Says he charges $95/hr and that because of guys like me, business that are too stingy to pay the going rate can get out cheap. I was extremely diplomatic for a number of reasons, but I patiently pointed out that it's a free market issue and if someone is willing to exchange ten bucks for an hour of their time, so be it. I didn't point out that if he can be undercut that bad by someone who can do the same job, perhaps he's engaging in a bit of crying/whining/protectionism/gouging.

I'm on a bloody diet. I want General Tso's Chicken so bad I'd probably bludgeon a small critter if I could eat a plate of it and have it "not count." Ugh.

On another note, I now have two jobs. One is M-F, the other is weekend only. Lessee.... That means I have ...no days off. Ever. w00t. =)