After a long respite, I thought I would say hello

rock and roll · Post by **rock and roll** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 8:44 am

Some of you won't remember me but I was talking to a long time list member the other day and was told I was missed. So I thought I would let everyone know why I have been gone awhile. Most that know me know that I have been a home furnishings and mattress broker for many years. As everything else, this business has changed and my position with a large company I was employed with for a long time was outsourced to China and then the company went under. So I opened my own brokerage and worked my tail off the last four years getting it profitable. This while fighting health problems such as Crohn's, Diabetes, and RA. Then last year, a Chinese company asked me to take over as manager in the US to turn them around and get them on the map here, which I have done. But it has taken every minute of every day and I just had to give up my life to it. The Chinese are different to work for as well and I have recently decided, I am tired, and not enjoying it and I am going to retire from this business and want to spend time with my wife. We love to cruise more than anything else and as I know I would go stir crazy with no business to run, I am going to combine business with pleasure and am in the process of buying a cruise travel agency and will specialize in putting together great cruise vacations for people.

Anyway, I have been slowly pulling away from my current employment so hopefully I can get back to having time to chatting on forums and reestablishing old relationships with my friends on them. So, I am counting on a few of you old timers to get me up to date with what's going on here and I will try to get back into the rhythm of the list again.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 9:17 am

RnR !! Good to see you posting, friend!

Hope you've been sleeping well during so much work. Retirement, or even semi-retirement 'cause it sounds like you're going to stay busy, is good.

Welcome back.

rock and roll · Post by **rock and roll** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 9:23 am

Hey rested gal, what a great picture for your avatar by the way!

I forgot to put that I lost 30 pounds and it has really helped my Apnea. Also have cut way back on the Ambian. I do sleep but dream like crazy now so not always rested. I want to lose another 25 pounds and then will get a restudy done as I am sure my numbers have totally changed.

I will need to post a new picture soon myself for my avatar.

rock and roll · Post by **rock and roll** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 9:24 am

Grew a beard too!

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 9:43 am

Hey, Earl!

It's really good to see you back!
Glad to hear about your weight loss and getting more REM sleep.

It shouldn't take you long to catch up around here. We've got quite a few new readers/members, but the subjects and topics haven't changed much.
ResMed seems to be trying to shoot themselves in both feet and Respironics and the other manufacturers are licking their chops....waiting to gain market share.
Respironics came out with their new "M Series" machines, which are supposed to be a little more compact and travel-ready machines.
A few new masks.....the "Hybrid" is the main attention-getter lately.
And then, there's been an unrelenting SPAM attack on the forums for quite a few months.....hopefully they'll get that fixed soon.

Will look forward to seeing your new avatar.

Best wishes,

Den

rock and roll · Post by **rock and roll** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 9:47 am

Hey Wulfman, great to hear from you!

What has been the forum consensus on the Hybrid?

Also, have the spam attackes been on personal emails? I started getting those about two to three months ago and may be related.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 10:01 am

rock and roll wrote:Hey Wulfman, great to hear from you!

What has been the forum consensus on the Hybrid?

Also, have the spam attackes been on personal emails? I started getting those about two to three months ago and may be related.

The opinions of the Hybrid seem to be mixed. For some it seems to work well and others not. I haven't tried one and probably won't

I've also seen an increase in my home e-mail SPAM and there's (in general) a lot more attackers/attacks on the Internet. It's gettin' UGLY!

Later,

Den

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 11:22 am

When you retire you think, boy, I'm going to get a lot done. what you find out besides being older and less able to do, is you only gain 8 hours a day. Alot of that time is spoken for to other people, and the downside, you don't get those 13 paid holidays, no paid vacation, it's a lot like starting a new job as a trainee. You want Fries with that? Jim

elliejose · Post by **elliejose** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 12:10 pm

Great to hear from you RnR.

I had wondered what happened to you.

Congrats on the semi retirement. Seems like you may still be very busy.
Good luck in the new business.

Also congrats on the weight loss. May be an inspiration to some of the rest of us.

Also wondered about Liam (who just recently showed up again), WillSucceed and WAFlowers. Was just wondering about you 4 recently and lo and behold Liam shows up. Hadn't heard from any of you in awhile and always looked forward to your views and input. Although we do have some new members with lots of good ideas I still miss some of you previous frequent posters. I cannot believe that mikemoran has run out of stories. I have missed him too. He only entertains us every now and again, lately. Lari came back and that was great. RG, now just you don't get too busy to post, please.

Hope you will have time to let us know how the new venture is going!!

Good Luck!

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): Liam

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): Liam

ufo13 · Post by **ufo13** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 12:15 pm

Welcome Back ROCK! Missed you buddy! All the best in whatever YOU do!

Steve,
ufo13

snork1 · Post by **snork1** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 5:18 pm

Welcome back Rock and Roll!
Certainly plenty of us remember you and your positive contributions to the forum.
I worked for what became a Chinese company(befire it went under), so I know what you are talking about.

Isn't REM sleep great! I am FINALLY getting a rich and deep REM sleep and actually sleeping so soundly, into the stages after REM, that I sometimes only vaguely remember that it was indeed a rich dream world.

I am actually looking forward to going to sleep these days!

tomjax · Post by **tomjax** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 6:50 pm

R/R-
I, too, have missed your posts. Sounds like your card is full.
Bet you could write volumes on dealing with the Chinese. I have heard it is not easy.

One thing I have wondered in this and other forums is the reasons a person comes on and stays for a time and then is heard from no more.

Many thoughts come to mind on why this is and I guess it is an individual thing.
Wonder how many just get tired of repetitive postings and tune out?
How many get their question answered and leave?
What pct just are not interested in posting?
What pct have a compulsion or obsession to post?

Anyhow- welcome back.

Bonnie · Post by **Bonnie** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 8:51 pm

Welcome back! And congratulations on the weight loss! And it would be nice for you to kick back and relax a litle.

Buying a cruise business?...hmmmm.....maybe put together a HoseHead cruise.

birdshell · Post by **birdshell** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 9:17 pm

Rockandroll, it sounds as if you are taking care of yourself after devoting so much time to your businesses. Way to combine interests and retirement!

Cruises are great! There are so many things to do on board, and stops are interesting. One can easily find something to enjoy, and families could come.

A hosehead cruise is a scathingly brilliant idea, Bonnie. Sign me up!

Think of the fun activities: awards (best mask/interface fix, best use of another headgear for mask, most colorful pantyhose straps, etc.); classes (how to program an xPAP, deconstructing your interface, finally outrunning the slippery straps on the Swift, etc.); costume ball with mask/interfaces used as disguise; the possibilities are endless.

I just wonder what customs will make of ALL those xPAP machines at once!

rock and roll · Post by **rock and roll** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 6:00 am

Thanks for the warm welcome guys,

The idea of a hose head cruise is not a bad one. After I get the business up and going, I will make a serious proposal to one of the cruise lines and then see if we could really pull it off. The more we get the cheaper it would be.

Any one interested in one next summer, private message me and I will keep a count and if there is enough, I will proceed.

After a long respite, I thought I would say hello

After a long respite, I thought I would say hello

Welcome Back!!

welcome home

Hosehead Cruise