Eric D. Colburn, PLS

A day at the beach.

It has been very difficult times for my family and I for the past two years. Recession, the complete stoppage of work, financial burdens, health issues, you name it and times have been tough. Significant losses of income, Lyme disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Swine Flu all have taken their toll on my family. It has been difficult times, indeed.

However, three Saturdays ago brought greater focus on what life is about and what matters most. It was the first day of August and it was one of the few nice days of summer, so my wife, I, two younger sons and my oldest son and his girlfriend went to the beach.

Because money is so tight we went later in the day to avoid paying for parking. This way we could also avoid crowds (which didn’t happen) and limit the direct sun exposure for my wife who is on antibiotics for Lyme Disease, which makes her sensitive to the sun. I’ve had Lyme disease several times, most recently earlier this spring; I know the medicine makes the sun feel really strong and you can get sunburned very easily.

The beach was fun, the ocean wasn’t too cold and the waves were large. The waves were, however, crashing a little farther out than in the past and not very good for body-surfing, a favorite pastime with my clan. Late in the day while my wife and I where swimming, shortly after the lifeguards went off duty, I heard shouting from two swimmers far from shore and far to the west. Were they just having fun, calling for friends on shore, or were they in distress? Then I heard a guy directly opposite me, far from shore, yelling and waiving his hands. I quickly realized that the first two swimmers were in distress but I wasn’t sure if the swimmer nearest to me was also in distress or if he was trying to tell people on the beach that the other two swimmers needed help.

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Summer Storm Clouds

Summertime and the Living is Easy?

Nice summer weather is finally here in New England, although it’s still been on the cool side and we’ve been hard-pressed to go more than a day without some rain. After more than three months of nearly non-stop rain, it’s amazing what a few consecutive sunny days will do for your attitude. Now if we could get everyone to have a sunnier attitude about the economy maybe we could put this recession behind us.

Speaking of the economy, my impression is that things took a turn for the worse in June. My sense is that with layoffs mounting and becoming more widespread, people really pulled back on their personal spending. Who could blame them?

I do see, however, the light at the end of the tunnel. There are more and more signs of an impending recover, if where not already in one now. Actually, I believe that we are in a recovery, albeit at the beginning and rock bottom of one, and because the beginning of an economic recovery is still a very problematic and painful place to be it can be hard to distinguish from the recession itself.

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Summer is finally here and after a long, dark and rainy spring in New England. The economy has also remained dark and turbulent.

I had some hope that in late March and early April business would pick up a little. And, that’s just what business did – It picked up a little, very little.

Life and business has as its ups and its downs, like the weather and the tides. I am still hopeful that the economy will be improving soon. It’s only a matter of time, but the 64,000 dollar question is who will be left standing when the relentless tide of this recession recedes?

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It’s nearing the end of March and finally winter is ebbing and spring is slowly setting in. To me, it seemed like a long cold winter and I glad it’s over. I look forward to spring and the rebirth of nature after the dark, cold, snowy winter. It’s amazing how just a few warmer sunny days can lift ones spirits.

I think this may also apply to the economy. After a long dark and gloomy period, maybe, just maybe, the economy is starting to improve and this recession might come to an end this year. I don’t want to count my chickens before they hatch, but I’m hopeful that I get at least some of the work I’ve recently prepared proposals on. Within the last couple of weeks the phones have started to ring again and there finally seems to be some work available. As there has been virtually no work available and the phones have been dead for the last six months, or so, it was very encouraging to see that the consumer is feeling more confident and willing to spend money again.

I have no doubt that the economic stimulus package and the plan to help banks with their toxic assets is starting to improve the economy, at least a little. The small business owner, such as myself, has once again been largely ignored and again taken for granted, but sooner or later, once the “shovel ready” projects get going we should see some benefits when this money trickles down through the market place. You just have to hope that you can hold on long enough to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

As Paul Harvey said:

“In times like these, it helps to recall that there have always been times like these”.

Everything is cyclical and the economy will eventually improve. Eventually the housing markets will recover and Read the rest of this entry →

Welcome to the first Professional Land Surveyor Journal. In these posts I’ll write about the events, happenings, and trials and tribulations, in my world as a professional land surveyor. Not so much diary as more general discussion.

A New Approach

Recently I’ve been finalizing an over a year long reorganization of my professional land surveying company, Foster Survey Company. In general, I’ve taken a new business approach that incorporates technology, reduced labor costs, lower overhead costs and a better life-balance. It’s not that this transformation wasn’t planned out or relied solely upon happenstance (although it somewhat did), but external forces played a significant role in delaying my plan. To explain, here’s a little background.

A Little History

Sixteen years ago I started Foster Survey Company with my partner, Kurt, and the support of our wives. In Rhode Island the economic climate was similar to today’s, bad. The State was working its way out of a banking crisis, unemployment was at record levels, and the housing industry was in a slump. Not the best timing, but when is it? When you get the entrepreneurial bug you have to jump in feet first.

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