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The Forest for the Trees

Anne and I have made the momentous decision to invest our life savings in a new venture. We’ve bought 137 acres of prime Real Estate in Oregon on which we’re going to plant plywood trees.

When we got the email pitch, Anne was concerned it might be from the Nigerian Prince. But when I asked him where the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, the New York Giants, and the New York Jets play their games, he gave me all the right answers. So, I convinced Anne he was legit. Beyond that, he wasn’t asking us to wire him a few million dollars to enable his uncle to get his fortune out of the country. In fact, his offer was completely different: All he wanted were the account and routing numbers for our bank account.

And get this: In addition to the acreage, a complete seasonal planting schedule, a printed 500-page manual showing how to properly plant and cultivate the trees (which he promised to send via Fed Ex Overnight), and — if we were among the first 10 people to jump on the deal — a free watering can.

While the initial pitch was for all-in pricing, I wrote back and asked for an itemized breakdown. I was surprised to learn the real Estate wasn’t the most expensive item on the list. In fact, the lion’s share of the price was attributable to the seeds. I had no idea. But this is what the guy who’s not the Nigerian Prince explained in his email reply to my request for itemization:

Dear Mr. O’Brien,

Most people who aren’t involved in the building or forestry industries aren’t aware of how many varieties of plywood trees there are. Since we want your farm to be all-inclusive, your package includes seed for the following varieties of plywood:

  • Softwood plywood is commonly used for structural applications like subfloors, roof sheathing, and exterior frame sheathing by people who don’t own hardhats.
  • Hardwood plywood, prized for its durability, its smooth finish, and its aesthetic appeal, is preferred by people with hardhats or hard heads.
  • Marine plywood, which is often grown in rice paddies, is ideal for damp or moist environments and is typically used for house boats, docks, and submarines.
  • Exterior plywood withstands weather and moisture, making it perfect for sheathing, siding, and bathroom subfloors for families with young boys.
  • Structural plywood’s strength, stability, and load-bearing capacity makes it a popular favorite for formwork, bracing, and stilts for circus acts.
  • Flexible plywood can be bent in any directions. It’s most often used to make curved furniture, architectural elements, and homes for politicians.
  • Aircraft plywood is a lightweight plywood Howard Hughes created by grafting hardwoods like maple, oak, birch, and mahogany for the Spruce Goose.
  • MDO and HDO plywood has smooth bark and is used for concrete forms, outdoor signs, and build-it-yourself desk kits.
  • Lumber core plywood is soft on the inside for easier nailing and screwing, making it a favorite of manufacturers of nails and screws.
  • Fire-rated plywood was created by Smoky the Bear by grafting asbestos to a variety of trees.
  • Decorative plywood is used for decorations.
  • Bamboo plywood came from grafting bamboo with banyan trees.
  • Composite plywood was created by grafting trees with particleboard.

We hope this helps you understand our pricing model and the fabulous deal you’ll be getting as soon as your payment clears.

Your pal,

John Smith

Trouble Brewing

The manager of our local bank called to say our account had been drained by someone going by the name of Prince Adebayo. I assured him that must be the Nigerian translation of John Smith.

I fully expect to be writing an update to this post from Oregon.

Originally Published on https://www.bizcatalyst360.com/category/lifecolumns/notes-to-self/

Mark O'Brien Writer, Blogger

I'm the founder and principal of O'Brien Communications Group (obriencg.com) and the co-founder and President of EinSource (einsource.com). I'm a lifelong writer. My wife, Anne, and I have two married sons and four grandchildren. I'm having the time of my life.

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