Awkward

So I'm all but finished with the project I've been working on since October, just a few minor touch-up items. And I get an e-mail yesterday morning that the client passed away early Thursday, losing her battle with cancer. OK, I've never had this happen in my years of working. I try to stay distanced from clients, to an extent...keep everything professional. And now I feel awkward. I'm just wishing the best for her husband and her two boys.

Here is a pic of the custom refrigerator panels I built and installed last Friday. Tried to get the door I built in the picture, but the angle was a little off.























Hope everyone has a fun and SAFE New Years Celebration!

Christmas Flight Check

Santa Claus, like all pilots, gets regular visits from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the FAA examiner arrived last week for the pre-Christmas flight check.

In preparation, Santa had the elves wash the sled and bathe all the reindeer. Santa got his logbook out and made sure all his paperwork was in order. He knew they would examine all his equipment and truly put his flying skills to the test.

The examiner walked slowly around the sled. He checked the reindeer harnesses, the landing gear, and Rudolf's nose. He painstakingly reviewed Santa's weight and balance calculations for sled's enormous payload.

Finally, they were ready for the check ride. Santa got in and fastened his seat belt and shoulder harness and checked the compass. Then the examiner hopped in carrying, to Santa's surprise, a shotgun. "What's that for?!?" asked Santa incredulously.

The examiner winked and said, "I'm not supposed to tell you this ahead of time," as he leaned over to whisper in Santa's ear, "but you're gonna lose an engine on takeoff."

Neverending

Will this job ever end? I am almost finished up with this project I've been working on since October. And then the designer comes to me the other day and asks if I could hang a couple doors. The framers bought hinges, they just need set. Yeah, I aint using those hinges, no way. I can't stand when framers think they know how to run trim and hang doors. I feel sorry for the homeowners, cause the trim is the most important part of a job...it's the one thing that is most noticeable along with floor coverings. Yeah, I'm just being a perfectionist...but that's why I charge the big bucks. And I would never want my work to look shoddy, 'cause then I wouldn't get any more work.

I've probably posted this before, but Happy HNT anyway.

Old School

I was talking to my brother yesterday, asked him if my nephew liked the Hot-Wheels I got him. Then I asked if he liked them. "Hell yeah, I didn't want him to open them". I picked out a bunch of old muscle cars:Corvette, Nova, Challenger, Super-Bee, etc. And then we got to talking about toys when we were kids. Stompers, anybody remember those? And of course Atari, and how now days people will pay mega bucks on EBay for an old Atari system. Toys just aren't the same as when we were growing up.

So what was your favorite childhood toy?

Bowling and Parties

Today is my nephew's bithday, Happy Birthday Little Ethernopian Boy! Went to his birthday party on Saturday, it was at a bowling alley. There is nothing more hilarious than watching a bunch of little kids bowling. This alley had gutters that actually rotated up to prevent gutter balls, I have only seen the big inflatable tubes they put in the gutters before. It was fun. I just feel sorry for the lanes! Just imagine this sight: Kid grabs ball, walks up to lane, and Thud! Every kid there would throw the ball and let it drop from two feet, or throw it two-handed. Funny stuff.

And of course it is time for Christmas parties. Went to a party Saturday night, woke up with a hangover yesterday. Not good when you have to spray lacquer and be productive the next day. And the thing that sucks: I didn't drink hardly at all. I think it was the bourbon punch, that was some good stuff.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

My Favorite Wood

So I've been working my ass off lately, and here is a pic to prove it. This is a cherry door I built for the kitchen remodel I've been working on. What you can't see is that it matches the cherry cabinets I installed, except they don't have beaded panels. And as soon as the trim comes in from the supplier, I will get it finished out. Now I'm working on appliance panels for the refrigerator, same design.

Geminid

Peak viewing for the Geminid meteor shower was at 0500 this morning. So I got my happy ass up and watched. Within the first minute I saw at least three, and I saw one that was long and really bright. Pretty cool. The last time I saw that many was several years ago, my brother and I were living together and he got home from second shift and we went out and drank beer and watched meteors. It really helps living out in the middle of nowhere, no city lights to drown out the night sky.

CondomNation

Found this and thought it was funny. And here I have been using them to CMA.

And that brings the question: do you use condoms? why? and what is your preferred style? Lubricated or not?

I prefer Lifestyles ultra sensitive, but have used others. And why do they have to smell like they do? What's up with that? There are more pleasant things to smell don't you think? I tried unlubricated one time, not pleasant. And do they make smaller sizes, cause I think that would be helpful(for others of course). Ooh, another question: do you feel weird buying them, if so why?

This ends this public service questionaire, good day!

See?

Ya See? Four days ago it was 8 degrees, as I sit here now, it's 45! And yesterday it got up to 54! I'm not complaining though, but it is raining...and that sucks.

Cold!

As I sit here, it is 8 degrees outside. Can you say Cold!?! And what's up with Indiana drivers? All over the news yesterday, they were talking about the dusting of snow we got overnight and how there were 100 accidents because of it. Wake Up People! It's Indiana, where we can go from 65 degrees in one day to 25 and snow the next! If you can't learn how to drive Indiana winters, stay home! It amazes me how this happens every year. And the city road crews excuse? They were caught off guard because the meteorologists said there would be no accumulation. Yeah, whatever. Glad I've got 4-wheel drive.

Everyone have a great weekend!

I Got...

Nothin'. Still dealing with people who don't know how to communicate on a jobsite. I did hear yesterday from a designer I used to do some work with. It's been almost a year since I've done any work for her. I got screwed on a trim job because of miscommunication and wound up doing about 8 hours of work for free. So on the next project she had me price out, I detailed every single hour I would put into it. Needless to say she was a little perplexed and didn't use me. Fine by me, cause I wasn't going to do something for nothing. So I have a meeting with her on Friday...we'll see how it goes.

So really nothing has been happening, except for working. The current client canceled an entertainment center I was going to build. They still want it, just not right now...they have spent too much on this remodeling project and need to recover financially. Fine by me, I've got six other projects waiting in the wings. Happy hump day!

Communication Please!

Ever have one of those projects that is just wrought with people not communicating? I am an independent trade contractor who is sole runner of my business (I like to tell people I'm a C.E.O.). Anyhoo, I've been working on this job for the past two months. I should have known from the start it was going to be a nightmare. My primary task was to hang cabinets, build some doors and appliance panels, and install pantry shelving. Thus far I have hung drywall, built said pantry shelving, built a vanity cabinet, and have an entertainment center to build...all added work. Which is great, because I get paid to do what I love(play with wood). The thing that is really starting to piss me off is the lack of communication between the designer(who is running the show) and all the tradespeople. I can't hang crown because the painter is not finished, I can't install drawer pulls on cabinets because the designer hasn't specified the location, not to mention half the hardware isn't even there. Luckily, I'm busy building the door and appliance panels. I don't see this project getting finished before Christmas, or the new year for that matter.
So what about everyone else? Is lack of communication in the workplace a common problem, and does it make you wanna go postal?

On another note, I miss my Pud. Nuff said.