Friday, October 10, 2008
What?
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Grateful
Stop for just a minute, and think of one thing you are truly grateful for/of. Just do it. It's good for you. Do it at least once every day.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Monday
I also didn't get anything done on the house. I still haven't picked up my permit for the sanitary lateral. I need to figure out what I'm going to do for the electric stuff. I still need to print out my specs for my doors and windows. I still need to contact someone about doing the excavation, lot leveling, and slab work... oh, and pest control.
The Oak is finally trimmed. Brian from "B's Quality tree trimming" (or something like that) did a pretty good job. Not great, but the price was right ($250). He also hauled off some stuff I had in the yard. Scrap metal. I should have made him take off some of the price, but I was glad to get it out of the yard.
Lots of work to do here today. Cherry is out sick, and Clay is tied up with a bunch of stuff - including covering for who-ever.
I need to meet with Dick to pick up his resume. I need to go downtown to pickup my permit. I'll see if I have time to take a long lunch and do both of those things. Afterall, I do need to get some "slow" miles on the scooter.
Speaking of scooter, I got the new one yesterday. It's different than the other one, still nice. I actually think I'll get better mileage on this one. I'll try and post pics later.
Gotta get some work done.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Today I have to...
Call the City (Electrical Inspector) about what they would like, or what they need for moving the weather head.
Go downtown and pick up the sewer permit.
Get the door and window specs for the addition - so I can get building permit.
Get HVAC plan - so I can get building permit.
E-mail Dave Kappa about detailed quote.
Call Cecile's electrician about city requirements to move Weather head.
Look @ Scooters and see if there is potential to buy a new one rather than spending more and more on the current one.
Ok, those last two I don't really have to do today, and I still have to fit in "work" (I have a huge report I need to do this morning).
There's also a few other things I need on the list, but they're more for the weekend:
Tighten up electric runs/wires around the water heater/back door.
Cap the old washing machine drain.
Recycle the copper and brass from when we moved the hot water heater.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Barry from Progress Energy
From what he said, it looks like the best option for me at this point will be to have them install a new pole on my side of the alley and either tap from the existing pole, or tie in mid-span, and run it down from there. At that point, I can dig a trench myself to go underground, or simply move the weather head to the corner and have them tie from the new pole to the new weather head. He said either is do-able, as well as a few other options.
He said the new pole will probably end up being somewhere in the neighborhood of $600. The rest of it will vary greatly depending on exactly what I end up doing. The cheapest route will probably be to send the new service overhead to a new weatherhead. On the PE side, that would just be a simple change of service, and they'll come out and hook it all up after I have it prepped.
Most importantly, he suggested I get in touch with the City (inspector) and ask a few key questions. Some of which being:
The best way to do it.
The best routing.
What size and type (material) conduit.
How far up from the roof does he want the weather head (I'll want to verify with code before I bring that one up so that I know what's required and then change from there based on his response).
If it can be worked in (or needs to be worked in), bring up the "Working man" on a schedule / priority / "for my family" type stuff.
Just be diplomatic, and let him know what it is I'm wanting to do, and why, and that I want to do it according to how they want it done.
Try and feel the waters for how they will act on potential "violations" of existing service or conditions. Is it a "hazard"? It hasn't been for 13 years, etc.
Most importantly, be diplomatic, and the polar opposite of "hot headed".
I'm trying to get in touch with Legion to see if he can assist in any way as well.
6/4/2008 - Meeting with Ron Johnson
He said that after the footer and slab are in place, once he begins work, if I'm scheduling windows and doors and the roofer around his work, I could have a dried in building in less than two months! Man, that would be phenomenal.
He also made a few suggestions and recommendations:
Two Brothers stucco.
The lower wall bar (rebar) in the footer should extend down to the chair. The drawings don't show it that low.
It'd probably be a good idea to add some rebar to the top and bottom of the run.
Genie Doors in St. Pete for garage doors - tell them "Ron sent you".
He also suggested using a light coat of stucco for the inside walls as well (garage). I'll have to double check pricing on that though.
He also made note of the tinted or colored stucco. Less maintenance, it needs to be painted less often as well. Plus, once it's on, it's done. No need for the additional step of painting the exterior of the building.
He said Gray (from Carroll's) was out with a sick relative, and I should be talking to Buck now (at least until Gray returns - although, I'm not sure I fully believe the sick relative story).
Overall, he seemed pretty nice. Honest (but they all do, right?). I'll follow up with the BBB and see if there's anything there. I wasn't able to get much info online about him or the company.
He said since I'm going to be buying all the materials separate from him, I won't pay him any deposit, or anything up front. Just payment in full when the job (or given sections of it) is done. At that point, he'll sign off the lien waiver. I'm guessing that in this market (slow), that will pretty much be the standard.
He also said that I could be used (and calculated [taken off] in some of his bid) as labor for whatever pieces of the job I wanted to do, or was able to do. He can act as the full contractor, or project manager, or even consult or "help" with pieces of the project. He seems pretty hungry, and very flexible with what he will do. If I hire him, I'll have to be careful to monitor (myself really) the "more work, less talk" side of things.
As a side note, I never did hear back from Paul Tomazin. I'm debating on whether or not to give him another call. Maybe I'll drive by the Dunkin' Donuts (new ICF construction) on 4th today, and let that help me in making that decision.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
6/4/2008 Calls
E-mailed about the Sanitary drain permit - it's ready to be picked up. I'm waiting to hear back from Dick about possibly picking up his Lotus tickets before I go get it though.
I called Bruce. His partner is getting out of the hospital today, so he'll get back to me the end of this week. He did get the drawings, and was able to print them out without issue.
I haven't called Chris back yet - I'll probably give him another few days, and follow up on Monday if I don't hear back.
I called Brandon - another contractor who is willing to do part or all of it. He's coming by on Saturday morning around 11:00 to look at and/or pick up some plans.
Ron Johnson will be here around 4:00 today to pick up a set of plans. If I end up giving him full sized, he'll return them, if the 8X11 are fine, he'll just keep them.
I called "Retro" about my scooter, and the new Mech doesn't start until next week. I tried calling Seminole Scooters, but got the answering machine. I didn't feel like leaving a message. I'll try again later. I gotta get that thing fixed though.
I need to print out a paper lease agreement to get signed as well.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Kitchen Rendering!
http://justcalllance.com/plans/3DKitchen1.jpg
http://justcalllance.com/plans/3DKitchen2.jpg
That's it really. I'm just hoping I can keep posting progress here without missing days or weeks at a time.
Oh, if anyone besides me is actually reading this, let me know! I'd be interested to see what you think!! LOL
"Installer" update
Just making a note of it.
To-Do List
1 - talk to A/C people about what they know (or don't know) about desuperheaters.
2 - Follow up with Chris from Spatol Homes about estimate
3 - Follow up with Bruce Borac about estimate
I also have to get a couple things before I can bring my plans down to get the permitting process started.
1 - Get my door and window manufacturers & specs
2 - Get my A/C plan. Mechanical Equipment and air handler locations laid out and/or on my plans? I'm hoping the A/C guys will know.
At some point, I also need to contact Craig Koshler about masonry work, and Brandon Stevens about roof work.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Lance & Kid Rock
1/17/75). Anyway, what he did as a high
school kid is basically what I wanted to do, but never quite did. I was completely into Rap music (most kids of
that time were), and I wanted a high top fade – he had one. I was completely in love, and infatuated with
black girls, and tried to date pretty much any good looking black girl I
met. He dated plenty of black girls, and
has at least 1 child with a black woman.
I spent a lot of time with the black guys @ my school, but also with a
lot of the Rednecks that lived out near me.
He spent a lot of time with the black (rap) guys from the city, but was also
from the “country”. His dad sold cars –
so did mine. He thought his dad was a
dick – so did I, but we both have good relationships with them now (at least I
think he does). We both Graduated HS in
1989. He went into the City to live with
friends, and start a career in Rap music – doing house parties and such. I went into the Air Force. When I went to
Shield/Desert Storm, he went on tour with Ice Cube.
stationed at – when his tour was over, they cancelled his contract – fearful of
fall-out from Vanilla Ice, and 3rd Bass. “White Rappers were falling out of grace”.
OK, now, to my point.
I was listening to a song of his ‘new’ CD – All Summer Long from “Rock and Roll Jesus”. It’s a great tune, and just completely brings
me back to 1989 and doing so many of the things he sings about in the
song. I know that’s what music is
supposed to do, but this is the first time a song has landed so close to being
exactly where I was in life, and describing so much of what I was doing. It gives me chills, makes me smile and
reminisce, but also makes me a little sad.
Part of me would like to spend an afternoon with him, just
bullshitting about who we were, and what we did in the late 80’s. But another part of me thinks it would be
horrible. You know, you have an image of
a person (famous or not), but then get to know them better and it sometimes
turns out that you were completely wrong – then again, sometimes you’re
not. Either way, I think putting his
fame aside and just shooting the shit with him would be cool. Maybe we’re more alike that I even realize –
or maybe we’re *NOTHING* alike. It would
be fun just to find out.
Then again, why would I even want to? Because he’s famous of course. So, with that knowledge, how could you put
that aside – since that’s the sole reason I even know we have those things in
common? Also, if that could not be set
aside, what would he have to gain out of such a meeting? It’s my belief (since so many say it, and
write about it) that most famous people just want to be treated by people as
though they are just “normal” people.
If we did meet in such a circumstance, would I be able to do
that? Or would I just be
star-struck? I like to think that I wouldn’t
be star struck, but you never know. At
the Black Crowes concert I was telling Dan about, I had the opportunity to act star
struck and I’m proud to say that didn’t.
I’ve also seen plenty of “stars” here in town – and when growing
up. Lots of professional wrestlers, and
a few athletes. I’m usually the guy that
gives a knowing head nod – basically indicating “I know who you are, but it’s
cool, I’ll leave you alone”. That being
said, I do still want to be somewhat “involved” (that’s not really the correct
word, but I can’t think of a better one) in what they are doing at that point
and time. I also want to stop them and say hi, and maybe have a conversation, but since
I feel like they are trying to avoid that, I don’t. I let them have their space. Too many other people don’t, and I think that
would probably piss me off to some degree.
somewhere.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Aspie?
[img]http://www.rdos.net/eng/poly12b.php?p1=72&p2=72&p3=83&p4=53&p5=85&p6=25&p7=48&p8=66&p9=50&p10=38&p11=49&p12=38[/img]