I wrote this over on Laurence's blog. Read it there...
http://hugepoker.info/wordpress/?p=208
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
New GreenStage Website
GreenStage's website just got a much-needed, much-overdue design overhaul.
http://www.greenstage.org/
This was really a joint effort of myself and Ken Holmes.
The site used Drupal content management system. It was the first time either of us had used Drupal, so it may do some things strangely, but it looks nice, and is easy to use and easier to update. Which is pretty cool. It took us a while to sort out how drupal thinks, but once we started to get a handle on it, it's very nice! It will be cool to see how the site evolves over the months/years...
In other web design news, I made this site look pretty:
http://www.bodyrenewsolutions.com/
Michael is responsible for the content and functionality. He developed a diet/exercise/gym management system with his trainer/partner Dan (as of this writing, I have not yet made their own website look pretty like the Alaska one...). Then a gym in Alaska started using their system, so I matched the content to the Alaska site. I will (hopefully) do a lot more of these in the future.
http://www.greenstage.org/
This was really a joint effort of myself and Ken Holmes.
The site used Drupal content management system. It was the first time either of us had used Drupal, so it may do some things strangely, but it looks nice, and is easy to use and easier to update. Which is pretty cool. It took us a while to sort out how drupal thinks, but once we started to get a handle on it, it's very nice! It will be cool to see how the site evolves over the months/years...
In other web design news, I made this site look pretty:
http://www.bodyrenewsolutions.com/
Michael is responsible for the content and functionality. He developed a diet/exercise/gym management system with his trainer/partner Dan (as of this writing, I have not yet made their own website look pretty like the Alaska one...). Then a gym in Alaska started using their system, so I matched the content to the Alaska site. I will (hopefully) do a lot more of these in the future.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
I'm Doing Something Right
My blog is worth $564.54.
How much is your blog worth?
I saw this little widget on someone else's blog and for a laugh, I decided to see how much it thought my blog was worth. I expected it to say something like $0. or $0.08 or something like that. Oh no! It claims my blog is worth over $500!!!
$564.54 to be exact (on 4/29/08), but that number may change between when I type this and when the massive hordes readers who I didn't know existed will read it.
Then I thought I was on to their game: clearly they're just padding results to make everyone feel good, right? So I entered Mike's blog into their system. (http://michael.burford.net/) and his blog is worth $0!!!
HAH!
Maybe his blog may be worth more now that a super-popular $564 blog like mine is linking to it.
Apparently, the various goings on with the repairs on my house and obscure ramblings about web design and low-stakes poker are a lot more poular that I thought they were!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
What's Happening Around My House, Epilogue
With all the real insanity surrounding the attic, and the porch I have neglected to mention several of the other "Small Jobs" that actually were small jobs. (Remember, the porch began as a "Small Job" but ended up being even bigger than the attic, which was supposed to be the only big job.)
A security screen door was put on the back door. This will let us leave the back door open in the summer and be fairly safe from burglars and insects. Also notice the restored glass transom above the door! Some time in the past, a person decided that it would be 'better' to have a flimsy piece of plywood nailed up there.
We also had a "Whole House Fan" installed. In the summer, this will help pull cool air in through windows and our new screen door (pictured above) and blow the hot house air into the attic (pictured on several previous posts) and then blow the super-hot attic air back outside. Pretty cool. In fact, I have a suspicion that John may be installing more of these things once all of our mutual friends see this in action in the summer. Here is a picture of the installation in progress. NOTE: Apparently, cheaper versions of this fan are really loud--but we bought a good one, and it doesn't seem any louder than typical box fan on high. We bought the HV1000. Learn more: http://www.wholehousefan.com/.
And here is the finished result. The screen on the left is the fan, and the hatch on the right is the attic access. The fan is practically invisible after it's installed.
And I leave you with a porch before & after shots. Quite a difference.
A security screen door was put on the back door. This will let us leave the back door open in the summer and be fairly safe from burglars and insects. Also notice the restored glass transom above the door! Some time in the past, a person decided that it would be 'better' to have a flimsy piece of plywood nailed up there.
We also had a "Whole House Fan" installed. In the summer, this will help pull cool air in through windows and our new screen door (pictured above) and blow the hot house air into the attic (pictured on several previous posts) and then blow the super-hot attic air back outside. Pretty cool. In fact, I have a suspicion that John may be installing more of these things once all of our mutual friends see this in action in the summer. Here is a picture of the installation in progress. NOTE: Apparently, cheaper versions of this fan are really loud--but we bought a good one, and it doesn't seem any louder than typical box fan on high. We bought the HV1000. Learn more: http://www.wholehousefan.com/.
And here is the finished result. The screen on the left is the fan, and the hatch on the right is the attic access. The fan is practically invisible after it's installed.
And I leave you with a porch before & after shots. Quite a difference.
What's Happening Under My Patio, Part 4
SUCCESS!!!!
Here is (hopefully) the final chapter in the "What's Happening With My House" saga!
Here we see the porch steps starting to look like porch steps again.
Making the new steps fit with the old stuff
Almost there...
Wheww! New steps. Also notice the new shingle siding that is slightly different color than the old siding. The new stuff is just primed, but it's pretty close to what is there. The weather is currently too cold to paint, so we have to live with primer for a couple months and then I will paint things up myself. I got some good painting tips from John. (See below)
The new stairs in all their glory. Minus the hand rail--which is how this part of everything started. The railing will be put on in a few weeks, possibly by John and possibly by the company that will build the railing. The railing will look something like this: http://ballardiron.com/images/outdoor/rail21.jpg
And here is the doorway to our new storage unit/shed/garage underneath the porch. While it may not be pretty under there, it will be very functional. It's about 6' x 12' and I can stand up in it (I have to duck a bit under the new support beams).
The stairs bend around the corner of the front bay window. Here is a view from underneath showing the supports for the ends of the steps that extend around that bend.
Somehow, a lot of garbage was generated by all this. I'm going to digress a little now: You see, there is this this strange satisfaction with taking things to the dump. It's not politically correct, and it really isn't environmentally friendly at all! But there a great satisfaction when you get to chuck something over the ledge and into the pit at the dump and you know with complete certainty that it will never, EVER, come back. You don't need to worry or think about it any more because it's GONE! Completely, 100%, gone.
Here is (hopefully) the final chapter in the "What's Happening With My House" saga!
Here we see the porch steps starting to look like porch steps again.
Making the new steps fit with the old stuff
Almost there...
Wheww! New steps. Also notice the new shingle siding that is slightly different color than the old siding. The new stuff is just primed, but it's pretty close to what is there. The weather is currently too cold to paint, so we have to live with primer for a couple months and then I will paint things up myself. I got some good painting tips from John. (See below)
The new stairs in all their glory. Minus the hand rail--which is how this part of everything started. The railing will be put on in a few weeks, possibly by John and possibly by the company that will build the railing. The railing will look something like this: http://ballardiron.com/images/outdoor/rail21.jpg
And here is the doorway to our new storage unit/shed/garage underneath the porch. While it may not be pretty under there, it will be very functional. It's about 6' x 12' and I can stand up in it (I have to duck a bit under the new support beams).
The stairs bend around the corner of the front bay window. Here is a view from underneath showing the supports for the ends of the steps that extend around that bend.
Somehow, a lot of garbage was generated by all this. I'm going to digress a little now: You see, there is this this strange satisfaction with taking things to the dump. It's not politically correct, and it really isn't environmentally friendly at all! But there a great satisfaction when you get to chuck something over the ledge and into the pit at the dump and you know with complete certainty that it will never, EVER, come back. You don't need to worry or think about it any more because it's GONE! Completely, 100%, gone.If you've done it, then you know what I mean--but you may not be proud to admit it...
King of the mountain!
It's finally done.
King of the mountain!
It's finally done.And now, as promised, painting tips for amateurs:
- Go to a real paint store, not just a general hardware/home improvement store.
- Use primer.
- Use good (expensive) primer.
- Use good (expensive) paint.
- Ask the guy at the paint store for suggestions.
- Don't paint in the cold or rain.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
What's Happening Under My Patio, Part 3
Back to the patio... This post covers a lot of ground and over a week of work.
We begin with the soon-to-not-be precipice of death. Or at least precipice of minor pain. Probably not death. Certainly not as much pain and/or death as the attic's Pit of Death.
Here we see some of the new supports holding up the porch. Notice, again, how everything is attached to other things.
This picture was taken really to show the new big blocks securing everything to the foundation. But it also shows how the space under the porch is already a great storage location.
Now we move on the the "New Concrete" phase of the job. This big block is what the stairs are going to sit on. Which should provide better support than....nothing.... Which is what the stairs were previously sitting on.
Here we see two areas of new concrete. The short round column will proved a base for 1/2 of the top of the stairs. And the taller square concrete is re-connecting two previously disconnected parts of the foundation. This second block wasn't pre-planed, but we ended up with extra concrete and used it to help support everything.
A nice big concrete step to help us into the storage area was also added. This step was planned, but a smaller step on the outside (shown in one of the later pictures) was also added to use some of the extra concrete.
The support beam at the connection between porch and stairs was also rotting, so it was replaced with a new one.
And it's starting to look like stairs again!
That green stuff on the stair stringers is what people in the biz call "POISON." It re-treats the treated lumber where it has been sawed.
The top of the new stringers. It will be good to know that something in the house is level now. NOTE: This picture was taken while the new stringer building was in-progress. There will be more than just that 1 nail holding it in place. Yet another of many pleasant changes from before.
The hatchway is starting to look good. (notice the little concrete step mentioned above.)
The treads were supposed to go on today (3/13/08) but it is raining. So John gets some time off...
We begin with the soon-to-not-be precipice of death. Or at least precipice of minor pain. Probably not death. Certainly not as much pain and/or death as the attic's Pit of Death.
Here we see some of the new supports holding up the porch. Notice, again, how everything is attached to other things.
This picture was taken really to show the new big blocks securing everything to the foundation. But it also shows how the space under the porch is already a great storage location.
Now we move on the the "New Concrete" phase of the job. This big block is what the stairs are going to sit on. Which should provide better support than....nothing.... Which is what the stairs were previously sitting on.
Here we see two areas of new concrete. The short round column will proved a base for 1/2 of the top of the stairs. And the taller square concrete is re-connecting two previously disconnected parts of the foundation. This second block wasn't pre-planed, but we ended up with extra concrete and used it to help support everything.
A nice big concrete step to help us into the storage area was also added. This step was planned, but a smaller step on the outside (shown in one of the later pictures) was also added to use some of the extra concrete.
The support beam at the connection between porch and stairs was also rotting, so it was replaced with a new one.
And it's starting to look like stairs again!
That green stuff on the stair stringers is what people in the biz call "POISON." It re-treats the treated lumber where it has been sawed.
The top of the new stringers. It will be good to know that something in the house is level now. NOTE: This picture was taken while the new stringer building was in-progress. There will be more than just that 1 nail holding it in place. Yet another of many pleasant changes from before.
The hatchway is starting to look good. (notice the little concrete step mentioned above.)
The treads were supposed to go on today (3/13/08) but it is raining. So John gets some time off...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)