#and I stopped like ‘contractor person of color???’ before remembering Point of Contract

[morganbritton132]

No one tells you when you get a Big Serious Job™ how many fucking abbreviations you’ll be forced to learn.

#or how many abbreviations that you’ll come across that mean something different from what you’ve always known #I stopped reading a requisition to make this post because I read a sentence that was like #‘something something the COR and the contractor POC’ #and I stopped like ‘contractor person of color???’ before remembering Point of Contract #also no one at my job tells you what any of this stuff means. they’re just like Morgan can you take care of this DOA?’ #and I gotta sit there like Dead on Arrival??? before figuring out it’s a Delegation of Authority spreadsheet

[vergess]

@autismserenity​ said: Your tags are the most American thing I’ve ever read, we are truly so screwed here   

May I interest you in a more complete, and more excruciating, explanation of what I spent the last 18 months doing?

It is, I need to emphasize, fucking nasty. Don’t feel obligated, especiallly if you’ve already had A Day(tm).

There’s a lot of disease, a lot of worker abuse including sexual and racial abuse, a fine portion of letting people die for not being white enough for real medical care, all leading to homelessness.

For NDA reasons, because my former employer was just as vile as any tech company has ever been, I cannot be super specific about who I worked for. However, I can say that we handled the records and patient contact for all COVID testing for several states, as well as 2 of the 5 largest metros in the US, and several dozen smaller ones ranging from the approximate population of San Francisco, down to little towns, as well as the testing for several public school systems and at least two government agencies that I am not at liberty to disclose.

I tell you this for a sense of scale. When I say shit like, “my boss was more than happy to let thousands or hundreds of thousands die” I am not exagerrating for effect. We handled hundreds of thousands of tests a week.

Again, I need to emphasize, government agencies. Ones you would know if I named them. Ones everyone in the country knows.

And we were in charge of getting their test results from the already over swamped labs back to the patients, who often were not allowed to quarantine while awaiting results.

The fastest we got our turnaround time to on any consistent basis was about 30 hours. Often it ballooned well into weeks.

There were a number of factors for this, but the big one was always understaffing.

The staff we did have were treated like trash. One of the big selling points of this company is how “trans friendly” it is to work there. That is a lie. Every trans employee on payroll had their dead name displayed to all other staff, and until I personally changed the system setup on my arrival, patient facing trans people’s dead names were displayed to patients.

Remember that thing about “hundreds of thousands of tests a week”?

I was able to change the way patient-facing names were displayed. I was not allowed or able to alter the way internal systems displayed trans people’s names. But I was assured that it’s fine, because once you get a legal name change, you’ll be given new system accounts with your new name!

Your old accounts with your dead name would still be displayed and associated with the new ones though.

This is the “trans friendly” working environment. We were allowed to be out of the closet, as long as we were willing to put up with that. And any attempts to get it altered were the result of those nasty little transgender ingrates not being thankful enough.

Meaning that by asking to use our own fucking names we were already in the disciplinary shitter.

Another big selling point is the ~racial diversity~. The CEO was a man of colour, and so were like four other people on staff!! Wow!!!!!!!

This, too, was laughable.

Once numbers started coming in about the care gap for COVID between English and Spanish speakers, and our Southwestern US service area began to have a separate and brutal backlog just of Spanish speaking patients, my employer encouraged me to interview potential hires who speak spanish.

Fair enough! We all wanted to do our part to help close the already massive mortality gap.

So, I found candidates, did interviews, hired them, trained them, etc. But I don’t speak Spanish. As a result, I appointed 2 assistant managers who do speak Spanish to assist me in managing, you know, like the job name.

So when my super contacted them directly, completely skipping me on the chain of command, and told them to stop all of our Spanish speakers from translating helpful simple messages to send to patients, and instead start translating medical and legal documents, they very reasonably assumed I was in the know and went ahead with it.

TO BE CLEAR, that could have ended my life, theirs, basically everyone involved. Everyone in the company would have been completely fucked. At that point, my subordinates, the people for whom I am wholly responsible, were doing everything from practicing medicine without licenses, to encouraging spanish speaking patients to enter contracts that no one on the fucking executive tier could even read.

The moment I found that out, I and the A.M.s immediately started trying to get actual medical translation services to do our documents. We collected them in a neat folder. We queried translation services. We got quotes. We contacted my super and the CEO, about this over and over again for months. In the late autumn, we received approval for one of the translation services.

The CEO decided at the last minute that having people with no medical or legal training draft medical and legal forms was fine and good actually, and refused to sign the contract or send the documents for translation.

The excuse I received was that the COVID emergency HIPAA relaxations would protect us.

That’s not how that works.

Throughout all of this, Spanish speaking employees were told to either keep doing medical and legal translation work, or lose their jobs.

Oh, did I mention everyone was working between 30 and 80 hours a week, and all of us were marked as “contractors” so the employer could tax evade? Don’t worry, we filed complaints with the labour bureau.

So the entire department was let go, and “rehired” as temps through a temp agency, which because it was a temp agency could keep them marked as contractors regardless of the facts.

This change was presented to all of us, myself included, as the company getting a new accountant to handle payroll.

So if you’re keeping score, we’ve covered racism, queerphobia, medical negligence, fraud, and a frankly uncountable number of deaths.

Let’s talk about the sheer negligence towards employees ourselves. If you’ve worked in near-death medical care before, or any number of emergency services really, you know that the standard benefit suite includes either a dedicated therapist for your staff, or access to peer support groups with other emergency and medical servants through your employer’s benefits program.

Do you know what our mental health benefits were for this company?

The CEO got on a fucking zoom call with us all one (1) time, and said that if we were feeling suicidal or traumatized by the work, to talk to him about it, and he would be our therapist.

Do you know how many people per fucking day we had to contact only to be told they had already died because our understaffing delays killed them? He doesn’t. He never listened when we told him.

But let me put the cherry on the “Oh baby, you can talk to me, oooh” sundae.

Anyone who “looked” or “sounded” female, regardless of actual or assigned gender, was subject to constant flirtations and slimy, overly personal compliments about our appearances. Fortunately, at 3 levels removed from the CEO (Executives > Department heads > Managers > Employees), most of the people under my management had relatively little contact with him.

I was not nearly so lucky.

The CEO of this company has a watersports (urination) fetish. I know this, because he told me so and attempted to get me to join him in it. I have no idea how many other people in the company he did this to. I mean, what the fuck was I supposed to do, risk losing my job to find out? I have a fucking family to support, people.

Not that it mattered.

Eventually, all of these abuses became too much for my subordinates. Productivity fell off a cliff. Delays were getting worse and worse. In a medical emergency like this, delays=deaths.

So, like a fucking idiot, when the department heads reached out to me to ask what they could do to improve productivity, I shot down their frankly insulting suggestion of raffling a $20 amazon gift card to patient facing employees, and instead suggested a very simple, “enroll us with a peer support group, every single person in this department has PTSD from working in this pandemic.”

They were confused by my assertion of PTSD. I was asked to compile a document of complaints, concerns, and weaknesses in our patient facing services.

I and the A.M.s did so. It was roughly 40 pages long, with each page given a known problem, the reasons why it was a problem, and some potential solutions that might inspire further solutions or be able to be implemented. We submitted it. There was no response.

A week passed.

I had been working 80 hour weeks for most of a year. I hadn’t even been able to take weekends. I took my first sick day, in a company with “unlimited vacation days.”

I received a call at 3PM.

I had been fired for “differences in communitcation.” If you’ve ever seen that “Problem Women of Color in the workplace” chart? Yeah.

So had most of my department, including every transgender member of the department, and several of our extremely limited in supply Spanish speakers, who were presumed to be “on my side.”

Some of them, I barely even knew beyond the formalities of the job, and they were punished anyway.

I lost my insurance, and as a result I lost access to my medications.

But the real problem? I lost my house. And not due to lack of payment.

I lost my house, because when I got the job we waited 6 months for stability’s sake, and then readied to move out of the area. I got a mortgage on the basis of my employer’s written guarantee to the bank that I would continue to be employed for the next year at a minimum.

With the mortgage approval in hand, we entered a sales contract on our existing home.

We got and accepted an offer just days before I was fired. To keep our house meant paying a 25,000 dollar broken contract fine. We didn’t have that. We had a 10% down payment for a modest fucking place in a cheaper area, which is less than half that.

But without a job, my mortgage approval was also voided, meaning we couldn’t buy a house either.

All of a sudden, we were homeless during the plague, because my employer wrote and signed a letter to a bank guaranteeing my future employ, and then changed his mind when too many people died due to his own negligence.

Oh yeah, one last thing: the job paid less than Pandemic unemployment Assistance.

...After that, well, it’s homelessness until just last month. I... if you’ve never been homeless it’s.

It blurs. Everything is happening constantly, except for all the ways in which you are endlessly, mind breakingly bored. Bored, overloaded, and always uncomfortable.

Obviously my health would have declined regardless. Malnutrition, stress, everything.

But I was also unmedicated.

It was hell. I was in hell. I don’t know if I can recover from it, to be honest.

I bounced back from being homeless as a child. Children are as resilient as they are stupid, and the monstrosity of homelessness was little more than a vaguely remembered loathing and a panicky fear that it would ever happen again.

A child who is dying is worthy of sympathy, even if it is meaningless coos from passers by. If they have family, they may be able to rely on them too.

An adult with the indignity to die homeless and crippled, according to the average passer by, is worthy only of disgust and perhaps even punishment for being such a worthless waste.

My reward for nearly killing myself in a desperate bid to help stem the tide of COVID was the destruction of not only my life, not only my entire family’s lives, but the lives of every single family of every single employee who worked with me.

And you know what’s worse?

Each one of us still did more to limit the lethal impact of COVID than the entire united states government.

It breaks something in you, going through that.

It makes you realize that hope is a fool’s game.

But, I have ever been a fool, and so, I continue to play.

[enkelimagnus]

Hardwood

Bucky Barnes Gen, 2393 words, rated T

Jewish Bucky Barnes, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Episode 5 Truth

Bucky decides to make his Brooklyn house a little more of a home for him, to his taste. A worried neighbor comes a-knocking.

TW: mention of murder of children (brief)

Read on AO3

Part 35 of Making a Home - the Jewish Bucky series

--------------

Three days after he comes home from Delacroix, Bucky grabs a frayed edge of carpet from his bedroom floor and pulls. It comes off with a loud tearing sound, but he just keeps pulling, effortlessly baring the hardwood underneath.

He doesn’t really know why he does it. He just sees the edge and pulls and he’s halfway down the room when he realizes the furniture is definitely on the way, and if he wants to do this, he’s going to have to plan it out. You don’t just redecorate this easily.

At least as far as he knows.

He’s never done this before. His parents’ home had stayed the same through his entire life, as far as he knew. Furniture was moved once a year before Passover, when they cleaned the place from top to bottom. And after that, he’d been through many safehouses, but his handlers had never had sudden desires to redecorate.

He doesn’t really know where to start. He knows he can’t remove the entire carpeting without taking out the furniture of the bedroom. He knows the color of the walls is horrible and he wants to change that. He knows that, by himself, it’s going to be an ordeal. But he doesn’t really know who to ask for help.

Miriam is way too old, he doesn’t have that good of a relationship with Charlie, and there is no way in hell he’s letting any of his coworkers remotely close to his personal life. So he’s going to do it by himself. One room by one room, probably.

Still, he uses his left arm to pull the bed off of the ground and the other one to pull the carpeting off from under it.

He guesses being a supersoldier has some advantages in this sort of situation.

It doesn’t take long for the entire hardwood floor of the bedroom to be bare, for the loud ripping noises that came with his hard, powerful pulls. The carpet won’t be usable anymore but he doesn’t care. He’ll throw it in the trash anyway.

Nothing Hydra touched should be given to someone else. It all deserves to burn.

He’s tired of this house feeling so much like a safehouse. He wants to change things, he wants it to be his house, not Hydra’s, on more levels than just legal. He wants to truly live here. It’s his, and he can do whatever he wants with it. He could have it bulldozed if he felt like it, but he doesn’t. He wants a home.

He’s halfway through ripping off the first guest room’s carpet when the doorbell rings.

It startles him. No one ever rings his doorbell. No one comes to see him. He’s lived there for a couple months now, and not once has that bell rang. He forgets for a brief instant that he’s holding the entire bed up with one hand.

Somehow, he manages to catch the heavy bed frame before it crashes into the floor and damages it.

Despite the surprise someone is ringing, Bucky takes the time to pull on his gloves. He’s already wearing a long-sleeved tshirt, and with the gloves on, no one can see the arm. He doesn’t know if he’ll ever be fully comfortable in the open, in the daylight, with the arm out, even if it isn’t Hydra’s anymore.

He should probably get used to people knowing who he is. Anonymity isn’t something he’s allowed. Not after Berlin, not after the war with Thanos, not after Riga. Before all of that, no one would have recognized him. Bucky Barnes, Captain America’s right hand, was supposed to be long dead. The only Howling Commando to lose his life in the service of his country.

Now, if no one sees the arm, he can still pass for just another white man with a vague resemblance to someone that was one tv a couple of times. That’s all he can really have.

There’s no use in raging against it. The past couple of decades of the rise of social media has made it impossible for him to be erased. Zemo knew what he was doing in Vienna.

The person behind the door is breathing steadily. They don’t seem to be filled with adrenaline, not with that relatively calm heartbeat. There is no telltale sign of aggression or preparation for violence. Bucky swallows, takes a deep breath and opens the door.

Behind the wooden panel is his neighbor. They’re tall, relatively thin, with hair so short it’s more like a five o’clock shadow spreading over their skull. They smile at him. Bucky stares. He doesn’t mean to. He doesn’t know if he’s ever seen his neighbor in the daylight.

“Hi there, I’m your neighbor,” they say, pointing towards their door, as if Bucky hasn’t recognized the one person that knows when he goes running from his nightmares. “I heard some strange noise, everything’s okay?”

Bucky keeps staring for a moment. He didn’t think the ripping of the carpeting would be loud enough to attract attention. But he was wrong. He didn’t imagine it would sound stranger than his occasional nightly shouts of terror or pain.

He quickly gets back to reality as the neighbor in front of him stares back with a smile.

“Hi,” he ends up saying. “Hm, I was… I was pulling the carpeting off of my bedroom floor. Nothing to worry about.”

It’s strange, having neighbors that seem to care whether you’re dying a strange horribly, ripping death. Or maybe they’re worried he’s killing someone, or doing some other horrible thing he would have done as the Winter Soldier.

Either way, this person’s presence in front of him right now is peculiar. It makes him think of Mrs Naumescu, his parents’ left neighbor, who would come knocking whenever she heard something that worried her.

There had been a couple of nights where Bucky had snuck back in, sometimes with Steve, sometimes after dropping Steve off at his own place, where she had heard him come in and come knocking to warn his parents of an intruder, or scare away said intruder. She’d had a baseball bat in her hand - her son’s.

Hopefully this neighbor won’t be as worried for his safety.

“Do you need help?” they ask, and Bucky stares at them again, bewildered. He wasn’t expecting to be asked such a thing. He wasn’t expecting anyone to want to help.

“I’m pretty strong…” He starts, and then stops.

He can do it alone. But he could also take the offered help, for once. There’s an outstretched hand. What horrible thing can they do to him that hasn’t already been done? He knows better than to dismiss them as just a neighbor - after all, he knows plenty of very common and innocent-looking spies. But what harm can actually be done to him?

“You know anything about hardwood floors?”

For the rest of the morning, Bucky keeps the gloves on. There are only a couple of instances of him displaying strength that is just on the edge of unusual, but they don’t comment on it. They do exchange names and - to Bucky’s surprise - pronouns.

The neighbor’s name is Olly and they use they/them pronouns. To his own shame, he has to be given an explanation on what that means. He’s so deeply out of touch with that part of the world. A part of the world that he supposedly belongs in, according to today’s definitions. Because Steve was a man, and even if he’s the only man Bucky ever willingly wanted, it still counts.

It should have been a fluke, a one-off. It shouldn’t have counted if it was only Steve. But it does, supposedly. Bucky doesn’t know much about that.

They work fast, get the carpeting out of the two other guest rooms as well as the corridor. Turns out, Olly knows how to take care of hardwood floors. They know a lot of stuff about remodeling and house work. They end up establishing together a list of items needed to properly finish the job, and do what Bucky actually wants for his home.

Bucky makes them sandwiches for lunch, with pastrami, mustard and pickles. It’s a cliché perhaps, but it’s delicious. There are a couple of beers in his fridge.

“You’re good at all of this,” Bucky says, swallowing a mouthful of pastrami. It’s a little too dry. He misses the butcher he went to as a kid. His pastrami was amazing. He hasn’t been able to find one that compares with his memories yet. “Is it what you do for a living? House renovation?"

They chuckle, shaking their head. "Oh wow, no, not at all. I’m a social worker,” they explain. Social worker. Bucky remembers those people growing up. They were trying to fix problems, especially with the crash. “When my partner, our friends and I renovated the house,” they continue, pointing towards the wall between their two houses. “We learned a few things. What do you do?"

It takes a moment for Bucky to figure out actually how to phrase it. "Military contractor."

That’s the closest he can think. He’s contracted by the military, somewhat. They did make him sign a contract, to regulate what had already been outlined by his pardon agreement.

"Like an engineer?"

Of course they’re polite and curious. Bucky would be as well. He could just come out and say it. I’m the Winter Soldier and one of the reasons I walk free is that I work to clean up Hydra’s messes. He doesn’t know how public the conditions of his pardon are.

Once again, he struggles to explain what it is he does without saying it out right.

“I guess I provide intelligence? And experience."

Phrased that way, it sounds nice. That’s what he does though, it’s not a lie. It feels… almost pleasant to be able to say it that way. He provides information on how Hydra works, experience on how the safehouses are set up… A fist too. When they break into a safehouse, he’s always first. He’s hard to kill, after all.

And maybe… just maybe, some of his higher-ups wouldn’t mind if he died on a mission. They’d tell the place he went out trying to fix what he’d done.

Sometimes, that phrasing ‘fixing what he’d done’ chokes him up. It’s the way Lieutenant General Henricksen talks about the work he makes him do. Henricksen believes it was his fault. Of course he does.

It makes sense. People have no idea what it is like to be brainwashed. They have seen movies and video games and read books about it. They have no idea what it is actually like. They have no idea how it feels.

He remembers all of it, and he remembers pulling the trigger. Sometimes because he was directly ordered to by a handler - something that was impossible for him to resist doing. Sometimes because it was what was required to complete the mission - like with the son and daughter of the Algerian FLN commander that were sleeping in their beds.

He could have disobeyed all the orders in the second category. He never did. Not until Steve.

He must have zoned out thinking about the horrible things he’s done, because Olly clears their throat.

“And if you don’t mind me asking, how did you get this house? It’s been empty for years, we always wondered what was going on with it.”

That’s, again, a really hard question to answer without saying the truth. Bucky’s not even supposed to tell the truth about his work. That’s not his job. He doesn’t work on communication.

“Inheritance?” It comes out more like a question than anything else.

So much about his life is… unexplainable. It’s like all he has to share with the world is a heavily redacted file.

Most of it is of his own doing, he realizes. He’s the one who doesn’t want people to know exactly who he is, what he’s done. The only things he is actually forbidden to talk about are the specifics of his high-profile, governmental kills, as well as his ongoing missions with the army. The rest…

He could just say that this is an ex-Hydra safehouse and he got it through work. He could just say he’s working with the army to break into Hydra properties and recover what they took from the government while they were hiding behind the SHIELD insignia.

There would be questions, of course. What of the non-governmental resources they took? That goes to various archive buildings all over the U.S., to be tagged, processed and gather dust until their rightful owners pipe up. There are a lot of items waiting for people who don’t know they’re missing something.

Olly seems to accept Bucky’s cryptic and hesitant answer. Thank G-d. Bucky doesn’t know what he would have said if they kept prying. He guesses it’s selfish. He knows he can’t finish the job by himself, and telling Olly the truth would surely make them run out of the house.

They finish lunch and Bucky makes a pot of coffee. It’s when he turns back to face Olly that his eyes catch the picture he framed on the wall when he got there.

The picture of Steve and him on the front lines, in Europe. The postcard from the Smithsonian. Both of their faces, smiling wide. As far as Bucky knows, there aren’t any images of Steve smiling that way, wide and open and carefree even in the middle of the war, from after he was unfrozen in 2012.

Perhaps because he just didn’t have time to smile like this anymore. Perhaps because this was his Bucky smile. The smile Bucky knew he only smiled for him, and because of him. The best, most beautiful smile in the world.

In any case, there is no way Olly didn’t see the picture. There is no way they don’t know who he is now, even without seeing the arm. They haven’t said anything.

Bucky reaches over and pulls his right glove off, revealing skin. It takes all the strength in his mind and body to take off the other one, revealing vibranium.

He usually never takes the gloves off in front of someone when he isn’t playing soldier. But he is in his home. He shouldn’t have to hide himself here.

#bucky barnes #jewish bucky barnes #marvel #mine #jbu #fic

[jcmorrigan]

Notes from a Racecar Bed

The F/O? Giovanni Potage from Epithet Erased. The S/I? Rachel Scribere - mundie, writer of much fanfiction, independent contractor supervillainous minion who has also given up on adulting. (Most of those things apply to me IRL!) I’m only YT-current, not VRV-current, and it’s been four episodes, so I’m well aware this ship could get sunk at any time. I’m just having fun while I can. AU where I have a more “normal” job based on real-life events but do evil on the side. This ficlet features some sensuality (though no overt sexuality), discussion of illegal activities I only do in my fantasies and would never do IRL, and a blatant admission of how many ASMR videos I have watched, because cringe culture is now dead on my blog.

***

         Like so many nights before, sitting on the racecar bed, me with my legs crossed, him curled behind me. So lucky he likes to spoil his favorite minion, I thought.

           Though given who we were, it wasn’t a sexual tantalization. No, he’d found the weak spots in my shoulders. His fingers would dig into them for less than a minute and I would be like a collapsing water balloon.

           “ – and then she fuckin’ waves me over, even though I’m helping that other guy,” I rant, “and I have to just up and abandon the dude and walk over to see what she wants, and it turns out her card doesn’t have enough money on it, surprise surprise, but oh noooooo she can’t possibly believe that, but I’ve got this guy waiting, so I go bug my manager, and she’s trying to tell me she’s on the phone, but I see this lady about to EXPLODE so I tell her that this CAN-NOT-WAIT, and long story short, that’s why this Saturday, I really need to get some cash the good old-fashioned illegal way.”

           “What, like tricking a gas station clerk into leaving his station for just long enough that you can get behind the counter and steal an entire pack of scratch lottery?”

           “…That was incredibly specific, Gio.”

           His left hand kept massaging my shoulder; his right disappeared, and I could hear the nightstand drawer opening. “Prepare yourself,” he teased. “You’re about to tell me I’m the best boyfriend-slash-boss you could ever have in three…two…”

           A pack of scratch lottery, thicker than a deck of cards, was tossed rather unceremoniously onto the blanket in front of me.

           “Oh my GOD!” You’d think that would have been a scream of dismay and horror, but I’d lost my morals a long time ago. I picked the pack up with glee. “You even got the crosswords!”

           “I know how much you love a good puzzle.”

           “This is so gonna help me pass the time at my car appointment.”

           I could feel him wincing as his right hand returned to my shoulder. “Just don’t, y’know, bring the whole thing to the dealership. Because if they see you with that – well, I learned that the HARD way.”

           “Yeah, I bet you – “ I realized what didn’t add up. “Dealership? You drive a fucking Vespa.”

           “WHICH YOU CAN GET AT DEALERSHIPS!”

           “Fair point. Anyway, I’ll just sneak like five into my book.”

           He ended it the way he always did – halting slowly, then dragging both palms down my back. I shivered, and I knew he noticed. “No offense, but I think my thumbs are gonna fall off.”

           “I thought that was longer than usual.” I then stopped to ponder it. “…Have I ever tried on you?”

           “Wait, what?”

           “Have I ever tried massaging YOUR shoulders?”

           I could hear a snicker from behind. “You know, that actually sounds amazing and quite well-deserved on my part.”

           “Well, then let’s switch places, dork.”

           First, I turned about to look up into his eyes, their gold flecks reflecting off the irises. God, I could call my eyes “the color of ocean at twilight” in parody fanfic 365 days out of the year and that wouldn’t change the fact that they were the dullest possible mix of blue-green-gray. And his eyes…they always sparkled.

           His lips curled into a sly smile, his fangs peeking out beneath his upper lip. “Are you lost in my eyes again? I must say, I can’t blame you.”

           I flushed, turning away instinctively. His hand beneath my chin, turning my gaze back up to meet his, changed that.

           “Uh…hi?” I said rather nervously. Still wondering how this happened. How I could have been with someone for this long, nestled into him atop a racecar bed with his hands on my shoulders for half an hour, and still get so anxious about him.

           “You know, Composer…” He was now smirking broadly. “Your eyes are the color of this one sapphire necklace I stole once. But also kinda mixed with the color of the worst bruise I’ve ever gotten. And man, was I proud of that bruise. And that necklace. Actually, I’m pretty sure I got those on the same day…the point is, they’re beautiful. Your eyes, I mean.” He pinched the hinge of my glasses, pushing them closer to my face.

           Part of me I kept wanting gone but he obviously didn’t.

           “Thank you,” I practically choked. “They’re…nothing compared to yours.”

           “Well, mine are the best, but yours are a really close SECOND best!”

           Now I was the one practically laughing. “Just switch with me.”

           As we crawled around each other, I couldn’t help but admire his frame – I always did. Just something about his slender lankiness that made my heart speed up. Even sitting, he was taller than me, just by a bit, but enough that I felt dwarfed. Now I was faced with his shoulders, and above that, the fluffy fringes of his cotton-candy hair.

           A lump rose in my throat; I was almost too nervous to start. After all, there was a very decent chance I sucked at this. I just tried to remember how I wanted it done; do unto others. I lay hands on him, beginning to work. “So tell me,” I urged, “what minor nuisances pissed you off today?”

           “Well, I almost had to change Car Crash’s name to Vespa Crash.”

           “Ouch.”

           “Then there was the person with the whole ‘Anvil’ Epithet. Whose Epithet is ANVIL? I was lucky to get ou – I mean I was lucky to get a way better Epithet than that. I mean, Soup is better than ANVIL, right? But I was always going to get out of there with – “

           He gave a sudden, sharp intake of breath, and my hands froze. I had just remembered how much I enjoyed when he dug into the very hollows of my shoulders, that all-too-often tense spot leading up to my neck, and had been attempting to mimic that. Probably a bad idea. “Did that hurt?” I asked softly.

           To my surprise, he replied, “That…did the exact opposite of hurt. Keep doing it?”

           “…Yeah. Okay. Sure.”

           As I resumed, I found myself compelled to ask: “So, did that, like, turn you ON or – “

           “Of course not, but this might be the closest I can get.”

           “Well, you know you can always promote yourself to demi at this point and I won’t even be mad.” I gave my left hand a break to flick at the ends of his hair. “I won’t be able to help you with any of it, but – “

           “That’s not in your contract, Composer. Don’t even worry about it.”

           “Duly noted, Boss.”

           I had been better at mimicry than I had expected. He was practically melting back toward me, his shoulder-flesh sinking beneath my hands. That was when I got a rather devilish idea. “You know…I may or may not have a few other tricks up my sleeve.”

           “Oh, yeah? Well, play them on me and let’s see how well I withstand them.”

           “You know the sheer volume of ASMR videos I watch, right?” This room being one of the few places I could bring that up and know I wouldn’t be mocked for it. Same way he could wear pink tie-dye pajamas and not hear any shittalk from me. “I’ve learned things. Things you wouldn’t believe.”

           “Come on. I’ll believe anything from you, Composer.”

           “Then don’t say you weren’t warned.”

           I let his shoulders alone, sliding my right hand up into his bubblegum-pink hair. Struck once again by how ridiculously soft it was. He seriously put time into it. I started off in the traditional method – just working the skin of the scalp, same way as the shoulders.

           “Seriously?” he taunted. “I mean, sure, it’s good, but this is just level-one stuff. Even I could – “

           That little devil took over, and I changed tactics, using the gentlest of pressures to scratch through his hair with my fingernails.

           “…Now thaaaaat’s more like level three.”

           “I finally get to spoil you for once,” I said cheekily.

           “Well, outside of the general gratification that automatically comes with recruiting you as an independent-contractor minion.”

           “You’re sweet.”

           “Yeah, well, that’s our secret, remember?”

           “What secret?”

           “About me be – “ He got it then. “I mean. Yeah. Right. I didn’t say anything. You don’t know what I’m talking about.”

           He then flinched and gave a light “Yeep!”. I’d changed tactics yet again – lightly grabbing the roots of his hair and giving a mild tug.

           “Did that hurt?” I asked, a new wave of anxiety suddenly washing over me.

           When he warbled “No,” I could hear that it wasn’t the tone of someone in pain – it was the tone of someone who wanted more of that. So I dealt more out, lightly pulling locks on the left, the right, near the front, near the back of his head.

           “I really did underestimate you on this front,” he admitted. “You know now you have to do this more often.”

           “You keep doing my shoulders and it’ll be an even trade.”

           “This is actually…really, REALLY relaxing…I could almost just…”

           It was gentle yet sudden, him falling back onto me, pinning me to the headboard. The back of his head was nestled onto my right shoulder, nuzzling close to my own face.

           “What,” I teased, “you’re falling asleep already?”

           He didn’t answer. Just snuggled a little closer back to me, like I was some sort of body pillow. That was when I realized he actually had fallen asleep on me – quite literally.

           “Gio!” I hissed, poking his shoulder. “Giovanni! Wake up!” Though I didn’t say it quite as loud as I could have. “I can’t sleep pinned up like this!”

           He wasn’t moving, sound asleep.

           Great.

           I contemplated just shifting his position, laying him down properly or just scooting out from behind him. However, that ran the risk of a rude awakening, and…I just couldn’t. He was twice as adorable asleep as usual, and considering that average, that’s a pretty amazing statistic.

           So I decided to try and make the best of it. Sure, I was pinned up against the seat of a faux car, but I had once bragged that I could fall asleep anywhere. (The airplane proved me wrong when I had no idea how to recline the seat, of course. Not a good sign in this case.) I tossed my glasses lightly to the nightstand and shut my eyes, attempting to make myself comfortable pinned between a crime boss and a hard place.

           Strangely enough, it eventually actually worked, somewhat. I could finally feel that state just before sleep when none of your thoughts seem to make sense, turning into a frieze of colors that make up surreal images as the opening act for dreams.

           However, I was just awake enough to be aware of a few things, if not so much to respond to them. One was of a weight being lifted off my chest and shoulder. The sound of a soft curse. A pair of hands gently locking over my forearms, and suddenly, things weren’t so vertical and solid anymore – perpendicular, much softer. (The mattress. I figured that out the next morning when I woke up in the usual position.) A muttering of words that I’m pretty sure were “There we are…nice and cozy.” Then, eventually, the pressure of a second body beside mine, clinging on like I was a life raft in the sea of somnolence, the only thing keeping us both afloat in the dream-realm.

#selfship #i'm at soup!

[automatismoateo]

I got called ungodly and a racist today... via /r/atheism

I got called ungodly and a racist today...

So at work this morning, I show up to a site to inspect work that was contracted out. I work for a municipality and this is a public site. There are many cars in the parking lot and I drive a very large truck that doesn't fit in normal parking spots. So I park my truck diagonally facing a mini-van with a lady in it with her windows down, sliding doors open, and back hatch popped. This is normal in our public areas.

I get out with my tablet and i'm taking pictures of deficiencies of the performed worked. This site is over 10 acres and work was performed throughout. After walking the site for 10-15 minutes, I return to my truck to fill out my forms, upload pictures, etc.

While sitting in my truck working, the lady who was in the minivan came over to me. Before she even gets within 15 feet, I turn down my radio, and open my truck door. It's very common for us to have questions asked and our logo is on my uniform and truck. She asks, "Would you like my name and phone number, too? That way when I call and report you for being racist and discrimination you will know exactly who I am."

This has been one of my fears for a while. I'm a white male and I have seen people pulling the race card on other people before but never to me. I do walk around with a tablet 75% of the time and take lots of pictures, so I look like i'm up to something.

I said "Ma'am, I don't know what your talking about, what you're doing, or that you're a person of color. I'm inspecting contractors work, that what I was taking picture of. I'll show you them if you'd like." She says "I am a black woman who is a woman of god, I know when I am being profiled and discriminated against. You choose to park right next to me and point your truck in my direction. I hope that you are a good christian and you see that you were wrongly judging me for the color of my skin. I am a good lady and you are an ungodly racist."

I got upset, I don't have a good temper. I said "I am not a good christian or even a christian. I'm not passing judgement on you. I didn't give a fuck about your existence until you approached me and passed judgement. I have a real problem with christianity because of people like you. You come over and accuse me of being a racist, judging me without even speaking to me first. Then you come up and give me attitude right from the start."

She starts to tell me that she knows higher ups that work for a neighboring city and that she could have me fired. I laugh at her, tell her that she is in X city, Y county, and that those people have nothing to do with where she is at. I asked her "why did you even bring any of this up? Are you honestly ok? I know I got defensive but you come up to me and start pointing fingers and accusing me set me off. Look at these pictures (I start scrolling through my tablet), they have nothing to do with you at all. Go ahead and call the people you know. I'm not the slight bit concern."

She actually called down and apologized to me at this point. She said that I was right and she was not acting godly herself in that moment and should not have passed judgement. She starts telling me how republicans discriminate against her all the time. I said "Please just stop. Listen, I'm not a political person. I'm not a religious person. I don't care what color your skin is. I do judge people. I judge them based on if they are good people or if they are trash. I don't know you, I don't know your situation, I don't care to know any of it. I just want to finish my report and move to my next site. I'm sorry that there are shitty people that may treat you badly based on your skin color but that isn't me. If there is something I can help you with, ask me now. I just want to finish my work here and move on."

She just appologizes again and says "Just remember god loves you. I wont push my political or religious beliefs on you any more. Thank you for not being the kind of person I suspected you were. Thank you for being stern with me and putting me in my place. People need that from time to time. I hope you have a blessed day."

So overall, the situation could have ended way worse. She actually turned out to be a decent person. I know I don't have the best customer service skills and could have gone about the situation differently. I'm just not the person that likes to be told who I am.

Submitted January 26, 2022 at 10:07PM by hairyb0mb (From Reddit https://ift.tt/3nWti4v)

#reddit

[st-louis]

JEWISH PLAYERS IN THE NHL: 1/? JASON ZUCKER

(photo by Andy King, NHLI)

so this is going to be an ongoing series about Jewish players in the NHL because there are like... under seven of them. I’m starting with Jason Zucker because he’s one of my favorites. :> He’s talented, a little bit of a weirdo, and just seems like an all-around nice person.

He plays left wing for the Minnesota Wild. According to his official team bio, was born in Southern California but grew up in Las Vegas.  He’s Jewish but he doesn’t consider himself religious, he wasn’t bar mitzvah’d because he didn’t want to miss hockey (his mom does make kugel tho, so that’s legit secular Jew cred.)

His mom, Natalie, was a competitive figure skater, and his dad, Scott, is a general contractor who built both ice and roller rinks, and he got his start skating there at age 2 1/2. He’d practice for hours, played competitive roller hockey, and was known for his speed (playing defense originally because he could get from one end of the rink to another so quickly). He didn’t switch to ice hockey until he was eight or nine. At the time his skating was terrible; the toe pick in ice skates threw him off, and he didn’t improve until he got a skating coach.

He described his work ethic:

For me, I was on the side yard of my parents house. I had a little piece of roller hockey sport court where I wouldn’t ruin my sticks, and I would shoot pucks for hours and hours and hours a day. I remember we had a little wall on the side and I would do jump squats onto the wall and I would run sprints around the backyard. It was a terrible setup for working out but I would find myself out there all the time, because it was fun.

Still good enough to end up on UNDTP tho. In 2009 and 2010 Zucker helped the US win the World Junior Under-18, and the 2010 World Junior Championships. He committed to the University of Denver before being drafted by the Wild in 2010, and played two seasons there (45G, 46A in 78 games). He turned pro at the end of the 2011-12 season.

Right before the draft, his best friend, Nick Schaefer, died in a car accident. He has a tattoo -- “game time” on his chest in his memory.  On the draft:

I was thrilled, but I couldn’t shake the thought of what had happened to Nick. The fragility of life and the importance of even the smallest moments really hit me. Like everybody else, I sometimes stop and think back to those instances when, in a second, I had a choice to do one thing or the other. And ever since that summer night in 2010, Nick, in some way, has been with me every time.

He still writes Nick’s initials on every single one of his sticks, along with “Mom,” “Dad,” and “STS,” for shoot to score.

His first seasons weren’t super great and he bounced around between the AHL and the NHL during the first few years. He scored his first NHL goal against Detroit in 2013, but his season was cut short by a torn quadriceps. In 2014-15 things definitely improved with 21 goals in 51 games and a 16.9% shooting percentage.

Zucker had some interesting thoughts on the billeting system and leaving home so young. While he felt it was 100% worth it and he’d do it over again, he wouldn’t let his kids do it if they didn’t really want to--as a result of the unusual way he was raised he doesn’t have any friends outside of hockey, and that was “probably tough for [his] parents to see.”

Another great thing about him is his charity work: he and his wife, Carly, started a campaign to raise funds for a family suite at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital, and raised more than $1,000,000 in nine months. But he’s been involved with the hospital since 2015, and the campaign was inspired by one of the children he met and befriended there. Tucker had been diagnosed with bone cancer but still had time to give Jason some advice:

He said, “Jason, I’ve been watching you a lot this year. I need to give you some advice, O.K?”

I kind of laughed him off.

“No, I’m serious, Jason. First, you need to backcheck harder. It will make things easier on the other end. And secondly, shoot more!”

After Tucker passed away, Zucker got his autograph tattooed on his wrist, along with that advice: shoot more.

Also, because I love dumb hockey player tattoos, he also has “USA” on his back (I know) and on his left arm, in Hebrew, “in pursuit of perfection.” I, uh, have to quote this article in a large part because of this story involving Charlie Coyle:

“Everyone always wants to strive to be the best,” Zucker said. “I’m no different. I want to be better than everybody in that locker room and they all want to be better than me. That’s just the way it goes. That’s the way our business runs. I’m always striving to be perfect and I may never reach there. Nobody ever will. But I’m always striving to get to that.”

The other meaning? Zucker says he has “a little OCD [obsessive-compulsive disorder].”

“A little?” teammate Charlie Coyle, who lives with Zucker in Minneapolis, says with a chuckle. “Go in his room. He’s a big guy with watches and he’s got this whole case of probably 50 watches perfectly lined up, every one just perfect. Go in his closet and all his shirts are hung up, almost color coded. They’re all perfect. Same with his shoes, not one out of place.

“Just everything. Like everything. We go grocery shopping, and you open the cabinets, and everything is all perfect, labels facing out and spaced apart so evenly. I’m telling you, everything. I’m a neat person, so it’s fine, but it’s a little over the top.

“Heck, just watch him take off his equipment. He takes his laces and folds them perfectly down so it just sits there.”

Of course, there are few things Coyle enjoys more than messing with Zucker … by messing up his perfect stuff.

Listen, I know.

He married Carly Aplin in 2016, and they have two children together.

Anyway! He had an excellent season in 2017-2018. This July, he signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract after career highs: goals (33), assists (31) and points (64), mostly on the first line, and after being nominated for the King Clancy. In short:

Jason Zucker made significant strides in his game this season, both offensively and defensively. He was among the team’s top performers throughout the year, and although he was streaky at times, he contributed in some way on most nights. Without Zucker, the team may have actually missed the playoffs, as his improved offense carried the team for a few stretches of the campaign (one 7-game point streak and two 6-game point streaks).

Hockey Wilderness agrees.

JUST A GOOD TEAM GUY!!!! Here he is talking about his team when specifically being interviewed about his own awesome performance:

Asked after the game if he felt compelled to lift the team after a week of saying the leaders needed to, Zucker said, “Absolutely I did. I wasn’t happy with how I played the first two games. I thought I had some good spurts. It just wasn’t good enough. I know the way that I can play and (this) was much more like it. (Staal, Mikko Koivu, Zach Parise, I think everybody would’ve said the same thing about the first two games. We all wanted to step up and play well.

“That’s what true leadership is. Just guys going out and showing it on the ice. (Ryan Suter) was phenomenal. (Matt Dumba) played really well. (Jared Spurgeon) was battling. On a night he said he didn’t feel great with the puck, I thought (Spurgeon) was one of our best defensemen. You can’t say enough about a lot of the guys in this room.”

via The Athletic

some videos:

very encouraging but extremely, unfortunately boring when mic’d up what are you doing how does this even happen scores in literally 10 seconds of play first hat trick!!!! trying to explain cribbage to charlie coyle lmao a highlight reel lmao fighting

SOURCES

Official Bio Rooted in Roller Hockey Who the Folk?! Wild Agree to Five Year, 27.5 Million Contract Player’s Tribune Words Will Last Lifetime For Wild’s Jason Zucker Perfection is Always the Goal Jason Zucker took giant leaps forward Jason Zucker puts his leadership on display

#jews on skates #jason zucker #am yisrael hockey #anyway he's kind of boring but i love him anyway #idk i'm not entirely HAPPY with this post i feel like i should do MORE but i'm also going to end up sitting on it forever if i do

[mononoke-no-ko]

[MISC] Official texts on Lelouch & C.C.'s relationship

A compilation of excerpts from old magazines and illustration books (released somewhere around 2007-2008) that depict relationship of Lelouch and C.C. in character’s description, poem, monologue, etc. Source.

■ Graphics Zero Illustration Book

A contract between a witch and a devil.

The witch gives power to the devil, and is on the side of the devil. The devil fulfills the witch’s wish, and is on the side of the witch. People don't know the devil's anguish, only the witch knows. People don't know the witch's loneliness, only the devil knows.

When the horizon is stained with blood and everything is changed The contract between the devil and the witch does not change.

The devil is on the side of the witch, the witch is on the side of the devil.

■ Graphic Zero Illustration Book

The supernatural that grant the power of king GEASS. An immortal who will resuscitate even if her head is shot by a bullet - that is C.C..

Lelouch doesn’t know who C.C. is and where she comes from. Even though she has an appearance of a human, it’s uncertain whether she is part of mankind. While keeping a human appearance, she uses magical power upon others. In medieval Europe such being was called “witch”, and being feared of. The fear of unknown existence soon converted into aversion. It’s not hard to imagine that in the past years she has been exposed to people’s hatred and persecution. 

That’s why she is happy. The unexpected word of gratitude from Lelouch. Even though it’s clumsy, but that’s precisely why his sincere feelings are conveyed. She wants Lelouch to call her “true name”. “C.C” is just a code name. “Witch” is also not C.C.’s name. “Only a human”, at the time when her tears are able to flow just like an ordinary girl, her “true name” is...  

■ Lelouch’s monologue from Graphics Ashford Illustration Book

What’s with that woman! I thought her head was shot with a gun, but she was actually still alive. Rudely turned up at someone’s house and lived there. Saying unnecessary things to Nunnally... When did we ‘promise to share the future’? We met only once, didn’t we? She’s selfish, doesn’t listen to what other has to say, untidy, changes clothes in front of people, wanders around the school as she please. Why does she always eat pizza anyway? And she pays for them with my card! I'm reaching my limit!!! Also at the school festival some times ago, because the world's biggest pizza ended in a failure, she was in bad mood and haughtily said "Do it all over again!" Who does she think she is?! Sigh, there is no end talking about her bad points. Let's stop...

Well, I’m grateful. Thanks to this power she gave, Geass, my plan has been greatly ahead of schedule. She also saved my life. An indispensable existence... though her sense of clothes is the worst. This is no good... I’m not making any sense. At times like this should I order pizza to feel better?

■ Megami Magazine April 2007 Issue

A witch in a human body that hides loneliness.

'C.C.' is not a human-like name. It might be like a curse for her. No matter how deep her wounds are she would not die, an eternally young girl who cannot live in the same time as human. Every time her name is called, she’s reminded of how different she’s from human. Sometimes there are parts of C.C. that frowns upon her likeness to human. And yet she also tinkers with the kiss shared between Shirley and Lelouch. Such act is far from being ‘humane’. Perhaps the real C.C. is the one who drops tears of delight when Lelouch called her real name. Perhaps that’s why she embraces Lelouch who killed Euphemia and comforts him.

From now on, it’s unknown what fate awaits Lelouch and C.C. However, there is no doubt that C.C. is near Lelouch. And rather than the contract, it would be because of her heart... 

■ Newtype September 2007 Issue 

When he signed a contract with the girl, the boy did not know anything. The girl's loneliness. The fate he should live. Every time he exercises the King's power, GEASS, that’s given by the girl. His sins piled up, his dreams lost, his future closed. Still, the boy burns to ambition. He can not turn back. Only the girl knows everything. Lelouch and C.C... Only two people in the world... When they’re only one step further from achieving their goal What hindered their path was his only best friend. And so the boy and the girl became accomplices of the past and solitude. Both the contract and the power of the king are different, each with its own intention. Even if that feeling is a transient one...

■ Lelouch’s monologue from Code Geass Novel: R2 TURN-3. 1-Evolution, reinterpretation of their scene in Turn 15 (gif related).

I’m ‘too kind’? What stupid words!    

Who's the one being ‘too kind’ here?    

C.C., when you first made contract with me, you didn’t reveal anything. I was afraid that I was nothing more than a tool to end your eternal life. But now I know your weakness that differs you from the nun, the Code bearer from your past; you are too kind. No matter where you go, even when your body is immortal, your heart is still that of human. Whenever you make a contract, at first you have no feelings for your contractor. However after spending some time together with them, you change. As your heart longs for love the most, the girl longing for love would appear. You become confused, and finally come to conclusion: as long as the contractor grows to hate you*, they would leave you on their own. This way, you wouldn’t have to assign the same pain to them as the nun did to you. How stupid. You are really an idiot. Then why make contract? Wouldn’t it be meaningless? How could you have feelings for the person you intended to use?    

Here’s one thing I can tell you clearly.

"Don’t underestimate me, C.C.! Do you think I didn’t know your weakness? Do you think I fell for your cheap ploys? For being manipulated by you, do you think I would hate you?”

(then followed by "Don’t die while looking like that!” just like in the TV version.)

■ Lelouch’s monologue from Megami Magazine August 2008 Issue

Deprived of the power of immortality and returned to be an ordinary woman.... Even though we made a contract that says we’ll be together forever, are you leaving me alone, C.C.? Though it certainly doesn’t feel bad to be called ‘Master’, but thinking about it now, folding the clothes you tossed wherever, paying for pizzas you ordered without permission, it actually never feels bad at all. Is that C.C. no longer coming back?

■ Excerpt from Code Geass Novel: R2 TURN-4. 2-Truth, continuation of their conversation in Lelouch’s room in Turn 23. 

‘I do not want to lose this man.’ Thought C.C. without any hesitancy. There’s a way for her not to lose him. However, he wouldn’t want to use this method, and even she... did not want to. Then what should she do? C.C. hadn’t come to understand the way of the world, even when she had lived for who knows how many years she still didn’t understand, had no way of knowing what is right and what is wrong, but she was sure of one thing. That he, the man named Lelouch Lamperouge, would not stop running toward death. He chose this path on his own will. He’s like a horse that couldn’t be stopped. She wanted to blame him, but couldn’t... She wanted to cry, but couldn’t. So... "Lelouch." He said "Hm," in response. "Do you remember, that time in Narita?" C.C. asked a bit out of the blue, that Lelouch felt a little confused. "Why suddenly..." She leaned on his back, then continued, "Why snow is white?" There’s an instant blank, before Lelouch immediately answered, "Because it forgot its original color." "Then do you remember, Lelouch? Your original color." "Stupid question," he replied, finally back to his conceited tone. "I am me, I would never forget." "Is that so..." "What about you, C.C.? Do you remember your original color?" "Who knows, but -" "But?" "At least right now, my color is your color, Lelouch." Silence came. Then Lelouch laughed softly. "You selfish." "Of course," she wanted to cry a little - but instead, her face revealed a smile from the bottom of her heart, "it’s because I’m C.C."

■ C.C.’s character description from guidebook Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 The Complete

When C.C. found Lelouch in Shinjuku, she gave him Geass to save him from a dire situation. To Lelouch who's devoted to fight for his desire and got intoxicated by the mighty power of Geass, C.C. declared, "You and I are accomplices." It is a self-defense measure born from her experience with Mao. Surprisingly, Lelouch kept respecting the position of an accomplice. C.C. was asked to act as his substitute or negotiator, but not even once she’s asked to act as his mother or lover. With Lelouch, C.C. learned the position of equal "partner" for the first time.

Lelouch who promised to make her wish comes true despite the unfair conditions, became a special existence for C.C. When C.C. was trying to protect him in exchange for her life, Lelouch hoped for her to live and repeatedly said "I will surely make you smile!". To answer his feelings, C.C. sealed her code and resisted Charles. She simply believed in Lelouch.

Her trust wasn’t betrayed. Even when she lost her memory, Lelouch's kindness to her didn’t change. Even when he was prepared to kill his beloved younger sister, he didn’t hold a grudge to her. Perhaps that is why C.C. is prepared to live for a long time. "Go quick, and then come back. You’re going to make me smile, right?" These are C.C.’s words to a partner she finally met after hundreds years, a powerful “promise”.

■ C.C.’s message for Lelouch from COMPLETE BEST: My Elegant Flower of Evil

At the beginning of everything, I should have warned you.  That the power of the king would isolate you.  You will lose your friends, differ from your childhood friend, and get betrayed by your subordinates.  Your parents will disappear from your sight, your siblings will disappear along with dew.  

Oh, what a terrible toil. How pitiful. And now, this solitude is your only companion. Nobody would want to embrace you who’s smeared in blood. Many people have casted stones at you, and as a retaliation, would you trample over them? No one noticed the wailing you secretly let out in your heart at the time. Oh, how pitiful you are. To the sight of you, my wound throbbed gently. Now, you’re dear to me because you’re too pitiful. Every time the piercing wounds on your tender heart increase, why does my solitude get healed little by little? The whole world is casting you with stones, showering you with insults. That is something I have experienced from this world. Without realizing, you take share of my solitude. Without knowing, you feel hurt as you think of me, and shoulder my sins. It’s as if you are a poisonous lycoris flower blooming from the graveyard. Only I know of its elegance.

 Note:

(*) In the novel, it’s explained that one of the reasons C.C. sent Lelouch into her memory (and not just him, but many of her past contractors) is to make them hate her by showing them that she would ultimately betray them just like the nun did her. That is, if they haven’t hated her yet for ruining their life by giving them Geass.

Visit Index for other translations of Code Geass materials.

#lelouch x c.c. #cluclu #code geass #c.c. #lelouch vi britannia #translation

[s-leary]

Fascism Watch, March 4-5

Trump

Trump, Offering No Evidence, Says Obama Tapped His Phones. This whole article is amazing. Here's a small portion:

"It would have been difficult for federal agents, working within the law, to obtain a wiretap order to target Mr. Trump’s phone conversations. It would have meant that the Justice Department had gathered sufficient evidence to persuade a federal judge that there was probable cause to believe he had committed a serious crime or was an agent of a foreign power, depending on whether it was a criminal investigation or a foreign intelligence one.

Former officials pointed to longstanding laws and procedures intended to ensure that presidents cannot wiretap a rival for political purposes.

“A cardinal rule of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice,” said Kevin Lewis, a spokesman for Mr. Obama. “As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen.”

But a senior White House official said that Donald F. McGahn II, the president’s chief counsel, was working on Saturday to secure access to what Mr. McGahn believed was an order issued by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court authorizing some form of surveillance related to Mr. Trump and his associates.

The official offered no evidence to support the notion that such an order exists. If one does, it would be highly unusual for a White House to order the Justice Department to turn over such an investigative document, given the traditional independence of law enforcement matters."

White House requests Congress investigate whether Obama administration abused power

Trump flashes anger over Sessions recusal, Russia stories in tense Oval Office meeting

The Conspiratorial Game of Telephone in Bannon’s Rag that Made Left, Right, and POTUS Go Crazy

Comey Asks Justice Dept. to Reject Trump’s Wiretapping Claim

Mr. Comey, who made the request on Saturday after Mr. Trump leveled his allegation on Twitter, has been working to get the Justice Department to knock down the claim because it falsely insinuates that the F.B.I. broke the law, the officials said.

A spokesman for the F.B.I. declined to comment. Sarah Isgur Flores, the spokeswoman for the Justice Department, also declined to comment.

Mr. Comey’s request is a remarkable rebuke of a sitting president, putting the nation’s top law enforcement official in the position of questioning Mr. Trump’s truthfulness.

It's literally pay to play at Mar-a-Lago

It's a nice setup for those who want some government favor and can afford a six-figure check. And it's a nice setup for Donald Trump.

Jeff Sessions, who couldn't possibly have anything better to do this weekend, was greeting guests at a gala.

Trump sons, planning expansion of family business, look to leverage campaign experience

The company says it has signed at least 17 letters of intent with potential developers. It is targeting an array of cities such as Austin, Dallas, St. Louis, Nashville and Seattle — and Trump Jr. said the campaign proved useful in forging relationships with potential new connections.

“I met people along the way that would be awesome partners,” he said.

Yet another person connected to Trump and Russia has died: Alex Oronov. Oronov was connected to Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, whom you might remember from his colorful threats to the Daily Beast over their coverage of Ivana Trump's abuse claims.

Last week I wrote about Michael Cohen and his extensive network of personal and business relationships in the Ukrainian-American emigre community. One of those was a man named Alex Oronov, who runs a major agribusiness concern in Ukraine. Oronov was a partner in the ethanol business Cohen and Cohen's brother Bryan set up in Ukraine about a decade ago. Oronov is Bryan Cohen's father-in-law. Today we learned that Oronov apparently organized that 'peace plan' meeting that brought together Ukrainian MP Artemenko, Cohen and Felix Sater. About four hours ago Andrii Artemenko, the Ukrainian parliamentarian who came to New York with that 'peace plan', went on Facebook to announce that Alex Oronov has died.

Oronov reportedly lived in one of Trump's Florida condos.

Keystone pipeline won't use US steel despite Trump pledge

Trump campaign applies to trademark ‘Keep America Great!’ as his 2020 campaign slogan

Trump's long history of racism is well documented, but this moment from Don Cheadle is just... wow.

(@DonCheadle tweet)

Immigration

Trump to unveil new immigration ban on Monday. Here's the weird part: “Employees at DHS were instructed to work from home on Monday morning.” Are we planning for a Reichstag fire, or do we just not want anyone at work to answer the phone?

Trump admin. plans expanded immigrant detention. We'll have the best internment camps, big league, lots of federal contracts, with bonus slave labor.

(@Luvvie tweet)

ETA: The sign appears to be street art.

After Decades In The U.S., NY Immigrant With Years-Old Pot Conviction Faces Deportation

Deportation of grandmother leaves a San Diego military family reeling

Clarissa Arredondo, 43, is the mother of Adriana Aparicio, whose husband is a Navy veteran working as a contractor in Afghanistan. The couple has two daughters, 2 and 3, and Arredondo, who came to the U.S. more than 25 years ago, helped take care of them.

Congress

Some GOP lawmakers’ block-everything mentality could imperil big-picture plans

Across the Capitol, there’s a new generation of Republicans who have risen to power since the GOP last attempted to enact a sweeping agenda that would overhaul big pieces of the economy such as the health-care and tax systems. Quite simply, there aren’t many Republicans around with muscle memory of what it’s like to craft large pieces of legislation that rely almost entirely on votes from their side of the aisle.

The problem is particularly acute in the House, where just 60 Republicans — a quarter of their caucus — have ever served in the majority with a GOP president.

Moreover, more than 160 House Republicans are getting their first taste of working with a Republican president. Their entire legislative careers until now have been dedicated to stopping an administration’s actions.

Cabinet & Federal Appointees

Sessions Will Submit Amended Testimony, Address Senators’ Questions on Monday. Get your popcorn ready.

Home Alone in the Trump Administration

President Trump has appointed fewer than three dozen of the top 1,000 officials he needs to run the federal government. Worse, he doesn’t think that’s a problem.

The president seems to have lost interest in the nomination process after making his cabinet and Supreme Court picks, people involved in the transition say. Now, he’s trying to pass off his inattention as some kind of plan. “In many cases, we don’t want to fill those jobs,” he said on Fox News this week. “What do all these people do? You don’t need all those jobs.”

The Washington Post has a handy tracker for positions requiring Senate confirmation. Trump keeps complaining that Congress is dragging its feet on confirming his nominees, but there are currently 517 positions he hasn't even nominated.

The Curious Case of Sebastian Gorka, Trump’s New Terrorism Guru. He's advising on national security but doesn't appear to have security clearance.

Even Scott Pruitt thinks the not-yet-public proposed EPA budget cuts are too much.

Under Trump, an Already Depleted I.R.S. Could Face Deep Cuts. It's madness to cut the agency that's in charge of bringing in money, unless perhaps Trump doesn't like the fact that they expect money from him and his friends.

Trump's budget proposal includes steep cuts to NOAA, surprising no one. Still, that's depressing.

Trump's neglect of the CDC while China is experiencing a bird flu epidemic has set up the US for a health crisis

This Stunningly Racist French Novel Is How Steve Bannon Explains The World. '“The Camp of the Saints” tells a grotesque tale about a migrant invasion to destroy Western civilization.' It really is stunning; steel yourself before reading this.

#fascism watch #fascism #resist #donald trump #jeff sessions #james comey #steve bannon #don cheadle #scott pruitt #sebastian gorka #alex oronov #don mcgahn #nodapl

[constructionaccounting]

0302: Top 12 Crucial Elements Every Construction Business Website Needs To Generate More Ideal Clients

This Podcast Is Episode Number 0302, And It Will Be About The Top 5 Online Marketing Trends In 2019 With Actionable Tips For Contractors

Whether someone found you via a referral, a word of mouth, or through the search engine results page, chances are not all of them will contact you instantly. Most likely, people will check and do an online research of your credentials and company’s credibility. That is what your website is for. Why should a browser choose your plumbing company? Can the site visitor afford your services? What are their options? It could be as simple as someone looking for faucet repairs and you only do brand new installations. Not only will your website provide essential details about your business, but it can also screen clients for you based on the information you provided. Serves both ways, right?

You probably spend most of your working hours at the construction site but understand that your prospective clients (and former ones) are spending their time on your business site. Your online presence makes you a trusted source and a reliable expert that they can go to and come back to all the time.

Make Google love you by creating a cohesive website with high-quality pages and show your website visitors why you do what you do so they will hire your services by implementing these 12 crucial elements to your website.

1. Responsive

I take it some of you are reading this blog post from a smartphone or a tablet right now. According to Statista, mobile currently accounts for more than half of all global pages served in 2018. Simply put, your website needs to adapt and respond to its environment (desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone) to give your visitor the best browsing experience.

2. A Compelling Landing Page

Selling your services to homeowners involves art and creativity. Words are powerful and visuals are captivating, fused them together to make a fascinating page that will attract the right audience. I’ll take you back to the “grunt test”: Donald Miller, founder of StoryBrand, has an easy and powerful way of evaluating your website. As a rule, upon visiting your site, one should understand what you offer within five seconds. Does your website pass the "Grunt Test" (Assuming a caveman were to open a laptop, look at your site for 5 seconds, and close the laptop, will it be able to “grunt” what is your website about?) With just a quick glance at your homepage, can your visitor answer these three questions:

What is it that you offer?

How will it make my life better?

What do I need to do to buy your product/hire your services? 

3. An Obvious Call-to-Action (CTA)

(fictional company and sample website homepage)

A Call-to-Action is a term used in online marketing and selling. CTAs are strong command verbs that prompt your visitor to take a desired action. Using bright, bold colors, direct your prospective client to click this feature button: such as “hire me”, “call for pricing”, “subscribe now”, “schedule a meeting”, or “ask for a quote”. Determine your purpose, have an end goal for each CTA, keep it simple and always be clear. Already implementing CTAs on your site? Test different action words and track your results. Compare which works better. Be sure to place your CTA above the fold for better visibility.

 4. Contact Details

A well-placed contact info will prompt the browser to get in touch with you. Make your phone number a clickable link that opens a dial dialog on smartphones and mobile devices, do the same thing with your email address. Do you have a “Contact Us” page? Include Business Address, Service Hours, and Service Location. (If you have an office where clients can come and meet you, a map is useful). A Contact Form with a redirect Thank You page is another worthy function when you have premade questions for your prospective clients (price quotes, flooring options, etc.). Offering multiple ways to contact you demonstrate you’re accessible and personable, not to mention the convenience it brings to your website visitors.

5. An About Page

This is a clear description of who you are, what your business is, how long have you been in the business, etc. This is helpful for clients to know more about your background and for Google to know who is responsible for the website. People want to feel they have an actual connection to your brand, so tell your backstory and be authentic. Engage your reader by letting them know why you do what you do. Remember to use a CTA at the end of your narrative leading to your services or project gallery.

 6. Services

Give a brief overview of the work you are providing and that you have obtained licensing and other necessary permit to implement it. If you have a list of services, be  clear and specific by creating headings and including a photo for every service. Create a buyer persona and write as if you’re talking to one individual and highlight the advantages of why they should hire you.

7. Client Testimonials

Build your reputation by showing off your satisfied client’s recommendations and affirmative reviews. Plus-points if you could post their photo and title along with their statement. This will wow your visitors since you have credible professional references who endorse your work.

8. Portfolio/Photos

Large, clean, high-resolution images of your finished projects would be greatly appreciated by your potential clients. Showcase your work and feature your best before and after photos for site visitors to picture similar renovations in their own home.

9. Quality Content

Think of Article Resources, Tutorials, Tips, or even a Blog (with author byline). In the world of marketing and sales, “Facts tell but stories sell”. Capture your reader’s attention by sharing your expertise and helping them solve their “pain points”. Consider your past clients and what they’ve been through before hiring you. Take note of their questions, concerns, and biggest issues while you’re working on a project for them - these could make up for a wealth of information for your future clients and website visitors. Be casual, conversational, and emphatic. This humanizes your company and builds a relationship with your audience.

10. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

I’m assuming you can’t be answering phone calls and emails 24/7. By providing a compilation page of commonly asked questions, you’re establishing support and eliminating your browser’s anxiety that your Services page doesn’t fully cover. It can answer questions such as "Do you have insurance?" and "Do you offer warranty for your roofing work?". Being one step ahead of your prospective client’s “What if”, “How do I”, or “When can I” demonstrates you’re looking out for their best interest and shows them how well you care.

11. HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure)

Browsers expect a secure and private online experience when using a website. Google encourages you to adopt HTTPS in order to protect your visitors’ connections to your website, regardless of the content of the site. Since security is a top priority for Google, it also uses HTTPS as a ranking signal. Websites that use HTTPS are likely to rank better in SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) over the sites with unsecured version (HTTP).

12. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Google makes hundreds of algorithm changes per year, last August they made a core update on how they calculate the ranking of websites on their SERPs (a key to creating relevant content is found here). Appearing on the top 3 results would be great but how do you achieve it without knowing the technical side of it? Easy! To enhance the search quality, Google made emphasis on a high level of expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-A-T). That is great news for you since you're already in an industry-specific niche. Optimize your site’s E-A-T by simply implementing items 1 to 11.

As you build and/or edit your pages, keep in mind your USP (Unique Selling Proposition): What your business does, whom it serves, why it’s different from other businesses, and how it is beneficial to your prospective client. Note that some of these elements can be placed into sections and published in one page, for instance, Services and Testimonials can go well together. It gives your visitors much-needed assurance that you have successful projects and happy clients in the past. Don't forget to include your Awards and Recognition (if you have any) and place it strategically. Add value to your website footer by including your contact details, policies, and other important links. Make sure to include appropriate CTAs throughout your site so your prospective client can take the necessary steps and of course, hire your services.

 In conclusion:

These 12 crucial elements along with the design, look and feel of your website contribute to your professional online presence - it puts you ahead of your competition, builds your authority, and brings more income-generating clients to your contracting business.

Need Help Now?

Call Sharie 206-361-3950

sharie.com

Xero Outsourced Construction Accounting Services

QuickBooks Outsourced Construction Bookkeeping Services

Thank you for stopping by. Please know that we do care about you and your construction company regardless of whether you hire our services or not. For help with your accounting and bookkeeping needs please fill out the form on the right and we'll be in touch with you shortly.

About The Author:

Norhalma Verzosa is a Certified Construction Marketing Professional and works as the Webmaster of Fast Easy Accounting located in Lynnwood, WA. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and a Certified Internet Web Professional with a Site Development Associate, Google AdWords Search Advertising, and HubSpot Academy certifications. She manages the entire web presence of Fast Easy Accounting using a variety of SAAS tools including Hubspot, InfusionSoft, Shopify, and WordPress.

  We are here to Help “A Little or A Lot” depending on your needs.

I trust this podcast helps you understand that outsourcing your contractor's bookkeeping services to us is about more than just “doing the bookkeeping”; it is about taking a holistic approach to your entire construction company and helping support you as a contractor and as a person.

We Remove Contractor's Unique Paperwork Frustrations

We understand the good, bad and the ugly about owning and operating construction companies because we have had several of them and we sincerely care about you and your construction company!

That is all I have for now, and if you have listened to this far please do me the honor of commenting and rating the Podcast  www.FastEasyAccounting.com/podcast Tell me what you liked, did not like, tell it as you see it because your feedback is crucial and I thank you in advance.

You Deserve To Be Wealthy Because You Bring Value To Other People's Lives!

I trust this will be of value to you and your feedback is always welcome at www.FastEasyAccounting.com/podcast

This Is One more example of how Fast Easy Accounting is helping construction company owners across the USA including Alaska and Hawaii put more money in the bank to operate and grow your construction company. Construction accounting is not rocket science; it is a lot harder than that, and a lot more valuable to construction contractors like you so stop missing out and call Sharie 206-361-3950 or email [email protected]

Contractor Bookkeeping Done For You!

Thinking About Outsourcing Your Contractors Bookkeeping Services?

Click On The Link Below:

www.FastEasyAccounting.com/hs

This guide will help you learn what to look for in outsourced construction accounting.

Need Help Now?

Call Sharie 206-361-3950

[email protected]

Thank you very much, and I hope you understand we do care about you and all contractors regardless of whether or not you ever hire our services. Bye for now until our next episode here on the Contractors Success MAP Podcast.

  Our Workflow Removes Your Paperwork Frustrations

For Contractors Who Prefer

To Do Your Bookkeeping

Fast Easy Accounting Do-It-Yourself

Construction Accounting Store Is Open

Most Contractors Setup QuickBooks Or Xero Online Accounting Using:

#1 EZ Step Interview inside QuickBooks Setup #2 Asked Their Tax Accountant To Setup QuickBooks #3 They Attended A How To Setup QuickBooks Class Or Seminar

And QuickBooks Does Not Work The Way They Want It Too!

The Answer:

#1 Click Here To Buy An Entire QuickBooks Setup For Your Specific Contracting Company

#2 Click Here To Buy Just The Chart Of Accounts For Your Specific Contracting Company

Short List Of Construction Contractors We Serve

Asphalt ContractorAsphalt Contractor Brand New ContractorBrand New ContractorBrick And Stone ContractorBrick And Stone ContractorCabinet Installation ContractorCabinet Installation ContractorCarpentry ContractorCarpentry ContractorCarpet And Tile ContractorCarpet And Tile ContractorCommercial Tenant Improvement ContractorCommercial Tenant Improvement ContractorConcrete ContractorConcrete ContractorConstruction EmployeesConstruction EmployeesConstruction ManagerConstruction ManagerConstruction Support SpecialistConstruction Support SpecialistCustom Deck ContractorCustom Deck ContractorCustom Home BuilderCustom Home BuilderDemolition ContractorDemolition ContractorDrywall ContractorDrywall ContractorElectrical ContractorElectrical ContractorEmerging ContractorEmerging ContractorExcavation ContractorExcavation ContractorFinish Millwork ContractorFinish Millwork ContractorFlipper House ContractorFlipper House ContractorFlooring ContractorFlooring ContractorFoundation ContractorFoundation ContractorFraming ContractorFraming ContractorGeneral ContractorGeneral ContractorGlass Installation ContractorGlass Installation ContractorGutter ContractorGutter ContractorHandyman ContractorHandyman ContractorHot Tub ContractorHot Tub ContractorHVAC ContractorHVAC ContractorInsulation ContractorInsulation ContractorInterior Designer ContractorInterior Designer ContractorLand Development ContractorLand Development ContractorLandscape ContractorLandscape ContractorLawn And Yard Maintenance ContractorLawn And Yard Maintenance ContractorMasonry ContractorMasonry ContractorMold Remediation ContractorMold Remediation ContractorMoss Removal ContractorMoss Removal ContractorPainting ContractorPainting ContractorPlaster ContractorPlaster ContractorPlaster And Stucco ContractorPlaster And Stucco ContractorPlumbing ContractorPlumbing ContractorPressure Washing ContractorPressure Washing ContractorRemodel ContractorRemodel ContractorRenovation ContractorRenovation ContractorRestoration ContractorRestoration ContractorRoofing ContractorRoofing ContractorSiding ContractorSiding ContractorSpec Home BuilderSpec Home BuilderSpecialty ContractorSpecialty ContractorStone Mason ContractorStone Mason ContractorStucco ContractorStucco ContractorSubcontractorSubcontractorSwimming Pool ContractorSwimming Pool ContractorSwimming Pool And Hot Tub ContractorSwimming Pool And Hot Tub ContractorTile And Carpet ContractorTile And Carpet ContractorTrade ContractorTrade ContractorTree ContractorTree ContractorUnderground ContractorUnderground ContractorUtility ContractorUtility ContractorWaterproofing ContractorWaterproofing ContractorWindow ContractorWindow Contractor

Additional QuickBooks Templates, Resources, And Services

QuickBooks Set Up TemplatesSolopreneurQuickBooks Chart Of AccountsFree StuffQuickBooks Item Lists TemplatesConsulting

We Serve Over 100 Types Of Contractors So If Your Type Of Company Is Not Listed

Please Do Not Be Concerned Because If You Are A Contractor

There Is A Good Chance We Can Help You!

Call Now: 206-361-3950

  Additional QuickBooks Templates, Resources, And Services

QuickBooks Set Up Templates   Solopreneur

QuickBooks Chart Of Accounts     Free Stuff

QuickBooks Item Lists Templates     Consulting

  We Serve Over 100 Types Of Contractors So If Your Type Of Company Is Not Listed

Please Do Not Be Concerned Because If You Are A Contractor

There Is A Good Chance We Can Help You!

Call Now: 206-361-3950

If you are a blogger, who writes about construction we would like to hear from you.

https://www.fasteasyaccounting.com/guestblogger

Check out this episode about Contractors Marketing - Accounting - Production (M.A.P.)!

[andrewmawby]

March 25, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

New subscriber? Greetings! Past patron? TNX, as we say in Morse, for your continued attention and trust!

Winter won't let go here in central New Hampshire. I woke up this morning to a fresh inch of snow. It will melt today, but that's not the point.

You may already be in flip flops and a t-shirt. That's why I'm going to start sharing tips about spring and summer.

Let's start with a fantastic gas can I've been testing for a month.

SureCan Gas Can

I've tried many gas cans looking for the perfect combination of features. I've finally found the Holy Grail of gas cans.

Here's what I don't like about other gas cans:

spout is too short requiring a pesky funnel

handle wrong orientation when filling - wrist bend

spout in the way when not pouring

hard to control flow

The SureCan solves all these. The spout ROTATES down so you can fill while the can stays in the same position ALL THE TIME.

The flow of gasoline can be controlled with ease by how much pressure you apply as you squeeze a lever. If you want a trickle, just give it a slight push. Full flow? Squeeze away baby. Look at the photo below. Note how the black lever is pushed down by the man's thumb and gas is now flowing.

That black lever has a NICE safety underneath it. You have to squeeze the safety before the black lever will go down.

CLICK HERE to order one NOW.

Remember, I only share links to products that I use myself. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my SureCan gas can!

On-Demand Radio Show 4

My good friend Chuck uploaded my fourth FREE on-demand radio show on Friday morning. Already without telling you just under 100 people have listened to it. It costs you NOTHING to listen.

What does that mean to YOU that so many have beat you to it? It means:

my on-demand show is gaining traction

others are getting FREE TIPS you're ignoring

others are SAVING MONEY that you're wasting

I talked with Robert, Bob and Sue last week on the phone.

Robert's got a cracked floor joist under his bathroom. Bob wants to know if it's SAFE to use chemical weed killers and fertilizers on his rural lawn. Sue's got some rotten wood siding panels and wants to know the most cost-effective way to permanently repair them.

I end with a pretty funny story about my first job acting as a general contractor. I've uploaded a written TRANSCRIPT of that story should you just want to read it. Scroll down to get to it.

CLICK HERE to listen to my latest FREE on-demand radio show.

If you want to listen to my first THREE on-demand radio shows, CLICK HERE.

Attic Ventilation - The Real Scoop

A few days ago, I revised my past column about attic ventilation. There's lots of hocus-pocus out there concerning this topic.

I'm STUNNED by the amount of information that's not based in science I see at other websites. BE CAREFUL of following that other advice.

CLICK HERE to see how to COOL DOWN your attic. You need to do the work NOW before it gets too damn hot to be up in your attic or on your roof.

Clean Kitchen & Bath Cabinets

I had a subscriber contact me asking if our certified organic Stain Solver oxygen bleach was safe to use on kitchen or bath cabinets to deep clean them. This person had been ill and not been able to clean on a regular basis and things got a little out of hand.

The answer is YES it's SAFE to use Stain Solver on cabinets. This is because most painted cabinets are not damaged by sunlight. Sunlight breaks down the resins and pigments in paint.

Stain Solver will remove sun-damaged resin and color pigments. You WANT to remove these if you're repainting the outside of your home.

But if you're cleaning inside, you don't want to harm the paint. Stain Solver is SAFE on interior paints. Look at the stunning Before and After photos of these gorgeous cabinets:

The After photo is just below. What a difference. The subscriber just mixed up some of the Stain Solver powder with HOT water.

She stirred the powder for a minute and then poured the solution into a small hand-pump spray bottle.

She spritzed the painted cabinet and let the solution work for just ten minutes. Then she rubbed the surface with a nice sponge.

The dark line above the lower handle is not dirt. The paint has worn away here because fingernails catch on that groove. The woman shared this because she didn't want anyone to think the Stain Solver didn't work in that spot. CLICK HERE to order some Stain Solver now.

Spring Means WET Basements and Crawlspaces

My college degree is in geology. I had a focus on hydrogeology and geomorphology. Hydrogeology is the study of ground water and how it MOVES through soil and rock.

Geomorphology is the study of the surface of the earth. Think hills, valleys and other shapes.

Mix these two together with some common sense and you quickly DISCOVER how to STOP WATER from entering a basement or crawlspace.

CLICK HERE to see how it's done.

I'll Call You

Do you have a problem around your home you need help with? I'm now making no less than four or five FREE phone calls per week.

The calls are FREE. All you have to do is supply me with two or three decent photos so I can SEE what's going on.

If you want me to call you, take a few photos and then CLICK HERE and fill out the form. Or, just send them out of your phone to my email address - you've already got it if you're reading this - and send me a simple email with the photos attached.

I'd say that's enough for a Sunday.

Be SURE to read that story about my first general contracting experience. CLICK HERE for it.

Tim Carter Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com On-Demand Radio Captain Magic

Do It Right, Not Over!

The post March 25, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter appeared first on Ask the Builder.

from builders feed https://www.askthebuilder.com/march-25-2018-askthebuilder-newsletter/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[emoryjrice71]

March 25, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

New subscriber? Greetings! Past patron? TNX, as we say in Morse, for your continued attention and trust!

Winter won’t let go here in central New Hampshire. I woke up this morning to a fresh inch of snow. It will melt today, but that’s not the point.

You may already be in flip flops and a t-shirt. That’s why I’m going to start sharing tips about spring and summer.

Let’s start with a fantastic gas can I’ve been testing for a month.

SureCan Gas Can

I’ve tried many gas cans looking for the perfect combination of features. I’ve finally found the Holy Grail of gas cans.

Here’s what I don’t like about other gas cans:

spout is too short requiring a pesky funnel

handle wrong orientation when filling - wrist bend

spout in the way when not pouring

hard to control flow

The SureCan solves all these. The spout ROTATES down so you can fill while the can stays in the same position ALL THE TIME.

The flow of gasoline can be controlled with ease by how much pressure you apply as you squeeze a lever. If you want a trickle, just give it a slight push. Full flow? Squeeze away baby. Look at the photo below. Note how the black lever is pushed down by the man’s thumb and gas is now flowing.

That black lever has a NICE safety underneath it. You have to squeeze the safety before the black lever will go down.

CLICK HERE to order one NOW.

Remember, I only share links to products that I use myself. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my SureCan gas can!

On-Demand Radio Show 4

My good friend Chuck uploaded my fourth FREE on-demand radio show on Friday morning. Already without telling you just under 100 people have listened to it. It costs you NOTHING to listen.

What does that mean to YOU that so many have beat you to it? It means:

my on-demand show is gaining traction

others are getting FREE TIPS you’re ignoring

others are SAVING MONEY that you’re wasting

I talked with Robert, Bob and Sue last week on the phone.

Robert’s got a cracked floor joist under his bathroom. Bob wants to know if it’s SAFE to use chemical weed killers and fertilizers on his rural lawn. Sue’s got some rotten wood siding panels and wants to know the most cost-effective way to permanently repair them.

I end with a pretty funny story about my first job acting as a general contractor. I’ve uploaded a written TRANSCRIPT of that story should you just want to read it. Scroll down to get to it.

CLICK HERE to listen to my latest FREE on-demand radio show.

If you want to listen to my first THREE on-demand radio shows, CLICK HERE.

Attic Ventilation - The Real Scoop

A few days ago, I revised my past column about attic ventilation. There’s lots of hocus-pocus out there concerning this topic.

I’m STUNNED by the amount of information that’s not based in science I see at other websites. BE CAREFUL of following that other advice.

CLICK HERE to see how to COOL DOWN your attic. You need to do the work NOW before it gets too damn hot to be up in your attic or on your roof.

Clean Kitchen & Bath Cabinets

I had a subscriber contact me asking if our certified organic Stain Solver oxygen bleach was safe to use on kitchen or bath cabinets to deep clean them. This person had been ill and not been able to clean on a regular basis and things got a little out of hand.

The answer is YES it’s SAFE to use Stain Solver on cabinets. This is because most painted cabinets are not damaged by sunlight. Sunlight breaks down the resins and pigments in paint.

Stain Solver will remove sun-damaged resin and color pigments. You WANT to remove these if you’re repainting the outside of your home.

But if you’re cleaning inside, you don’t want to harm the paint. Stain Solver is SAFE on interior paints. Look at the stunning Before and After photos of these gorgeous cabinets:

The After photo is just below. What a difference. The subscriber just mixed up some of the Stain Solver powder with HOT water.

She stirred the powder for a minute and then poured the solution into a small hand-pump spray bottle.

She spritzed the painted cabinet and let the solution work for just ten minutes. Then she rubbed the surface with a nice sponge.

The dark line above the lower handle is not dirt. The paint has worn away here because fingernails catch on that groove. The woman shared this because she didn’t want anyone to think the Stain Solver didn’t work in that spot. CLICK HERE to order some Stain Solver now.

Spring Means WET Basements and Crawlspaces

My college degree is in geology. I had a focus on hydrogeology and geomorphology. Hydrogeology is the study of ground water and how it MOVES through soil and rock.

Geomorphology is the study of the surface of the earth. Think hills, valleys and other shapes.

Mix these two together with some common sense and you quickly DISCOVER how to STOP WATER from entering a basement or crawlspace.

CLICK HERE to see how it’s done.

I’ll Call You

Do you have a problem around your home you need help with? I’m now making no less than four or five FREE phone calls per week.

The calls are FREE. All you have to do is supply me with two or three decent photos so I can SEE what’s going on.

If you want me to call you, take a few photos and then CLICK HERE and fill out the form. Or, just send them out of your phone to my email address - you’ve already got it if you’re reading this - and send me a simple email with the photos attached.

I’d say that’s enough for a Sunday.

Be SURE to read that story about my first general contracting experience. CLICK HERE for it.

Tim Carter Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com On-Demand Radio Captain Magic

Do It Right, Not Over!

The post March 25, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter appeared first on Ask the Builder.

[winstonsalempainting]

Visiting Raleigh with My Remodeling Besties — and the HARD Work of Saving Etta

It’s becoming almost a tradition now… whenever I visit a DIY pal at their home, I seem to want to get my hands dirty by helping them with a project. In this case… very dirty at Etta!

If you haven’t been following along with Brittany from Pretty Handy Girl and her Saving Etta project, you’ll see lots more info on that below. But first, I’m going to start from the beginning on what prompted my trip to visit her and the other (non-old-house-filth-covered) fun we had! Consider this post a play-by-play on what it would be like to tag along with us for the weekend. :)

Being a DIY or remodeling blogger is… a weird job, to say the least. Between photography (which takes a little getting used to — trying to remember to stop, take off your safety gloves for a photo while there’s enough light, get back to work — it really takes time to “train” yourself to do it!), planning your schedules, getting things just right on social media so it reaches people, the actual writing, time for labor/the work itself, maintaining a website, finding appropriate sponsors (and saying no to all of the bad ones), negotiating contracts and conference calls with brands, editing photos, improving your skills on all of the above through training classes, styling interiors, making sure you aren’t a total moron with building codes and remodeling skills, etc….

…basically, it’s a lot to get. If you’re lucky, you can hire out some of these things, but many of us (like me) do a little bit of everything by ourselves. And no one really gets that quite like another remodeling blogger, especially the mentorship aspect of it. That catching up and camaraderie and sense that they go through similar obstacles is very comforting. But we also don’t live near each other and we stay immersed in our own to-do lists 24/7, which is why Brittany from Pretty Handy Girl and Sandra from Sawdust Girl and I (and others) have begun to make more effort to see each other in person at least once a year. Unlike the go-go-go agenda of attending a conference (like Haven and early next year I’ll be going to a woodworking one), this kind of get-together is more relaxed. We still work (I even brought a project of mine so I could use one of Brittany’s tools to meet a deadline this past week), but it’s also full of great memories with some close friends.These two ladies not only do the blogging juggling act like I do, they also raise families and are beginning their own restoration/flip houses, and I’m soooo excited to see them advancing to bigger and more amazing things. Being friends with people you consider your mentors is a really incredible thing, and I feel very blessed I get to call these ladies my friends.

As I said, I was in the middle of a project (or eight) but we’d been planning this trip for a few months, so I simply packed up the most urgent project with my luggage on Friday afternoon and hit the 5 1/2 hour road trip to visit Brittany at her home. I’d never actually been to her house before (our trip last year was actually to a beach with Leen from Sand Dollar Lane and Karah from The Space Between who couldn’t make it this time unfortunately), so it was quite a treat when you feel like you’ve visited someone else’s home many times via the web and then actually step foot inside. Her house is much bigger than I thought, and her craft space is no joke one of the most organized places I’ve ever seen that also happens to have glitter inside of it (trust me, that’s no easy feat). Still, despite her fantastic hospitality, the real star for me was her pup, Bandit. Just… he’s so damn sweet and I adored him from the moment we met.

All of the hearts for this sweet pup. <3 <3 <3 (photo: Brittany)

Sandra arrived first, so once I got to Brittany’s, we immediately sat down on Friday night to just talk blog, life, projects, etc. before hitting the hay.

Saturday

The next morning, I got up uncharacteristically early to knock out a few emails and photo edits until the house started stirring. We then tuned in to another online pal of ours (Youtuber and seasoned DIY pro, April Wilkerson) to see her pilot (House Hacks) on HGTV. After sending her some quick goofy videos letting her know we were watching, we then made a late breakfast, talked projects, and came up with our game plan for the day.

The first place we stopped was Brittany’s house project, which she has nicknamed “Saving Etta” — an old home that is in such disrepair, you really should go watch her Facebook live video of mine and Sandra’s reactions as we walked around for the first time! She also shared with us the future plans, the layout, and what the upper floor will look like once added (so cool!). If anyone can bring back this home’s former glory, it’s definitely Brittany. It looks incredibly scary at this stage, but I was incredibly excited at the entire idea of eventually taking on an old home myself. I’d need to get a contractor’s license (probably) for such a thing, but for now I’ll live vicariously through her updates (btw, Sandra also has her own project house she’s working on, which you can see right here).

Next, we were all in need of a caffeine boost and stopped by Sola Coffee… a local place that also gave me a lot of DIY ideas to ponder over (I’ve been brainstorming a way to make my own curtain rods throughout the house but wanted a unique twist, and I think I’ve found it!).

After visiting a small pop-up market (where we ran into Liz from My Grandmother’s Old Singer — hi!!) and lunch at Relish, we then spent the late afternoon shopping around for holiday decorations and hugging giant apes at Homegoods.

Back at Brittany’s for the rest of the evening, we chose to take it easy with some pizza and painting, but we needed to do a little DIY first. Brittany found a gift at Homegoods she wanted to hack (it came on really cheap wood and she wanted to beef it up with some of her own scrap), while I took the opportunity to work on the woodworking project I’d brought with me. Thank goodness for friends with band saws!

If you think I’m shallow enough to quick-edit my double chin from this photo, you’re absolutely right. ;)

Sunday

It’s no surprise that a weekend like this one was going to go by quick, so I finished up a few more steps on my project after breakfast while Sandra got packed up to head back home. Originally I’d planned to stay an entire extra day, but I’d gotten some news about a delivery I would need to be back at home for, so Brittany and I tried to make the most out of the rest of the afternoon by working on Etta:

I’ve never worked on a house with this much demo, and despite my experience in repairing drywall, the whole lath-and-plaster thing was a big change, too. And HEAVY!

But we managed to knock out the rest of the job in one of the first rooms to take out the lath and plaster, preserve as many of the original baseboards as possible, and clean up the debris — giving me a deeper appreciation for what Brittany has in for with the rest of the house. Phew!

As soon as I got back to Brittany’s, my project had finished drying and it was time to head home. I did a quick change and hopped in the car, spending the next 5 1/2 hours singing to a road trip playlist and being grateful I actually remembered to take a few photos of the trip. Maybe next year we’ll actually sit down. ;)

DIY remodeling is hardly glamorous.

How was your weekend? Work on anything special?

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The post Visiting Raleigh with My Remodeling Besties — and the HARD Work of Saving Etta appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

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Read more http://ift.tt/2ydH7zr Areas served: Winston-Salem, High Point, Yadkinville, Mocksville, Advance, Clemmons, Kernersville, Greensboro, Walnut Cove, Statesville, NC, North Carolina Services: House painting, roofing, deck building, landscaping, Carpentry, Flooring, tile, hardwood, remodeling, home improvement, interior, exterior

[emoryjrice71]

March 25, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

New subscriber? Greetings! Past patron? TNX, as we say in Morse, for your continued attention and trust!

Winter won’t let go here in central New Hampshire. I woke up this morning to a fresh inch of snow. It will melt today, but that’s not the point.

You may already be in flip flops and a t-shirt. That’s why I’m going to start sharing tips about spring and summer.

Let’s start with a fantastic gas can I’ve been testing for a month.

SureCan Gas Can

I’ve tried many gas cans looking for the perfect combination of features. I’ve finally found the Holy Grail of gas cans.

Here’s what I don’t like about other gas cans:

spout is too short requiring a pesky funnel

handle wrong orientation when filling - wrist bend

spout in the way when not pouring

hard to control flow

The SureCan solves all these. The spout ROTATES down so you can fill while the can stays in the same position ALL THE TIME.

The flow of gasoline can be controlled with ease by how much pressure you apply as you squeeze a lever. If you want a trickle, just give it a slight push. Full flow? Squeeze away baby. Look at the photo below. Note how the black lever is pushed down by the man’s thumb and gas is now flowing.

That black lever has a NICE safety underneath it. You have to squeeze the safety before the black lever will go down.

CLICK HERE to order one NOW.

Remember, I only share links to products that I use myself. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my SureCan gas can!

On-Demand Radio Show 4

My good friend Chuck uploaded my fourth FREE on-demand radio show on Friday morning. Already without telling you just under 100 people have listened to it. It costs you NOTHING to listen.

What does that mean to YOU that so many have beat you to it? It means:

my on-demand show is gaining traction

others are getting FREE TIPS you’re ignoring

others are SAVING MONEY that you’re wasting

I talked with Robert, Bob and Sue last week on the phone.

Robert’s got a cracked floor joist under his bathroom. Bob wants to know if it’s SAFE to use chemical weed killers and fertilizers on his rural lawn. Sue’s got some rotten wood siding panels and wants to know the most cost-effective way to permanently repair them.

I end with a pretty funny story about my first job acting as a general contractor. I’ve uploaded a written TRANSCRIPT of that story should you just want to read it. Scroll down to get to it.

CLICK HERE to listen to my latest FREE on-demand radio show.

If you want to listen to my first THREE on-demand radio shows, CLICK HERE.

Attic Ventilation - The Real Scoop

A few days ago, I revised my past column about attic ventilation. There’s lots of hocus-pocus out there concerning this topic.

I’m STUNNED by the amount of information that’s not based in science I see at other websites. BE CAREFUL of following that other advice.

CLICK HERE to see how to COOL DOWN your attic. You need to do the work NOW before it gets too damn hot to be up in your attic or on your roof.

Clean Kitchen & Bath Cabinets

I had a subscriber contact me asking if our certified organic Stain Solver oxygen bleach was safe to use on kitchen or bath cabinets to deep clean them. This person had been ill and not been able to clean on a regular basis and things got a little out of hand.

The answer is YES it’s SAFE to use Stain Solver on cabinets. This is because most painted cabinets are not damaged by sunlight. Sunlight breaks down the resins and pigments in paint.

Stain Solver will remove sun-damaged resin and color pigments. You WANT to remove these if you’re repainting the outside of your home.

But if you’re cleaning inside, you don’t want to harm the paint. Stain Solver is SAFE on interior paints. Look at the stunning Before and After photos of these gorgeous cabinets:

The After photo is just below. What a difference. The subscriber just mixed up some of the Stain Solver powder with HOT water.

She stirred the powder for a minute and then poured the solution into a small hand-pump spray bottle.

She spritzed the painted cabinet and let the solution work for just ten minutes. Then she rubbed the surface with a nice sponge.

The dark line above the lower handle is not dirt. The paint has worn away here because fingernails catch on that groove. The woman shared this because she didn’t want anyone to think the Stain Solver didn’t work in that spot. CLICK HERE to order some Stain Solver now.

Spring Means WET Basements and Crawlspaces

My college degree is in geology. I had a focus on hydrogeology and geomorphology. Hydrogeology is the study of ground water and how it MOVES through soil and rock.

Geomorphology is the study of the surface of the earth. Think hills, valleys and other shapes.

Mix these two together with some common sense and you quickly DISCOVER how to STOP WATER from entering a basement or crawlspace.

CLICK HERE to see how it’s done.

I’ll Call You

Do you have a problem around your home you need help with? I’m now making no less than four or five FREE phone calls per week.

The calls are FREE. All you have to do is supply me with two or three decent photos so I can SEE what’s going on.

If you want me to call you, take a few photos and then CLICK HERE and fill out the form. Or, just send them out of your phone to my email address - you’ve already got it if you’re reading this - and send me a simple email with the photos attached.

I’d say that’s enough for a Sunday.

Be SURE to read that story about my first general contracting experience. CLICK HERE for it.

Tim Carter Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com On-Demand Radio Captain Magic

Do It Right, Not Over!

The post March 25, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter appeared first on Ask the Builder.

[emoryjrice71]

March 25, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

New subscriber? Greetings! Past patron? TNX, as we say in Morse, for your continued attention and trust!

Winter won’t let go here in central New Hampshire. I woke up this morning to a fresh inch of snow. It will melt today, but that’s not the point.

You may already be in flip flops and a t-shirt. That’s why I’m going to start sharing tips about spring and summer.

Let’s start with a fantastic gas can I’ve been testing for a month.

SureCan Gas Can

I’ve tried many gas cans looking for the perfect combination of features. I’ve finally found the Holy Grail of gas cans.

Here’s what I don’t like about other gas cans:

spout is too short requiring a pesky funnel

handle wrong orientation when filling - wrist bend

spout in the way when not pouring

hard to control flow

The SureCan solves all these. The spout ROTATES down so you can fill while the can stays in the same position ALL THE TIME.

The flow of gasoline can be controlled with ease by how much pressure you apply as you squeeze a lever. If you want a trickle, just give it a slight push. Full flow? Squeeze away baby. Look at the photo below. Note how the black lever is pushed down by the man’s thumb and gas is now flowing.

That black lever has a NICE safety underneath it. You have to squeeze the safety before the black lever will go down.

CLICK HERE to order one NOW.

Remember, I only share links to products that I use myself. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my SureCan gas can!

On-Demand Radio Show 4

My good friend Chuck uploaded my fourth FREE on-demand radio show on Friday morning. Already without telling you just under 100 people have listened to it. It costs you NOTHING to listen.

What does that mean to YOU that so many have beat you to it? It means:

my on-demand show is gaining traction

others are getting FREE TIPS you’re ignoring

others are SAVING MONEY that you’re wasting

I talked with Robert, Bob and Sue last week on the phone.

Robert’s got a cracked floor joist under his bathroom. Bob wants to know if it’s SAFE to use chemical weed killers and fertilizers on his rural lawn. Sue’s got some rotten wood siding panels and wants to know the most cost-effective way to permanently repair them.

I end with a pretty funny story about my first job acting as a general contractor. I’ve uploaded a written TRANSCRIPT of that story should you just want to read it. Scroll down to get to it.

CLICK HERE to listen to my latest FREE on-demand radio show.

If you want to listen to my first THREE on-demand radio shows, CLICK HERE.

Attic Ventilation - The Real Scoop

A few days ago, I revised my past column about attic ventilation. There’s lots of hocus-pocus out there concerning this topic.

I’m STUNNED by the amount of information that’s not based in science I see at other websites. BE CAREFUL of following that other advice.

CLICK HERE to see how to COOL DOWN your attic. You need to do the work NOW before it gets too damn hot to be up in your attic or on your roof.

Clean Kitchen & Bath Cabinets

I had a subscriber contact me asking if our certified organic Stain Solver oxygen bleach was safe to use on kitchen or bath cabinets to deep clean them. This person had been ill and not been able to clean on a regular basis and things got a little out of hand.

The answer is YES it’s SAFE to use Stain Solver on cabinets. This is because most painted cabinets are not damaged by sunlight. Sunlight breaks down the resins and pigments in paint.

Stain Solver will remove sun-damaged resin and color pigments. You WANT to remove these if you’re repainting the outside of your home.

But if you’re cleaning inside, you don’t want to harm the paint. Stain Solver is SAFE on interior paints. Look at the stunning Before and After photos of these gorgeous cabinets:

The After photo is just below. What a difference. The subscriber just mixed up some of the Stain Solver powder with HOT water.

She stirred the powder for a minute and then poured the solution into a small hand-pump spray bottle.

She spritzed the painted cabinet and let the solution work for just ten minutes. Then she rubbed the surface with a nice sponge.

The dark line above the lower handle is not dirt. The paint has worn away here because fingernails catch on that groove. The woman shared this because she didn’t want anyone to think the Stain Solver didn’t work in that spot. CLICK HERE to order some Stain Solver now.

Spring Means WET Basements and Crawlspaces

My college degree is in geology. I had a focus on hydrogeology and geomorphology. Hydrogeology is the study of ground water and how it MOVES through soil and rock.

Geomorphology is the study of the surface of the earth. Think hills, valleys and other shapes.

Mix these two together with some common sense and you quickly DISCOVER how to STOP WATER from entering a basement or crawlspace.

CLICK HERE to see how it’s done.

I’ll Call You

Do you have a problem around your home you need help with? I’m now making no less than four or five FREE phone calls per week.

The calls are FREE. All you have to do is supply me with two or three decent photos so I can SEE what’s going on.

If you want me to call you, take a few photos and then CLICK HERE and fill out the form. Or, just send them out of your phone to my email address - you’ve already got it if you’re reading this - and send me a simple email with the photos attached.

I’d say that’s enough for a Sunday.

Be SURE to read that story about my first general contracting experience. CLICK HERE for it.

Tim Carter Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com On-Demand Radio Captain Magic

Do It Right, Not Over!

The post March 25, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter appeared first on Ask the Builder.

[emoryjrice71]

March 25, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

New subscriber? Greetings! Past patron? TNX, as we say in Morse, for your continued attention and trust!

Winter won't let go here in central New Hampshire. I woke up this morning to a fresh inch of snow. It will melt today, but that's not the point.

You may already be in flip flops and a t-shirt. That's why I'm going to start sharing tips about spring and summer.

Let's start with a fantastic gas can I've been testing for a month.

SureCan Gas Can

I've tried many gas cans looking for the perfect combination of features. I've finally found the Holy Grail of gas cans.

Here's what I don't like about other gas cans:

spout is too short requiring a pesky funnel

handle wrong orientation when filling - wrist bend

spout in the way when not pouring

hard to control flow

The SureCan solves all these. The spout ROTATES down so you can fill while the can stays in the same position ALL THE TIME.

The flow of gasoline can be controlled with ease by how much pressure you apply as you squeeze a lever. If you want a trickle, just give it a slight push. Full flow? Squeeze away baby. Look at the photo below. Note how the black lever is pushed down by the man's thumb and gas is now flowing.

That black lever has a NICE safety underneath it. You have to squeeze the safety before the black lever will go down.

CLICK HERE to order one NOW.

Remember, I only share links to products that I use myself. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my SureCan gas can!

On-Demand Radio Show 4

My good friend Chuck uploaded my fourth FREE on-demand radio show on Friday morning. Already without telling you just under 100 people have listened to it. It costs you NOTHING to listen.

What does that mean to YOU that so many have beat you to it? It means:

my on-demand show is gaining traction

others are getting FREE TIPS you're ignoring

others are SAVING MONEY that you're wasting

I talked with Robert, Bob and Sue last week on the phone.

Robert's got a cracked floor joist under his bathroom. Bob wants to know if it's SAFE to use chemical weed killers and fertilizers on his rural lawn. Sue's got some rotten wood siding panels and wants to know the most cost-effective way to permanently repair them.

I end with a pretty funny story about my first job acting as a general contractor. I've uploaded a written TRANSCRIPT of that story should you just want to read it. Scroll down to get to it.

CLICK HERE to listen to my latest FREE on-demand radio show.

If you want to listen to my first THREE on-demand radio shows, CLICK HERE.

Attic Ventilation - The Real Scoop

A few days ago, I revised my past column about attic ventilation. There's lots of hocus-pocus out there concerning this topic.

I'm STUNNED by the amount of information that's not based in science I see at other websites. BE CAREFUL of following that other advice.

CLICK HERE to see how to COOL DOWN your attic. You need to do the work NOW before it gets too damn hot to be up in your attic or on your roof.

Clean Kitchen & Bath Cabinets

I had a subscriber contact me asking if our certified organic Stain Solver oxygen bleach was safe to use on kitchen or bath cabinets to deep clean them. This person had been ill and not been able to clean on a regular basis and things got a little out of hand.

The answer is YES it's SAFE to use Stain Solver on cabinets. This is because most painted cabinets are not damaged by sunlight. Sunlight breaks down the resins and pigments in paint.

Stain Solver will remove sun-damaged resin and color pigments. You WANT to remove these if you're repainting the outside of your home.

But if you're cleaning inside, you don't want to harm the paint. Stain Solver is SAFE on interior paints. Look at the stunning Before and After photos of these gorgeous cabinets:

The After photo is just below. What a difference. The subscriber just mixed up some of the Stain Solver powder with HOT water.

She stirred the powder for a minute and then poured the solution into a small hand-pump spray bottle.

She spritzed the painted cabinet and let the solution work for just ten minutes. Then she rubbed the surface with a nice sponge.

The dark line above the lower handle is not dirt. The paint has worn away here because fingernails catch on that groove. The woman shared this because she didn't want anyone to think the Stain Solver didn't work in that spot. CLICK HERE to order some Stain Solver now.

Spring Means WET Basements and Crawlspaces

My college degree is in geology. I had a focus on hydrogeology and geomorphology. Hydrogeology is the study of ground water and how it MOVES through soil and rock.

Geomorphology is the study of the surface of the earth. Think hills, valleys and other shapes.

Mix these two together with some common sense and you quickly DISCOVER how to STOP WATER from entering a basement or crawlspace.

CLICK HERE to see how it's done.

I'll Call You

Do you have a problem around your home you need help with? I'm now making no less than four or five FREE phone calls per week.

The calls are FREE. All you have to do is supply me with two or three decent photos so I can SEE what's going on.

If you want me to call you, take a few photos and then CLICK HERE and fill out the form. Or, just send them out of your phone to my email address - you've already got it if you're reading this - and send me a simple email with the photos attached.

I'd say that's enough for a Sunday.

Be SURE to read that story about my first general contracting experience. CLICK HERE for it.

Tim Carter Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com On-Demand Radio Captain Magic

Do It Right, Not Over!

The post March 25, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter appeared first on Ask the Builder.