The Band with No Name is having one of its last 3 practices today. Next Saturday we debut at Pete’s July 4th Party. If you didn’t get the invitation from Pete, I can’t really help you, but rest assured, I will miss your presence! When I fire the Les Paul up and crank the Music Man hybrid amp up to “11”, I want people’s ears to bleed with pleasure. (Not mine, I’ll be wearing ear plugs to retain what little is left of my hearing. I envision my bust alongside that of Ludwig Van’s in some future comparison of deaf musical prodigies!) Pity if you miss out.
But rest assured, You Tube versions of our “talent” will be forthcoming. And maybe, with a little luck, we’ll break into the bar circuit with a vengeance, playing gigs every Friday and Saturday night from San Diego to Lake Tahoe. We’ll be like the Med Fly phenomena of the 1980’s, infecting the boondocks and backwater towns of our great state with a hype rarely experienced in a human’s short existence.
How does one go from garage band to Bar Band? And is it ultimately worth the trouble? I have to admit, when my guitar playing is good, it is a thing of raw beauty. To me, it is like watching somebody else on stage. But I decided long ago that in music, it’s not how well you play or what you know, it’s who you know, and how many hours, days, and weeks can you keep your sanity riding around in a tour bus, opening shows for Rat Dog, or Seether.
And I can’t really pursue a musical performance career at this stage of life. After all, I’m an old man - I just celebrated the 19th anniversary of my 30th birthday. Yet something in me loves to wake up the “guitar player” and put him on display.
I’m really sorry if you can’t be there to watch. But I’ll tell you how it goes!
In case anyone cares, Executive Painting and Texture is my company. We are Santa Clarita’s most educated painters, and when we paint your house, we promise not to kick your cat or leave additional children at your home. We’ll just paint it and make it look really nice. You’ll want to show all of your friends and brag about the guitar-playing-astronomer painter that made your family room a work of art. Please visit our website at www.executivepainting.net
And shop smart at HotSpotSCV.com for internet coupons and the hottest deals in the Santa Clarita Valley!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Bathroom Remodel, Part IV
So where were we? Let’s see, the wall paper is gone. Skim coat and minor repairs made the wall smooth and even. And we shot on a texture coat.
The process for texture coating inside a bathroom is probably like working in a hospital room. Everything is wrapped and protected against invasion by foreign bodies – the floor, shower doors, shower walls, counter top, wainscot, chair rail, toilet, and everything nailed down is masked off with tape, paper and plastic. Nothing can leak onto the floor, overspray can’t mess up the smooth surfaces.
We mix up some topping compound to the consistency of pancake batter, and pour it into the hopper, select a spray nozzle for the correct size texture (in this case we chose a light splatter – a little larger than orange peel texture), hook up the compressor, and BAM! Spray that sucker all over the walls and ceiling.
Note of caution: clean the bottom of your shoes before leaving the protected area! I had gobs of goo on my shoes, and I don’t think my customer would appreciate me leaving a trail of gooey footprints on the carpet!
So, up to date now, yesterday we sealed the texture with a PVA primer (recommended for new drywall and texture.) That was after we ran a sponge over the textured surfaces, to smooth out the ridges in the new texture. We also searched the surfaces for uncharacteristic texture and corrected with a can of spray texture.
While the primer was drying, I applied the first of 3 color coats – a semi-gloss Vanilla Tan, which is a soft white. And the bathroom is starting to shape up!
Next step is to apply the other 2 colors, which will happen in the next couple of days. Stay tuned!
And don’t forget, you could do this for yourself. Its not rocket science, its just painting! But it is a mess, and it helps to have a little experience behind you, especially for shooting texture on the walls. If you don’t want the hassle of doing it yourself, call on Santa Clarita’s patriotic painters, Executive Painting and Texture. www.executivepainting.net
Thanks again to our friends at www.HotSpotSCV.com
The process for texture coating inside a bathroom is probably like working in a hospital room. Everything is wrapped and protected against invasion by foreign bodies – the floor, shower doors, shower walls, counter top, wainscot, chair rail, toilet, and everything nailed down is masked off with tape, paper and plastic. Nothing can leak onto the floor, overspray can’t mess up the smooth surfaces.
We mix up some topping compound to the consistency of pancake batter, and pour it into the hopper, select a spray nozzle for the correct size texture (in this case we chose a light splatter – a little larger than orange peel texture), hook up the compressor, and BAM! Spray that sucker all over the walls and ceiling.
Note of caution: clean the bottom of your shoes before leaving the protected area! I had gobs of goo on my shoes, and I don’t think my customer would appreciate me leaving a trail of gooey footprints on the carpet!
So, up to date now, yesterday we sealed the texture with a PVA primer (recommended for new drywall and texture.) That was after we ran a sponge over the textured surfaces, to smooth out the ridges in the new texture. We also searched the surfaces for uncharacteristic texture and corrected with a can of spray texture.
While the primer was drying, I applied the first of 3 color coats – a semi-gloss Vanilla Tan, which is a soft white. And the bathroom is starting to shape up!
Next step is to apply the other 2 colors, which will happen in the next couple of days. Stay tuned!
And don’t forget, you could do this for yourself. Its not rocket science, its just painting! But it is a mess, and it helps to have a little experience behind you, especially for shooting texture on the walls. If you don’t want the hassle of doing it yourself, call on Santa Clarita’s patriotic painters, Executive Painting and Texture. www.executivepainting.net
Thanks again to our friends at www.HotSpotSCV.com
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Patio Cover Repair
When you're self employed, its good to have a reality check.
I just finished a patio cover repair, where there was a lot of wood with dry rot. It wasn't in the budget to replace the whole structure, so we (the customer and I) set about identifying all the parts that were in a state of deterioration - quite a lot, it turns out. When I counted up all the 2-by-3's that were effected, and added 10% for waste, I came up with 50 pieces - That ran almost $400.
There were also major pieces of the structure that I would have liked to replace, but would have required demolishing most of the structure to do so. We decided to scrape out any signs of dry rot, treat the lumber with Copper Napthenate, and fill the gouges with an exterior quality wood filler.
The new lumber was sealed with Kilz2 (my 2nd favorite primer, at about 65% of the cost of my favorite), painted with the customer's White Exterior Semi Gloss, and assembled the whole thing like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
The patio cover looks great, it passed inspection, and the home will close escrow on time in a few more days. Hooray!! And the reality check? My finished project came in at about $400 less than my competitor, who did not include painting in his bid. My competitor also did not include treating the structural pieces in his bid. I guess that puts me in at close to $1000 under on this project. Good for me, except I wouldn't mind having an extra grand in my pocket.
Check out my website for Executive Painting and Texture, the nicest painters in Santa Clarita: www.executivepainting.net
And for other great deals and discounts, take a look at HotSpotSCV.com
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Astronomy
Well, I did it. I submitted my podcast contribution to the 365 Days of Astronomy daily podcast. I'm no Astronomer, but I do take an interest in the subject.
Other contributions have been about Supernovas (Supernovae?), Black Holes, Galaxies, Exotic Matter, and the like. But my podcast relates Space Travel in Science Fiction to the real science of moving people and probes to distant parts of our solar system, our galaxy, and one day, the far side of the universe.
You can listen to the experts daily at http://365daysofastronomy.org/. For my contribution, you'll have to wait until Sunday, June 28. Please give it a listen, and send me a note at handymanvance@gmail.com. I'd love to hear what you think!
Thanks to Dr. Pamela Gay and Frasier Cain from Astronomycast, for inspiring me to participate in this International Year of Astronomy, in celebration of the 400th anniversary of Galileo turning the telescope towards the night sky, and opening man's eyes to the universe.
I would be remiss if I did not also thank Executive Painting and Texture, Santa Clarita's premiere painters, at www.executivepainting.net, and www.hotspotscv.com
Saturday, June 6, 2009
So you want a crappy paint job?
I recently bid on painting a 3 bedroom rental condo. Somebody else came in at half the price that I quoted. I racked my brain, trying to figure out how anybody working for a living could to the job at that price, and live to paint again.
Everybody wants a good deal - I understand that. And there are a lot of painters in Santa Clarita, so naturally I want to be competitive. But half of my price? Do these cheap painters have a truck? ladders? paint brushes and rollers? a sprayer? Do they maintain their equipment? Do they pay their employees? their taxes? Are the licensed, bonded, and insured? I suspected not.
After the painting was finished, I was called back to that condo to look at some other work, which the customer did ask me to do. I walked into the condo, and from across the room, I could see right through the new paint to the old paint, which was a different color than the new. It was so obvious, so unprofessional, so hideous, that I had to call my customer and ask if they had been to the property since it was painted. She had not, so I described what I saw.
My customer apologized to me, and said had she known how bad it would turn out, she would have given me the job at the price I quoted, citing the old adage, "You get what you pay for!"
The moral of this story is, there are 3 kinds of painting: Pretty good, Excellent, and Crap. At Executive Painting and Texture, Santa Clarita's professional painting contractors, we only do excellent.
I have the other guy's phone number if you want crap.
Please visit our website at www.executivepainting.net for our lates specials for painting your home, office, or showroom. Thanks to our friends at www.HotspotSCV.com, where you can find the best deals on just about anything in SCV!
Everybody wants a good deal - I understand that. And there are a lot of painters in Santa Clarita, so naturally I want to be competitive. But half of my price? Do these cheap painters have a truck? ladders? paint brushes and rollers? a sprayer? Do they maintain their equipment? Do they pay their employees? their taxes? Are the licensed, bonded, and insured? I suspected not.
After the painting was finished, I was called back to that condo to look at some other work, which the customer did ask me to do. I walked into the condo, and from across the room, I could see right through the new paint to the old paint, which was a different color than the new. It was so obvious, so unprofessional, so hideous, that I had to call my customer and ask if they had been to the property since it was painted. She had not, so I described what I saw.
My customer apologized to me, and said had she known how bad it would turn out, she would have given me the job at the price I quoted, citing the old adage, "You get what you pay for!"
The moral of this story is, there are 3 kinds of painting: Pretty good, Excellent, and Crap. At Executive Painting and Texture, Santa Clarita's professional painting contractors, we only do excellent.
I have the other guy's phone number if you want crap.
Please visit our website at www.executivepainting.net for our lates specials for painting your home, office, or showroom. Thanks to our friends at www.HotspotSCV.com, where you can find the best deals on just about anything in SCV!
Friday, June 5, 2009
The Band Whose Name We Do Not Speak
Today I just want to say, "Rock On" to the Band Whose Name We Do Not Speak.
And don't forget to check out the best painters in Santa Clarita, Executive Painting and Texture, at www.executivepainting.net. Thanks to our Interwebs partner, HotspotSCR at www.hotspotscv.com
And don't forget to check out the best painters in Santa Clarita, Executive Painting and Texture, at www.executivepainting.net. Thanks to our Interwebs partner, HotspotSCR at www.hotspotscv.com
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Self Employed to Employer
I was saying that I'm moving from the S portion to the E portion of the Cash Flow Quadrant by Robert Kiyosaki.
The "joy" of being my own boss, relying on and answering to nobody but me, has become a trudging daily exercise in doing work, finding work, and following up. I do a lot of networking, meeting with prospective clients, writing proposals, shopping for materials, tool and vehicle maintenance, practicing various painting techniques (like faux finishes and venetian plaster), keeping on top of my email, trips to the bank, trips to the mail box, phone calls to everyone, etc., etc.
My day starts at 5 am and many times doesn't end until midnight.
Making the move to "Employer", if done properly, should allow me to deligate many of these tasks, as well as creating a painting machine that doesn't rely on my being there every step of the job.
I have a lot to do before I reach this goal. But it has become my passion to be the premiere painter in Santa Clarita, California. We are Executive Painting and Texture.
Check out our website at www.executivepainting.net and our partners in creating business, www.hotspotscv.com, and my network at http://www.bni-scav.com/chapterlist.htm (the Nitro Chapter).
Please feel free to comment on this post!
The "joy" of being my own boss, relying on and answering to nobody but me, has become a trudging daily exercise in doing work, finding work, and following up. I do a lot of networking, meeting with prospective clients, writing proposals, shopping for materials, tool and vehicle maintenance, practicing various painting techniques (like faux finishes and venetian plaster), keeping on top of my email, trips to the bank, trips to the mail box, phone calls to everyone, etc., etc.
My day starts at 5 am and many times doesn't end until midnight.
Making the move to "Employer", if done properly, should allow me to deligate many of these tasks, as well as creating a painting machine that doesn't rely on my being there every step of the job.
I have a lot to do before I reach this goal. But it has become my passion to be the premiere painter in Santa Clarita, California. We are Executive Painting and Texture.
Check out our website at www.executivepainting.net and our partners in creating business, www.hotspotscv.com, and my network at http://www.bni-scav.com/chapterlist.htm (the Nitro Chapter).
Please feel free to comment on this post!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Employee, to self employed, to employer
Just for starters, let's establish that I have never been one to happily follow the path that others have already taken. I refer to my choice in careers, which at this time and for the past 9 years, has been to be self employed.
When I took this fork in the road, my thought was only to avoid the bureaucracy and opaque image that lay along the other path - create a glorified resume qualifying me as a customer satisfaction driven hard working outstanding electronics technician with supervisor experience. I had a job that I enjoyed until I decided to assert the kind of philosphy in business that I knew would make the customer happy: Attention to detail.
Let me just say about this that I could have ignored the unprofessional behavior of the scallywag that was foisted on my team. I could have been less honest about my company's product performance. I could have retired at that company. Instead I tried to improve the shortcomings that I perceived, and for that, as usually is the case, I suffered the search for the guilty, the persecution of the innocent.
I fell into the trade "handyman" while promoting myself back into the roll of the employed.
One thing about being self employed: probably not the place to be if you want to get someplace in life.
I read The Cash Quadrant by Robert Kiyosaki. It made me realize that successful business models, successfully executed, do successfull business. It is not a loan individual who makes it in this world. The savy business owner/operator is able to direct and mold other skilled and motivated people into his partners and in so doing, create wealth.
The result is my still young painting company in Santa Clarita, Ca., Executive Painting and Texture. We do interior and exterior painting, drywall repairs, textured surfaces, faux finishes, murals, borders, etc. We belong to the SCV Chamber of Commerce, SCV Concierge group, and BNI. We are in the Yellow Pages and at www.yellowpages.com, but our favorite Hot Spot for advertising and great deals in Santa Clarita is www.hotspotscv.com. Visit our website at www.executivepainting.net.
When I took this fork in the road, my thought was only to avoid the bureaucracy and opaque image that lay along the other path - create a glorified resume qualifying me as a customer satisfaction driven hard working outstanding electronics technician with supervisor experience. I had a job that I enjoyed until I decided to assert the kind of philosphy in business that I knew would make the customer happy: Attention to detail.
Let me just say about this that I could have ignored the unprofessional behavior of the scallywag that was foisted on my team. I could have been less honest about my company's product performance. I could have retired at that company. Instead I tried to improve the shortcomings that I perceived, and for that, as usually is the case, I suffered the search for the guilty, the persecution of the innocent.
I fell into the trade "handyman" while promoting myself back into the roll of the employed.
One thing about being self employed: probably not the place to be if you want to get someplace in life.
I read The Cash Quadrant by Robert Kiyosaki. It made me realize that successful business models, successfully executed, do successfull business. It is not a loan individual who makes it in this world. The savy business owner/operator is able to direct and mold other skilled and motivated people into his partners and in so doing, create wealth.
The result is my still young painting company in Santa Clarita, Ca., Executive Painting and Texture. We do interior and exterior painting, drywall repairs, textured surfaces, faux finishes, murals, borders, etc. We belong to the SCV Chamber of Commerce, SCV Concierge group, and BNI. We are in the Yellow Pages and at www.yellowpages.com, but our favorite Hot Spot for advertising and great deals in Santa Clarita is www.hotspotscv.com. Visit our website at www.executivepainting.net.
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