Genesis 1:3

In all seriousness, it does feel like some sort of religious moment.

Just because I lived in Vermont, doesn't mean I meant Genesis 1:29.

Cell Phones

Conversation between occupy husband and wife via instant messenger:

Re: broken cell phone

her: my seven is officially dead!!  and so is my send. why oh why do these little machines have to be such a pain in the ass
him: lets see what we can do after work
him: I make custom 7's you know
her: and sends?
him: let me fire up sketchup

Thoughts on Colors

Choosing a color to paint a room *should* be the fun part, but I'm not really big on choices.  In my opinion, the choices are all shades of the exact same thing.

Case in point: take a look at these whites and grays.

The names on these are annoying to say the least

In my ideal world, "choosing" colors would be more like waiting in the bread line in Soviet Russia.   You would pull up with your empty canister of paint, and an old babushka with sunken eyes would serve the color-du-joir with big steel ladle.  Its like Christmas as you open up your canister of paint to reveal the spectacular color within: gray. Except you are living in the USSR (religion not tolerated), so national paint day is your Christmas.

Utopian paint line, in my mind

However, since I live in the US of A, I took a ride over to Sherwin-Williams at 10th and Washington.  The wife and I spent a whole five minutes reviewing the colors taped to the dresser before we made a decision.

We decided on "Reflection" gray

In my opinion, our choice has a remarkable resemblance to "sheetrock gray".  I know this because I've been staring at bare sheetrock on the occupy site for years.  I live"live" here.

Observe:

"Reflection"

"Sheetrock"

You decide.

My favorite part of the color names is the emotional buzzword engineering that goes into pulling at your heart strings.

Let's do some word associations...

The word "sheetrock" makes you think:

1. misery
2. dust
3. heavy lifting
4. indentured servitude of Mexican-American labor

"Sheetrock"

Whereas; "reflection" might make you think:
1. calm
2. yoga
3. introspection
4. mindful meditation

"Reflection"

I guess that's why they didn't chose "sheetrock" gray as the color name.

Originally, I wrote this post to announce the room color while simultaneously venting my frustrations of the perils of infinite choices in the modern world (and having an excuse to type the word "babushka").  But I took it to a whole different level.  I don't know.  I just think it's all too ridiculous.

I'll give you a moment to reflect.

Official Occupy Babushka armed with paint bucket, drop cloth, and paint roller extension bar

Пожалуйста.

Rip-Off

Loyal reader,

I have latex primed, oil primed, painted the ceiling a couple coats, and painted the walls a couple coats.

I free-handed all my cutting in throughout.  It worked pretty well.

I after a bzilliion hours of painting, this weekend I was completing the final step: Putting a semi-gloss on all the woodwork.  Rest assured, there is no shortage of woodwork.

At the bottom of the three-piece crown, I used a piece of ogee inverted. Typically, one would use this as a top cap for some baseboard.  (I just kind of made up my own crown moulding profile).

Ogee on bottom

If you actually click on that picture and see it full size, you will notice that there is only about 1/8" which would be parallel to the floor.  Cutting up to that when your brush is pressed against the wall is easy... Riding along that 1/8" ridge while painting the woodwork is an entirely different story.

And its upside down.  

And its above your head.

I started cutting in free hand. After the eight feet took like 15 minutes, I decided to use...... tape.

Reaching a new low

I used tape not just because I'm a true quitter, but I also thought it would actually save me time (the God's are laughing now).  No, really guys.  I thought if I could tape the rest of the bottom of the crown in less than 15 minutes, then slapping the paint on the crown would be a cinch (keep in mind, I had already cut-in by hand where the crown meets the ceiling with no problems).

Anyway, I get to the end of my tape run (literally, the last inch of tape I needed) and I tack it to the wall a bit misaligned.  So I pull it back to reset (you know where this is going)

Freakin A.  Culprit on the right hand side of picture.

Paint was over 24 hours dry. Two coats.

I'll just say this:

I will never, ever use tape again..

The remedy requires opening the joint compound bucket.  The above picture includes ones coat of joint compound (I put on two)

After sanding two coats of compound, and primer

Look at that semi-gloss shine on the crown!

Coat 1.0

Coat 2.0

Almost as good as new.  What a rip (pun intended).

Door bed

Have I mentioned on here before that I am building a bed next?

Colors not yet determined, work with me here

I'm building a bed. That's what I am using those doors for.

Bike Share Philadelphia

Meanwhile, outside of the job site...

Have you ever wanted Philadelphia join the rest of the civilized world and have a bike share program? As one of the most bike-able cities in the states, there is no reason not to have this.

Please take a peek at http://www.bikesharephiladelphia.org/ and support the cause.

Suggest a share location here

Take action and write to Nutter/Cutler, or continue to choke on exhausted fossil fuels.

Doors

My friend Joe brought me these 5-panel doors from his basement

What will I do with these...

Paint Preview

Looking good so far. When I have some time, I will finish my post on "thoughts on colors".

Good reminder of our starting point (wallpaper in other room)

This looks exactly like the sketch up model

It looks real professional.  As Dorothy said last night "it looks like a whole different house".  

Its been giving me a lot of hope about the house's potential.  Even thought I spent 5 hours last night just cutting in, and I probably only got around maybe 70% of the room.  One coat.  I'm not even using tape, so you can't count any taping time either!

It looks really crisp and clean, maybe even a bit modern?  I don't know.  I worry that its a little "Martha Stuart", which is my phrasing for 'old and conservative'.  I wanted to bring in classic details, without bringing the lifelessness that can sometimes rides shotgun.

I know what you're thinking ("why grey then?").  Its a bright grey, and it will make things pop.  Like the way your bike looks like on a rainy day.

If you think I am DIY

You should see what my friends do:

I hope this sticks around for a while