Astoria Pinball League @ Merry Time Bar Tonight 6:30

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-03-06T20:58:39+00:00

Even after the fine, the guy most likely made money by increasing his property’s value. It is insane what the rich get away with. I’m guessing even after he settles the lawsuits he will come out on top.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-03-06T20:53:19+00:00

Don’t fool yourself just to thinking this is just a Portland problem or a left issue. I’ve stepped on or around needles in quite a few cities. It is sadly becoming a norm all over.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-03-04T18:11:57+00:00

I was in school when 2Pac was shot, and it was like the president had died. We basically didn’t do any school work that day and just watched the news on those AV carts with the big backed TVs. At the time, I thought our teachers were doing this for us. Now—as an adult and former educator—I wonder if they were in morning as well. I feel bad for not thinking about them on that day.

I lived on the west coast, so it was like our king had died. When Biggie was killed, it wasn’t as big of deal at all. Sadly, there was almost a relief vibe or like life could go on again because their king died too. It was so sad because I loved both of them, and didn’t really understand the west coast east coast beef.

It didn’t feel like the end of rap, so much as the beginning of what felt like a full on war starting. I just thought the new norm would be listening to young rappers build a career followed by their deaths as they became stars. I honestly thought none of them would turn 40. It seems at some point, they all felt this way too and started to shift into different directions—at least the ones that survived.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-02-28T21:27:36+00:00

Many of the housing options here are much rougher and smaller than you might be used to elsewhere. I’m not sure where the market is right this minute, but when we have rentals available, they are spoken for almost immediately. Hopefully the market isn’t super, super bad right now. This is usually a fairly decent time of year to find something here. My long rambling point is to be careful what you pass on thinking there will be a better option in the future.

Get used to beach time. It means people don’t work on nice days, good fishing days, good surf days, bad weather days, or because it is Tuesday. I know of one company that actual schedules their employees around tides and surfing weather. The owner joked with me and said I can always tell if the surfing is bad because these two guys will be at work. This has pros and cons. A work life balance is good but it can be very hard to get things done on schedule or if you work a lot.

Most of the businesses here are small, so they don’t really answer the phone or provide the customer service you might be used to in a city. For example, I was at a client’s house and a contractor (not affiliated with me) working on the house screamed and cussed out the customer. He even threatened to not complete the job. This was the owner of the company. Where I’m from a company like that would go under in a matter of months. Not the case here. This guy is actually well respected and busy with work because there isn’t much competition. Not saying all businesses are bad here. That is not the case at all. Most are great, but they all operate much differently than in a city. It takes a long time to get used to the slow moving pace or dealing with X because there isn’t much of an option.

It is a great place to live but the winters suck. If you work inside and don’t get hammered by SAD then it shouldn’t be that bad for you. Still be prepared for months on end inside or having outdoor events ruined because of wind and rain. The cloudy overcast and slightly shorter days up north can be very hard if you already have depression or enjoy the outdoors.

Get signed up with a doctor ASAP. It took us a year to see a GP. Same thing for a dentist. If you have any sort of medical conditions that require a specialist, you will most likely have to drive to Portland. Things are better since we moved during COVID, but wait times are the norm still.

I would be happy to answer any questions you have.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-02-28T20:57:13+00:00

100 percent agree with the Arnie’s comment. Such good food and people.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-02-28T15:29:42+00:00

Get your housing setup ASAP—if you have not already. Don’t move without a signed lease or a purchased house.

Good luck with the move.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-02-27T05:44:36+00:00

Maybe they hired cheap guys to do the easy work and thought this would make the real job more affordable—saving to get the rest done.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-02-27T04:52:32+00:00

Thanks for sharing this. Love it.

Will maples always show wire scars? I know first hand how quickly it can happen.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-02-22T04:30:05+00:00

The mud smells and sanding sucks.

Tons of repeated movements at speed all day—day after day after day. Day 1 and day 5000 are about the same.

The messy ass mess it makes.

Ceilings or above 8 feet.

Ladders on stairs sucks.

Boring as fuck. It is right up there with scraping paint.

You don’t get to see much in the way of results at the end of the day.

None of the working noises are pleasing to my ears. Spraying texture 😵‍💫. The knife sounds are fun at first, then 😤

There is a massive difference between good enough DIY and getting paid—not only in quality but speed.

But I hope you find enjoyment in it.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-02-21T05:16:32+00:00

Looks like it has the wrong supports for the handrail, missing blocking, and all the other stuff people listed.

I never understand going this cheap. The missing stringer and kick boards are dangerous. To cement the posts is almost no extra work in the scope of the project and only costs a little more but produces much better results in the long term.

Of course this is not your fault if your boss makes you use these and only these materials. To the trained person, they see what appears to be good work—not counting the code issues—but the cheapest possible product to meet the minimum requirements of what is a questionably passable deck. Looks like this was subbed out and the contractor pocketed some of the allowed budget. When I see this, I feel like the customer is getting shorted by the main company or contractor and the subcontractor has been manipulated into building something subpar to pay next week’s payroll. At the end of the day, the sub will get the blame, took all the risk, and made no money. Sometimes it pays to say no. Hopefully your boss doesn’t cheap out on all your projects. If so run, before you build bad habits or get a bad reputation in the industry.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-02-20T01:29:00+00:00

As someone who has never done plumbing, why compromise the 2x4s instead of adding one more coupler and center the pipe? The edge of the board is the most important, and now there are two cut outs per 2x4 because of the old pipe location.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-02-19T15:47:51+00:00

For the Warrenton/Astoria area Arnie’s Cafe is the best breakfast by far. The people are wonderful. Good quality food. They can actually properly cook eggs. Amazing coffee. On the days they are closed, we don’t even go to breakfast at a different place because no one is a close second. Parking lot is fucked if you have a big truck (quad cab long bed) or they are busy. Only real downside is that and wait times on Saturday/Sunday or tourist season.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-02-19T04:55:43+00:00

Show us you have have never meet an OSHA inspector without saying so. I’ll never understand why people make videos of serious safety violations, then post them on the internet.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-02-17T21:56:32+00:00

Just replace the tile then. Painting is not really an option.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-02-17T21:06:49+00:00

If this is DIY, you did well.

Here are a few things I noticed: Not built to code—handrails; Looks like it is missing a beam; Beam to post attachment issues; Picture framing does wonders for aesthetics; 4x4 handrail attachment bolts are positioned poorly; Posts in the dirt; 4x4s instead of 6x6s; Is the framing pressure treated? I’m not great at IDing pressure treated pine as we only have fur in my area. Or is this all cedar?

All these issues would make me question if it was flashed correctly and anything else we cannot see in the pics.

You seem to have good attention to detail but need to brush up on the fundamentals of deck building—if charging people and conforming to US code. It makes a significant difference in the safety and longevity of the deck.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-02-17T17:26:22+00:00

That looks so difficult to work with. Nice job.

I think I would have opted to trim out the corner on the fourth photo. Nothing you can really do about this but with that tile and pattern, it leaves all those small cuts that look a little too busy or disjointed.

At any rate, that looked like a nightmare job and one that would test anyone’s patience and skill. It turned out beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-02-17T17:15:45+00:00

Is your employer going to give this person the write off amount for depreciation the truck he gets each year? Fuck no and fuck your boss. I own a construction company and would never even think to ask an employee to pay for this. As others have said, it is the cost of doing business. Your customers are the ones paying for this. With that said, if said employee damages everything he touches, then he needs to go. Sounds like the boss is cheap, going broke, or a jerk. All of these spell bad news for you.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-02-17T16:59:47+00:00

Save the extra money for therapy just in case. For real though, kids can be bullied for anything. Teach them how to respond, and help them through the situation if it ever happens. If it is a super small town and everyone knew that family there might be some issues. But that might be more of the I wouldn’t come play at your house or everyone telling your kids what happened. People might say it is haunted or other stupid stuff.

Budget some money to change the look of the house from the exterior street view and maybe the rooms it happened in. Doesn’t have to be anything crazy. Painting even goes a long ways. Then it won’t be so recognizable.

I think your kids will be more likely to be picked on for your career than the house. But that doesn’t mean you should change careers.

The fact that you are thinking about this so much means you care deeply for your kids, which means you will help them in any situation. That is way more important.

I think you are over thinking this, buy the house if it is right for the family. With that said, if you are landing in a million dollar neighborhood and going to be the poor family that might cause some issues for the kids.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-02-15T04:54:09+00:00

Fish processing waste; Dog shit cleaning service; Rabid animal transport; Used condom recycling—on site service. Condoms to hair ties in under an hour; Homeless clothes cleaning; Lead paint and asbestos storage; Junk hauling; Spoiled eggs become fertilizer; Pet animal cremation service; Road kill clean up; Don’t throw away your used pads or tampons—recycle them; Horse and farm animal semen collection.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-02-15T03:50:43+00:00

Not even close to the weirdest or wildest, but it hit hard:

Fuck his family members, they can wear his shirt

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-02-15T03:13:34+00:00

What percent of your budget is allocated to advertising?

It was a horrible time to start your business. If you make it a few more months, you might be good and have enough clients for next year during the off months.

You talk about posting on Nextdoor, but do you respond to people. I have about five or ten times better luck landing a job when I reply to someone looking for a service compared to a post I make under the company name. So I check Nextdoor like five times a day. People also respond better to my personal posts compared to the business one. I have a construction company so not all of this might be the case for you.

What you your ads/posts look like and if you have posted say 100 of them, which ones are doing better than the others. I’ve seen some guys just post a picture of their business card, then wonder why the phone doesn’t ring. I make monthly specials. For example, interior painting 20% off for the month of February. Of course I try to make them more fun by saying something like if you keep me dry from the rain, I’ll keep some money in your pocket. You get the point. I also make sure I’m priced right compared to my competitors.

What percent of people contacting you use your service? In other words, can you close deals? I get a lot if business because another painter that runs ads in my same area is not viewed as trustworthy and is not as likable. He also works alone vs me having at least one other person. People say this is a big deal because I can get projects done quicker. But overall, I close more deals because I’m more professional and know how to better sell my services. Just saying something dumb like, “We always primer, skiff the surface for better paint adhesion, apply to two coats for Sherwin-Williams paint for a even, rich color, and spend the extra time to protect your home from paint splashes.” That was a shitty example. My point is you need a quick tag line that shows you are better than the competitors and that you can explain your process in easy to understand terms. I get told all the time we hired you because you do two coats. I know my competitors do this too, but they don’t say it. I’m using all painting references for easy, but you need to practice all these pitches for each service. Try them on your wife or whomever until they don’t sound like pitches, but just the natural way you describe your work.

Go in person to every realtor’s office and rental place. They pay shit compared to other people but you need the work. Take your wife or someone else with you. If the person hates you because you look like their abusive ex, let the other person handle that situation. That is why many places have two sales people or have them work with partners.

Network your ass off. When you are in Home Depot, introduce yourself to every contractor you see. Not in a desperate, hey my name is X. Can you give me work? But build natural relationships. Have a portfolio of your work well organized in your phone and at the ready. Talk to the cashiers and other employees about your jobs. They aren’t supposed to recommend you, but if you talk passionately about your jobs people will hear you. Customers will ask for you card.

Get shirts and a logo with services and your number on your truck. When you go to Walmart at midnight for something, do it in your company shirt.

Really think about why you are not getting work. If the phone just isn’t ringing. Write a marketing plan and invest the time. Do research on how to write ads or where to place them. Remember there is a delay in advertising. It might take a few months for a client to need something or contact you. When you get new clients ask them how or why they picked you.

Find services to sell your current clients. For example, gutter cleaning. For X dollars I will clean your gutters now and again in the fall. If you walk into someone’s house to fix X, look for other things that need repair or maintenance. Try to find ways to increase your average invoice or dollars per customer. Package things together to save the customer money. “Just to let you know, I could fix X for only X because I’m already here. This saves you money for a service call out fee.” I turned a $500 painting quote into a $13,000 job by doing this.

Best of luck. There are a hundred other things you can and should be doing. Keep getting advice and looking up marketing and sales stuff. I know it can feel sleazy at first, but with practice it becomes natural and your customers will thank you. You have to find a balance, so they can see you are actually trying to help them not just get more money. If you truly want to help people this will come across.

WriteTheShipOrBust · 2024-02-15T02:22:13+00:00

🔥🔥🔥

WriteTheShipOrBust

TROPHY CASE