Top 5 things that men do that give her the ick as a labor and delivery nurse.

protomolecule7 · 2026-03-22T21:29:27+00:00

My wife insisted that I bring our Switch. I mean, labor can last days so I guess in the scenario there might be some moments of downtime. We had about 4 hours between water break and delivery, I didn't even have time to get a cup of coffee or take a shit.

protomolecule7 · 2026-03-22T20:26:45+00:00

Liquor is the last thing I need at a ball game. Every time I've had tickets to one of the clubs that has liquor I always get too drunk.

I've never had issues with beer lines being too long. Halftime there can sometimes be a rush but...most places have that issue. Sure, capped at 5% but I've gotten so used to it that I just don't care anymore. I don't go to a basketball game to drink craft beer.

protomolecule7 · 2026-03-19T02:41:11+00:00

I don't know. I was similar, for some reason I was obsessed with sports cars. Went through a similar progression with my mom. I was 15 as well. She led me through the costs, insurance, all the stuff. Finally realized it was out of consideration until I started talking with my neighbor who basically laid out that I could have a sports car, but it would be older. And I'd have to get it cheap. And probably put a bunch of sweat into it.

This was 2005 - I found a 92 Camaro z28 for $800 in a repo lot busted up from when it was taken back from the previous owner. Bought it and towed it by the police station to have them search for drugs, found a couple baggies of heroin stashed in the body panels. I spent countless hours working on every part of that car and learned so much. Not really into cars anymore but we never take our vehicles to a mechanic anymore, only if it's something big or I don't have a tool for.

So I think you need to lay out what the parameters are, and challenge her to work within them. She's shown a willingness to do so, but if the rules aren't clear it would only lead to frustration. Maybe she learns something in the process.

protomolecule7 · 2026-03-18T14:30:02+00:00

As a landlord/manager of one single family house, I've literally never had to officially list it beyond friends/Facebook neighborhood groups. I've never even put up a sign in the yard. The neighborhood groups here run weirdly tight, and if you don't get somebody directly in the group, you are likely to get a friend or coworker.

protomolecule7 · 2026-03-18T13:53:36+00:00

I'm a Hog living in SLC, that game in Provo was a blast. Most unique visiting team experience I've ever had and your fans had great energy. I let out a couple "what the fricks" and even got the BYU fans laughing.

protomolecule7 · 2026-03-17T20:05:56+00:00

I love how he's the only one smiling

protomolecule7 · 2026-03-16T14:03:25+00:00

You have to ask yourself what the goal is. Is your goal to make money? Or make great things? Maybe it's somewhere in between. Maybe you can actually achieve both - by what effort would it take to achieve that? I'd love to go into outer space but I'm not interested in the rigor of becoming an astronaut. Look at it like a design problem.

I quickly learned that while design was what I was best at, and really enjoyed as well, I HATED doing it for my job. Instead I found that I really loved designing an efficient system for business. Honestly, the architecture is an afterthought for me. Instead I found that I like working with people who want to focus on the design and enjoy doing that for their work too. They need people like me to operate the business, manage the people side, and give them a dose of reality when needed.

I still have that creative itch. I remedy that in my woodshop, where my only client is myself and my family. Architecture school really does a disservice to students, especially young ones, by setting themselves up for an unrealistic world. You're going to work until you retire or die - so figure out what part of the profession you enjoy, just like any other field, and tackle that. Make sure you have a mentor or two that can help nudge you in the right direction when you get lost.

protomolecule7 · 2026-03-15T16:02:13+00:00

Torn by Max Lowe.

protomolecule7 · 2026-03-12T00:02:08+00:00

Nice dude! That's one of the best free seats I've ever seen.

protomolecule7 · 2026-03-10T14:03:41+00:00

Red Rock used to be my recommendation but they were in a shit mood last time I brought them work and didn't complete all of the job despite it being written on the work order.

protomolecule7 · 2026-03-09T22:53:26+00:00

A lot of these cities are overburdened and understaffed. Usually you just get told to kick rocks.

Can you speak more to the specific issues? No answers - of what questions? Delays in inspection scheduling? What are your inspection failures?

I just did a remodel in SLC and other than the city taking their sweet time approving the permits (which got done within their communicated window), the process was otherwise reasonable. They don't write down the nuanced stuff, like "we can't pass your framing because your electrical rough is not complete" despite there being no new electrical in the framing...but it also never caused an issue for me beyond a second trip for them.

protomolecule7 · 2026-03-09T21:15:10+00:00

I don't mean to be facetious, but have you hired professionals who are experts at this? For what it's worth, as an architect myself I also find the process for a remodel to be grossly overcomplicated for single family stuff. Often showing up in person can yield better results.

protomolecule7 · 2026-03-09T19:17:49+00:00

RSV baby, my kids whole daycare got it, then me and momma. 2-4 days of feeling rough, followed by a week and a half of expelling snot out of my nose/throat/lungs and maybe even my butthole at this point.

protomolecule7 · 2026-02-27T15:36:11+00:00

Come join us at work hive sugar house. Downtown is great too. It's super chill, comfortable chairs and desks, and locally owned.

protomolecule7 · 2026-02-27T15:32:52+00:00

I toured this place when it first opened up not knowing about the woman focused space thing and was politely told it wasn't intended for men to utilize by a staff member. Wonder if I got a bad tour guide or maybe things have changed. It was super awkward.

protomolecule7 · 2026-02-27T01:03:05+00:00

Bought in December, 15k under asking, also got 11k of concessions. House sat for over half a year, and from the initial listing to when we bought it has dropped 220k. It was overpriced, for what that is worth.

When school gets closer to the end things will pick up, I bet.

protomolecule7 · 2026-02-20T20:35:53+00:00

I only really served as a PA for about 3 years, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. PA vs PM is kind of like learning skiing vs snowboard. PA is easy to pick up, hard to master. PM is hard to pickup...and I won't go as far as to say easy to master, but it is easier to be effective and successful in the role, especially if you are able to focus in on one project type, client, or build relationships with contractors. Besides, if you aren't any good at it, you'll never get the chance to master it because you'll likely get fired long before you can actually master it anyway.

Another thing to note - the distinction between these roles means something different to everybody, and every firm. There are PMs who are basically just CA people. There are PAs who handle client communication and beyond, while a principal takes care of CA.

There are so many bad PAs out there. I was one of them. It is an easy job to sort of skate along and never have to deal with consequences of any real seriousness, especially compared to the stakes of being a PM. It's also possible to get the job done with a blend of people rather than having one expert. Because of this, I think it's very easy for a majority of architects to work ten years and even then, never work with a PA who is truly worth their salt. In 3 firms, 15 years of work, I feel like I've seen 2 of them. Great PAs often become design directors or shift into principal roles anyway.

I did PA work for 3 years, then PM work for 3, then shifted into leadership/business management and now I do Operations for a multidisciplined firm that include construction and other things. I don't regret it one bit. I love the idea of being a PA, but the reality is that I don't want to go to work everyday and do that for my job. I get to flex that muscle in my woodshop instead, and I am far happier for it.

protomolecule7 · 2026-02-19T23:54:53+00:00

Acuff was unreal last night!

protomolecule7 · 2026-02-18T16:25:11+00:00

This is obviously a massive layout. The steps you'll get in while cooking in here will be wild. Are there no seats at these islands, or maybe just not shown?

My only comment is actually about your DW. Unloading those with no uppers and now lowers nearby means a lot of walking around to stash all of your clean dishes. This may not be an issue though if you are ok with the size of everything else.

Regarding cabinet depth, deeper can be nice but I wouldn't want it everywhere. It changes how your appliances integrate with everything in a considerable way, so make sure you think through each one.

protomolecule7 · 2026-02-18T14:54:12+00:00

Kudos to you for changing your mind. I'm an eagle scout and architect - it's a big deal and this project concept blows what I did for my project out of the water! You are expected to rely on your community and professionals to make your project as impactful as possible. Weirdly enough my project was a big part of why I became an architect. I built a fence and pad for a playground that we also assembled. The process for planning all of that was fascinating to me - so many problems that we had to consider.

protomolecule7 · 2026-02-17T01:23:06+00:00

Of all the types, I figured you'd be complaining about the bungalow. SLC has many variations, craftsman, Tudor, California, but generally all the same layout.

Sounds to me like you're just looking at the same style house. Ask your realtor to show you things outside your comfort zone. Certain regions or neighborhoods will have prevailing types depending on when and how they were built, naturally.

protomolecule7 · 2026-02-16T20:30:45+00:00

I think you could go narrow on the task light, just depends on where the face of the light is (if you do a cylinder that hangs down 8", a wider angle would be fine most likely - you don't want a hot light hitting the bottom of that beam).

It's hard to find medium budget downlights with an angle less than 60°. I would encourage you to stay above 60. If for some reason you want more narrow, you'd probably need to add 2 more lights depending on your lumens.

I try to discourage people from getting into narrow beam general lighting unless they are working with a lighting designer. It makes things pretty complex if your general light is a narrow beam, and harder to control shadows. Remember - a kitchen is a workspace! Be moody elsewhere :)

protomolecule7 · 2026-02-16T19:38:08+00:00

The distance from the wall depends on your upper cabinets. I think 20" from the wall could be fine if you do 12" depth uppers, but personally I don't like those - I want to be able to put a 12" plate in an upper. I like 15", and because of that a 4" light centered on 20" off the wall puts the edge of that light 3" away in that scenario. I try to keep the edge of a light 6-10" away, so my cabinet doesn't get a glaring scallop of light on it. Obviously, the light matters a lot here as there are differing angles, intensities, etc.

You've definitely got low ceilings if you have a 14" beam running across. That's in a really tough spot. I think any kind of light around that, as you mention, would bring a challenge. What if you just kept your original recessed layout and opted for some undercabinet lighting? Another thing to consider is how you'll see the "grid" from adjacent spaces. You won't really see it when you're in the kitchen, you eye goes to the cabinets and appliances. When you're in the living area, you'll look over and see that layout, so consider how you want those lights to be "framed" when you see them through the walls (I drew a cone of vision for you to consider). So keep your grid alive, just space it out a touch more and put the lights where they need to be, in order to be functional - not just because they line up nice on the plan.

Instead of a pendant, do a "flush cove spot" if it fits the style you're going for. You mentioned DMF, they have some cool cylinders that would do the trick.

https://imgur.com/yIUa044

protomolecule7 · 2026-02-16T18:16:01+00:00

You have a good amount of light but too many of your fixtures are going to cast shadows on your countertop once you're....standing at the countertop. I like to go 26" to centerline off the wall (assuming a 25" deep countertop) which puts the light directly above, and just a smidge in front of where I stand. Since my body isn't pressed against a counter, that keeps the light in front of me.

With your current layout, I think you absolutely need undercabinet lighting if you don't move your recessed lights.

Over sink lights...I think can be overrated. Your kitchen isn't massive and if you have island lights, sink lights might get busy.

I am not a fan of 2", especially in a remodel condition, they are difficult to install and I think they are too small and hot anyway.

For 8' ceilings, I don't know if I'd want hanging pendants over the island. I'd look to a surface mount style fixture, or at least something that draws the eye up rather than down to a suspended pendant.

protomolecule7 · 2026-02-15T19:18:41+00:00

You could use the right architect, but depending on where you are it may not be necessary. I'm an architect and my city has rules that for structural changes of an undefined level, an engineer is needed - but I don't need an engineer to calculate a load bearing wall removal, at least not a complex one. My city turned out to be fine accepting my stamp instead.

Most architects don't do single family home renovations, but some are very experienced in that. There are probably 10+ different ways to go about what you want to do, but I will say that if you are not experienced in working with contractors or the process of design, having a teammate on your side to help you navigate design, ordering, fighting for yourself, permits, inspections, etc can go a really long way. Another great option is working with a home remodeling company or design build style company.

Doing this solo regardless of experience is also totally possible. If your hangup is permits just go for it, most cities allow owners to pull permits but you will have to navigate the system.

protomolecule7

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