Today's e-mail to the condominium association. I'm not a knowledgeable homeowner but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night!
"By now you've probably noticed that the shingles are completely installed, and residents may resume parking in our lot. I submitted the following known follow-up items to McEntire on Friday:
1. Gutter piles on the west side and southeast corner - should be picked up today.
2. Sawhorse/work materials in courtyard - the siding that extends above the roof ("flashings") had been tarred into place rather than being nailed. The tearing that naturally resulted has required some additional work on their part (free of charge), and they are hoping to wrap that up soon.
3. Patches of brown grass throughout - should recover with rains
4. Concrete parking block on west side moved out of place
5. Railroad tie, bricks and handrail on west side steps
6. Cracked concrete outside unit #16 (caused by truck)
7. Water damage to ceiling of unit #7 - they can supply the painter, if we choose the paint
We now have CertainTeed 50-year shingles for a cost of $56,134.43. By locking in the price last fall, we saved about $50/square or $12,500 in total. The final part of the bill will be for the large dumpsters that they brought in.
McEntire will be out of town all next week. During that time, I'd like it if residents could submit any additional items they notice that need attention so that the above list can be completed. I think that they will work with us, they seem very interested in their reputation from this project.
Rainbow Gutters visited this morning, and they are flexible. Mike (son-in-law of Gary, the owner) has been in the business for about 17 years. He thought that 5" gutters should suffice for a roofing system our size. He also thought that gutter screens, in time, would pay for themselves, as it might cost a couple hundred dollars per visit for someone to clean them otherwise. The per-foot rates of $2.90 for gutters and $2.20 per screen are discounted from their normal rates (which sounds legitimate, given how competitive their prices were relative to the other bid we'd received). Like McEntire (also from Lincoln), I think they're trying to establish good word-of-mouth in the area.
The existing gutters and downspouts appeared in good enough shape (about half of the gutters and all of the downspouts are still in place). If we want them, screens are probably only needed on about half of the gutters, since many have no nearby trees. They are also in the business of gutter-cleaning, so my initial thought was:
Put up 600 feet of 5" gutters where none currently exist: $1,740
Put up 600 feet of screen (units 1-13, 20-21, 28-29, 32): $1,320
Clean gutters/downspouts: No additional charge (!)
Tighten up brackets on some loose gutters (about 6 units): No additional charge
Replace a handful of crushed downspouts, such as unit #16
Clearly (see unit #31 from the courtyard) there are some places where the wood has rotted. As Mike comes across these, he'd let us know and he would fix them for an extra charge. We didn't spy many instances like these while circling the complex a few times.
It would seem that the job would cost under $4,000. As time passes we could see how effective the combination of screens/downspout cleaning worked and take additional steps as necessary. I think that they would be able to get out here within a week or two if we approve, and complete the work in less than 2 days.
The assessments collected totaled $83,200. This would appear to be enough to cover the two planned and one unplanned expenses:
Roof: $56,134.43 + ? for dumpsters
Gutters: $4,000.00
Pool: $18,256.84"
Saturday, June 28, 2008
The Value of Forgiveness
From Lou Tice:
Against whom are you carrying a grudge? Is there someone who has done you a wrong, in some way, and whom you just can't forgive? Have you, yourself, done things that you can't forgive? Today I hope to impress upon you the incredible damage you can do to yourself, if you don't let go of these hurts. You must learn to forgive and forget.
Confucius said that, "To be wronged is nothing unless you remember it."
He was absolutely right, and here's why. Every time you remember something bad that happens to you, some wrong that was done to you, you feel those bad feelings all over again. You record the event in the neuron structure of your brain, and it plants itself in your subconscious.
Now your subconscious doesn't know the difference between a vividly imagined or remembered event and the real thing. It is all "real" to your subconscious. When you subject yourself over and over again to painful, angry memories, eventually your system begins to break down.
The poison of the not forgiven hurt and anger attacks you from the inside out.
12-step programs emphasize the importance of forgiveness, because they recognize that forgiveness is the key to action and freedom. When you forgive, you open yourself to wonderful new possibilities. Why not begin today?
Against whom are you carrying a grudge? Is there someone who has done you a wrong, in some way, and whom you just can't forgive? Have you, yourself, done things that you can't forgive? Today I hope to impress upon you the incredible damage you can do to yourself, if you don't let go of these hurts. You must learn to forgive and forget.
Confucius said that, "To be wronged is nothing unless you remember it."
He was absolutely right, and here's why. Every time you remember something bad that happens to you, some wrong that was done to you, you feel those bad feelings all over again. You record the event in the neuron structure of your brain, and it plants itself in your subconscious.
Now your subconscious doesn't know the difference between a vividly imagined or remembered event and the real thing. It is all "real" to your subconscious. When you subject yourself over and over again to painful, angry memories, eventually your system begins to break down.
The poison of the not forgiven hurt and anger attacks you from the inside out.
12-step programs emphasize the importance of forgiveness, because they recognize that forgiveness is the key to action and freedom. When you forgive, you open yourself to wonderful new possibilities. Why not begin today?
Friday, June 27, 2008
What's The Opposite Of Steroids?
The 1908 White Sox hit only three home runs during the entire season.
Good Bye, Life Tax!
It’s been a great week, all things considered, as my seven year membership in the Life Tax Department comes to an end today. The gang took me out to lunch and got me an excellent basket of about two dozen gifts. Knowing the beach bum that I am, I got a new towel, swim trunks, flip-flops, goofy glasses, snacks, even a sand pail and shovel. Later I gave them a fashion show! What always means the most though are the words that people share. They bought me a book of reflections and signed the inside, and a card with personal notes of thanks that say I made a difference to them. Many people have dropped by to tell how happy they’ve been to work with me. One or two asked if I was feeling okay, since they can tell that I’m sad for the change.
In Joy This Advice
“In basketball – as in life – true joy comes from being fully present in each and every moment, not just when things are going your way. Of course, it’s no accident that things are more likely to go your way when you stop worrying about whether you’re going to win or lose and focus your full attention on what’s happening right at this moment.” – Phil Jackson
Hazardous to Your Wealth?
I’m not quite sure how the term “surgeon general” originated. The thought of a rock-jawed, medal-laden, corncob-pipe-chewing, mustachioed mountain-hero of a man barking out medical orders must have been irresistible for some presidential administration years ago. “Just imagine what kind of leadership a guy like that could give the nation through cigarette packaging,” they must have said with breathy excitement.
America has thrived under his guidance ever since, as the cancer-inducing tale of tobacco has been told time and time again, hammering it almost entirely out of mainstream advertising. The Marlboro man has only his grandkids to entertain with stories of the good old days. Joe Camel has been put down.
Yesterday as I was driving home, I heard a commercial about a nearby casino. New, improved slot machines with better chances of winning than ever! The excitement! The fun!
I was inspired by the vision of a new position, which I call Mathematician-in-Chief. “In-Chief” suggests that her position outranks the Surgeon General just like the President serves as our commander-in-chief and outranks a military general. If Abe Lincoln were here, he’d say, “it is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.” For while tobacco is likely to worsen your health, and guaranteed to make you stinkier, it is not always fatal. Prolonged gambling, though, it mathematically certain to make a person poorer. Try it and see! But be alert for the rectangular signs with old-fashioned font soon to be hanging in the off-track betting parlors, bingo halls, and convenience-store lottery counters of this land:
WARNING: The Mathematician-in-Chief has determined that gambling is hazardous to your wealth. If you do this, you will lose money. If you lose money, you will have to steal your cigarettes. This will piss off the Surgeon General. How are you not getting this?
America has thrived under his guidance ever since, as the cancer-inducing tale of tobacco has been told time and time again, hammering it almost entirely out of mainstream advertising. The Marlboro man has only his grandkids to entertain with stories of the good old days. Joe Camel has been put down.
Yesterday as I was driving home, I heard a commercial about a nearby casino. New, improved slot machines with better chances of winning than ever! The excitement! The fun!
I was inspired by the vision of a new position, which I call Mathematician-in-Chief. “In-Chief” suggests that her position outranks the Surgeon General just like the President serves as our commander-in-chief and outranks a military general. If Abe Lincoln were here, he’d say, “it is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.” For while tobacco is likely to worsen your health, and guaranteed to make you stinkier, it is not always fatal. Prolonged gambling, though, it mathematically certain to make a person poorer. Try it and see! But be alert for the rectangular signs with old-fashioned font soon to be hanging in the off-track betting parlors, bingo halls, and convenience-store lottery counters of this land:
WARNING: The Mathematician-in-Chief has determined that gambling is hazardous to your wealth. If you do this, you will lose money. If you lose money, you will have to steal your cigarettes. This will piss off the Surgeon General. How are you not getting this?
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Foot Care Myths and Facts
They get a bad rap, but I think that our feet get way too little attention for as important as they are. If you agree, please read on (and put away that duct tape)!
From the web:
Summer is here, and many of you will be kicking off your shoes at home, at the beach or in the park. But is that a good thing?
To sort the myths from the facts about your feet, Dr. Tracey Vlahovic, associate professor of podiatric medicine and orthopedics at Temple University's School of Podiatric Medicine, offers this information about your tootsies with a caveat -- always check with your doctor before starting any treatment:
Myth: Flats, flip-flops and going barefoot are good for your feet.
Fact: "This is a common misconception, because we always hear about the problems with high heels," Vlahovic said in a prepared statement. "But these three present their own types of problems." Flip-flops provide no support, which can cause plantar fasciitis, ankle sprains and tendonitis. Wearing flats can lead to severe heel pain and blisters, crowding toes and conditions such as hammertoes and bunions. Walking barefoot leaves feet open to cuts, scrapes, bruises, and puncture wounds along with skin issues or nail injuries.
Diagnosis: Flip-flops or flats are fine for a few hours, but you should stretch your Achilles tendon for a bit if you wear them for longer than that, Vlahovic said. Save walking barefoot for around your own home, unless you are at risk for diabetes or have peripheral vascular disease. In those cases, always wear shoes in and out of the house.
Myth: Over-the-counter scrubs and soaks for corns are safe and effective.
Fact: "At-home soaks or scrubs would just exfoliate, not remove corns," Vlahovic said.
Diagnosis: A corn is a buildup of skin with a hard center. This often is caused by a hammertoe in which the toe knuckle rubs against the shoe. To permanently remove a corn, the hammertoe must be corrected so that it stops rubbing against the shoe. Or, just wear shoes with a wider toe box.
Myth: Feet don't need sunscreen.
Fact: "Skin cancer on the legs and feet actually has a high mortality rate due to people forgetting to do skin checks on that area. It's often caught too late," Vlahovic said. "This is due in large part to the fact that many people simply forget to apply or reapply sunscreen to the lower extremities."
Diagnosis: Apply sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 and with both UVB and UVA protection every two to three hours to the feet. Apply more often if you're going to be at the beach, in and out of the water, or sweating.
Myth: All pedicure salons use sterile instruments, so it's fine to use theirs.
Fact: "Unfortunately, this is not the case with all nail salons," Vlahovic said. "As a result, the instruments can spread germs that can cause nail fungus and bacterial infections."
Diagnosis: Invest in your own nail files, clippers and cuticle sticks, unless you can be sure your nail salon sterilizes its instruments after each use. Also ask the technician if they have a clean bowl or basin or one with individual liners before sticking your feet in the motorized tub.
Myth: It's best to trim your toenails straight across.
Fact: Doing this, and cutting them too short, can lead to ingrown toenails, a true danger for diabetics. Untreated ingrown toenails can lead to infection and possibly an abscess requiring corrective surgery.
Diagnosis: Leave the nail slightly longer, trimming along the natural curve of your toe.
Myth: Soaking your feet in vinegar clears up toenail fungus.
Fact: "Vinegar can't penetrate the layers of the nail to get to the infection site. And without proper treatment, the infection can spread to other nails," Vlahovic said.
Diagnosis: See your dermatologist or podiatrist so they can perform a culture to see if it is definitely a fungal infection. Follow their instructions to the letter to avoid a recurrence.
Myth: Athlete's foot and warts aren't contagious.
Fact: Both are highly contagious, and easily spread in environments such as locker rooms or showers. They are often picked up through small breaks in the skin of the foot bottom.
Diagnosis: Keep your feet clean and dry, don't wear dirty socks and thoroughly clean your bath or shower area. "If one person in the household has it, everyone should be cautious and take proper precautions," Vlahovic said. If you must use a public shower, wear flip-flops.
Myth: Duct tape removes plantar warts.
Fact: Studies have shown duct tape to be one of the many ways to treat warts, but Vlahovic noted that several studies have shown duct tape in no better than a placebo.
Diagnosis: "If you have a plantar wart, don't pick or perform bathroom surgery on it," Vlahovic said "Don't put duct tape on it and expect it to go away, since there is a specific protocol for using it. See your dermatologist or podiatrist for this and other treatment options."
From the web:
Summer is here, and many of you will be kicking off your shoes at home, at the beach or in the park. But is that a good thing?
To sort the myths from the facts about your feet, Dr. Tracey Vlahovic, associate professor of podiatric medicine and orthopedics at Temple University's School of Podiatric Medicine, offers this information about your tootsies with a caveat -- always check with your doctor before starting any treatment:
Myth: Flats, flip-flops and going barefoot are good for your feet.
Fact: "This is a common misconception, because we always hear about the problems with high heels," Vlahovic said in a prepared statement. "But these three present their own types of problems." Flip-flops provide no support, which can cause plantar fasciitis, ankle sprains and tendonitis. Wearing flats can lead to severe heel pain and blisters, crowding toes and conditions such as hammertoes and bunions. Walking barefoot leaves feet open to cuts, scrapes, bruises, and puncture wounds along with skin issues or nail injuries.
Diagnosis: Flip-flops or flats are fine for a few hours, but you should stretch your Achilles tendon for a bit if you wear them for longer than that, Vlahovic said. Save walking barefoot for around your own home, unless you are at risk for diabetes or have peripheral vascular disease. In those cases, always wear shoes in and out of the house.
Myth: Over-the-counter scrubs and soaks for corns are safe and effective.
Fact: "At-home soaks or scrubs would just exfoliate, not remove corns," Vlahovic said.
Diagnosis: A corn is a buildup of skin with a hard center. This often is caused by a hammertoe in which the toe knuckle rubs against the shoe. To permanently remove a corn, the hammertoe must be corrected so that it stops rubbing against the shoe. Or, just wear shoes with a wider toe box.
Myth: Feet don't need sunscreen.
Fact: "Skin cancer on the legs and feet actually has a high mortality rate due to people forgetting to do skin checks on that area. It's often caught too late," Vlahovic said. "This is due in large part to the fact that many people simply forget to apply or reapply sunscreen to the lower extremities."
Diagnosis: Apply sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 and with both UVB and UVA protection every two to three hours to the feet. Apply more often if you're going to be at the beach, in and out of the water, or sweating.
Myth: All pedicure salons use sterile instruments, so it's fine to use theirs.
Fact: "Unfortunately, this is not the case with all nail salons," Vlahovic said. "As a result, the instruments can spread germs that can cause nail fungus and bacterial infections."
Diagnosis: Invest in your own nail files, clippers and cuticle sticks, unless you can be sure your nail salon sterilizes its instruments after each use. Also ask the technician if they have a clean bowl or basin or one with individual liners before sticking your feet in the motorized tub.
Myth: It's best to trim your toenails straight across.
Fact: Doing this, and cutting them too short, can lead to ingrown toenails, a true danger for diabetics. Untreated ingrown toenails can lead to infection and possibly an abscess requiring corrective surgery.
Diagnosis: Leave the nail slightly longer, trimming along the natural curve of your toe.
Myth: Soaking your feet in vinegar clears up toenail fungus.
Fact: "Vinegar can't penetrate the layers of the nail to get to the infection site. And without proper treatment, the infection can spread to other nails," Vlahovic said.
Diagnosis: See your dermatologist or podiatrist so they can perform a culture to see if it is definitely a fungal infection. Follow their instructions to the letter to avoid a recurrence.
Myth: Athlete's foot and warts aren't contagious.
Fact: Both are highly contagious, and easily spread in environments such as locker rooms or showers. They are often picked up through small breaks in the skin of the foot bottom.
Diagnosis: Keep your feet clean and dry, don't wear dirty socks and thoroughly clean your bath or shower area. "If one person in the household has it, everyone should be cautious and take proper precautions," Vlahovic said. If you must use a public shower, wear flip-flops.
Myth: Duct tape removes plantar warts.
Fact: Studies have shown duct tape to be one of the many ways to treat warts, but Vlahovic noted that several studies have shown duct tape in no better than a placebo.
Diagnosis: "If you have a plantar wart, don't pick or perform bathroom surgery on it," Vlahovic said "Don't put duct tape on it and expect it to go away, since there is a specific protocol for using it. See your dermatologist or podiatrist for this and other treatment options."
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