I've been getting a bit more into gardening with my wife during this quarantine. It's got a nice design/creative component to it that's been fun. I was curious if anyone else has adopted a new side project or hobby while stuck at home.
OddArchitect
Apr 30, 20 1:02 pm
I'm still working full time so my side projects have been limited to sketching and finishing up building my house. Also a lot of backyard archery with my recurve bow. Don't worry, I first built a target backstop so any errant arrows don't skewer a neighbor.
Sean Joyner
Apr 30, 20 1:06 pm
Haha nice. I'm still working too, but I've gained two extra hours since there's no more commute. I'd be down to see some of those sketches
.
OddArchitect
Apr 30, 20 1:28 pm
Oh they are not very good. I haven't really sketched real life subject matter in many years - just a lot of detailing and presentation stuff.
OddArchitect
Apr 30, 20 1:34 pm
A life sketch - I've got a ways to go
A playhouse idea I've been messing around with.
Sean Joyner
Apr 30, 20 1:42 pm
Nice! I think these are great. I'm digging the playhouse. Something you'd build yourself?
OddArchitect
Apr 30, 20 1:48 pm
Yeah. I'd try to build it. That or if someone else wanted to build it I'd give them drawings to do it at their own risk. 8-)
Ancient Sheds
Apr 30, 20 6:31 pm
Nice work Chad!
atelier nobody
Apr 30, 20 2:24 pm
Once upon a time, I used to make jewelry. I hope to get my shop set back up (it's mostly in boxes through the last 3 moves) and have a piece I want to make as a gift for a friend, but honestly I haven't made much progress.
Sean Joyner
Apr 30, 20 3:50 pm
Wow. Jewelry? That’s awesome. Would be awesome to see some of your work. Good luck with getting that back up!
sameolddoctor
Apr 30, 20 2:26 pm
Can home-schooling kids count as a side hobby?
Sean Joyner
Apr 30, 20 3:49 pm
Why not?! How’s that going?
midlander
Apr 30, 20 10:53 pm
I can confirm architect was a better career choice for me and my wife than pre-K teacher! My children probably agree.
hsianglin
Apr 30, 20 3:37 pm
for a little bit more than a year and half I have been making videos about my hobby of riding an electric unicycle and posting them on YouTube. Its good way to practice speaking since I don’t have much chanceS to do presentation or pitches, does take a lot of work though.
Sean Joyner
Apr 30, 20 3:51 pm
Seriously? You gotta share a link to one of those videos.
Wow, didn't expect to enjoy this so much... Keep it up Hsianglin!
hsianglin
May 5, 20 1:22 pm
Thank you! It is still very much a work in progress but I have learned a lot about effective communication and/or even how social networks works. Been very interesting!
liberty bell
May 5, 20 10:34 pm
That was super fun!
archanonymous
Apr 30, 20 3:41 pm
I feel like I'm working more than ever (haven't been laid off yet) but it's given me motivation to get back in to my primary hobbies - gardening and bicycles.
Sean Joyner
Apr 30, 20 3:52 pm
Sounds fun. Yeah, gardening has been fun. What kind of bicycles are you into?
archanonymous
Apr 30, 20 4:25 pm
it's the classic problem. How many bicycles is the right number? "N+1"
archanonymous
Apr 30, 20 4:26 pm
due to locale mostly road but I mountain bike, do some gravel/ cyclocross and of course have a couple silly little city bikes.
Everyday Architect
Apr 30, 20 4:42 pm
I've been scouring ebay for bike upgrades because the weather is finally getting nicer and I've already reached the s-1 threshold (for the uninitiated, see rule #12). Our next house will need a dedicated space for my bikes ... the trade off will be a dedicated space for her hobbies.
archanonymous
Apr 30, 20 4:57 pm
I got that in this last move but all the bike space is full now (in fairness, two of the bikes are hers). I also finally got a modern all-road bike (should be able to replace most of my other bikes) but it's only sent me deeper into bike specialization.
archanonymous
Apr 30, 20 4:58 pm
Sean what are you growing? We do flowers and the food crops with the biggest "pay-off" like tomatoes and strawberries. I'd rather buy cucumbers or eggplant or whatever at the farmer's market but homegrown tomatoes really are better.
Sean Joyner
Apr 30, 20 5:12 pm
We have a lot of succulents but are going to be starting on some herbs and flowers soon. I’ve really been interest in more food crops. Have you done bell peppers?
archanonymous
Apr 30, 20 5:26 pm
I have. They do pretty well but I've always had better luck with smaller peppers (and smaller tomatoes for that matter). With the Bells it feels like you get 5-8 on the bush then they spend all summer ripening whereas with a poblano or sport pepper you get many more crops and the ripen more quickly.
Sean Joyner
Apr 30, 20 5:37 pm
Good point. Perhaps I'll start with the poblano or sport pepper. I've been nervous about tackling tomatoes because I feel like they'll be too hard to maintain since I'm kind of a newb.
archanonymous
Apr 30, 20 5:43 pm
No way, grab a cherry tomato plant - they do great and are so easy. The big tomatoes are quite
difficult, and require lots of attention.
Sean Joyner
Apr 30, 20 5:49 pm
Oh yeah? Okay! I'll plan to give the cherry tomato a try too. Thanks!
Wood Guy
May 1, 20 3:56 pm
We're really into gardening as well--so much so that we moved from a city to an old farm in the country, partly so we'd have more space for growing. I'd second archanonymous' recommendation--it's hard to go wrong with cherry tomatoes. We grow a few Sungold and black cherry tomatoes every year; they are prolific and fairly disease-resistant. We also grow several types of hot peppers, and a lot of Shisito peppers, which are mostly sweet with the occasional hot one--they're ideal for pan-roasting. We also grow tons of garlic, herbs, greens, asparagus, etc.. It's a great hobby.
archanonymous
May 4, 20 12:37 pm
Interesting. I moved to a large city to pursue architecture like 6 years ago... I feel like i might finally be tiring of it. Feeling pretty ready for an exurban/ rural type of setup now. Hoping that the pandemic opens up new possibilities in remote work - if I only had to go to the office once or twice a week, I could deal with a 1 1/2 hour commute.
Sean Joyner
May 5, 20 10:49 am
Totally. I definitely feel you on the remote work aspect. Before I was in the car about two hours each day, but now being home has opened up a lot of possibilities on how I can structure my day. Plus, I personally work a lot better from home.
randomised
Apr 30, 20 3:46 pm
My work is my side project, taking care of my kids is my job now...
Did apply for some subsidies for a couple of design-research projects during this quarantine (fingers crossed), posted some additional material on my website, submitted some articles for a design magazine and will be peer reviewing an article for an architectural (theory) magazine this and next week. Nothing substantial or well-paid (yet)...
Sean Joyner
Apr 30, 20 5:52 pm
Wow, that's a lot of writing. Hope all the hard work pays off
randomised
May 1, 20 3:32 pm
Thanks Sean, me too! Thankfully daycare will open up here from May 11th, will make the WFH so much easier.
tduds
Apr 30, 20 6:40 pm
Got a pile of lumber in the garage that's going to turn into a composter soon. Other than that I've mostly been fixing things around the house that I've been meaning to fix since basically the day we moved in.
Homeowning is it's own full time job.
Sean Joyner
May 1, 20 11:30 am
It's always nice to get around to those tasks that there was never time for.
archanonymous
May 1, 20 11:50 am
Started Demo'ing my upstairs bathroom today. We've been wanting to remodel the second floor since we moved in but just decided to jump into it... took out three layers of greenboard and some atrocious plastic? tiles before I got back to the plaster. Torn between keeping plaster and taking it back to studs to create an extra inch or two of interior space.
tduds
May 1, 20 11:56 am
Our bathroom renovation project that was supposed to start this spring has been pushed back until we feel more comfortable bringing people into the house (we're co-isolating for the time being with my vulnerable parents-in-law)
archanonymous
May 1, 20 12:17 pm
Yeah we aren't sure exactly how we are going to wrap this up... I can do demo and install wallboard (and simple electrical and plumbing for that matter) but we are really supposed to have licensed trades do those things... silly building code and insurance requirements.
SneakyPete
May 4, 20 11:58 am
The plaster might get you better sound isolation than the wallboard. Also less cost. Assuming it looks good.
archanonymous
May 4, 20 12:39 pm
True! I've been researching and plaster is better for acoustics, and insulation, and works in concert with the mass walls (double and triple wythe brick) my house is made of to better control moisture and condensation. We are going to keep the plaster everywhere it is sound and the lathe behind isn't cut in weird spots.
archanonymous
May 4, 20 12:39 pm
also as an aside, it's so cool to open up walls and find true 2" x 4" old growth hemlock/ fir lumber.
Wilma Buttfit
Apr 30, 20 7:13 pm
I made an area of the garage into a teacher's lounge.
midlander
May 2, 20 9:44 am
is that where you put the kegerator?
Ancient Sheds
Apr 30, 20 7:27 pm
- 80+ hours plus M-F on remaining active jobs and new leads (still getting them in NYC and NJ)
- realized how far my CAD standards had strayed via multiple employees and consultants, so re-establishing them with INSTRUCTIONS! I also do miss doing a set or two myself...to be honest.
- home schooling is a hoot, especially band practice.
- 3D printing PPE on weekends and if settings are good during the week, but when the stuff has to be maintained at best I can do it during a conference call while pretending to listen.
- wife has me working on the long awaited house addition on weekends and trying to convince her of anything other than an HGTV special is a chore. How did Frank Gehry do it? Now this is my side project that has become a real project. Also, realizing if I'm going to file in my township on my own house I need to make a decent set of drawings, has to be like over the top impressive, have like the old timer type guys here (good old boys, they really bust your balls)
midlander
Apr 30, 20 10:54 pm
his wife worked for him so he had leverage
Sean Joyner
May 1, 20 11:32 am
You've got a full plate in front of you for sure. Good luck!
randomised
May 1, 20 3:35 pm
Wow that home addition could really use an upgrade, looks like a dilapidated ancient shed! Good luck with that, I’m sure HGTV can offer plenty of inspiration(!)
Ancient Sheds
May 2, 20 9:14 am
good one rando! that is what my wife would be afraid of right, the architect's house.
alikatircioglu
May 3, 20 12:43 am
Which 3D printer are you using, do you recommend?
Ancient Sheds
May 3, 20 8:40 am
Takes a lot of maintenance when switching materials, etc...but have a Flashforge CreatorPro. Still messing with the PTEG settings.
Ancient Sheds
May 3, 20 10:52 am
230C extruder/50C bed/60mms/80mms...I messed up months ago on my right extruder so for whatever reason it doesn't do well on the right side, so running left only.
Wood Guy
May 1, 20 3:50 pm
At the risk of promoting this too much, this is a project a few friends and I started due to quarantine: https://www.thebsandbeershow.com/. No compensation, just taking advantage of the situation with a format that allows us to talk with building science experts and enjoy a beverage with other building nerds. Next week we'll talk with Kohta Ueno, a long-time researcher at Building Science Corp, and Bill Hulstrunk, a cellulose insulation expert, about designing unvented roof assemblies. The week after that we'll talk with Bruce King, who wrote the influential book, "The New Carbon Architecture."
If anyone wants to start a local BS + Beer group, there are now about a dozen around the country, though only a few are doing Zoom meetings at this point. I joined ones in Washington DC and Chattanooga, TN this week. Anyone is welcome to use the name. I can share tips on starting your own group.
Apologies to anyone tired of hearing about this.
randomised
May 3, 20 11:08 am
Read that as Bullshit and Beer Show...
Wood Guy
May 4, 20 11:49 am
I do get tired of writing out the full name: "The BS* + Beer Show (*building science). The double entendre is intentional; some might say the best thing about the concept ;-)
randomised
May 4, 20 2:40 pm
It definitely got my attention, so it works!
curtkram
May 2, 20 9:56 am
the website says the next show is april 30. i sent them my email, so i'll probably get a link?
Wood Guy
May 2, 20 3:53 pm
Curt, I will update the website soon, probably tomorrow. Our shows are currently every Thursday, 6-7:30 pm eastern time. I try to send out emailed invitations on Monday and Wednesday, or sometimes Thursday morning. You can also keep an eye out at https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/; today or tomorrow they will post an announcement for the next show.
Ancient Sheds
May 3, 20 8:40 am
signed-up. you had me at beer.
J. James R.
May 4, 20 12:19 pm
Made this mid-century esque basement storage shelf.
Sean Joyner
May 4, 20 12:31 pm
It’s looking good sir!
OddArchitect
May 4, 20 4:32 pm
Very burtalist is style and form. Nice!
Wood Guy
May 4, 20 7:01 pm
You have holes in your shelves--won't stuff fall through? Cool design though.
OddArchitect
May 4, 20 7:02 pm
It's a minimalist design Wood Guy, geeesh, get with the hipness man! 8-)
Dangermouse
May 4, 20 1:17 pm
no garden space, sadly, but i was able to forage up some morels, ramps, and onions from the wetland preserve ~1 mile from my house. cooked 'em as a ragout in a beurre fondue , served over home made ravioli. i broke the emulsion on the fondue three times before getting it right--use a smaller saucepan, more water than you think you need, and add your fats slowly
archanonymous
May 4, 20 2:04 pm
I assume fondue is just cheese on top of a Bechamel? My Bechamel and Mornay trick is to make sure the cheese and butter are up to room temperature (or above - i stick mine next to the pilot light on my oven) before mixing them with the roux base.
archanonymous
May 4, 20 2:04 pm
any morel/ ramp/ onion foraging tips or guide that you refer to for ID, etc...?
Dangermouse
May 4, 20 3:33 pm
No cheese involved, fondue is french for melted and a beurre fondue is simply an emulsion of melted butter in water--think of a silky, slightly thick version of butter that doesn't break out into fat and milk solids. It takes up flavor really well--often you cook vegetables in a beurre fondue then cook a mild protein like fish or chicken
Dangermouse
May 4, 20 3:36 pm
morels are great because there's really only one thing which can be a morel. on the east coast they're primarily around downed trees, oaks, beech and ash, in well drained soil, and generally they come up after a few days of heavy rain. you want to cut them at soil level, not dig them up, so as not to disturb the mycellear (sp?) network in the soil. also, morels are always hollow. there is a 'false morel' which is poisonous, but a false morel is always solid, and never has the upright, torpedo shape of a morel
Dangermouse
May 4, 20 3:38 pm
ramps are found in forest understories near water, generally on slopes. they have paired, ovular leaves, red stems, a bulb, and they smell like garlic. cut the leaves, leave the bulb so the plant can survive another season. the bulb is good raw but gets mushy when cooked. the flavor is...spectacular. think garlic without the bitterness or pungency, and a touch of onion without the sharp cutting bite of a regular, mature onion. wild onions are much the same, tall narrow leaves, almost like grass, but the smell is strongly like an onion or chive.
archanonymous
May 4, 20 3:52 pm
Awesome, thanks! I must have missed the "beurre" part of the beurre fondue - sounds like an interesting technique. Emulsions are hard but I'm always trying to step up my food game and learn more from different cuisines.
x-jla
May 4, 20 4:57 pm
I’m cooking like there is no tomorrow.
Made some street tacos the other day with barbacoa slow cooked for 4 hours, made some pizza day before, before that fish tacos with Avacado sauce etc, Before that was pasta with my signature bracciole cooked for about 8 hours, then chicken cacciatore...just had a glass of red wine, some fresh figs from my tree, and orange, and some sardines with olive oil and lemon on a slice homemade italian bread for lunch. I love days when I don’t have construction going on.
x-jla
May 4, 20 4:59 pm
Healthy eating and exercise is very important.
Sean Joyner
May 4, 20 5:04 pm
Sounds like we need to be at your place for dinner! Would love to see a shot of one of your dishes.
OddArchitect
May 4, 20 5:59 pm
j-lax is an obese internet troll so I wouldn't take his recipes too seriously.
x-jla
May 4, 20 6:08 pm
Im actually at a perfect BMI and run 3-5 miles a day, but try again fucko.
x-jla
May 4, 20 6:28 pm
Sean, you’re welcome over for dinner anytime man.
OddArchitect
May 4, 20 6:59 pm
jla-x prove it fatty. With all the BS you spread around here I don't believe you without proof. Yes I called you a liar.
drums please, Fab?
May 4, 20 7:06 pm
are you Miles? you sound like Miles. and i'm not jla-x, i'm just tired of your shit.
x-jla
May 4, 20 8:21 pm
Chad, I don’t care if you think I’m fat. It’s laughable that you form these right winger tropes in your dumb head. You seriously can’t accept the fact that some people have different opinions than you. Those people must be fat and mean! How about you prove that you are capable of debating topics without resorting to ad hominem attacks.
OddArchitect
May 5, 20 10:34 am
jla-x try harder . . .
OddArchitect
May 5, 20 10:35 am
we're in this together - you don't like that I poke fun at egotistical idiots. I can see why you're upset with my posts.
drums please, Fab?
May 5, 20 2:28 pm
this was your first response to j-lax's food post, which was a completely innocent post, no politics or anything else controversial and you write this:
j-lax is an obese internet troll so I wouldn't take his recipes too seriously.
so who again is the troll here, Chad?
tduds
May 5, 20 3:40 pm
Is there a "Whatcha cookin?" thread? I'd contribue the hell into that. ...I too have been cooking like crazy since WFH, even posting some how-to's on Instagram for my fellow pantry-hoarders. On the upside, my wife is very happy. On the downside, I gotta start running more.
OddArchitect
May 5, 20 3:44 pm
jla-x consistently acts like a dishonest internet troll on this site so I treat it as such where ever it posts
x-jla
May 5, 20 4:00 pm
Tduds, that’s great. Definitely should start working out again. It’s helped me enormously both physically and mentally. I’m at the point where I actually look forward to my runs. For the first couple years I hated it. I think there was a thread like that now that you mention it...I’ll start a new one later :)
whistler
May 4, 20 4:58 pm
Architect designed and customized basketball hoop and backboard to match my house for my son. wife is happy the piece of shit white plastic thing is out of the driveway.
Second project is two herb planters for the terrace ( of course to match the house )
Third project was a total revamp of my garage storage system for skis and bikes etc. My garage is now officially awesome!.... my wife may not see me again for years!
SneakyPete
May 4, 20 6:10 pm
Can we see the hoop?
whistler
May 4, 20 6:16 pm
Sorry I haven't uploaded
it to the office portfolio yet!
gibbost
May 5, 20 10:56 am
Yes, please share a photo of the backboard and hoop. The wife and kids have been after me for months on putting one up. I've been avoiding it on account of how ugly the store-bought versions are.
Sean Joyner
May 5, 20 10:56 am
nice! sounds like a fun bunch of projects! The hoop sounds pretty cool.
whistler
May 5, 20 4:52 pm
B- Ball Hoop ( still need to grab a new net ), partially completed herb planter for the terrace, and unfinished planter beds / pots around the front door!
SneakyPete
May 5, 20 6:01 pm
That's a nice hoop. Well done.
whistler
May 5, 20 6:09 pm
Attachment is only suitable for a skinny ass university student but if Lebron shows up he may pull the whole fascia assembly down with him if decides to paste one!
archanonymous
May 5, 20 6:15 pm
come on Lebron, layups only dude!
newguy
May 5, 20 6:19 pm
Nice. I vote you get a black net
OddArchitect
May 5, 20 6:20 pm
Very nice!
Wood Guy
May 5, 20 7:50 pm
A net will mess up those clean lines...
OneLostArchitect
May 5, 20 8:11 pm
chain net!
Non Sequitur
May 5, 20 8:18 pm
At first glance, it looks like there is a toilet in the bottom right. That would be so convenient, but maybe not so close to the main entrance.
randomised
May 6, 20 4:28 am
Should've made the backboard from boulders ;)
Quentin P
May 6, 20 9:48 am
- Been running more, about 12-15 miles/week
- Painted living room ceiling
- Oiled my patio bench
- On book #2, currently Guns, Germs, & Steel
- Changed the coolant on my motorcycle, which took 3x longer than expected. Upset had to remove the whole front end to change it.
-Had plan to race said motorcycle last month in Alabama but Rona has all the races canceled :(
Sean Joyner
May 6, 20 2:41 pm
Nice! I’ve been walking a lot more for sure.
OddArchitect
May 6, 20 4:58 pm
Go fast and leave a beautiful corps, if you wearing leathers.
I've been getting a bit more into gardening with my wife during this quarantine. It's got a nice design/creative component to it that's been fun. I was curious if anyone else has adopted a new side project or hobby while stuck at home.
I'm still working full time so my side projects have been limited to sketching and finishing up building my house. Also a lot of backyard archery with my recurve bow. Don't worry, I first built a target backstop so any errant arrows don't skewer a neighbor.
Haha nice. I'm still working too, but I've gained two extra hours since there's no more commute. I'd be down to see some of those sketches .
Oh they are not very good. I haven't really sketched real life subject matter in many years - just a lot of detailing and presentation stuff.
A life sketch - I've got a ways to go
A playhouse idea I've been messing around with.
Nice! I think these are great. I'm digging the playhouse. Something you'd build yourself?
Yeah. I'd try to build it. That or if someone else wanted to build it I'd give them drawings to do it at their own risk. 8-)
Nice work Chad!
Once upon a time, I used to make jewelry. I hope to get my shop set back up (it's mostly in boxes through the last 3 moves) and have a piece I want to make as a gift for a friend, but honestly I haven't made much progress.
Wow. Jewelry? That’s awesome. Would be awesome to see some of your work. Good luck with getting that back up!
Can home-schooling kids count as a side hobby?
Why not?! How’s that going?
I can confirm architect was a better career choice for me and my wife than pre-K teacher! My children probably agree.
for a little bit more than a year and half I have been making videos about my hobby of riding an electric unicycle and posting them on YouTube. Its good way to practice speaking since I don’t have much chanceS to do presentation or pitches, does take a lot of work though.
Seriously? You gotta share a link to one of those videos.
Sure! Here’s one!
https://youtu.be/nXeyiMnSa9Q
So cool man! Thanks for sharing!
Wow, didn't expect to enjoy this so much... Keep it up Hsianglin!
Thank you! It is still very much a work in progress but I have learned a lot about effective communication and/or even how social networks works. Been very interesting!
That was super fun!
I feel like I'm working more than ever (haven't been laid off yet) but it's given me motivation to get back in to my primary hobbies - gardening and bicycles.
Sounds fun. Yeah, gardening has been fun. What kind of bicycles are you into?
it's the classic problem. How many bicycles is the right number? "N+1"
due to locale mostly road but I mountain bike, do some gravel/ cyclocross and of course have a couple silly little city bikes.
I've been scouring ebay for bike upgrades because the weather is finally getting nicer and I've already reached the s-1 threshold (for the uninitiated, see rule #12). Our next house will need a dedicated space for my bikes ... the trade off will be a dedicated space for her hobbies.
I got that in this last move but all the bike space is full now (in fairness, two of the bikes are hers). I also finally got a modern all-road bike (should be able to replace most of my other bikes) but it's only sent me deeper into bike specialization.
Sean what are you growing? We do flowers and the food crops with the biggest "pay-off" like tomatoes and strawberries. I'd rather buy cucumbers or eggplant or whatever at the farmer's market but homegrown tomatoes really are better.
We have a lot of succulents but are going to be starting on some herbs and flowers soon. I’ve really been interest in more food crops. Have you done bell peppers?
I have. They do pretty well but I've always had better luck with smaller peppers (and smaller tomatoes for that matter). With the Bells it feels like you get 5-8 on the bush then they spend all summer ripening whereas with a poblano or sport pepper you get many more crops and the ripen more quickly.
Good point. Perhaps I'll start with the poblano or sport pepper. I've been nervous about tackling tomatoes because I feel like they'll be too hard to maintain since I'm kind of a newb.
No way, grab a cherry tomato plant - they do great and are so easy. The big tomatoes are quite difficult, and require lots of attention.
Oh yeah? Okay! I'll plan to give the cherry tomato a try too. Thanks!
We're really into gardening as well--so much so that we moved from a city to an old farm in the country, partly so we'd have more space for growing. I'd second archanonymous' recommendation--it's hard to go wrong with cherry tomatoes. We grow a few Sungold and black cherry tomatoes every year; they are prolific and fairly disease-resistant. We also grow several types of hot peppers, and a lot of Shisito peppers, which are mostly sweet with the occasional hot one--they're ideal for pan-roasting. We also grow tons of garlic, herbs, greens, asparagus, etc.. It's a great hobby.
Interesting. I moved to a large city to pursue architecture like 6 years ago... I feel like i might finally be tiring of it. Feeling pretty ready for an exurban/ rural type of setup now. Hoping that the pandemic opens up new possibilities in remote work - if I only had to go to the office once or twice a week, I could deal with a 1 1/2 hour commute.
Totally. I definitely feel you on the remote work aspect. Before I was in the car about two hours each day, but now being home has opened up a lot of possibilities on how I can structure my day. Plus, I personally work a lot better from home.
My work is my side project, taking care of my kids is my job now...
Did apply for some subsidies for a couple of design-research projects during this quarantine (fingers crossed), posted some additional material on my website, submitted some articles for a design magazine and will be peer reviewing an article for an architectural (theory) magazine this and next week. Nothing substantial or well-paid (yet)...
Wow, that's a lot of writing. Hope all the hard work pays off
Thanks Sean, me too! Thankfully daycare will open up here from May 11th, will make the WFH so much easier.
Got a pile of lumber in the garage that's going to turn into a composter soon. Other than that I've mostly been fixing things around the house that I've been meaning to fix since basically the day we moved in.
Homeowning is it's own full time job.
It's always nice to get around to those tasks that there was never time for.
Started Demo'ing my upstairs bathroom today. We've been wanting to remodel the second floor since we moved in but just decided to jump into it... took out three layers of greenboard and some atrocious plastic? tiles before I got back to the plaster. Torn between keeping plaster and taking it back to studs to create an extra inch or two of interior space.
Our bathroom renovation project that was supposed to start this spring has been pushed back until we feel more comfortable bringing people into the house (we're co-isolating for the time being with my vulnerable parents-in-law)
Yeah we aren't sure exactly how we are going to wrap this up... I can do demo and install wallboard (and simple electrical and plumbing for that matter) but we are really supposed to have licensed trades do those things... silly building code and insurance requirements.
The plaster might get you better sound isolation than the wallboard. Also less cost. Assuming it looks good.
True! I've been researching and plaster is better for acoustics, and insulation, and works in concert with the mass walls (double and triple wythe brick) my house is made of to better control moisture and condensation. We are going to keep the plaster everywhere it is sound and the lathe behind isn't cut in weird spots.
also as an aside, it's so cool to open up walls and find true 2" x 4" old growth hemlock/ fir lumber.
I made an area of the garage into a teacher's lounge.
is that where you put the kegerator?
- 80+ hours plus M-F on remaining active jobs and new leads (still getting them in NYC and NJ)
- realized how far my CAD standards had strayed via multiple employees and consultants, so re-establishing them with INSTRUCTIONS! I also do miss doing a set or two myself...to be honest.
- home schooling is a hoot, especially band practice.
- 3D printing PPE on weekends and if settings are good during the week, but when the stuff has to be maintained at best I can do it during a conference call while pretending to listen.
- wife has me working on the long awaited house addition on weekends and trying to convince her of anything other than an HGTV special is a chore. How did Frank Gehry do it? Now this is my side project that has become a real project. Also, realizing if I'm going to file in my township on my own house I need to make a decent set of drawings, has to be like over the top impressive, have like the old timer type guys here (good old boys, they really bust your balls)
his wife worked for him so he had leverage
You've got a full plate in front of you for sure. Good luck!
Wow that home addition could really use an upgrade, looks like a dilapidated ancient shed! Good luck with that, I’m sure HGTV can offer plenty of inspiration(!)
good one rando! that is what my wife would be afraid of right, the architect's house.
Which 3D printer are you using, do you recommend?
Takes a lot of maintenance when switching materials, etc...but have a Flashforge CreatorPro. Still messing with the PTEG settings.
230C extruder/50C bed/60mms/80mms...I messed up months ago on my right extruder so for whatever reason it doesn't do well on the right side, so running left only.
At the risk of promoting this too much, this is a project a few friends and I started due to quarantine: https://www.thebsandbeershow.com/. No compensation, just taking advantage of the situation with a format that allows us to talk with building science experts and enjoy a beverage with other building nerds. Next week we'll talk with Kohta Ueno, a long-time researcher at Building Science Corp, and Bill Hulstrunk, a cellulose insulation expert, about designing unvented roof assemblies. The week after that we'll talk with Bruce King, who wrote the influential book, "The New Carbon Architecture."
If anyone wants to start a local BS + Beer group, there are now about a dozen around the country, though only a few are doing Zoom meetings at this point. I joined ones in Washington DC and Chattanooga, TN this week. Anyone is welcome to use the name. I can share tips on starting your own group.
Apologies to anyone tired of hearing about this.
Read that as Bullshit and Beer Show...
I do get tired of writing out the full name: "The BS* + Beer Show (*building science). The double entendre is intentional; some might say the best thing about the concept ;-)
It definitely got my attention, so it works!
the website says the next show is april 30. i sent them my email, so i'll probably get a link?
Curt, I will update the website soon, probably tomorrow. Our shows are currently every Thursday, 6-7:30 pm eastern time. I try to send out emailed invitations on Monday and Wednesday, or sometimes Thursday morning. You can also keep an eye out at https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/; today or tomorrow they will post an announcement for the next show.
signed-up. you had me at beer.
Made this mid-century esque basement storage shelf.
It’s looking good sir!
Very burtalist is style and form. Nice!
You have holes in your shelves--won't stuff fall through? Cool design though.
It's a minimalist design Wood Guy, geeesh, get with the hipness man! 8-)
no garden space, sadly, but i was able to forage up some morels, ramps, and onions from the wetland preserve ~1 mile from my house. cooked 'em as a ragout in a beurre fondue , served over home made ravioli. i broke the emulsion on the fondue three times before getting it right--use a smaller saucepan, more water than you think you need, and add your fats slowly
I assume fondue is just cheese on top of a Bechamel? My Bechamel and Mornay trick is to make sure the cheese and butter are up to room temperature (or above - i stick mine next to the pilot light on my oven) before mixing them with the roux base.
any morel/ ramp/ onion foraging tips or guide that you refer to for ID, etc...?
No cheese involved, fondue is french for melted and a beurre fondue is simply an emulsion of melted butter in water--think of a silky, slightly thick version of butter that doesn't break out into fat and milk solids. It takes up flavor really well--often you cook vegetables in a beurre fondue then cook a mild protein like fish or chicken
morels are great because there's really only one thing which can be a morel. on the east coast they're primarily around downed trees, oaks, beech and ash, in well drained soil, and generally they come up after a few days of heavy rain. you want to cut them at soil level, not dig them up, so as not to disturb the mycellear (sp?) network in the soil. also, morels are always hollow. there is a 'false morel' which is poisonous, but a false morel is always solid, and never has the upright, torpedo shape of a morel
ramps are found in forest understories near water, generally on slopes. they have paired, ovular leaves, red stems, a bulb, and they smell like garlic. cut the leaves, leave the bulb so the plant can survive another season. the bulb is good raw but gets mushy when cooked. the flavor is...spectacular. think garlic without the bitterness or pungency, and a touch of onion without the sharp cutting bite of a regular, mature onion. wild onions are much the same, tall narrow leaves, almost like grass, but the smell is strongly like an onion or chive.
Awesome, thanks! I must have missed the "beurre" part of the beurre fondue - sounds like an interesting technique. Emulsions are hard but I'm always trying to step up my food game and learn more from different cuisines.
I’m cooking like there is no tomorrow.
Made some street tacos the other day with barbacoa slow cooked for 4 hours, made some pizza day before, before that fish tacos with Avacado sauce etc, Before that was pasta with my signature bracciole cooked for about 8 hours, then chicken cacciatore...just had a glass of red wine, some fresh figs from my tree, and orange, and some sardines with olive oil and lemon on a slice homemade italian bread for lunch. I love days when I don’t have construction going on.
Healthy eating and exercise is very important.
Sounds like we need to be at your place for dinner! Would love to see a shot of one of your dishes.
j-lax is an obese internet troll so I wouldn't take his recipes too seriously.
Im actually at a perfect BMI and run 3-5 miles a day, but try again fucko.
Sean, you’re welcome over for dinner anytime man.
jla-x prove it fatty. With all the BS you spread around here I don't believe you without proof. Yes I called you a liar.
are you Miles? you sound like Miles. and i'm not jla-x, i'm just tired of your shit.
Chad, I don’t care if you think I’m fat. It’s laughable that you form these right winger tropes in your dumb head. You seriously can’t accept the fact that some people have different opinions than you. Those people must be fat and mean! How about you prove that you are capable of debating topics without resorting to ad hominem attacks.
jla-x try harder . . .
we're in this together - you don't like that I poke fun at egotistical idiots. I can see why you're upset with my posts.
this was your first response to j-lax's food post, which was a completely innocent post, no politics or anything else controversial and you write this:
j-lax is an obese internet troll so I wouldn't take his recipes too seriously.
so who again is the troll here, Chad?
Is there a "Whatcha cookin?" thread? I'd contribue the hell into that. ...I too have been cooking like crazy since WFH, even posting some how-to's on Instagram for my fellow pantry-hoarders. On the upside, my wife is very happy. On the downside, I gotta start running more.
jla-x consistently acts like a dishonest internet troll on this site so I treat it as such where ever it posts
Tduds, that’s great. Definitely should start working out again. It’s helped me enormously both physically and mentally. I’m at the point where I actually look forward to my runs. For the first couple years I hated it. I think there was a thread like that now that you mention it...I’ll start a new one later :)
Architect designed and customized basketball hoop and backboard to match my house for my son. wife is happy the piece of shit white plastic thing is out of the driveway.
Second project is two herb planters for the terrace ( of course to match the house )
Third project was a total revamp of my garage storage system for skis and bikes etc. My garage is now officially awesome!.... my wife may not see me again for years!
Can we see the hoop?
Sorry I haven't uploaded it to the office portfolio yet!
Yes, please share a photo of the backboard and hoop. The wife and kids have been after me for months on putting one up. I've been avoiding it on account of how ugly the store-bought versions are.
nice! sounds like a fun bunch of projects! The hoop sounds pretty cool.
B- Ball Hoop ( still need to grab a new net ), partially completed herb planter for the terrace, and unfinished planter beds / pots around the front door!
That's a nice hoop. Well done.
Attachment is only suitable for a skinny ass university student but if Lebron shows up he may pull the whole fascia assembly down with him if decides to paste one!
come on Lebron, layups only dude!
Nice. I vote you get a black net
Very nice!
A net will mess up those clean lines...
chain net!
At first glance, it looks like there is a toilet in the bottom right. That would be so convenient, but maybe not so close to the main entrance.
Should've made the backboard from boulders ;)
- Been running more, about 12-15 miles/week
- Painted living room ceiling
- Oiled my patio bench
- On book #2, currently Guns, Germs, & Steel
- Changed the coolant on my motorcycle, which took 3x longer than expected. Upset had to remove the whole front end to change it.
-Had plan to race said motorcycle last month in Alabama but Rona has all the races canceled :(
Nice! I’ve been walking a lot more for sure.
Go fast and leave a beautiful corps, if you wearing leathers.