Hiatus or Sabbatical

October 14, 2022

Serenity

Well, my blog went on vacation, holiday, an hiatus or perchance a sabbatical. Not sure which. Based on our HR department, it did have PTO, so it took some liberties. People love to take time off in the summer and I suppose blogs are no different. It made me ponder, what is the difference between the above words? So, I took the occasion to look them up. 

vacation

[ vey-key-shuhn, vuh- ]

a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel; recess or holiday

holiday

[ hol-i-dey ]

Chiefly British. to vacation

hiatus

[ hahy-ey-tuhs ]

a break or interruption in the continuity of a work, series, action, etc

Sabbatical

[ suh-bat-i-kuhl ]

any extended period of leave from one's customary work, especially for rest, to acquire new skills or training, etc.

fuh-net-ik

Huh. Fine thing. That didn't help. It could be any of those. My hope, however, is the blog took a sabbatical so that the writings are better through acquisition of new skills or training. 

One of the things I continue to ponder is why we need to have a way to pronounce the word in question. Why don't we just spell the aforementioned word, suhbatikuhl. Or the one before that: hahyeytuhs. Actually, that is more confusing. How does hahy = hi? I would think that hi means hi. Let me see what the dictionary says. Just look at that! The dictionary says to pronounce the word hi, "hahy". So, hahy is pronounced "hi" and not "ha-hee". English is weird. 

With that wordy detour I came to the same conclusion. The blog was out of the office. Gone. Not here. And, regardless of the reason, it's all excuses. And, excuses don't matter, regardless, because the blog still didn't get written. The task was not complete. Let's fix that. So, it is here and in force! 

(DRUMROLL)

Time for the update!

Thunder Mountain

You know, sometimes working with municipalities is like carrying water in our hands. Or, is it more like herding cats? Well, I have carried water in my hands, although not too far, but have never herded cats. Has either of my readers herded cats? Perhaps you can share that experience. Nonetheless, the fire marshal retired and the new fire marshal come into the conversations. And, as is often the case, the new fire marshal has different understanding to what we agreed than the previous fire marshal. So, we have some added things that have caused some delays. 

Just like new!

First, they were going to allow us to move residents into the finished units upon their completion. So, we had a plan to bifurcate the water line so that the completed units would be on the new system and protected. In other words, we would have a branch that was finished and a branch that was not. However, the new fire marshal said the ENTIRE building must be sprinklered prior to a partial occupancy permit. This crimps our style, reduces projected income and downright gets in the way of progress. 

Additionally, they said we need a wall between the currently occupied units and the ones under construction so that the residents don't wander into a construction zone. Well, the work is being done INSIDE the individual units so the chance of unintentionally wandering into this construction area is slim to none and slim left town. Well, too bad so sad, they said. And, a new wall is going to be installed; albeit, a temporary one. 

More to come on this project!

The Eighty-Ten

The Eighty-Ten - New Paint!

The Eighty-Ten is a 36-unit complex we are repositioning in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This is exciting because it was a pretty decently run project when we bought it and it needed some of our TLC. So, we retained the in-place onsite property manager and she is doing a wonderful job! 

Alice Cooper - New Mexico Quote 

Did you know that Albuquerque was named after a Spanish city Alburquerque. Yep! It's true. And, their biggest event is the - .... Hot Air Balloon Festival. It's incredible! Well, from what I have seen online and heard from others. I have never been. However, once I go I won't be able to say that anymore. 

They had a few down units which were in terrible shape, so we focused on them first. We had to replace some of the vigas (support beams that look like logs) on the 2nd story walkways. There were some windows that were replaced. And, we are repainting the building. This place is looking more like a warm and inviting home every day!

APEX

APEX Aerial View

Our latest project is the APEX Apartments in Fort Worth, Texas. This 152-unit complex is a lighter value-add than we have pursued previously. It's one of those deals that just kinda fell into our lap. Previously, it was Antigua Village. Since it is in the Stop Six neighborhood that is undergoing a gentrifying revitalization, we changed the name. 

Daily Cattle Drive!

This property is the only apartment building currently in this submarket. There are plans to build new apartments nearby on a vacant lot that was previously Federal Projects. For those of you who don't know what "projects" are, you will have to search google and see what you can learn about the housing projects HUD oversaw in years gone by. They were so well run (cough) that the city of Fort Worth had the residents relocated to various locations around the DFW area, condemned the buildings and razed them to the ground. Yeah, that kind of place. Well, that's gone and the new development is in the planning stages. 

Right next door is a new complex going up that will be Cowan Place and is age restricted to 62+. They have broken ground and the building is going up as we speak. When complete it will be a 174 unit, multi-story facility with mixed income residents. This property will be great for the neighborhood and great for a neighbor. We are super excited. 

Freshening Up!

Concluding Thoughts

As my readers may have noticed I expanded the blog. You see, some investors asked me if I was going to do similar updates on our other properties. My first reaction was, "That's too much work." Then I got to thinking, "Hey! What if I combined them all into one? How would that look?" Well, now I know. 

And that is our projects from my corner of the globe ~Bruce

What is a "Sniff Test"?

 May 11, 2022

In conversation in our business we often hear of the words "sniff test". So what is a sniff test? I remember when my sister got married and starting raising kids and she had a few kids running around the house. She is WAY older than me. In fact when I was 5 years old she was 10. So, I was doing the math and realize she is 106! Wow! That's crazy. Back to the kids running around the house. We would be visiting and a kid would run by ... actually, they wouldn't make it by because she would grab them faster than a king cobra grabbing lunch! She would swoop the kid up, turn them face down and smell the back pocket area of their trousers. This was a "sniff test" when I was growing up. Then, if she wasn't convinced should would grab the back of the pants, stretch it out, peak inside and see if the aromatic explosion contained substance. She would do all this without breaking stride in the conversation. The amazing supermom!

Sniff Test

Nope. That can't be it. 

One time we were looking at a property, and this was many years ago. This was way back before there was a hype around real estate and we were buying houses for $10-$20,000 each. In Phoenix. Those were the days, hey? Anyway, we bought a house and brought our money partner out to look at the property. It was vacant in that there were no humans living there. However, there certainly were cats there and they did their duties all over the place. This money partner walked in and plugged his nose and scrunched his face and said, "It STINKS in here!" I turned to him with a megawatt smile and said, "It smells like money." He thought I was crazy. But you see, that is why we got a good deal, it was nasty. We made it clean. 

That can't be it either. So, what is it? 

The thing to realize is, it is different to each sponsor, buyer or operator. Some people have a simple spreadsheet. Others have a simple formula they can work out in their head. For me, there are six metrics to consider which give a good idea on whether a deal is a deal to underwrite or not. Now, it's not a guarantee nor are all six metrics required to get a deal. It's a sniff test, remember? So, what are they? The first three are about the property. 

My Six Metrics

1. Price Per Square Foot. This one is important to measure to compare to other properties of similar vintage and property type, compare to replacement cost and even new construction if that so moves you. Builders and insurance companies spend time in this quadrant. Wait, if there are 6 it's not a quadrant now, is it? That would be a sextant, of course. 
2. Price Per Unit. This is important to compare to other properties in the neighborhood. And after you compared them you would need to consider the number of square feet you have. You see, if most properties in a neighborhood are 600 square feet and yours are 425, you would have to bring other amenities to the party to compete. That's for another blog at another time. 
3. Price Per Market. This is where you compare not to just your neighborhood but also to the surrounding market. Granted, once you cross the river you may have to pay double. Again, remember, this is a "metric" and not an underwriting tool. It gives you a general idea for what properties are selling in a broader sense. 

The next three metrics to make up the six are:

1. Rent Per Square Foot. This is quite universal to see if we are pushing rent beyond market. And, smaller units are much higher than larger units. In other words, a 350 square foot studio would rent for much different per square foot than say a 1,200 square foot 2 bedroom unit. Get what I am getting at?
2. Rent Per Unit.  This is the most universal way to compare rents. In fact, the residents are most likely to pay most attention to this number as this is what is taken out of their bank account each month. This is always set by the market and the residents' ability to pay. 
3. Rent Per Market. Similar to the one above, this is to see how rent fairs with the broader market. 

To recap, when I see deals cross my desk I run these quick 6 metrics to see if we would even be in the ballpark. In the current market, we are not seeing too many that meet what we are looking for. What are we looking for? We are buying cashflow, not appreciation. However, we accept and enjoy appreciation. What are the dangers with buying appreciation? That is a topic for another blog. 

After that whole bunch of words, let's get to the Thunder Mountain update. Again, It's most fun to share through pictures. Less words. More action. 

Lotsa Power!

Here is the new main power which comes into the building to the utility room. Now, those are size large wires! Here, let me show you. 

Size Large

Don't worry. The power wasn't "live" so I wasn't going to get zapped. Well, it would have been a bit more than a zap I presume. Anyway, the wires are huge and the work is so neat! Neat as in tidy. These guys are doing amazingly clean work. 

Electrical Panel

I mean, see what I mean? Maybe this doesn't get you charged up. Try touching it! 

Neatness Counts

These wires are shockingly tidy! This is cool to see that these electricians take pride in their work. Every little detail counts!

How does it look in the rooms? Maybe you were curious. Maybe you weren't. Either way, you get to see behind the panel door. Not many people do! Well, they could. They just don't. 

Getting ready for Breakers

And here is the completed breaker panel. 

In-Unit Breaker Panel

Remember when they were fuses and fuse boxes? From fuse boxes to breaker panels. So, what does this power do?

Kitchen Lights

It will power these lights...

Kitchen sans countertops

...in this kitchen... And...

Entryway Light

...this light in the entryway.

It's all coming together so nicely! Smells good, too!

And that is our project from my corner of the globe ~Bruce

I'm sorry, I wasn't listening...

 April 27, 2022

Listen....

We have all been there. You know, hearing someone speaking and itching to add to the conversation. Yep. You have a pearl of wisdom which everyone needs to hear and can't wait to drop this detail that will make everyone look at you with wonderment. 

Or, there is storytelling and there is one person who is so amped up to share and say, "I have a better one!" and then go on sharing something that is so embellished that we all want to roll our eyes. I know you haven't been that person. That's someone else. 

Or, there is the time I hear my brother sharing something and I can't wait to offer him a solution, even though he isn't looking for one. I am antsy, pacing, opening and closing my mouth getting ready to solve his problem. Then when I get done with my big brother advice? He replies, "You are offering me a solution to a problem I don't have." Bam! The door is quickly shut and at this point I realize his problem is bigger than he realizes and he is in denial. The battle begins. 

Each quarter I put together a 1-1-5-3-1 plan. This is a fabulous goal setting and skill gathering technique. In fact, if I keep this up for the next 20 years, by the time I am 73 I will have 80 new skills! How amazing is that? No time to retire with that in mind. Besides, as my uncle used to tell me, "Retire from what?" When you have a good attitude people think your life is flowers and butterflies. And....it is!

I am sure you are itching to know the 1-1-5-3-1 plan. Here, let me explain. To do so I will outline a bullet format as below:

• 1: Pick the #1 goal for the quarter
• 1: Determine the #1 skill needed to reach that goal
• 5: Read 5 books to learn that skill
• 3: Listen to 3 audiobooks to learn that skill
• 1: Choose 1 mentor to lean on

My goal for this quarter is to be a good listener. And the skill I need to learn? How to ask good conversational questions. You see, the importance is not hearing, and not only listening. Really. It is to be engaged. Not to be interesting, rather, be interested. This is what people are looking for when they talk to you. They want to know you are internalizing what they are saying and taking it in. Have you ever met the person who is genuinely interested in learning who you are? When you leave you think, "That was a great conversation! I really like them." Do you know why? They listened. They cared. They responded instead of reacted. 

Now, that brings me to a sidebar. Do you know the difference between responding and reacting? I will make it simple for you. When you go to the doctor and he prescribes you medication, he may tell you to come back for a follow up appointment. And, when you return he sees you "reacted" to the medicine. That's bad! So, he takes you off that medicine and puts you on another. When you have your next appointment he sees you "responded" to the medication and are doing better. That's good. 

Respond to people and situations, not react. Simple to say, hard to do. 

This reminds me of a time I was visiting with a group of friends and someone asked me my opinion. "I'm sorry, I wasn't listening. I was waiting for my time to talk." Who else has had this happen to them? Can I see a show of hands? We all have. Yep, even the quiet ones. Though, this happens more to us chatty folk I am certain. 

Let's take a look at what is happening at Thunder Mountain. We are über excited with the progress this week. Instead of a bunch of words, I will share pictures. 

Paint & Flooring Entry

The entryway has new paint and flooring. Doesn't it look amazing? Ignore the dusty footprints! It's still in the construction phase. 

Paint Flooring Living Room

And, the living area looks awesome! Don't let the views distract you. Or do. They are awesome too. 

Cabinets Studio

Yep! Can you believe it? Cabinets are going in. They are looking incredible. 

Cabinets 1-Bed

Wow! Are you as excited as I am? If you are 1/2 as pumped as I am, you will be spinning circles in your chair as you read this. As McDonald's has said, "I'm lovin' it!" 

Here is the latest: The painting is done and the cabinets are installed in Phase I. The next step will be to get the countertops installed. They will be granite or quartz. Of quartz, don't take the counters for granite! 

And then the cabinet hardware, electrical fixtures, sinks, plumbing fixtures and appliances.

Things are getting real...

And that is our project from my corner of the globe ~Bruce

The Lies About Inflation

 April 13, 2021

Inflation!

Inflation. What is inflation? Since this isn't really a give and take conversation, I will have to guess on the answers. And, I am guessing my guesses are right on. So, what is inflation you say? You say it is rising prices. How do I know you said that? Because that is what everyone says. What if I told you that your definition of inflation is wrong? Before we dive into my definition, which you will agree with when I am done explaining, let's see what the dictionary says:

Economics. A persistent, substantial rise in the general level of prices related to an increase in the volume of money and resulting in the loss of value of currency.

Ok. The dictionary, or www.dictionary.com as it were, got it partially correct. They touched on it briefly and incompletely at the end of the explanation. 

Let's look at something else, if rising prices is "inflation", then what is "appreciation"? Oh, appreciation is rising prices? But, isn't that inflation? It is? Then what is it? Is it mindset? Say, if something goes up that we do not like that it goes up, we call it "inflation". Whereas if something goes up that we do like that it goes up, we call it "appreciation". Yeah? So, if the price of the house we want to buy goes up we blame inflation. And, if the price of the house we want to sell goes up we call it appreciation. I see. Well, you are wrong and I will tell you why. Buckle your seatbelt and strap on your helmet because I am going to take you on an adventure!

STRESS!

Time for Bruce's definition of inflation:

Brucenomics. Increased money supply.

Isn't that simple? That's it. An increased money supply is inflation. And rising prices? That is the result of inflation. Let's look at Econ 101. If there is an oversupply of something, what happens to it? For example, if there is a huge supply of widgets and a limited supply of dollars, what happens to the price of widgets? Well, the price drops due to supply and demand. Whereas, if there is a shortage of widgets and an oversupply of money, then what happens to the price of the widgets? The price goes up. Well, folks, we have had an oversupply of money printed. Our widgets are going up. We are not happy. The White House is blaming Russia invading Ukraine for rising prices. That is just silly. We have been printing money and dumping it into the economy for 40 years at an ever increasing rate. And, the more dumped in, the higher prices become. And, those on fixed incomes are hit the hardest. That is a topic for another blog at another time. 

What is appreciation? Appreciation is the increase in value of something. Here, let's quote what it says at dictionary.com:

An increase or rise in the value of property, goods, etc. 

It's vitally important to realize that there is a difference between the rise in the price of and the rise in the value of something. Know what's crazy? We can have a rise in the price of a good or service which is 100% inflation driven. AND, if we were to sell the good or service at a higher price than we purchased it then we would have a taxable event. Wait...wut? We can get taxed on inflation? Yep! Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. 

So, how do I define appreciation? 

Brucenomics. Increased value minus inflation. 

Here at Bakerson we cannot do anything about inflation. We can, however, influence the value of a property. 

This brings us to Thunder Mountain. We are definitely increasing the value of the property. And, our increase of value is much greater than our out-of-control inflation. Besides, I believe we will be able to capitalize on both the appreciation AND the inflation. Too bad they are both subject to tax at some point. Yeah. 

Thunder Mountain Apartments. What's new? Well, we have many of the units getting painted and they look fantastic! I could go into detail explaining all about it. But, isn't a picture a better description? Here: 

Entryway

This is how it looks as you walk in. I know, I know. It's not done yet in this picture so don't be critical. It does, however, give it life!

Looking good!

And the first coat looks amazing. Won't be long and 2/3rds of the units will be painted. The guys are doing a great job and it's fulfilling the vision I had for this property. Gives me the warm and fuzzy feeling!

First Coat

Things are blending in and going to look so much nicer. Then we will be ready for flooring. 

NEWS ALERT! I received word there are a handful of units which have new flooring. The bad news? I do not have any pictures. The good news? I will have plenty of pictures for my next blog entry. 

We received word there was a roof leak. As you may recall from an earlier blog (you've read them, right?), the roof is made of concrete. The concrete, however, is not compromised. Rather, there are spots where it's leaking in such as seams. The integrity of the roof is still top notch. Being on top of the building .. 

The Guilty Area

Here is the area which is giving us difficulty. 

Ben ... Wait, Ben?

Nate & Ben took it upon themselves to fix it while they were going there for their periodic visit. Instead of getting a roofer, why not do it while we are checking out the progress? Besides, Nate has been a roofer in a past career some years ago. So, he has a good idea on how to keep the water out. And, it appears Ben even got his hands into the task. I was going to say "It appears Ben even got his hands dirty." However, he is only wearing one glove. So, it would technically be "hand", wouldn't it? I wonder why he only has one glove? Maybe he and Nate are "sharing". How nice. 

Patched!

And, with that the leak is fixed. Bring on the rain!

As we head into economic changes in the wind, you will have a new understanding of inflation and appreciation. Increased Money Supply vs Increased Value (minus inflation). Remember to follow the money. Always follow the money. The money tells a story. 

And that is our project from my corner of the globe ~Bruce

It's Wednesday Somewhere...

 April 4, 2022

5:00 Somewhere!

Happy Wednesday! I mean, it's Wednesday somewhere, right? Ok. Ok. I get it. That only works with 5:00. 

We love Ling & Louie's. It's a delicious restaurant here in Scottsdale. We went there recently with some out of town visitors. And, the food one of our guests had was too spicy for her. I mean, she did grow up in Northern Minnesota, after all. Ketchup is too spicy for some of these folks! When she told the waitress, the waitress grabbed the plate and discussed other options for her. They came up with a modification of a similar item which would be less spicy. She then brought out the new dish. It was perfect! And, as is true to form for Ling & Louie's, it was no additional charge. Now THAT is customer service!

As we sat there I was reminded of the service when we first went there and the current president...(of the restaurant, not our country)...was the General Manager there. And, they were super busy and he was in the kitchen helping the chefs get the food out to the hungry customers. That was awesome!

And, their food is awesome. 

A view of the Brain

What does this have to do with my blog? Glad you asked! It has to do with placing the order. Here, let me explain: 

Think of our mind as a going out to dinner. What we want is our conscious mind. This is 17% of our brain activity. The cooking in the back is the subconscious mind. This is the other 83%. 

Our brain activity and what actually happens in our life are spectacularly different. Our life results come from no more than 4% of our conscious mind. And, the other 96%? Non-conscious; or subconscious as it were. 

Therefore, choosing beliefs is like ordering food from a restaurant. Until we relay our order to the kitchen, nothing happens. We know what we want, but nothing’s being cooked back there. If you want food, place your order. 

If you want change, place your order. Otherwise, it's not a goal or a want, it's merely ... an empty dream. 

Create new habits if you want new results. 

Another View

The other day I figured I would have time alone with my thoughts. Turns out I don't have as many thoughts as you think. 

So, what's cooking at Bakerson? Or more specifically, at Thunder Mountain? I was down there a week and a half ago to see the transformation. It's pretty awesome! We are working with the city to allow us to begin leases for the first units as they come on line. This is a huge milestone for us! It won't be long as we have a double crew down there now getting things across the finish line. 

Kitchen in 1-Bed Unit

Many of the kitchens have been textured and are ready for paint. After the paint we can install the cabinets and get the countertops in. Since we pre-ordered the cabinets, they are all onsite already. Yep! No supply-chain delays there. We have the cabinets. We have the workers. We have results coming in. Can't wait to share the pictures once they get installed!

Then after that we can do the plumbing and electrical fixtures and flooring. And, we should be good to rent! This is amazing!

View from the Kitchen

In the picture above I was standing in the kitchen. The doorway is framed and ready for paint. The flow in the units is really nice as you will see in the next picture. 

Unit Entry

This is our new entry to the 1-Bed units. As you walk in you will see the opening to the left. This goes into the kitchen and living room. Straight ahead is the door to the bedroom. And, the door on the right? Well, that's the bathroom. And, directly behind the door to the right is the place to hang your coat and put your shoes. It will have a very homey feel to it. Looking forward to the new look in a couple weeks!

BREAKING NEWS: There have been so many updates from last Wednesday I want to continue to share. These just came in as I was writing my blog. Instead of starting all over I decided to add here at the end. You know, kind of like dessert:

All doors have been installed in Phase 1 & Phase 2.

Block wall wrapping is done in Phase 1 and 50% of Phase 2. 

Soffits for sprinklers is done in Phase 1 and 50% of Phase 2. 

As of this morning, 4 studios have been painted and a 1-bedroom. 

For clarity, there are 32 units in Phase 1 and 33 units in Phase 2. We are well on our way!

Big updates in a week-and-a-half! Stay tuned to this channel. 

And that is our project from my corner of the globe ~Bruce

Excuses are for Losers

 March 16, 2021

Chad E Foster

Excuses are for losers. 

Those are strong words. Fighting words. And, I don't mean fighting someone. I mean fighting yourself. Look in the mirror, look yourself in the eye and say, "Excuses are for losers." And, see how you react. Go for it. I'll wait. What feeling did you first notice?

“This stuff is so easy, I could do it with my eyes closed.” The interviewer burst into laughter. At that moment the applicant knew he landed the job. 

Recently I was skiing in Snowmass, Colorado. As is my nature, I struck up a conversation with the other people on the lift. Two of them were wearing bright yellow vests. They wore these because it would be easier to see them on the slope. Not a bad idea. However, people haven’t run into me too often. I don't wear a bright yellow vest. During our conversation the two yellow-vested people shared an experience of skiing down the double-black diamond run at the Cirque headwall and how awesome it was. (Item to note: This is no small feat. Of the four Aspen Mountains; Aspen, Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass, this is the most difficult run.) At that point one of the yellow-vested guys turned to the other yellow-vested guy and said, “You would never have done that run if you were sighted.” Wait, wut? Yep! The skier is blind and the other guy was his guide. 

Blind Ambition

Chad E Foster is a true inspiration. He told me he wrote a book, "Blind Ambition". I have been known to read a book to two. Within moments I had purchased the book and I let him know. He gave me a fist bump. I couldn't wait until I got home to read it. So I didn't. I downloaded the Audible. On the 10-hour ride home from Glenwood Springs, I listened to the audiobook. He has a chapter in his book titled, "Excuses are for losers." It made me pause, internally reflect and I could only agree. 

Another thing he said which is so profound, impactful and truly remarkable: "I am blind for a reason. I am blind so I can help others see their potential." Stop for a moment. Re-read that line. Here, I will make it easy for you: "I am blind for a reason. I am blind so I can help others see their potential." Wow. What an amazing attitude. And, he cannot even look in the mirror to look himself in the eye. Know what else he wrote? Ha! You have to read his book to find out. I can't do everything for you. Oh, you don't have time to read? Excuses are for losers. 

My recommendation? Stop reading, buy the book or download the audible. Go ahead. Do it now. I will wait. 

As I share my vision of our project in Sierra Vista I am amazed at the accomplishment. I am the eyes in the field for you. That has a whole new meaning for us, doesn't it? 

Now, finally, we get to the part where we discuss what you have all been waiting for. Where are we with Thunder Mountain? What has gotten completed since our last bi-weekly update? As a reminder, that is once every-other-week. Americans are so good at making simple things complicated. For more details on this meaning, simply scroll back a few blogs and read what I had to share on this topic. 

Things are exciting! So, let's get started. 

Digging up the Drive

The parking lot / driveway is getting cut up, dug up and tore up. What are we doing now? We are adding the dedicated water line (finally) for the sprinkler system. I am not going to dive into detail on that one besides sharing that the first way we were going came to a bureaucratic dead end when dealing with the private water company. If you are curious to what happened, simply scroll back in time and read my other blog entries. It's worth your time. Free entertainment with nuggets of wisdom. At least that's my opinion, which doesn't matter. 

Window Wall Mudded

We are taping and mudding inside the units! And, when I say "we" I mean "they". The construction crew is keeping their foot on the skinny pedal and making things happen. And, by the skinny pedal I mean the gas pedal. Next time you get in your car, take a look. The skinny pedal makes you go and the harder you press the faster you go. Try it! Let me know how that goes. 

Kitchen Mudded - Looks Nice!

The taping is looking awesome. 

The doorways between the units which make up the 1-bed are getting trimmed out. This will certainly get to more finished look. 

Trimmed Doorway

And, some of the bedrooms in the 1-bed units are framed in. In essence, we moved the door which we removed from between the two units and reinstalled them in a newly framed wall to form a bedroom. This way visitors can use the bathroom and the bedroom can remain a private bedroom. 

Who Framed the Door?

This will take some imagination. Say you just walked into this hotel room. But, it was a few months ago. On your left there would not be the open doorway. Straight ahead you would see the motel room. Now, look at this picture. To the right of the open doorway is another doorway. The next one to the right leads to the bath. And, the open doorway on the left leads to the kitchen and the living room. If you scroll up you can see what they look like today. 

Isn't this fun to see?

Now close your eyes. Imagine that you have seen your last sunset. From now on, everything is black. That's what Chad did, except he didn't imagine it. And know what? He's awesome. It makes him who he is. He is blind so he can help others see their potential. 

And that is our project from my corner of the globe ~Bruce

What can you do with 26 letters?

March 2, 2022

Made of 26 Letters

26 Letters. That is all it takes to create a library. To write a book. To create a world class presentation. To write a blog. And, to communicate with our youth. IMHO, kids are silly. BRB. 

Ok. I'm back. LOL. JK. I never left. 

Here are some interesting facts about English. Now, the information I read didn't specify whether it was British English, Australian English, Canadian English, Millennial English or American English. It also didn't say if it included the many words our kids and grandkids are using today. TBH, it doesn't matter. I wonder if it will catch on? Lawlz! Here is what I found: 

• By the numbers:
• 273,000 - words in the English language
• 171,000 - actively used words in the English language 
• 47,000 - words in the dictionary that are obsolete (wonder why they were included?)
• 40,000 - words the average American understands
• 20,000 - words the average American uses
• 44 - elementary sounds
• 26 - letters in the English alphabet

Who here knew that we only have 44 different sounds in our language? And, all that complexity is created with 26 simple letters. Here is what is fascinating: Learn more words by reading. Increase the size of your passive vocabulary within your industry. You know, that thing we talked about in a previous blog?: jargon. Study public speaking. Simplify your message by sharing complex things within your business in simpler English. Deliver speeches. And, you will be more influential, more broadly received and likely more prosperous. Looks like I should speak my blog instead of typing it. Nowhere in my studies did I see where writing a blog is as impactful as the above revelation. 

44 sounds. I think I heard all of them coming from the neighboring stall at the rest area this morning. Goodness!

Starting tomorrow I will read my blog to you. Close your eyes and ... nightmares. I know. Never mind. Scratch that idea. Read on. 

Imagine what you can do with 26 Letters. Don't close your eyes during this exercise because then it would be hard to read. Now, imagine what you can do with 65 units! We did. And, it's incredible! After the tour today I am impressed to see the vision I have had coming to life. Doorways are cut. Sprinkler system is in. sprinkler heads are up. Drywall is hung. Plumbing is run. Windows are installed. Electrical is run. Fences are blocking the entry. Wait, wut? 

Fenced Entry

What are the most significance improvements this week? Or should I say bi-week as it's an update from my previous blog...? Biggest news: the sprinkler system pressure test PASSED. Yep! That means we can start taping, mudding and painting the drywall. Big things in the coming weeks. Speaking of crazy...well, we weren't but we are now, there was a sprinkler head which flew off during the sprinkler pressure test. And, it flew across the room, through a window and landed in the oleanders yonder. Holy guacamole! That's insane. Luckily no one was injured. And, the head was reattached properly and it passed the test. Dodged a sprinkler head there!

Launched Projectile

A closeup of the culprit:

Sprinkler Head - Unlaunched

In many of the units we need to cut the block for doorways converting the two motel units into the one bed units. Remember that? Well, many more have been cut. Here is a view of the above-mentioned kitchen drywall while looking through the cut in the block from the bedroom side of the one-bed unit:

Kitchen View from Bedroom

And another view:

Kitchen View from Living Room

And yet another view: 

Kitchen View from Dining Room

Isn't this awesome?

Here is the updated plumbing. Well, you can't see it because they artfully covered it with drywall. Doesn't it look nice?

Kitchen Plumbing in Bathroom

No updated pictures of the other plumbing or electrical. However, I do have a picture of a fence:

Fenced Back Entry

Now, why is a fence blocking the entry and limiting access to the property? 

Fenced Side Entry

Well, they are ready to dig a hole. Why are they digging a hole? To gain access to the underground plumbing which attaches to the fire hydrant. This new solution will save us time, money and headaches. Yes. We have located a better place to tap into the water supply. We now have a better place to install the risers INSIDE the building instead of outside. And, we save money on Tylenol, Advil and Motrin. 

No Headache

And here is a pic of a "California Patch". This is the coolest way ever to repair a drywall hole. It makes total sense and is less visible, less work and one of the cool things out of California. One of the few good things out of California these days it seems. And Tesla I suppose. They are out of California. Literally. They moved to Austin. 

California Patch

And that is our project from my corner of the globe with only 26 letters ~Bruce