Sunrise / Sunset Tx. style Take a look.

[Sunrise / Sunset Tx. style Take a look.]

That's why I'll never move away from the coast.

[Amanda Knox - guilty?]

Even though I am of italian descent, my grandparents come from southern Italy. I went to Italy when I was 14 years old - and I have to tell you from my experiences - Italians are the biggest A$$HOLES on the face of the planet. That poor girl got SCREWED SCREWED SCREWED! Don't get me wrong, I love the country, the history, the fine food, the beautiful women, but man If there was ever an anti-american sentiment crazy mafioso place, it's Italy.

[IPE' Deterioration]

That wood is also extremely porous. Most likely wood take RS up to 50 /75 sqft per gallon. Been there done that same type of deck.

Only 50-75 SF per gallon?!?!??! Yikes!

[last deck of my season]

Looks awesome, Jon, quick couple of questions for ya. Now since you have had some maintenance work experience with woodtux - what are your thoughts on the product? Do see yourself continuing to use woodtux for future newer projects? How old was this job at the time you re-sealed it? And did you sand the boards down before or after the efc-38 cleaning? I really like the look how it came out. Wish I was there - must be nice.

[Look, Fenner, this is how poor my customers are]

Now the numbers are almost reversed. Personally I think balls are harder, and that has caused the game to change.

Is that what steroids do to the testes? Makes 'em harder?

[Look, Fenner, this is how poor my customers are]

Jon - got a pic of me on up in the air painting on my pump-jacks staging - you wanna use that next for your avatar?

[Look, Fenner, this is how poor my customers are]

Do I amuse you Fife-Man?

[is every one cold enough yet?]

I hate you Jon.

[Look, Fenner, this is how poor my customers are]

I remembered a post from last year where you mentioned your speed. I used to be fast. I was the leadoff hitter on my high school baseball team and set the school single season record for stolen bases at 27 in 16 games, which still stands to this day. That was in 1984. In 25 years, no kid has come along to break it. I think its the obesity plague of the current generation.

Scott - I was never a thin guy, my nephew who is a senior in high school is ridiculously thin, very strong, fit, was on the football team - he can't run nearly as fast as I can.

[Behr Stain - Removed - Cleaned - Stained]

I think Cabots SPF is a harder strip than Behr. Sherin Williams oil based deckscapes is another favorite of mine.

[Look, Fenner, this is how poor my customers are]

Dan

What is your 40' yard dash time these days?

Why do you ask? When I was in grade school and jr. high - I beat all the track records for the 50 yard and 100 yard dash. Even to this day - I can catch up to my nephews trying to ride their bikes away from me, even after giving them a head start - and I mean 16 and 17 year old boys.

[Look, Fenner, this is how poor my customers are]

Hahahaha:D I agree Dan, no way to know unless you try. 100 of your signs strategically placed in your town is honestly about the most awesome thing I could ever imagine. Are you two in the same town?

No no no Jon, Chris is in Hanover - I am in Andover. Sounds similar I know.

[Look, Fenner, this is how poor my customers are]

If we were I wouldnt even notice. Unfortunately.

Yes you would, you'd say 'now there is a guy fit enough to paint my dog house'

[Look, Fenner, this is how poor my customers are]

I admit it's not as impressive as your yard sign but it works.

Oh come on, even I'll give you your ad is better than my yard sign - heck you did 3 mil in sales, and I did 30k. So that's a 100 fold difference, but then again if I put a hundred signs out like mine - who knows?

[Look, Fenner, this is how poor my customers are]

I don't know Chris, I was always taught from early on in grade school that sentences that ended in a question mark was interrogative - which clearly my post has. Or does it? LOL

[Look, Fenner, this is how poor my customers are]

Jon - BlueBook is a directory for mostly commercial contractors - here is Chris' ad

[Look, Fenner, this is how poor my customers are]

No Dan it wasnt. I have a family and a real business to run. Go ask a few mods over ther who it was. Sorry Dan but if I wanted to mess with Bill I would knock on his door. I am a man and not a child.

If you would like to continue spreading silly rumors about me then I 'd like a face to face with you as well little man.

I wasn't spreading rumours, Chris, I was asking you - is there harm in asking?

[Look, Fenner, this is how poor my customers are]

Chris, not to go off topic, but was that you who emailed Archibald from Newburyport High school computer and told him he sucked at wallpapering? Supposedly the email went something along the lines of 'You call yourself a hanger? I wouldn't pay you to wallpaper my doghouse'. We all think it was you. LOL!!!!!!!

[Look, Fenner, this is how poor my customers are]

Chris, I know about the bluebook - even met with those guys. But I don't have the know how to approach commercial work, first of all I would have to learn how to estimate from blueprints - and I'd rather not think about that now. Perhaps your perspective is correct that a true painting business is one that does commercial work, and the residential guys are just a bunch of hobbyists. I'd like a few years with a few reliable guys working for me before even thinking about commercial.

[Deck cleaning. What am I missing?]

Before you start reading for the next month - just throw out all your chems and buy a bunch of oxiclean, you won't get half bad results with the methods you are using now. I am not saying that it is totally professional - but it will get that next deck on your schedule done ten times easier.

[Look, Fenner, this is how poor my customers are]

Chris you've been in business how many years? Possibly even a 2nd generation painter if I am not mistaken? You've taken the route of doing commercial large projects and all - and that takes time to build up to that level. But I've seen plenty of big guys in the last year that were doing millions in commercial work from all different trades - and they lose that one account - and they're all done. I know a guy that made millions running cable for Comcast, after having a very successful landscaping company, then someone came along and underbid him by a couple tenths of a penny per mile - and now his truck sits stagnant in some commercial lot - while he is passing out fliers for snow plowing, hoping to make a few bucks this winter.

[Look, Fenner, this is how poor my customers are]

How much did you spend in advertizing this year?

What do you care? I'll give you this bone, I made a $10.80 investment in this one advertizing and made about 7-8k back - LOL!!!!!! My website was free and the hosting was as well - and did about 20k from it.

[Look, Fenner, this is how poor my customers are]

Do you know how cheap my van costs to run? A new van would cost me quadruple the money each month from the loan. I figure I can use the difference in more advertizing and I am way ahead of the game.

[Things are looking up for the economy]

Jon - I know wall street doesn't reflect our real economy, I was talking about the unemployment figures - and some of the facts of jobs created/maintained due to the recovery act. Although I do find it amusing when I was saying how bad it was last year, and everyone told me I was negative - now it's the reverse. Why does everyone else now get to *****? I thought everyone told me it was my imagination? That said - I made quite a few milestones this year and beat my sales in every category over last year.

[Almost didn't make it - whew!]

Don't encourage, Mr. Toscanos.