The Bar 2019 Edition...

[ygmir]

*rides in on War Rabbit*
Opens bar, starts ECM*

HI Marty!
HI Gang!

Saturday morning!
*pushes tv clicker, heads for ROS*

[magicmarty]

[Ratty]

Thank Ygmir. That was a relaxing coffee break.

[Skuzzy61]

(leaning back in a chair, with cold wash rag over forehead, and surrounded by a myriad of empty bottles of fun stuff)

*manages a thumbs up* before passing out,......again.

[FIGJAM]

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[ygmir]

*walks in, notes lump in corner booth with thumbs up signal, snoring*

yeah, people havin fun. that's a good thing, IMHO.
not talking politics, judging what is art, dissing others for varied opinions or perspectives.

cartoons, comics, overindulging, maybe some smoking and giggles.

Today, I'm missing the old dark corner booth with the cigar and whiskey, the snarky asshats who would rip you then give you the shirt off their backs, the wide eyed noobs who just want to fit come play (as most of us where at one point).

The OMWs, the orignal "Bar", and the ever so fun "Bar2". The inventors, who brought the NEB, automatic Banjo, ECM, SCC....all the fun stuff that was.

It's nice to have this thread to hang in at times.
Most egos are checked at the door, left (hopefully) with politics, religion, critique and ass-hattery.

*Strokes Juke, heads for ROS*

[magicmarty]

As always, YG is right on the money! Nice to come in here and just "be". Have some fun, a bit of silly. Loved your "curve ball" cartoon, FigJam. Started to hit some tennis balls once again in a very limited way. Felt so good to be back on the court even if I can't move too well. Nobody cares and we all have some fun "slap and tickle" tennis. No, they don't play that kind of tennis at Roland Garros or Wimbledon, but who cares. Guess Doc saw the Giants in a rare win at Baltimore yesterday. Tonight is game 2 of the NBA championships Warriors vs Toronto. Go Warriors! So much for the sports report!

LLF

[Dr. Pyro]

Guess Doc saw the Giants in a rare win at Baltimore yesterday.

And hope to see another today. There are heavy thunderstorms forecasted for around 3 p.m. (call it the sixth inning or thereabouts) but what the hell, right?

[FIGJAM]

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[burner von braun]

Howdy!

Well, I'm sitting here under a big oak shade tree taking a break at the moment, and decided to stop into the bar. Good to see everyone! Especially glad to see our elder statesman stopping by more frequently these days. Still swatting those pesky tennis balls around I see, eh Marty? Someday perhaps you'll explain to us what the heck they did to start this feud in the first place!

Yg, sorry to hear you're not going to be able to make it out to the desert this year. Hopefully you'll be able to get things squared away and return next year. Or, who knows, maybe things will still open up for this year. It's a lot of work though, to do it right, and I think we can all relate to that.

*pours drinks for all*

[magicmarty]

Hey, BVB. Still have your witty artwork on the wall in my office. Lots of tennis balls in odd and quirky places. Always gives me a smile. Actually, tennis balls are into SM. They really love getting hit, the harder the better. Their squeals of delight at every blow are a true peak experience for both the ball and the swatter!

[ygmir]

*strolls in, starts ECM*
HI BVB! Hi Marty!

well, the heats setting in. Been doing a lot of concrete vertical (wall and plaster finishing) work, this is getting hard on me though. Seems I just can't one hand multiple 50 lb. buckets of mud over my head like I once could.....haha damn.

I have a neat job coming up in a very historic cemetery....downside is, moving a 250 lbs stone, 300' up a 45 ish degree slope, that's mostly old concrete steps, and we are not allowed any sort of equipment there.

*heads to ROS*

[magicmarty]

Yeah, YG, and it don't get no better as the years go by. So, just do what you can do and be happy you can do that. That's what I've been doing and while not perfect, it a whale of a lot better than the alternative.

Doc got to see a couple of rare Giant's wins in Baltimore. Tonight it's the Warriors vs Toronto in game 3. Go Warriors!

[burner von braun]

.
Marty, glad you're still getting a smile from the various images, they're fun to make.

...and oh-la-la !! Who knew tennis could be so much fun!

_____

yg, you seek Yoda..

[Skuzzy61]

*strolls in, starts ECM*
HI BVB! Hi Marty!

well, the heats setting in. Been doing a lot of concrete vertical (wall and plaster finishing) work, this is getting hard on me though. Seems I just can't one hand multiple 50 lb. buckets of mud over my head like I once could.....haha damn.

I have a neat job coming up in a very historic cemetery....downside is, moving a 250 lbs stone, 300' up a 45 ish degree slope, that's mostly old concrete steps, and we are not allowed any sort of equipment there.

*heads to ROS*

No way to get a block and tackle anchored at the top, eh?

*slurps down a cold one*

[ygmir]

*strolls in, starts ECM*
HI BVB! Hi Marty!

well, the heats setting in. Been doing a lot of concrete vertical (wall and plaster finishing) work, this is getting hard on me though. Seems I just can't one hand multiple 50 lb. buckets of mud over my head like I once could.....haha damn.

I have a neat job coming up in a very historic cemetery....downside is, moving a 250 lbs stone, 300' up a 45 ish degree slope, that's mostly old concrete steps, and we are not allowed any sort of equipment there.

*heads to ROS*

No way to get a block and tackle anchored at the top, eh?

*slurps down a cold one*

well yeah, but by my figuring, it'll take as long to rig and get 600' of cable strung and a winch or come along, and then drag it, as to just work it up the hill by hand, little by little.

[Elliot]

Ever carry something awkward in a blanket? Four, five, six or more guys holding onto corners and edges of the blanket, and the item in the middle of the blanket. Could you use that principle and make a "blanket -- a cargo sling, I think it would be called -- with rope?
Of course, you would have to round up some local guys, but for only a short time.

[magicmarty]

What you really need is a sky hook. I've got one in the trunk of my car and can sell it to you, along with a local bridge for one hell of deal

[FIGJAM]

4 guys and a surplus stretcher.

We've handled cactus heavier than that using this method.

[ygmir]

Ever carry something awkward in a blanket? Four, five, six or more guys holding onto corners and edges of the blanket, and the item in the middle of the blanket. Could you use that principle and make a "blanket -- a cargo sling, I think it would be called -- with rope?
Of course, you would have to round up some local guys, but for only a short time.

I can just imagine the phone calls:
"there are 4 guys carrying something up the cemetery wrapped in a blanket, and there is fresh dirt dug at the top of the hill".......I mean, how could that end any way but funny?

I've arranged a couple of helpers, and will create a version of your idea, Elliot, but with straps and a couple of 2x4's across. It'll work out fine.

here's a couple of photos, first, standing where the stones go, looking down to the road where we'll start up the stairs, second, at the road, looking up, we'll be putting it right in front of the cedar and stone wall at the top.

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[magicmarty]

Mighty impressive!

[Elliot]

Quite so. Stretcher, sling, blanket, net, web, sedan chair... any such that will provide good hand-holds outside of the stone itself. (And of course, the obvious... like pallbearers.)

In other news....
You heard it here first! El Pulpo Mecanico is returning to the Playa this year! Duane Flatmo, Jerry Kunkel, and the rest of the gang are scraping barnacles, polishing eye-balls, and otherwise spiffing her up as we speak.

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[ygmir]

Mighty impressive!

yeah.....and now the family wants me to make a concrete wall/curbing around the plot. Only 1/2 yard of concrete......but, hand carried. haaha, and why do I always say "yes"? Maybe my prices are too cheap? No hesitation to my bid "just do it".....dang. haha

[Elliot]

I wrote magazine articles for almost 20 years -- average of two articles each month, one of them with my own photos. And I charged far too little for at least the first ten years, maybe 15.
When I finally wised up and started cranking up my invoices, they simply paid without comment. When at last I charged quite a lot... they simply paid without comment. So I had definitely charged too little for a long time.

[magicmarty]

By all means, up the price, you my dear buddy, Ygmir, are worth it. Elliot is right, no one will complain, they'll just pay the bill.

[FIGJAM]

Mighty impressive!

yeah.....and now the family wants me to make a concrete wall/curbing around the plot. Only 1/2 yard of concrete......but, hand carried. haaha, and why do I always say "yes"? Maybe my prices are too cheap? No hesitation to my bid "just do it".....dang. haha

I (not so fondly) remember schlepping mud up 3 flights of stairs for gang showers in a medical center before the elevators were installed.

Two 5 gallon buckets at a time, no waiting!!!

[ygmir]

Mighty impressive!

yeah.....and now the family wants me to make a concrete wall/curbing around the plot. Only 1/2 yard of concrete......but, hand carried. haaha, and why do I always say "yes"? Maybe my prices are too cheap? No hesitation to my bid "just do it".....dang. haha

I (not so fondly) remember schlepping mud up 3 flights of stairs for gang showers in a medical center before the elevators were installed.

Two 5 gallon buckets at a time, no waiting!!!

ah yeah, "the good old days".......I guess my issue is I wish I was "remembering" this instead of "looking forward".......ahaah

and yeah, Elliot and Marty are right, I get it. But, well, I charge what seems fair. I suppose, that's where I miss the boat. I pay myself, the same as my helpers. I'd not ask them to do anything I won't do myself, so, well, we're all worth the same. I add up materials, and double that, knowing I'll miss something, or something will go wrong.
And yet, when I get feedback about competing pricing, I find I'm 20% or sometimes more, below.. yet feel I'm doing fine? I dunno, I guess I don't understand business...?

[FIGJAM]

I used to figure my tile jobs the same way, BUT experience and knowledge ARE worth more.

[lucky420]

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Actually I’m trying to figure out how to post photos here, some work and some are “oh my god, it’s HUGE...

[Elliot]