Comments on Kitchen and Residential Design: so what I am trying to say is . . . heavy on the o...

barry and kit, thank you for the comments and the ...

2009-12-09T09:00:29.028-05:00

barry and kit, thank you for the comments and the support. first Kit, I hear that sentiment from many pros. "I let my client do that once -- they only messed it up, and I had to make the time to fix it for them anyway." I am building for this. -- I hope to be able to budget for such contingencies.

Now second -- you are right Barry; it is part of the process. In this case, and I have done it 2 or 3 times now -- I set out to "freewrite". In other words -- I started with no agenga, only the phrase "home improvement", and let it go. I hope that in taking this approach it ultimately reveals, for both the reader and the writer, something more than what is simply on the page.

That said -- what troubled me most, and you know, was what came out in the last few paragraphs -- I felt it may haved ended up sounding a little too self-serving, if you know what I mean.

On editing it (which btw occurred mostly while I had a 4 and 6 yr old screaming at me) I made an effect to be concise, but in doing so I may have stripped the piece of some of its visceral energy. I see the irony in this all of course. My business, as with this essay -- is about addressing doubts -- and having the moxie to simply trust yourself (no matter who you are) -- maybe I got that across maybe I didn't.

Anyway, it's all a work in progress and we (I) will let you (general) dictate where it should go. jb

Hello JB: I, for one, enjoy your writing style. It...

2009-12-09T02:03:05.088-05:00

Hello JB: I, for one, enjoy your writing style. It is, somehow, self-depracating and toung-in-cheek while, at the same time, honest and straightforward.
(I, too, am a recovering comma freak.)

As a kitchen designer, I have considered marketing myself to diy'ers (the IKEA set) because I'd just love to help! Alas, for now I try to keep things simple for myself, but continue to admire your moxie :)

I found this post slightly difficult to read which...

2009-12-08T23:29:47.405-05:00

I found this post slightly difficult to read which says a lot about how difficult it was to write. I have noted from you a certain lack of satisfaction about this piece as well which makes perfect sense if you are still not satisfied that you said what you set out to say.

I‘d venture to say that the act of freewriting for you is a part of the process of figuring out what the business is all about. As my friend Beth would say: “that’s why we’re doing this!”

What I find fascinating about your communications to the world is that they typically contain the types of soul /goal searching that most businesses keep carefully hidden behind closed doors.

I like it all out in the open. Keep up the good work.

ok -- just made a few more tweaks in time to put m...

2009-12-08T22:02:51.492-05:00

ok -- just made a few more tweaks in time to put my first ever guest post to bed. (And yes, I removed some of the frivolous comma usage.)

In general, this was probably one of my more difficult pieces. The subject matter is close to my heart and it does detail some of the frustration I have faced with trying to name something that does not have a name.

It should be said, too, that any difficulty I may have had with it was easily counter-balanced by Paul's graciousness.

On to the next -- can't wait to see the rest of the guest posts this week and half. jb

mrsben -- thank you for the well wishes. see paul&...

2009-12-08T10:50:05.790-05:00

mrsben -- thank you for the well wishes. see paul's post immediately below/above . . . guest post week and half on k&rd.com thank you again for checking in. jb

Here is a thought, you might think of classifying ...

2009-12-08T10:22:37.238-05:00

Here is a thought, you might think of classifying yourself as a Home Diagnostic Technician offering such services as ...... blah, blah, blah. Sound good? :)

Wishing you all the best in your Business venture. (Now off to read previous posts to see where Paul is.) -Brenda-

sorry you didn't like it style police -- (noti...

2009-12-08T10:13:01.767-05:00

sorry you didn't like it style police -- (notice the em dash) admittedly, I can get, well, a litte comma heavy. thank you for the critique. I will think twice before hitting take key again. Great! commas can be an effective tool. thanks, jb

I found it all a bit hard to read because there we...

2009-12-08T09:50:39.792-05:00

I found it all a bit hard to read because there were about 70 too many commas in the piece! It made it so confusing.

mypoliticalexile thank you for the comment well, ...

2009-12-08T09:19:58.259-05:00

mypoliticalexile thank you for the comment

well, I do have a tendency, at this point, to be -- angular (more now from habit than practicality). Visiting me would provide more detail (and honestly that was not the intention of the spiel).

Way see it doesn't make sense to me -- here is a good example -- home depot is someone putting home services and do-it-yourself in the same building -- they provide on the shelf literature -- why not only include "why buy the product" but also "who could put it in" too -- (ok I know there are a lot of issues with that). Use for illustration.

anyway -- it is holistic in so far as -- sometimes diy is simply right; sometimes, frankly, it is not ideal. My proposition (and trust me I am still testing) is why not put the two traditionally polar opposites side by side. You want me (or someone else) to do it for you, fine; You want to do it yourself, fine (more pros could take this approach too) -- I can help on both fronts.

It is about defining what is best for you in any given situation -- and this point: you can do more for yourself than you think.

Thank you thanks, jb

I am definitely intrigued. But not sure I got it....

2009-12-08T08:31:19.282-05:00

I am definitely intrigued. But not sure I got it. A Holistic approach to the creation,maintenance and modifications as they relate to a home? Close?