Oh the glamorous life...

Back to work at the test lab. Today's job was priming the test walls. W00t. So this is what research is all about...

I was playing Pink Floyd on the computer we have set up as our MP3 server (yes, I realize Lynrd Skynyrd is more appropriate painting music, but we didn't have that), and was struck by how much this felt like Tep's work week. Except for the fact that I would have been shunted off to a higher end project, like replumbing the hot water heater or redoing the framing of the kitchen floor. The less fortunate would be doing painting, or if they failed qualification on roller and brush, drying out spackle with a hair dryer (really--there were some people one year who were useless enough that they got that job).

That reminds me, though, that although I dislike painting, I don't consider it a low-skill endeavor, and hate the fact that it is often treated that way. I've just seen too many "Well, I'm redecorating, so I'll just put on a coat of paint" jobs, which didn't include correct prep like sanding, spacking, priming, and cleaning (sorry, Jean, I still haven't forgiven you for the time that you decided we should paint over wallpaper at your old place in Arlington :P ). Check out the painting contractor who works on This Old House and other pros--basically, they say that if you're not cutting in the junctions between the trim and the wall with a good sash brush (instead of wussing out and using masking tape) you're doing it wrong. Hoo-ah.

As another rant, I hate the fact that demolition is also seen as a low-skill job to be handed off to whoever can wield a sledge. I had the misfortune of being in a house with an 'always on' television (grr), with our channel surfing beaching upon Fox's Renovate My Family, which included the completely ridiculous blonde triplet eye candy 'construction crew'. In this show, the family is enlisted to do the demolition (all with sledgehammers), which is goofy symbolic destruction, because they just bring in an excavator (i.e., backhoe) to knock the house down anyway. But I was just wincing in pain at the father hammering away at a door opening, thinking, "Five minutes with a cordless impact driver, you would have the door out and reusable, and saved your forearms some work. Instead, you've just created landfill." I also winced at people whacking away at a ceramic tile countertop without eye protection. Dumb dumb dumb. But then again, this is Fox, eh? (America's Funniest Eye Injuries, anyone?)

Remember--demolition shouldn't just be about destruction, it is de-construction. Think about how little explosives they use for controlled demolition: wrap it around the central structural elements, pack it in sandbags to direct the blast inwards, and the whole building falls into its own footprint. Then compare it to the Russian military approach: drop thousands of pounds of artillery and bombs, which gives you the rubble-strewn streets of Grozny. Please aim for the former, not the latter, in your demolition. Unless, of course, you actually are the Russian military.

In other news, the weather has just been perfect the past few days--highs in the mid 70's. Not sure how much more we'll get of that. And Fujitsu has agreed to take a look at my computer, but the best they will offer is a discount on a repair, since it's out of warranty. Considering I can get a bottom-of-the-line beater Dell for $699 CAD, I don't have my hopes up... but it's worth a shot.