Thank you for the overwhelming response last week on our point versus flat marble flooring layout debate.
We had an overwhelming response to our simple A or B question. And though the responses ranged from thought provoking, to those based on opinion and personal experience, to the layout most likely to make your butt look wider, the thing is, the resulting tally of votes between point and flat were very surprising.
I figured everyone would pretty much say they preferred one to the other, and the victor would be a landslide win. But what I learned is that there is no "correct" way, and it all comes down to personal opinion. I also learned that sitting on the location of the toilet might be the best way to get a sense of how it will look when installed.
Many pointed out the virtues of point over flat, while others showed where flat would be superior. And quite a few pointed out how much harder it would be to install the pointed layout method at the door threshold due to the tedious cuts necessary...a very valid point. (See what I did right there?)
One thing for sure, we needed a larger view than two single sheets laying on the ground. So we broke open several boxes and started to lay them all our in a larger area.
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Today is the day for soccer/futbol/football or whatever you like to call it. Yes, today is the day the United States Men's National Team takes on Germany for a chance to advance to the knockout round in the World Cup, and the whole country is all a buzz!
I can't even think about renovation and home DIY today, or last night for that matter. This game is too big!
If you're note following along or don't know what I'm talking about, this post will likely be lost on you, but let me at least try. The United States was given little chance of advancing out of their group into the knockout round, but after surprising play (to some), and poor play by others, the US has a chance to silence the naysayers with a win or draw today. However, the Germans are an international powerhouse team not to be messed with. And it all comes to a head at high noon (ET), how fitting?
But who am I to let a moment for a DIY pass me by? Really, any excuse for a little custom work will do, so I'm channeling my love for customization and desire to be "historically accurate" into altering my US Soccer Jersey to be a bit more accurate.
A while ago I picked up a Clint Dempsey jersey so that I could sit on the couch and cheer on the US men as they continued their drive for Basil 2014.
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It's minute detail difficult decision time in our bathroom.
Yes, it's true, in a project full of difficult decision after seemingly difficult decision, we've reached yet another biggie that involves one of our smallest (by size), but largest (by quantity) items.
We're at that fateful stage of the project where we'll be laying sheets consisting of roughly 800 pounds of 17,000 one inch Carrara marble hexagon tiles, and we need to figure out which direction all of those tiles will face.
Wait, you didn't know there were directions in laying marble hex? Oh yes, and it's a super big deal! (At least in the realm of things that are big deals among other things that are not really dig deals.)
You see, the hexagon, with its hex number of sides, is no run of the mill quadrilateral with parallel sides and right angled corners (that's the PC way of saying square). Oh no sir-re-bob.
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Overkill is a part of my soul.
There's little I like more than overkill. If I were a professional wrestler, my name would be "Overkiller!" And my finishing move would allow me to pin you to the count of six rather than only three. But my entrance music would surely be the excellent Men at Work song, Overkill...of course.
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Whether I'm over engineering a software solution for work, or over analyzing the premise of a television commercial, there are few things I like doing more than over doing things.
Much to Wendy's dismay, my propensity for overkill has a corollary impact on most, if not all of our house project timelines.
With a tilt of my head and a raise of my eyebrow, a simple weekend project can be quickly stretched to weeks or months. This skill would be my power if I were the lamest superhero in the world, Overkill Man.
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What defines an old home?
Beyond the obvious stat of "so many years old," what combination of parts and pieces are characteristic of an old home?
What elements must exist in an old home's DNA that allows us to classify it as an "old home?" It's certainly more than the mortar between its bricks and nails within its walls.
And most importantly, if these things that define an old home are lost over time, is the home's age also lost over that period, no matter how old the house may actually be?
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