All,

My domain name has changed to bltchemistry.com

Please update your links and bookmarks and stuff. Thanks!

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So, I ordered a central air unit from Sears for our double-wide manufactured home. The total cost was up there, but since I don’t have to make any payments or accrue any interest for 12 months, I figured, “what the hell”. And this summer has been brutal so far - like so many recent summers.

We hit a snag when the Sears guy came by and said we needed to upgrade our electrical to 200 Amps. We only have 100 Amps. The problem is, this is major work that needed to be done, so the original cost was going to go up quite a bit. However, the Sears guy admitted that they were a bit expensive on the electrical work and he also said that he himself was not an electrician so he wasn’t entirely sure if the work was needed. He told me I could hire my own electrical contractor, and they would deduct $1300 dollars from the amount I owed. Or, I could have Sears do the work and I could ADD $1300 for the electrical work.

I was sure I could get this work done for less than the $2600 they were going to charge, so I called up several contractors. The first two that got back to me got to come over and give me an estimate.

Sutherland Electric were the first ones over. They guy took one look at my setup and told me that I didn’t need to upgrade to 200 amps, unless I was getting a unit as big as the house. He said that all I needed was a bigger circuit panel, because the current one was full. I questioned him repeatedly on this — after all, the Sears guy was sure that I needed 200 Amps. The Sutherland guy basically said “No Way.” He gave me a quote of about $350. Okay. . he left, and now I’m confused.

The next contractor showed up a few hours later. They shall remain nameless. He told me basically what Sears had told me — I needed to upgrade to 200 Amps. He quoted me $3000 (aargh!). I asked him if this was absolutely necessary. He said yes. I asked him if there was any way to do it cheaper. He said that rather than upgrading to 200 amps, I could run a second 100 amp line from the street. This would only be $1500. Befuddled, I pressed him, asking if it was ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY to do all this work just to get my central air installed. He assured me it was.

Now here’ the clincher. I finally came right out and said it: “The last electrician who came here said I just needed a bigger electrical panel.” He didn’t hesitate: “Yeah, we could do that, too. If you’de like, I can get you a quote to just replace the panel.”

I’m thinking: “No, what I would like is for you to quote me the biggest possible job you can so I can maximize the amount of money I’m paying you, Dick.”

So I pressed him a bit, asking if he was ABSOLUTELY SURE that I didn’t need to upgrade, and that my current 100 Amp system would handle the load. In a complete reversal of what he had just told me 2 minutes ago, he assured me that my current 100 Amp system would be sufficient.

So, needless to say, I am going with the contractor who was honest with me upfront, and quoted me the minimal amount of work needed to get the job done. Sutherland Electric. If you live in the SW New Hampshire area, give them a call for your electrical work. Tell them TJ sent you.

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Okay, if you haven’t seen this yet, you absolutely have to!

Starring Neil Patrick Harris, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-along Blog traces the adventures of Super-villain wannabe Dr. Horrible as he matches wits with his arch-nemesis Captain Hammer, and tries to win the heart of Penny, the girl of his dreams. And its a musical!

UPDATE: I guess I watched this just in time. It looks like they are now charging for this Web Miniseries. It is definitely worth it, but i’m sorry if you didn’t get to see it for free.

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Only a month late. . but here it is.

See More Pictures

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I took a quiz that is supposed to estimate your ability to survive an animal attack. Here’s how I rated

I don’t know why this was sponsored by a sex toy website, but I left the link there just to be fair to the developers. But really, why is this thing sponsored by a sex toy site????

Also, I’m way behind on my blogging. So far we’ve had a weekend camping trip, my daughter’s senior prom, and my daughters graduation. All are waiting for me to pull the pictures together so I can blog it.

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Yesterday was my last day of college. . . at least for this semester. I’m taking the summer off, and then i’m back at it in the Fall.

I am attending Franklin Pierce University for my MBA. I only have 3 more classes to take and I will have earned my degree. Or, I will have received my degree, I should say, since I’ve been going so part-time that it almost feels like I haven’t been going at all. My latest class, Managerial Communications, was taught by a woman with Adult ADD, and so, ironically, she was quite poor at communicating. Fortunately it was an “eLL” class (which stands for “electronic Learning. . something”) so only half of the classes were physical, and the other half were online.

I started my MBA degree because I was a Supervisor and I wanted to work my way into management. But, since getting my demotion, I am now completely un-motivated to finishing my degree, but I’ll probably do it anyway just because nobody climbs Mount Fuji 3/4 of the way and then turns around and says “that’s far enough” (I mean you CAN do that, but you look like a big loser, and for the rest of your life people will be bugging you about not finishing).

The weekend after next we’ll be going camping up in the White Mountains. I’ll post exciting pictures.

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Janice prompted me to do some research on the “Double Entendre” Drink after my previous post. I found one recipe for this over at idrink.com (which is itself a double entendre, albiet not of the usual sexual variety).

Double Entendre
Ingredients to use:
2.0 Oz Champagne
2.0 Oz Grenadine
4.0 Oz Pineapple Juice
2.0 Oz Vodka

Directions:
Shake with ice, strain, stir.

Anyone out there daring enough to try it? Let me know how it turns out.

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I’m making a sandwich for dinner. My 17 year old daughter, Amber, and her boyfriend, John, are standing nearby. I decide to tell a joke.

Me: “So this woman goes into a bar and asks the bartender for a double entendre. So he gave it to her.”

Amber: [stares]

John: “What?”

Me: “Nevermind”

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Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening

There once was a horse-riding chap
Who took a trip in a cold snap
He stopped in the snow
But he soon had to go:
He was miles away from a nap.
Read the original poem

The Raven

There once was a girl named Lenore
And a bird and a bust and a door
And a guy with depression
And a whole lot of questions
And the bird always says “Nevermore.”
Read the original poem

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

There was an old father of Dylan
Who was seriously, mortally illin’
“I want,” Dylan said
“You to bitch till you’re dead.
“I’ll be cheesed if you kick it while chillin’.”
Read the original poem

I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud

There once was a poet named Will
Who tramped his way over a hill
And was speechless for hours
Over some stupid flowers
This was years before TV, but still.
Read the original poem

Footprints in the Sand

There was a man who, at low tide
Would walk with the Lord by his side
Jesus said “Now look back;
You’ll see one set of tracks.
That’s when you got a piggy-back ride.”
Read the original poem

Found over at Bad Gods. I added links to the original poems for reference.

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