When you have a portable air conditioning system for the purpose of using it to save on energy use, you would think that you could run it all of the time without any problems. Well, this is what I thought. But shockingly, after about 6 months of doing this through our hot summers to reduce the use of my central heating and air conditioning system, the portable air conditioner broke down completely on me! It seemed to have burned itself out. That was the issue at hand here. So the question is…how much is too much when it comes to running a portable air conditioning system? Could it be that maybe the brand of portable HVAC equipment I selected was not one of the best? Or could it be the fact that there is something to what I am saying here that portable air conditioning systems are not meant to be used as often as I used the one I had bought. The question is really a tough one and one that will not be able to answer until I go out and buy a brand new portable air conditioning system. Which I will not be doing until next year right before summer hits again. Since now, summer is just about over and I can just run my central air conditioning system. The next time I am going to buy another more upper HVAC brand when I get the new portable air conditioning system and see what happens. This one lasted 6 months before burning out. We’ll see what happens with the next one.
Month: July 2020
Having a decent year
My friend had just got his certification to become an official heating and air conditioning specialist.
His goal was to start his own independent HVAC service and work as a heating and air conditioning contractor around town.
Although I support and back up anything my good friend wants to do in life, I was not hopeful that he was going to be successful on his own as an independent heating and air conditioning specialist. This was because there was too much competition in our local area with heat and a/c businesses. But much to my surprise my friend really did well in his first year! I was shocked and also extremely happy for him! The trick to compete was to take a bit of a cash loss in terms of the HVAC home services he provided and price things cheaper than the market value. This racked in the customers by the hundreds. And because my friend provided great, friendly and extremely professional heating and air conditioning installation and repair services, this made them even buy his HVAC service plan that he was offering and officially make him their new exclusive heating and air conditioning specialist! I am sure the local heat and a/c corporations are not too happy with my friend at this point for taking all their business. But I am very happy for him! I am hoping and cheering for him to have an even better second year as his independent heating and air conditioning business sores to the top of the HVAC market locally!
I prefer threading to waxing
I’ve always had some difficulty keeping my eyebrows properly shaped. For a while, I tried plucking them myself and made a mess of it. I then started making an appointment at the salon for waxing. I dreaded those sessions because waxing is extremely painful. About a year ago, my technician at the salon recommended that I try threading. Threading is much better than waxing because it uses no chemicals and takes about half as long to accomplish. Although threading has recently gained popularity, it was actually used by ancient Eastern cultures and has been around for centuries. It uses 100% cotton threads to remove facial hair. Two long entwined pieces of cotton thread get wrapped around unwanted hairs and remove them in a single clean movement. It’s really fascinating to watch. The scissoring motion is quick but gentle and removes hair from the root of the follicle. One of the biggest benefits of threading is the precision. While waxing and plucking typically leave stray hairs behind, threading creates a much cleaner and more defined eyebrow shape. Plus, it removes only hair and not skin. Waxing can remove a layer of skin along with the hair and cause problems for people with sensitive skin. Allergic reactions to threading are extremely rare. I’m not sure if it’s really less painful than waxing or plucking, but it doesn’t take as long. The process is fairly inexpensive, and I’ve noticed that the hair seems to grow back thinner after repeated threading sessions. I certainly don’t dread my trip to the salon like a I used to.
body art
Incubator office motivates me to get promoted
The company where I am employed rents a commercial office building.
- It includes an incubator office setting for the majority of the workers.
There are a few independent office spaces allocated for the higher ups in the company. When I was initially hired, I realized very quickly that I would do anything and everything to get promoted out of the incubator office set up. An incubator office features a long table with people seated on each side and across from each other. It is just about impossible to be productive. The girl seated next to me is always on the phone making personal calls. The guy seated across from me continually bumps his feet against mine. All the people at the table are typically texting each other back and forth or chatting. It is a cramped space and a terrible way to do business. However, it is a great motivator. An incubator office rental is a cost-saving method. There are numerous people working in a very compact space. A large table, ten chairs and ten laptops generates a huge workload for minimal square footage. I found the situation worse than working out of a cubicle. I was desperate for my own space. I want to take calls without getting interrupted by the girl next to me. I wanted to stretch my legs without bothering my neighbor. I worked especially hard to get moved out of that little space. It took me almost 2 years to get promoted into an actual office. There are only a few of them available, but it was a whole different world. Having a door, window and my own desk has been such an improvement.
Finding the perfect rental space for my salon
When I decided to open up my own hair salon, I had difficulty finding a space.
Larger commercial buildings for rent simply cost too much money.
I wasn’t satisfied with the look of commercial office rentals. I also wasn’t thrilled with the office space rental pricing. Larger complexes as well as smaller office buildings failed to match what I was picturing for my specific business. I then had some luck searching the artisan lofts for rent. An up-to-date home had me picturing an apartment. An artisan loft can be used as a living space. A person can move their TV, bed and kitchen appliances in. A lot of businesses also take advantage of artisan lofts. I have visited galleries that rent artisan lofts to showcase an emerging artist’s work. I have seen an artisan loft be converted into a small restaurant. I decided to set up my hair cutting studio in an artisan loft. This type of rental is just the right size, in a beneficial location and the cost is reasonable. I am able to include four hair cutting stations, a bathroom and a small front desk area. That is all I really need to handle my little business. I had quite a bit of money leftover because I wasn’t required to build a space or pay an exorbitant amount for the rental. I was then able to afford better furniture and my hair cutting tools and equipment are high end. I took on a couple of hair stylists to work with me. I am so excited to open the doors and start my business up. I am so thankful I found the perfect space for rent in my area that was affordable as well as the size I needed. My salon looks just perfect!
Moving online business into a commercial office space is a waste of money
Two years ago, I sold my online SEO business.
At the time, I told the new owner to keep the operations online.
There is no reason to buy or rent a building and require the employees to show up to work. For web builds as well as SEO, all aspects are completed on a computer through online access. With a competent team, everything stage of the process can easily be done from anywhere. Being all online avoids the expense of a brick and mortar location. There’s no rent, electric bills, Heating, A/C, water bills, property takes or a cleaning crew to take care of the place. The new owner needed to do nothing. Instead, the guy just had to be seen. He wanted to throw his money around. There are different ways to run a business. There are those who streamline to make a profit and those who waste money to show off. This guy is all about appearing successful. Right away, he started looking for a commercial office space for rent. He chose a large commercial building located right in the heart of the downtown area. He then instructed his team to report for a 9-5 work week. With me, they were given a set workload. If the tasks took them an hour, they were done for the day. I was okay with wherever and whenever they accomplished the work. They also hang out in their PJs, work while on vacation or work in the middle of the night. It didn’t concern me. Because of the set schedule and working out of a commercial space, most of the team left. The office space is a rented building. They guy didn’t buy the actual building. He is going ahead with renovations on a rental property! He is replacing the floors, having the corporation logo painted on the wall and bringing in all sorts of furniture and new lighting. I don’t know if the property owner will be okay with that.
Renting a workshop was the right move
I finally found a work space available in my area.
- For the last few years I’ve done woodworking as a side job.
After my work started taking off I switched to it full time. My wife and I then moved into a new home that doesn’t provide an outdoor shed or any type of work area. I had no available space for my woodworking. I checked into buying a shed or having one constructed. The pre-made rubber sheds were too small and looked quite unprofessional. Getting a building crew to make a plan, give me an estimate and complete the build in a reasonable amount of time was next to impossible. I then switched into researching workshop rental spaces and I finally had good luck. The shop space I rent is very spacious. I can house all of my wood, stains, tools and materials in the shop space with no problem. I also store finished pieces there as well. And I work in the shop space. The cement floor is easy to clean up and I now have access to A/C for the first time. I used to work outside, exposed to the rain, wind, cold temperatures or intense heat. I am very thankful to be undercover and have a good working heating and cooling system. Another benefit of the shop rental is that I can have people view and pick up the finished pieces there. I don’t need to interrupt my wife’s day or get my kids out of the way. I also have a professional looking set up where people can browse my work. They no longer wander around in my yard and affect my family’s privacy. I look and feel more professional now. The rental costs are so minor compared to the profit I am making.
Renting an office to get out of the home and increase productivity
My fiance Jack and I both handle our workload from home.
Each of us has our own office with a laptop and desk.
We have our own work to complete. My guy can’t seem to stay away from me. No matter how busy I am, he loves to drop by my office. I close the door, turn up my music and even tell him not to bother me, but Jack still feels the need to interrupt my day. For my dude, it’s not a big deal because he is a salary worker. He has to work from 9-5. Basically he spends his day texting, talking on the phone and sending emails. He wastes a lot of time. For me, the job is task oriented and the more efficiently I accomplish my projects for the day, the sooner my workday ends. I can’t be efficient when I am interrupted every hour, so now I am considering various office spaces for rent. I checked out a large office complex for rent that includes individual offices I can choose from. Each office has a door that locks, a window that opens, a decent desk and access to a nice bathroom. That is all I need to get by. The cost of the office space in the building is reasonable. The office rental is only a ten minute drive away from my home. I plan to go ahead with this for the sake of productivity. I can get my coffee and breakfast on the way to my rental space, be productive and come home when I am done. I don’t need to dress for the job because there is nobody around to see me. I will be separated from Jack and eliminate the interruptions. It will be hard to explain why I am renting an office space when I have a great office available at home. I need to make up something believable.
I stick with the elliptical
When I head to the gym, I usually only use the elliptical machine. My girlfriend Anne and I go to the gym together. She lifts weights, takes advantage of the stationary bicycles, uses the rowing machine, and often takes group classes. She variations up her workout in different ways every time she’s at the gym. She gets bored with repetition very easily. I, on the other hand, go directly to the elliptical and stay there for well over an hour every time. Then I shower off the sweat in the locker room, get dressed and head home. While some of the group classes look kind of fun, I like a regular routine. I have considered trying yoga, CrossFit or pilates. I am sure those classes provide a full body workout that is very beneficial. It’s just that I am comfortable with the elliptical. I know exactly how much exertion it takes for me to get a sweat and elevate my heart rate. I can zone out while I use the machine. I feel my stress disappearing while I work my muscles. I just do not want to need to focus on a fitness class and try figuring out what I’m supposed to do. I don’t want to feel stupid or uncoordinated. Anne says that I could get the same stress relief through other forms of exercise. Anne feels she gets more out of it when she tries new things and engages her mind. I’m not convinced that other exercises would help me feel good about myself. I think I might even feel worse if I struggled to keep up with the class or to figure out how to properly use the machine.
Membership discounts
I like using the stationary bike at the gym
I am always amused when I see advertisements on television for stationary bicycles with price tags of thousands of dollars. They have training programs built into them to motivate and connect with other riders. You can get equal results by joining a local gym and taking a group spin class. These group fitness classes utilize specialized stationary bicycles. These are my favorite types of classes. We have competitions in class and races to get everybody working their hardest. I’m proud to say that I was the winner at the simulated 10K last year. These classes involve real people working alongside each other to get fit. I’ve gotten to know my fellow competitors at the gym. I can clearly see that no one is cheating ot taking it easy. The stationary bike races are a great way to elevate heart rate and work up a sweat. I can’t slack off on the stationary bike when the fitness coach and all my classmates are in the room with me and comparing times. It’s all about getting the best possible workout and the most benefits from my time at the gym. I like that when I ride a stationary bicycle, I don’t need to worry about the weather. I don’t dress for rain or cold or heat or humidity. The gym maintains the ideal temperature. I have access to my water bottle. There’s no danger from traffic or potholes. I don’t deal with nasty dogs. I can determine the incline to increase the intensity of my workout. The gym membership certainly costs a lot less than purchasing my own stationary bike. They gym keeps the equipment in peak condition for me to use.