February 5, 2012

Reducing My Technological Footprint

Delete Facebook Account

Though the home renovations have gotten the most headlines due to their nature (constant onslaught of choices and tasks that need to be completed), one of the most important items on the agenda of the six-month project has been to drastically reduce my digital footprint.  By the end of the program, I will have one personal presence on the web; this blog.   Those who know me in real life who want to get in touch know the direct private telephone line, as well as how to find me if they need … [Read more...]

Signing My 11th Year About.com Contract

Joshua Kennon About.com Contract Reading

I'm working from home this afternoon, in part because I plan on making a beautiful corn chowder recipe for the family's dinner tonight.  I needed to take a break from what I was doing to review the new About.com contract that will govern the licensing of my copyrights to The New York Times subsidiary for the Investing for Beginners site.  As I looked through the pages, highlighter in hand, I decided to brew some sweet tea to enjoy in my few hours of solitude before the rush this … [Read more...]

The Master Bedroom Renovations Are Mostly Done!

Green Pinpoint Hotel Carpet with Chocolate and Gold Silk Fabric Walls

The master bedroom is done!  One more thing to mark off the six month project.  Thank you all for your great thoughts on carpet selection.  I finally grabbed as many samples as I could, took them home, and then made a decision based solely on feel ("hand", as I've learned it is called in the carpet industry) without looking at the material or the price.  We looked at the carpet that was used in The Plaza Hotel during their recent renovations, as well as the Bellagio in Las Vegas.  We looked … [Read more...]

E. Dehillerin Delivers When Williams-Sonoma Doesn’t

E. Dehillerin Cookware in Paris, France

In early December I ordered a 10-piece set of Mauviel Professional 2.5mm copper pots and pans from Williams-Sonoma.  They were backordered until December 26th.  Then, they were supposed to be delivered January 5th or 6th.  Then, they were pushed back to February 28th.  On the morning of January 20th, I received an email telling me they may not be delivered until August.  As in nine months after they were originally ordered.  Even then, there are no guarantees.  There are no explanations. … [Read more...]

Making a Beef Stew at 10 p.m. Might Not Be the Best Idea … But I Wanted to Try the Staub Cookware

Delicious Beef Stew for Dutch Oven

I'm disappointed I haven't been able to keep up on the blog or my messages this month because there have been some wonderful memories and experiences the past few weeks, from putting on a puppet show for my nephew to having an Auntie Mame movie night with pizza for a few members of my family.  We've burned the midnight oil working on the secret project, which is now mere days away from being fully operational in a very big way.  We're trying to get one of the spare bedrooms at home ready in … [Read more...]

The Sitting Room – Before and After (In Progress) Home Renovation Photos

Joshua Kennon Living Room Renovations

The home renovation or home upgrade project continues to progress.  There is still much to be done so these aren't really before and after pictures ... more like before and in-progress pictures, half of which are taken at night in low light.  I decided to post them, anyway, for Aunt Donna because it will give her an idea of what I've been working on until the wee hours of the morning once my ordinary responsibilities are done.   In other words, this isn't the finished product.  Things are … [Read more...]

My Day In Pictures – Staying Home During a Winter Storm to Take Deliveries – Thursday, January 12th, 2012

Working on a Typewriter

There is a winter storm descended on the area, announcing itself last night with raging winds that ushered in snow flakes and ice.  The temperature dropped so low that it almost feels as if the cold is seeping into the house, radiating from the glass window panes, which hardly ever happens since the home is so new.   I stayed home to take delivery of the bronze lamp, some artwork, and another package.  We made stir fry and worked from the living room, while watching a marathon of old Murder … [Read more...]

Every Month, 200 Fresh Roses Are Delivered to My Home (A Lesson on How to Save Money)

Bulk Wholesale Roses

I'm working on an essay about how to run your home like a business to maximize your purchasing power when I realized my actions today provide a great didactic example of how I work in my day-to-day life.   Earlier, I did something that I've wanted to do since my childhood.  I'm not sure why it took me so long but after I woke up, got dressed, grabbed a cup of coffee, and sat down to the iMac at the counter, it was on my mind.  A few hours, and a lot of research, later, everything is now … [Read more...]

Late Night Dividend Calculations Over Tea and Downton Abbey

Cup of Tea with Cream and Sugar

I'm reviewing the dividend distributions for the last fiscal year over a cup of tea with cream and sugar and buttered toast, working out the final capital retention policies for one of the companies.  Striking a balance between opportunity costs is particularly hard because, as the saying goes, "when it rains, it pours".  Suddenly, very good uses of competing funds have presented themselves and I'm attempting to determine how I want to position the family for the coming season.  This got me … [Read more...]

Once Upon a Time Set Design Makes Me Think the Evil Queen Was Spying On Our Home Renovations

Once Upon a Time Set Design - Evil Queen Dining Room

This Sunday New Year Day, the family slept in until 11 a.m. and then decided to do brunch again, having enjoyed the Belgian waffle party so much the other night, as we watched movies and television shows on Hulu Plus and Netflix, starting with Once Upon a Time, an ABC family show.   The premise is the Evil Queen from Snow White cast the dark curse over all of fairy tale land, bringing them to the modern world to suffer eternally as she watched.  In the cursed time, where time stands still, … [Read more...]