NEWS ON THE CARPENTRY FRONT!

Meanwhile, at work…..

Business has been booming over at Sustainabuilt [I would like to point out that we've updated our website a little -- with things I've built! That performance stage? Yeah...I built that]. We have cabinet jobs backed up like jumbo jets waiting to land at O’Hare in a blizzard. Our success is the product of several things: the current national shift towards green building, the unique materials and design we offer, and the lack of local competitors (we’re the only green cabinet builder in Boise). Because he’s clearly hit the right niche at the right time, my boss has decided to expand the business. He is now the proud employer of TWO—that’s right, TWO carpenters*. In the cabinet shop, many tasks are two-person jobs. Before the new guy [make that knowledgeable, experienced new guy] showed up, production would usually grind to a halt whenever I’d excuse myself for a training ride. Now that our binary has turned into a trinity, there’s always an extra set of hands around to shoot with the stable gun – even when I’m off training – so production has been much more steady, much less stop-and-go. This is a good thing.


*and yes, I do consider myself a carpenter now. Here are the top three reasons why:
1. When channel surfing on cable TV with my housemates, I routinely insist upon watching carpentry shows. They hate me for it. There's this old guy who re-makes antique furniture, it's great -- I mean, the guy is really good.
2. I constantly find myself sizing-up anything made of wood that I see. "Would I have done a better job?" I ask. Shoddy craftsmanship glares at me like the reflection of a tailgater with his bights on.
3. I now make few enough mistakes I’m confident my boss spends more on my paycheck than he does on material I waste.