Welcome to the BARN HOUSE forum

[Ed Zotti]

This forum is for any discussion inspired by my book THE BARN HOUSE: Confessions of an Urban Rehabber (http://www.amazon.com/Barn-House-Confessions-Urban-Rehabber/dp/0451225570), which went on sale 9/2/2008. It's customary nowadays for authors to have a blog, and in fact I set up a page on blogspot that you can get to at www.edzotti.com. But if you want to comment about the book, the page redirects you here. I did it that way because I'm not enthusiastic about the blog concept, in which somebody posts great thoughts, to which others are invited to respond. That's always struck me as pompous. My great thoughts, such as they are, are in the book. I'm more interested in having a conversation about the subjects the book covers - fixing up old houses, living in the city, the Brotherhood of the Right Way, and so on. Since the book was just published and the board's working slowly right now this forum will probably be pretty quiet for a while, but with luck it'll pick up by and by. Meanwhile I'll post links to pages of interest as time permits.

[E-Sabbath]

Okay, okay, Ed. I'll pick it up as soon as my paycheck clears.

Bit of a departure from your previous work, it looks like. Now, I like me some Bryson, even if you can't trust a word he says to be the accurate truth about anything, so I'm sure I'll enjoy it, but what made you choose to switch genres?

Got anything else you're exploring to write about in the future?

[FourPaws]

This forum is for any discussion inspired by my book THE BARN HOUSE: Confessions of an Urban Rehabber (http://www.amazon.com/Barn-House-Confessions-Urban-Rehabber/dp/0451225570), which went on sale 9/2/2008. It's customary nowadays for authors to have a blog, and in fact I set up a page on blogspot that you can get to at www.edzotti.com. But if you want to comment about the book, the page redirects you here. I did it that way because I'm not enthusiastic about the blog concept, in which somebody posts great thoughts, to which others are invited to respond. That's always struck me as pompous. My great thoughts, such as they are, are in the book. I'm more interested in having a conversation about the subjects the book covers - fixing up old houses, living in the city, the Brotherhood of the Right Way, and so on. Since the book was just published and the board's working slowly right now this forum will probably be pretty quiet for a while, but with luck it'll pick up by and by. Meanwhile I'll post links to pages of interest as time permits.

What, no links to where it's sold? Blasphemy!

[Jonathan Chance]

Good luck with the book, Ed. I've rehabbed one house in the Blue Ridge and now we're doing on in a small town in Marietta. Ages: 137 years on the first and 95 on the second.

Hell of a lot of work, isn't it?

[Ed Zotti]

Good luck with the book, Ed. I've rehabbed one house in the Blue Ridge and now we're doing on in a small town in Marietta. Ages: 137 years on the first and 95 on the second.

Hell of a lot of work, isn't it?Working on the house was a helluva project, and so was writing the book. (Why do you think I don't post much?) So in answer to the question below, though a few thoughts for another book have flitted through my mind, right now I'm beat and will be happy just to talk about this one.

Got anything else you're exploring to write about in the future?

[elbows]

There are other books authoured by Straight Dopers, more than a few.

I'm not trying to be disrespectful, but will they be able to get a forum just for their book when it's published?

How long will this forum exist? Until the second printing? Beyond?

Or is this forum for all Straight Dope authoured books?

This seems like it should be a thread instead of a forum, or is it just me?

How is a blog more pompous than dedicating an entire forum to your own book?

[Ed Zotti]

There are other books authoured by Straight Dopers, more than a few.

I'm not trying to be disrespectful, but will they be able to get a forum just for their book when it's published?

How long will this forum exist? Until the second printing? Beyond?

Or is this forum for all Straight Dope authoured books?

This seems like it should be a thread instead of a forum, or is it just me?

How is a blog more pompous than dedicating an entire forum to your own book?For an explanation, see post #29 in this thread: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=481628

[Otto]

Somebody needs to report this entire forum to the Moderators! This is blatant SPAM!

[elbows]

I appreciate the direction to post 29 in that thread but it didn't really answer some of my questions.

Please answer how long your book will have it's own forum, 2 printings, 3?

Also, how would people being directed to a thread be any different than your own forum? Wouldn't they end up on the board either way?

What is so special about you that your book gets a forum but none of the other authours here about get a forum for their work?

And I'm still interested in how you reconcile a blog as 'pompous' but an entire forum for your own book as not.

What's next? An entire forum for tuba players?

Am I the only one who feels this is a little over the line, as in, taking advantage of your position of power to self promote your book in a way that other authouring dopers are denied?

[TubaDiva]

What's next? An entire forum for tuba players?And what would be wrong with that?

:D

[Spoons]

Why do you think I don't post much?Well, I always thought it was because you were frequently in high-level meetings with Cecil. Was I wrong? ;)

Seriously, Ed, I had no idea you had just released a book. It looks interesting; I'll have to have a look for it at my local bookstore. The first home my wife and I lived in after our marriage was a 130-year-old Victorian in a small Ontario town, so I recall a bit about maintaining old houses. Didn't have to rehab it though. Anyway, I was able to parlay that into a small gig writing a monthly home repair column for a local magazine, so a forum we DIYers can use to trade tips would be great, IMHO. Nice to see the new forum!

[Ed Zotti]

Am I the only one who feels this is a little over the line, as in, taking advantage of your position of power to self promote your book in a way that other authouring dopers are denied?Relax, OK? If this bugs you all that much, just don't read it.

[Ed Zotti]

Anyway, I was able to parlay that into a small gig writing a monthly home repair column for a local magazine, so a forum we DIYers can use to trade tips would be great, IMHO. Nice to see the new forum!Thanks. What you suggest is an example of what I was hoping to accomplish with this forum. Look forward to your contributions.

[RyJae]

I feel left out :( Being rural and all why are you pandering to city dwellers. We have many a old house in the country settings. Real Barn Houses out here. :D

[Dinsdale]

Relax, OK? If this bugs you all that much, just don't read it.


Boy, this is some arrogant shit.

Haven't read the book, and wish the author all the success in the world - but giving admins/mods personal forums for self promotion is bullshit IMO. (What? this isn't IMHO?)

[fluiddruid]

Boy, this is some arrogant shit.

Haven't read the book, and wish the author all the success in the world - but giving admins/mods personal forums for self promotion is bullshit IMO. (What? this isn't IMHO?)

Ed Zotti isn't just one of the admins or mods. He's the editor of the Straight Dope column.

[RyJae]

Ed Zotti isn't just one of the admins or mods. He's the editor of the Straight Dope column.

Or Cecil hisself :D

[Ed Zotti]

I feel left out :( Being rural and all why are you pandering to city dwellers. We have many a old house in the country settings. Real Barn Houses out here. :DI'm perfectly happy to discuss old country houses too. A house is a house.

[Martini Enfield]

Am I the only one who feels this is a little over the line, as in, taking advantage of your position of power to self promote your book in a way that other authouring dopers are denied?

I kinda feel the same way, to be honest. I sorta see Ed's point about it maybe helping attract some new members, but as elbows rightly points out, lots of posters here are published writers and authors, and they don't get their own forums in which to plug their work.

One of the military surplus firearms collecting forums I post on has a number of forums named after a particular poster; Member X's Classic Handgun Forum, Member X's muzzleloading forum, that sort of thing.

I don't know Member X, but I do wonder what he has done to warrant having a number of forums on the board named after them- as far as I can tell, he hasn't written any books on the subjects in the forum, and he's not a regular writer for Shotgun News or any of the major "Old Gun" magazines. He just seems to be some dude who knows the owner of the site and has an interest in the areas those forums cover, and got his name attached to them because he moderates those forums.

It just strikes me as being poor form- It'd be like if we called the Pit "Giraffe's Pit" or CS SkipMagic's Cafe Society". Sure, they moderate there, but the forums are for all the members to enjoy and post in; they're not the personal fiefdoms of those mods.

The point I'm trying to make is that while it's gread Ed has gotten a book published, we have a forum for books- it's called Cafe Society, and it strikes me as being a more reasonable approach to have a sticky in there for Ed's book, and then go to a dedicated forum if the book turns out to be a runaway best-seller, rather than simply saying "Oh look, Ed's got a book out- give him his own forum so all the newbies can see how important he is!" (Not that I'm saying Ed isn't important, but you know what I mean. ;))

Having said all that, Congrats on getting the book published, Ed! I sincerely hope it does become a best-seller and leads to greater things for you. :)

[What Exit?]

Boy, this is some arrogant shit.

Haven't read the book, and wish the author all the success in the world - but giving admins/mods personal forums for self promotion is bullshit IMO. (What? this isn't IMHO?)
Maybe I am missing something, but isn't it Ed Zotti that setup the SDMB to start with?

You know the old adage, ignore it if you don't like it. Would there be an SDMB without Ed?

[Dinsdale]

Ed Zotti isn't just one of the admins or mods. He's the editor of the Straight Dope column.

Ooh - all bow down before him!

Hell, we are all tremendously appreciative of his efforts. And I'm sure he's a great guy with loads to offer in many areas. But a personal forum just because he can impresses me as awfully self indulgent.

[elbows]

Oh, I am very relaxed, I assure you:).

And I have nothing but respect for your editing of the column, all you do for the board, etc.

But, just so you know, I'm going to keep asking the following questions until they get answered;

"Please answer how long your book will have it's own forum, 2 printings, 3?

Also, how would people being directed to a thread be any different than your own forum? Wouldn't they end up on the board either way?

What is so special about you that your book gets a forum but none of the other authours here about get a forum for their work?

And I'm still interested in how you reconcile a blog as 'pompous' but an entire forum for your own book as not."

This are civil and sincere questions, and, apparently I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Now I'm even more confused. If you're not prepared to answer our questions then what is the forum for? Praise and adoration alone? Maybe a sticky would help, if that's the idea.

[StGermain]

I have a 160-year old farmhouse. It has no insulation under the house and a very low (less than 12") crawlspace. Great for airflow in a hot Tennessee summer, but not so great in the winter. Does anyone know of a way to insulate under there? Can they do the sticky foam with that little room? And if they do, it won't buckle the wood floors, will it?

StG

[TubaDiva]

Ooh - all bow down before him!

Hell, we are all tremendously appreciative of his efforts. And I'm sure he's a great guy with loads to offer in many areas. But a personal forum just because he can impresses me as awfully self indulgent.I can't say this enough -- if it wasn't for Ed we wouldn't have any of this at all and that goes double for the entire message board. He's not just another administrator, this is his site and his baby all the way and always has been going all the way back to the AOL days. Give the man his props already.

[Gfactor]

Oh, I am very relaxed, I assure you:).

And I have nothing but respect for your editing of the column, all you do for the board, etc.

But, just so you know, I'm going to keep asking the following questions until they get answered;



There are two other forums for these questions and criticisms: About This Message Board and the BBQ Pit. This forum is for discussing the book. Please post about that stuff in the appropriate forum.

Gfactor
Moderator

[Labrador Deceiver]

Boy, this is some arrogant shit.

Haven't read the book, and wish the author all the success in the world - but giving admins/mods personal forums for self promotion is bullshit IMO. (What? this isn't IMHO?)

Why do you think anyone cares about your opinion on the matter?

[Dinsdale]

Why do you think anyone cares about your opinion on the matter?


Same back atcha, pal. Just expressing an opinion - same as you.

[Ed Zotti]

I have a 160-year old farmhouse. It has no insulation under the house and a very low (less than 12") crawlspace. Great for airflow in a hot Tennessee summer, but not so great in the winter. Does anyone know of a way to insulate under there? Can they do the sticky foam with that little room? And if they do, it won't buckle the wood floors, will it?StGI'll have to see if I can Eddie the Polish contractor to participate in this discussion - he'd give you a better answer than I will. I can tell you that: (a) we have a crawlspace beneath our family room, although with maybe 36" headspace, and (b) I insulated with R-30 insulation tacked up between the 2x10 joists. Not sure if you have room enough for that - I've worked in some pretty tight spaces, but putting in fiberglass in tight quarters on a hot day is a bitch. An alternative would be two-inch thick fiberglass foam board cut to fit between the joists. That said, I haven't actually tried this and defer to professional opinion.

[Labrador Deceiver]

Same back atcha, pal. Just expressing an opinion - same as you.

What opinion was it that I expressed?

[Great Dave]

If Ed wants his own forum, Ed gets his own forum. I don't see why anyone would get their panties in a knot over it. And a home improvement, etc., forum makes a great addition to the board, as more people will be inspired to make energy efficiency improvements.

[Ed Zotti]

OK, folks, chill. This is not the place to complain that you don't like the forum. Take it to ATMB or the Pit.

[Dinsdale]

What opinion was it that I expressed?

Why do you think anyone cares about your opinion on the matter?

I apologize for grossly misinterpreting your post as expressing an judgment that others ought not care about my opinion. I now see that it was a straightforward and sincere request for information as to my state of mind. (dubious smilie seems not to be working)

Carry on as you wish, but I am through with this thread (and this forum - at least for the time being.)

[Labrador Deceiver]

I apologize for grossly misinterpreting your post as expressing an judgment that others ought not care about my opinion.


Good. All I was asking is why you thought it was necessary and/or appropriate to be posting your opinion here, after numerous requests not to do so.

[StGermain]

Ed - My problem is that the clearance is so low. The highest part might be a foot. At the lowest, it's only several inches. So crawling or even wiggling in the crawlspace is not an option. Jacking up the house a foot or two would help, and might level the floors, but that's not going to be affordable. Unless you rich writer-types want to pay for it.

Basically, my house is wooden, inside and out. Tongue & groove maple floors, beadboard walls and ceilings, a frame made of solid cedar with clapborads on the outside. And a tin roof. I'll admit, it makes me nervous of fire to live inside so much old wood.

StG

[Labrador Deceiver]

I have a 160-year old farmhouse. It has no insulation under the house and a very low (less than 12") crawlspace. Great for airflow in a hot Tennessee summer, but not so great in the winter. Does anyone know of a way to insulate under there? Can they do the sticky foam with that little room? And if they do, it won't buckle the wood floors, will it?

StG

I would just find a quality insulation installer, and have them come look at it. It sounds like it would be difficult, if not impossible, but you never know what these guys can do with a hose these days. Also, they may be able to treat your crawl-space and/or foundation wall so that insulation under the floor will be unnecessary.

I wouldn't worry about it buckling the floors at all.

[RyJae]

Ed - My problem is that the clearance is so low. The highest part might be a foot. At the lowest, it's only several inches. So crawling or even wiggling in the crawlspace is not an option. Jacking up the house a foot or two would help, and might level the floors, but that's not going to be affordable. Unless you rich writer-types want to pay for it.

Basically, my house is wooden, inside and out. Tongue & groove maple floors, beadboard walls and ceilings, a frame made of solid cedar with clapborads on the outside. And a tin roof. I'll admit, it makes me nervous of fire to live inside so much old wood.

StG

Blocking off the entrances with insulation and plywood not feasible?

[FarmerChick]

dang, this was supposed to be a new thread!

[DrDeth]

Can I ask if we are ever going to see a new Straight Dope book? Pleeeeze?:cool:

[elbows]

"OK, folks, chill. This is not the place to complain that you don't like the forum. Take it to ATMB or the Pit."

Where no one will address your issues and you will be totally ignored!:rolleyes:

[Marley23]

Where no one will address your issues and you will be totally ignored!:rolleyes:
Ed made a polite request and Gfactor made a note that this is the wrong place for this argument. Take it to ATMB, where this can be discussed formally, or to the Pit if you want to blow off steam, but you'll get a formal warning next if you don't drop it here.

[Bryan Ekers]

Or Cecil hisself :D

ssshhhhh, don't destroy the illusion....

[Ed Zotti]

Ed - My problem is that the clearance is so low. The highest part might be a foot. At the lowest, it's only several inches. So crawling or even wiggling in the crawlspace is not an option. Jacking up the house a foot or two would help, and might level the floors, but that's not going to be affordable. Unless you rich writer-types want to pay for it.

Basically, my house is wooden, inside and out. Tongue & groove maple floors, beadboard walls and ceilings, a frame made of solid cedar with clapborads on the outside. And a tin roof. I'll admit, it makes me nervous of fire to live inside so much old wood.Rather than speculate, I've asked Eddie the contractor and my architect buddies Charlie and Mike if they'd stop by and suggest something.

[StGermain]

RyJae - The foundation is enclosed, but it still gets cold and drafty. one layer of wood between me and the elements is not enough.

Labrador Deceiver - I should, but so far I've only done improvements to the house that I can do with help from my family. I'm a poor soul without a lot of money for contractors. Fortunately, my family is handy.

StG

[levdrakon]

If Ed wants his own forum, Ed gets his own forum.Exactly. I can't believe any member of the Dope would not understand precisely why this is so.

[RyJae]

RyJae - The foundation is enclosed, but it still gets cold and drafty. one layer of wood between me and the elements is not enough.

Labrador Deceiver - I should, but so far I've only done improvements to the house that I can do with help from my family. I'm a poor soul without a lot of money for contractors. Fortunately, my family is handy.

StG


It doesn't have to be a sheet a plywood, you can make a "plug" using insulation and plywood, just insulation or any number of methods. If the rest is stone you can get a piece of stone facade that matches the rest to hide the monstrosity you build to keep you warmer over the colder months.

[Skald the Rhymer]

And the claim that Ed and Cecil are different persons yet persists.

[Khadaji]

Congratulations on the new book. Good luck with the sales!

[TubaDiva]

And the claim that Ed and Cecil are different persons yet persists.What does this have to do with "The Barn House?"

If you have a comment or a question on the topics covered in this forum please make one; all other questions or complaints should be placed in other forum areas as appropriate.

Please don't make us have to start warning people.

[tnetennba]

Well, maybe it's off topic and maybe it isn't, but I think it's better to have a real author's blog, not just point people to a discussion forum nested in a bigger community, especially one as likely to flummox casual buyers as this one. Nothing arrogant about it, especially when you have such a strong topic. Heck, I have a friend with a blog about rehabbing urban houses, and she's not even selling anything. I'm not a marketing professional, but I am an author with a blog, so I've researched and tested all the web 2.0 marketing angles, and I've seen people get a lot of leverage as authors by creating little communities of interest around a topic. Some even got their book deals after creating the blog. I think it sounds like a cool book, I'll recommend it to my friend.

[MannyL]

Rather than speculate, I've asked Eddie the contractor and my architect buddies Charlie and Mike if they'd stop by and suggest something.

Ed are you trying to take revenue aware from the da dope? The board does to free posting just as your book is published and you are getting people to stop by and post for free when we could have had memberships sold.

No wonder it took so long for an upgrade



*The above post is firmly tongue in cheek**

Now I am looking forward to reading your book. I have no skills with it comes to home improvements but it will be nice to have a forum where I can learn some

[PunditLisa]

So it's a combination of David Sedaris and Carter Oosterhouse? A slice of life, with all its absurdities? Or is it more a How-To Manual?

Enquiring minds want to know before forking out the $13. And congratulations on the book!

[Skald the Rhymer]

What does this have to do with "The Barn House?"

If you have a comment or a question on the topics covered in this forum please make one; all other questions or complaints should be placed in other forum areas as appropriate.

Please don't make us have to start warning people.



It's a smartass remark, TubaDiva. I should think its provenance obvious, but since you evidently need it explained, I was referring to the fact that the fictional "Cecil Adams," after whose column the board is named, occasionally makes jokes about his assistant Ed, and that a new forum has been opened specifically to discuss Ed's book, a perquisite one might expect to be reserved for Cecil Himself. I insulted no one, and you know it.

[RTFirefly]

This forum is for any discussion inspired by my book THE BARN HOUSE: Confessions of an Urban Rehabber (http://www.amazon.com/Barn-House-Confessions-Urban-Rehabber/dp/0451225570), which went on sale 9/2/2008. They tried to make me do some rehab,
I said no, no no.

[papaw]

"I just ain't got the time
and daddy thinks I'm fine"

[Denver Reader]

This forum is for any discussion inspired by my book THE BARN HOUSE: Confessions of an Urban Rehabber (http://www.amazon.com/Barn-House-Confessions-Urban-Rehabber/dp/0451225570), which went on sale 9/2/2008. It's customary nowadays for authors to have a blog, and in fact I set up a page on blogspot that you can get to at www.edzotti.com. But if you want to comment about the book, the page redirects you here. I did it that way because I'm not enthusiastic about the blog concept, in which somebody posts great thoughts, to which others are invited to respond. That's always struck me as pompous. My great thoughts, such as they are, are in the book. I'm more interested in having a conversation about the subjects the book covers - fixing up old houses, living in the city, the Brotherhood of the Right Way, and so on. Since the book was just published and the board's working slowly right now this forum will probably be pretty quiet for a while, but with luck it'll pick up by and by. Meanwhile I'll post links to pages of interest as time permits.


I got a preview copy of this through my part time life as a bookseller for Barnes & Noble. I have always loved books about the experience of bringing an old house back to life. This information was truly wonderful - you write so knowledgeably of construction that is a joy to read. Your footnotes were enormously helpful and led me to other places. At one point there was a discussion of other books about an inner city rehab - well, about 20 years ago there was one titled [U]Dreaming in the Dust[U] It was not nearly so detailed - but it gave a sense of the frustrations and rewards of this. I have but one very small criticism - the use of 'more about that later' or the like - near the end of the book I found it quite distracting. I am recommending this book to any customer who indicates interest in this subject - I know that they will find it as remarkable as I do.

[Ed Zotti]

I am recommending this book to any customer who indicates interest in this subject - I know that they will find it as remarkable as I do.You're a prince - thank you.

[Bill McWherter]

Dear mr Zotti,
Thank you for the memories. My name is Bill Mcwherter, the grandson of Albert and Jessie cernak and between August 1961 and september 1979, I lived at the Barn House. I wil never forget the joy of growing up in that beautiful ( and scary) house. My Grandad would have been so pleased to see what you've accomplished.

[Ed Zotti]

Pleasure to hear from you. Stop by some time and I'll give you a tour.

[superkasey]

Hello Ed,

I read your book after seeing it on a library shelf in Chicago. I read several passages aloud with my boyfriend who can't wait to buy it so he can read the rest. He is a "city guy" to be sure!

I wanted to thank you for writing the book. I truly enjoyed it. As a person who spent her first years in Lakeview, just north of Irving Park, and now living in Ravenswood, this book was a homage to my Chicago experiences, the city itself, and to DIYers in general.

I loved it. Truly. Now when I'm walking in the neighborhood, I keep an eye out for the house you described. The other day I saw one with cedar siding and thought for sure it was yours. I can see from the picture you painted it over now.

Congrats on this project Ed. One day your kids will read it and get to know how much you put into the place they grew up.

-Kasey

[TexasT]

This forum is for any discussion inspired by my book THE BARN HOUSE: Confessions of an Urban Rehabber (http://www.amazon.com/Barn-House-Confessions-Urban-Rehabber/dp/0451225570), which went on sale 9/2/2008. Since the book was just published and the board's working slowly right now this forum will probably be pretty quiet for a while, but with luck it'll pick up by and by. Meanwhile I'll post links to pages of interest as time permits.

Just finished up the book. GREAT read!

I've done electrical, plumbing, Tile work, flooring, roofing, minor hvac but nothing on the scale of your project. It looks like yours turned out well.

Sorry to hear of Lee and his demise, Prayers to his family. Great to hear Chief is doing well. And the Trombone guy too.

Wells wishes for your continued happiness in the house.

[KeepingTabzz]

:smack:

[Cheryl44]

Hi Ed, great pipes!

I've almost finished the book. I've also almost missed my stop twice this week from reading it on the 22 riding from Irving down to Erie. It's that hard to put down.