Sunday, August 31, 2014

Nice people saying nice things.

"It's worth a try to do the campaign, houses like these are rare. (I'm) Fascinated by your bravery at even taking this on."
- Lu Donnelly 
project manager, Pittsburgh Architects and Buildings [PghAB]

"If people will raise money for potato salad, why wouldn't they improve a neighborhood?"
- Ashley Biega 
art educator and North Side resident

"It takes a team to win."
- Darryl Jackson, winning basketball coach



Saturday, August 30, 2014

As seen in the Northside Chronicle.

As mentioned in the September 2014 issue of the Northside Chronicle, Dominick and I will soon be launching a crowd-funding campaign so that we can recover from the damage caused by our contractor. We humbly ask in advance for your support.


Friday, August 29, 2014

TV. My source for great spiritual wisdom.




As transcribed from an episode of "Kung Fu."

HO FONG:  They took our money, our cart, our clothes. Everything we had of value.

MASTER KAN:  Except that which is irreplaceable, your lives. How did you come to leave the main road?

HO FONG:  Because we were fools. We trusted a stranger.

KWAI CHANG:  He was an old man with a kind face and a gentle manner.

MASTER KAN:  Bring them clothes. (Pause.) Ho Fong… what lesson have you learned form this?

HO FONG:  Never trust a stranger.

MASTER KAN:  Kwai Chang… what lesson have you learned from this?

KWAI CHANG:  To expect the unexpected.

MASTER KAN:  Ho Fong… in the morning when you are well and rested, you will leave the temple.

HO FONG:  When should I return, Master Kan?

MASTER KAN:  To us, never. (Pause.) You are troubled about your friend Ho Fong?

KWAI CHANG:  I do not understand why he was told to leave, and not I, when I was equally responsible for trusting the old man.

MASTER KAN:  We do not punish for trust. If while building a house a carpenter strikes a nail. It proves faulty by bending. Does the carpenter lose faith in all nails and stop building his house?

KWAI CHANG:  Then we are required to trust. Even if we are often reminded of the existence of evil.

MASTER KAN:  Deal with evil through strength. But affirm the good in man through trust. In this way we are prepared for evil, but we encourage good.

KWAI CHANG:  And is good a great reward for trusting?

MASTER KAN:  In striving for an ideal, we do not seek rewards. Yet trust does sometimes bring with it a great reward.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

More nice people saying nice things.

“Stay strong... and remember... as long as hope lives... it isn’t lost!”
- Adam Johnston
entrepreneur


I believe that people should help each other out in this world, and you are a good egg. So who better to help.”  
- Sandi Levine
Tails of Glory



Tuesday, August 26, 2014

We need the hope.


We need a hero to help us out
To save this piece of art
To save this humble house
We gotta do it
This historic house
Was a home for 
Hard-working people and
We can't just let it rot
We need the hope

Lyrics by Braden Ball and Olivia Ball

Monday, August 25, 2014

More nice people saying nice things.

Don't feel bad. Feel good. And let's get this thing going! 
- Jill Zimmerman 
yoga teacher

The house should be cherished as there aren't that many houses of this age left, and you should be commended for restoring it. 

- Ernie Hogan 
acting chair of Pittsburgh's Historic Review Commission