I read an article recently in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) about Passive House-rated homes. One homeowner said the air conditioning in his new house only ran a few hours per day this summer, while keeping it at 72 to 75 degrees—despite triple-digit heat. That’s impressive. And I must admit, it made me think: “Now […]

Self-driving cars; artificial intelligence; humanoid robots; electric vehicles—and now Apple is set to introduce a new “mixed reality” headset. Suffice it to say that—technologically, at least—things are getting pretty interesting. I wouldn’t say we’re the Jetsons yet, but it feels like we’re finally getting somewhere. But is that somewhere a place we all want to […]

I have a friend who lives in California, and I remember when he moved out there how stunned I was by the costs for real estate. This was 20 or more years ago and even back then the best you could do for around $500,000 was a very small, major fixer upper. About three to […]

I’ve never been one to sit around waiting for just the right time and circumstances—not once I’ve made my mind up about something, at least. These past few years have been no exception, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that it has been difficult to do anything with a high level of certainty. […]

For 15 years now, it seems, I’ve had a file on my desk labeled “Softwood Lumber.” Well, maybe not a crinkled up, over-stuffed, physical folder, but at least a collection of digital files and research. I say, “it seems,” because I’m speaking somewhat figuratively. Point being this topic has been part of my life and […]

My 11-year-old daughter is a home design and renovations junkie. (My wife constantly reminds me how close the apple fell.) She started using 3D architecture and home design apps when she was just 10, and, if you let her, she will sit for hours designing homes from the ground up, mulling over every tiny detail. […]

It’s the year of DYI. Or so say the statistics, as in 2020 more homeowners report they’re tackling their own home improvement projects than ever before. Meanwhile, if you’ve read my past blogs (or happen to know me), then you know that they’re all DIY years for me. But 2020 was going to be different. […]

It seems that we all might be adjusting to this thing called social distancing and virtual events/meetings. Meanwhile, not all of us love it, but you have to admit that it’s working quite nicely to keep the business world turning. In addition to journalism and writing for magazines, over the course of my career I’ve […]

It feels like a risky time for pep talks. And who can fault anyone for wanting to hurl something at someone trying to shed any positive light in the current situation. But anyone who knows me will tell you I’m a pragmatic optimist. I can understand why some folks are reluctant to receive a pat […]

It’s hard to find any outcomes to shed a positive light on these days. But if you look close enough, they’re there. Even if it’s a family game of Monopoly that wouldn’t have otherwise been played. A couple of weeks ago, I started a list. It began with things like a shortage of paper products, […]