Having previously had a sprinkler head worked on by Calworth Sprinklers at www.sprinklerrepairsfortworth.com and being extremely pleased with the quality of work, I was referred to DFW Sprinkler Repair Masters, L.L.C. of Arlington, TX, a locally-owned sprinkler and irrigation company.

Coming highly recommended and serving cities near my hometown of Dallas, I was looking forward to meeting with the owner, Ken, who has worked as a licensed irrigator for years and knows my buddy Andy at Calworth very well. I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed. To make a long story short, I was going out of town on short notice and had a huge mess in my front yard that needed to be attended to.

Since DFW Sprinkler Repair Masters is locally owned, getting a quote and getting someone on the scene only took an hour, which was great, especially for this time of year. I don't know how they did it, but it was fast and we haven't had any problems since, which is all I can ask for. Several of my neighbors ended up using them as well and were also happy with the results.

I was able to get everything cleared up and Ken and I even talked about putting in a retaining wall (again, reasonably priced) to prevent such issues from happening in the future. I would have no problems recommending DFW Sprinkler Repair Masters LLC to anyone in Arlington, Dallas or DFW - they are BBB accredited and aren't some fly-by-night operation.

Linda from Baker Design Group in Dallas was kind enough to share the following article with me from her new blog. Their interior designers did a number on my place in North Dalals a while back and I couldn't be happier. Take it away Linda:

I have been giving a lot of thought lately to how blessed we are at Baker Design Group and how much I love my job; and one of the biggest influences on that overall feeling is our clients. In a world of rude behavior and ungratefulness, I must admit we receive very little of this, definitely a rarity.

Interior design clients invest good money to get their homes and businesses to have a good look, function well for their lifestyles and, overall, change the way they live and work in those environments. Though we pride ourselves on not be dawdlers, the process can sometimes drag out, especially when you have items that come in damaged or there are some unexpected backorders. This presents time delays and frustrations for both ourselves and our clients. But what has amazed me is how understanding and kind our clients are even when I feel they should want to pull somebody's hair out, maybe even mine. Recently this has been more flagrant. We've installed wallpaper that the pattern would not go on straight, we've had lamp shades galore come in with blemishes, and may I add, (these have been from five different lamp sources), backorders on custom furniture and credenzas we were never told about only to find out at time of delivery, "oops we are still another four weeks out".

It may seem like this is no big deal in the big scheme of things, and we remind ourselves weekly: this isn't life or death; but, to good people going through the process and enduring electrical, paint, wallpaper, flooring, construction, lighting, plumbing and then the final day of install, it can become intrusive and frustrating. So that leads me to the final part of my thoughts.

Our interior design clients are just nice people. Sure there can be frustrations, but in all honesty they are understanding and cooperative and always grateful. I mean GRATEFUL. We have received flowers, hand-written notes, gift baskets, fine wine, dinners at their home and numerous emails to thank us. Many of our clients have provided full spreads of food and drink on the days of installs, always worrying we have everything we need and going out of their way to provide us with well-nourished and fun installs. 

They even worry about what music is playing and making sure everyone is out of the home or working in a different office at the time, so we can do our job effectively and have the 'big reveal' at the end of the day. At the completion of our interior design projects, our designers are reminded by them that we truly did change the way they work and live, which is always our greatest goal. So going back to the beginning where bad-manners can be a popular action towards others in our culture, we see little of it. Thank you BDG Clients...we are truly blessed!

To read more from Baker Interior Design Group please check out our interior design blog here!

I was considering starting a Crossfit program after hearing about great results and the fact that it apparently kicks your ass in ways that few other workouts know how to do. So I asked Chuck from Crossfit Fervor in Mansfield, Texas to break down the basics of this extremely popular and fast-growing form of personal training:

For folks who are just learning about the fitness phenomenon called CrossFit, there is a great deal of confusion.  By definition: CrossFit is Constantly Varied, High Intensity, Functional Movements.  Obviously this doesn’t clear things up much, but this is the heart of CrossFit.  CrossFit training facilities, or boxes as they are referred to in the CrossFit community, are paid licensees of the CrossFit Brand.  The owner has completed a CrossFit Level 1 program, has a website and insurance.  

CrossFit is not a franchise so each box is different and largely a reflection of the owner/head coach.  So CrossFit boxes and coaches, like any service or profession, each fall into a bell curve with a few great ones, a few lousy ones and bunch in the middle.  I have had the good fortune of training with Elite CrossFit athletes (like Patrick Barber, Rob Orlando, Rob Downton) and world class CrossFit coaches at CrossFit boxes around the world and have been able to experience first hand what is required to develop elite athletes and a world class training facility.  So when my wife (Mel) and I made the decision to start our own CrossFit affiliate, CrossFit FerVor, we were able to incorporate those aspects into our CrossFit box in Mansfield, Texas.  These aspects include knowledgeable coaches who are continually enhancing their knowledge and skill, an energetic and encouraging environment, as well as a clean well apportioned facility.  

As CrossFit as grown beyond just a training methodology into the “Sport of Fitness” additional confusion comes from ordinary people seeing extraordinary athletes performing incredible feats of strength and conditioning and immediately thinking “I can’t do that.”  While it is likely true that you can’t do that, yet.  It would be like someone deciding that they “can’t” play basketball after watching Michael Jordan, or golf after watching Tiger Woods.  You get the idea.  If you can’t perform at the level of the elites, it means you aren’t an elite.  It doesn’t mean that you can’t play the sport or perform the movements.  Like this sports example, the vast majority of people who CrossFit are NOT ELITE.  

Many people who begin training at CrossFit FerVor don’t have the capacity to perform a single pull up, when they start.  Yet this is something that, with proper training and time, is within the grasp of all human beings with functioning bodies.  Once you begin training with us you will soon see the effectiveness of the methodology.  CrossFit, in general, and CrossFit FerVor in particular is designed to yield the best possible result from the time and money you invest in improving your fitness and body composition.

Which brings me to scalability.  One of the beautiful aspects of our training here at CrossFit FerVor is that all of our movements, like the pull up, are infinitely scalable.  Thus we can work together to determine the appropriate scale that will enable you to progress to the point where you can perform basic (i.e. pull up) and advanced (i.e. muscle up) movements.  While improving your overall strength, fitness and body. 

So, for the uninitiated, CrossFit is the training methodology that develops your ability to move yourself or other objects through space, as we do in life.  At CrossFit FerVor in Mansfield, TX, we have trained people from former professional athletes, and active duty military and police, to elementary school teachers, the wheelchair bound and the morbidly obese.  So we are confident in our ability to help improve your fitness, your body and ultimately your life.  CrossFit FerVor is The Place for CrossFit in Mansfield, Texas.


Chuck Swain, Head Coach and Owner
CrossFit FerVor, Mansfield, Texas
817-905-9866

Since winter is the time of year when most new pool construction goes into effect, I thought it might be pertinent to share a few pool financing and construction tips. Swimming pools obviously add a ton of value to your home, but are also a major financial investment. Don from Pleasure Pools in Prosper, TX was nice enough to compile the following info for any perspective swimming pool buyers out there as we Texans sure love our swimming during hellacious Dallas summers. Further FAQ can be found at their official site:



One of the biggest issues involved with building a pool is how to pay for it. There typicaly are more options than you may think.

The most common way to pay for a new swimming pool in your existing yard is to take out a second mortgage. Most banks are familiar with the process and can help with your individual situations.

The drawback to this is you will need enough equity in your home to move forward. If you have the equity, and already have a second mortgage, that is fine as the new lender will simply assume the old note combining the two. (This can often lower your rate on the old note).

If equity is an issue, one of the more popular ways to pay for the pool is with your 401K plan. You don't always have to take the money out of the account as most are set up to let you borrow against it. This will allow you to keep your nest egg safe and earn any interest it is due.

You can even put your new pool on a credit card if you have the room. this may seem extravagant but if you have a card with low interest it can sometimes be the best way to go. (If nothing else, think of the miles you will receive.) Some have been known to purchase on a credit account that did not have a favorable interest rate only to pay it off with 401K money before a month had past just to get the miles!

Save yourself some headaches and get your financing decided before you start meeting with the pool builders and construction companies. There is nothing quite so hard as spending weeks meeting with pool companies and designing your perfect pool and then not being able to realize your dream.

I hope this helps! Happy Swimming! - Don, Pleasure Pools

I've already done work in the VA Beach area, so when my cousin, a great local wedding caterer in central VA Beach asked me asked me to help with her site, I was thrilled. I know the area decently well and Catherine is a great person and one of the hardest-working people I've ever met. In addition to wedding catering and corporate event hosting, my cousin is an avid foodie and a great chef.

So it's no surprise that she also offers cooking classes and private functions along those lines. Everyone from newly-weds to singles can benefit from learning a few tricks of the cooking trade and since she was trained at one of the finest cooking institutions in the country, she obviously knows her stuff.  

My plan is actually quite simple: First a complete overhaul of her existing site. It needs a few touch-ups and a more modern feel. I also plan to incorporate social media to help spread the word locally as it related to her company and press releases are also not out of the question with a local business like hers. On a side note, anyone looking for quality food for up to 600+ people should definitely contact her today to get started. She essentially services a 30 mile radius around Virginia Beach so we anticipate a huge growth in 2013. Looking forward to it, as well as traveling out to Virginia Beach this some like last year, which was a great time for the 4th of July. -A.

Figuring the roofing area - Consider each section of your roof as a flat plane.  The area of rectangular roofs is calculated by multiplying the length by the width.  Round off fractions to the next highest foot to be safe.  The total square feet will be the sum of the square feet in each roof plane.

Hip roofs will have triangular areas on the hip and front roofs.  The areas of the triangular surfaces are found by converting these into right angles; a right triangle is a good example.  The area of a right triangle is found by multiplying half the length of the base by the height.

The hip roof area is an isosceles triangle; it has two sides of equal length.  To find the area divide it into two right triangles, find the area of one of them, and multiply it by 2.

To find the area of the front roof, mark off the sloped ends into right triangles and calculate the area.  Then calculate the rectangular area and add up the three figures.  If the roof has a dormer, measure the length and width in feet, multiply them and subtract from the total square feet for the job.  Usually chimneys, vents and small skylights are not subtracted.  The area of the dormer roof must be calculated separately and included.

Intersecting roofs will require that the area covered over one commercial roof by the other have that area subtracted.  Once the total square footage is determined, divide by 100 to find the number of squares of roofing needed, since roofing is sold in 100 foot squares.  This also helps to order underlayment.

Estimators will typically add 5 to 10 percent to the final figure to allow for waste or some unusual situation that may occur.  If you run short, the shingles from the reorder may not exactly match those of the original commercial roofing order because they may be from a different run.  Learn more here.

Sponsors and Picks (below)  

(Read more at BKRpros.com) for home remodeling help including custom kitchens and bathrooms.

These guys did a great job with my brother's remodeling job on his guest house - we found a contractor in University Park through them that did not disappoint.

This is awesome.


NFL week 13 betting lines and thoughts:

Chicago favored by 3.5 at home to the Seahawks.  I'll buy it down to 2.5 and take the Bears all day.  Bears should take care of this one as a VERY legit D beats a good rookie QB with mediocre weapons around him.  Plus no one runs on Chicago.  I like watching the Seahawks when they play at home, but sadly they aren't at home...

Green Bay favored at home by 8 over the Vikings.  This is a weird game and I'm not terribly confident but give me the Vikings to cover and make this a 1 score game late.  Green Bay needs a statement win of some sort and while I don't see them making a deep playoff run, maybe they get up 14 points late (huge in a divisional game, which always have a tendency to be closer) and give up a garbage time TD with a suspect defense.  24-17 Packers but never terribly close.

San Fran favored on the road at the Rams by 8.5 - see above.  In this crazy NFL season, it just makes sense that this will be semi close.  They also played to a tie last time and both teams will get up for the rematch.  10-14 point lead late by SF with the Rams getting a garbage score and missing the onside kick to seal the game for SF in an awesome coaching chess match like last time.  Interested to see how San Fran's QB situation progresses after this week.

Upset of the week:  Indy at Detroit, with the Lions favored by 5.  I'll take Indy to win this outright.  If I have to pick an upset this week, I feel safest with this.  This line is extremely confusing as (with, as a general rule, the home team automatically getting 3 points) the 5 point spread means the Lions are favored by 2 on a neutral field/Super Bowl setting?  Over a well coached, semi legit AFC playoff team in waiting?  If the Lions do win this, it will be close (thus take the Colts to cover a very large spread if you don't trust the outright upset) with the Colts shooting themselves in the foot, which I have faith won't happen.  Andrew Luck has a big game in the dome.

Buffalo favored by 6 at home to the Jags.  Buffalo, who cares.

New England favored by 7.5 on the road to Miami.  I'll take the Patriots to cover, just because they always seem to.  They are one of the safer bets you can make in this crazy NFL season.  And they've scored like 110 points in the last two weeks.  And Miami has looked terrible of late.  And they are still Miami.  And the Patriots head coach, he-who-must-not-be-named, will figure out some defensive scheme that will kill Tannehill.  I'm actually surprised the line isn't closer to 10 on this.

Houston favored by 6 on the road to the Titans.  I'll take Houston to cover this and win by a TD or more.  This looks like one of the safer picks of the day; I just think Houston is a much better team.  No disrespect to the Titans who show some potential moving forward.

Denver favored by a TD over the Bucs in Denver.  This is easily the most intriguing game of the week to me and features the greatness of both Peyton Manning and Doug Brown.  I'll take Tampa to cover this 24-20 or something along those lines with the Broncos winning a competitive, defensive game with the Broncos D and Von Miller being the difference maker against Josh Freeman.  This does have trap game feel to it with Denver rolling into the playoffs - it's possible Tampa just has more to play for at this point and gets up on a Denver team that has looked sluggish at times in the 1st half against decent to good competition. 

Ravens favored by 8 to the Steelers.  I'd buy this down to 6.5 and take the Ravens to cover by a TD.  This isn't the same Ravens defense but Charlie fuckin Batch is starting and he sucks and has historically not played well against the Ravens.  Ravens at home over 3rd string QB in a divisional game by 7 or more all day.  And the Ravens are still pretty damn good and have a pretty great coach by the way.  The over/under on total points scored is 34.5 which is ugly.  I do see small potential for a blowout though if it gets ugly early and Pittsburgh's D gets tired.

Carolina favored by 3 on the road at Kansas City.  The interesting thing here is the point spread, which is 40.5 - so 21-20 or something like that is the over.  This is my 2 for 1 can't miss sports lock extreme play of the day.  First of all, Kansas City absolutely sucks.  On offense.  There defense isn't quite as bad and should at least be able to keep this semi manageable.  Plus it's in KC which can be difficult.  And Cam Newton is a wildcard who may or may not do something really cool.  All that said, I'd buy this down to 2.5 (just to be safe, so a FG wins it) and take Carolina all day PLUS the under on points.  I mean 27-13 and you are fine.  20-17 you are fine.  No way KC breaks 20 (or even 14) points and while Cam Newton should play well, the KC D will keep this closer than it probably should be.  Call it 24-10 Carolina (the under) or something like that with KC just looking horrible on offense.

Cleveland favored by 2.5 over Oakland in Oakland.  Ugh.  I would not bet on this under any circumstances.  In theory Cleveland should win this.  But it's a rookie QB playing in Oakland, who has absolutely nothing to lose. And it's Oakland, weird shit always seems to happen out there.  I will buy up to 3.5 points and take Oakland to cover with Cleveland winning 23-20.  Nate and I have an unofficial bet where I'm actually taking Oakland to win this outright somehow.  This will be a field goal fest full of turnovers and poor play.  I hope there's an Oakland vs. KC game coming up by the way.....

Cincinnati favored by 2 on the road at San Diego.  In a game I REALLY don't care about, give me Cincinnati to cover here.  This point spread implies on a neutral field that the Bengals would be favored by 5, which I would take them to cover with ease.  San Diego basically sucks way worse than most people thought, which is saying something, and can't beat anyone worth a shit in this league.  The players have given up on Turner, it's done, see you in LA.  Plus, AJ Green is a total nightmare and the Bengals have more to play for.  This game also features my failed fantasy running back Ryan Matthews, who I wish ill will upon.  Seriously they play the Raiders and Chiefs twice a year and Ryan Matthews can't score more than like 7 fantasy points?  Anyway...

Jets are favored at home by 4.5 over Arizona.  Good..... God.....  Uh.....?  Give me..... Jets.....?  Jets to cover.... in a game where..... stuff happens....?  I'll just take the home team here; NY should theoretically have something to offer their fans after New England scored like 85 points against them on Thanksgiving at home in NY.  And I know nothing about Arizona despite watching like 4 of their games this year.  They are like the It's Pat of the NFL, no clue what to make of them.  Jets in a close defensive struggle that no one cares about with Sanchez looking suspect.

Dallas is favored by 10.5 at "home" over Phili in the meaningless night game of failed coaches and insanely injured teams.  I wonder if they consider Cowboys Stadium a neutral site when they make these lines.   So here's the logic:  Dallas has more to play for, they've already beaten Phili, Phili is in complete shambles and has NOTHING to play for, Dallas is at home, Dallas REALLY needs a win of any kind, Rob Ryan has had time since Thanksgiving to put together a game plan against a rookie QB who hasn't done anything, no Desean Jackson, horrible offensive line play with a BRAND NEW STARTING CENTER for Phili.....

So naturally Phili will probably be up 10-0 at some point early.  This is an absolutely HUGE line that I want no part of.  If it was in the 7 range I'd feel comfortable with the Cowboys covering, but I have zero faith in their ability to win by more than 10 points (especially division games) until further notice, even at home with the circumstances laid out above.  Phili will hang around in an ugly, penalty-filled game on what is essentially a neutral field.  This is a tough one to call but I'll take Phili to keep it semi-interesting because Dallas will be Dallas....

Monday Night - Giants favored by 2.5 on the road to the Redskins.  Let's buy it up to 3.5 and watch the Giants win by a field goal in a good game - Redskins cover.  The over/under is 51 and I'm tempted to take the Over here.  I think anyone who watches NFC East football knows what to expect here - lots of passing TDs.  

I used the following methods to protect my sites in advance from Google Panda/Penguin - major algorithm changes Google made recently to penalize and de-index over-optimized websites during the summer of 2012.

If you got hit by these massive updates recently, the following seo tips and info should help improve your site's suddenly rocky standing with big G over time...


First, let's understand Panda and Penguin.  The two main offenders to these giant Google algo updates were duplicate content and unnatural link schemes - mainly involving over-optimization of hypertext link anchor text. 

So, if your site had a bunch of low quality content and a blatant inbound link scheme, you probably suffered.

If your site had a sizable amount of duplicate content on multiple sub pages, take the time to make some onsite content changes:  

Below is just a bunch of garbage info articles I did for fun and profit.  The real blog returns soon though.

After a weekend of Dallas, TX area luxury real estate shopping, just for self-motivation purposes of course, and taking in a Texas Rangers game with friends, I got my hair cut by Tricia, a hair professional in Frisco, Texas that did a fantastic job.  I was so impressed, I referred a few wives of friends of mine.  She does everything from great hair extensions in Frisco, TX to something called a Brazilian blowout and more.  I will be calling to make an appointment in Frisco as soon as I need another hair cut, she did a great job.  It certainly beats a standard men's haircut and going to a good stylist can make a world of difference.

Other than that, a pretty uneventful weekend.  Looking forward to getting caught up on Breaking Bad.