When chatting with strangers...

[Lily left the valley]

...do you ever talk about old building related topics?

I met a friend of mine decades ago while I was attending a concert with another friend. The latter's sister was performing in an older church at Boston University and we were there for that.

The still a stranger then friend was staring at the ceiling intently the entire time. It made me wildly curious. Did he just love old buildings? Was he an architect and he was noticing a crack that might later bring the vaulted arches down? Was he just bored to death?

I noticed him lingering after the concert was over (also waiting for a performer), and I just up and asked him what he was staring at. Turns out he was trying to figure out how they later wired the church for electricity in such as way as to make it seem it had always been that way.

Whomever had done the upgrade had been uber mindful to keep the church looking as it always had, except instead of the previous lights (candle or gas, he didn't know), now the lighting was electrified. He pointed out how you couldn't see even one inch of tubing or retrofitting to house the wires on the stone or wood. I honestly would have never thought to look for such a detail back then. A rather interesting conversation ensued after his explanation, and before we parted ways we exchanged contact info.

That conversation started a friendship that has lasted since even though we occasionally go long stretches of no contact, and I have one or more faithful restorationists to thank for that.

Since then, there's been a few times when I decided the usual safe topics with strangers were too boring, and would bring up something out of the blue just to see where it might lead. Occasionally, the topic that came to mind was old buildings, restoration, and the like.

So I'm wondering: who else has had a moment like this, where strangers end up talking about old building topics?

[nhguy]

I have a couple of friends that like to talk old buildings, but other than them most people take little interest in the subject. There have been times I've tried talking old buildings at party and I get that eye glazes over look. Usually my wife catches me and stops me before the subject falls over with boredom. There are not many I've found that find old buildings really interesting, I suppose it's why we are here on an internet forum. I noticed you're in Gardner, my parents have had a camp on Queen Lake in Phillipston, MA since 1955

[Al F. Furnituremaker]

Not so much old houses for me, but furniture and antique furniture and the correct processes for restoring them and/or refinishing stuff. Sometimes the conversation will evolve to all the DIY stuff on TV, on-line, and in magazines. It is always interesting to explain to people how wrong some if this stuff is. Much better than talking about the weather.

[JacquieJet]

I bring up the old house topic quite often, I think because I'm curious about what information others know on the topic- I'm very eager to learn!
Usually there isn't much interest, until I mention the record of the house's history that I'm putting together through research, which includes some interesting characters and a couple tragedies as well... seems to get people's attention.

[Gothichome]

Upper management is constantly reminding me not to ramble on about old homes, old antiques and old cars. She tells me most just aren't that interested. Now how can that be?

[Wackyshack]

That's why I stick with you guys. Not so successful with the general public.

[heartwood]

good topic! I am known to talk with anyone, anytime, anywhere and 99% of the time it is a wonderful memorable experience...just last night I struck up a conversation with someone at my co-op grocery store...it began with a discussion about the woman who had a little table set up with samples of Ph balanced water (what the????)...then we discussed the army corp of engineers denying a permit for DAPL to go under the Missouri river (yay!!!), on to a free king size mattress this guy found on craig's list (yuck!), which led to him telling me about building a cabin with all used materials which led to, of course, window restoration....
one never knows which stranger might be a secret old house lover just like you!
...jade

[1918ColonialRevival]

Seems like 99% of the people I talk to don't give a damn. You should see the looks I get when I talk about the virtues of maintaining original windows. I think Baltimore is the vinyl replacement window capitol of the East. Everyone's always crowing about how great their new windows are and that they saved them $15 on last month's heating bill (nevermind they paid $15K for the windows).

[Nicholas]

Seems like 99% of the people I talk to don't give a damn. You should see the looks I get when I talk about the virtues of maintaining original windows. I think Baltimore is the vinyl replacement window capitol of the East. Everyone's always crowing about how great their new windows are and that they saved them $15 on last month's heating bill (nevermind they paid $15K for the windows).

Well, I wanted wood windows, as this house, which we closed on exactly 2 years ago today, had the junky and broken aluminum jalousies, the wood long gone since the early 70's.

But the lower grade wood windows were more expensive than the mid grade vinyl, which are historic district approved, as long as they duplicate the original. So it was the Honeybee, that more or less got me to compromise, to get the vinyl, as we were on a tight budget.

21 windows, just over 7000. The wood would have been over 12k, then there was the 900 rebate for the energy efficient. So really, 6100. Double paned, tinted, but not gas filled.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus....in energy savings. If in a few years these things don't last, I will be here to talk about it, as I will if they last 30, but by then I will be a bag of dust.

On Topic though, there are those in this town that go back generations that have a bit of a so what attitude about the many older homes, and those that are more excited about them. They both have something in common though, and that is they don't want outsiders ruining this place with too much modernization. This is what keeps this place as one of Florida's best kept secrets.

[phil]

I find it hard to meet others who have much interest in restoration, weather it be cars or interesting objects or antiques or houses, very few that I run into hold a lot of interest in it. when i was dating and meeting women I always hoped to meet ones that were at least interested in some sort of crafts, of course there are exceptions but I seemed to attract a lot that were interested when I mentioned I had a house and less interested when we got to know one another and I devote a lot of time to it.

I work with a lot of different trades people so I do have a lot in common there. i think we all cling to this forum because we can spend half the day figuring out the best way to get paint off a doorknob and helping each other through projects and seeing the results is fun. Most of us are pretty hands on and can relate quite well to the need for some sort of distraction other than TV or drinking or talking about sports and famous celebrities. The world would be a boring place if everyone though the same way.

I know that for myself I always need to feel involved in something constructive. If it's time spent restoring something others think is worthless I am OK with that, it really isn't so much about money as it is about having a sense of accomplishment to be proud of and maybe we also need time to sink into a job just to equalize our thoughts. I find if I am stressed about other things I can go sink myself into a project and while I may still think about whatever troubles me, I am focused on what I am doing. I spent the weekend drywalling and it was kind of like having a nap and waking up refreshed. I wouldn't do that for a living unless I had to but I actually enjoy the time when I do it on my own and it helps to not focus on any schedule.

Being in a busy and expensive city many others live in compartments where they just can't have as much fun as we do. I feel lucky to have my own space to play. I worked very hard for it and I will work hard to make it better but in the end it really isn't' about accumulating. it isn';t about money, It's more about the gratification one gets from accomplishing things.
I think it's important to be able to share it with others in order to enjoy the gratification. I have had times in my life where I haven't really been able to share in these minor triumphs either because I was alone or with someone who just didnt' see things the same way. i'd find they would feel pushed aside or ignored but had no intention of doing or saying anything mean. I found it hard to find the same enthusiasm without someone who cared about it at all.. I guess part of the fun is being able to show people the before and after or at least to be able to sit back and look at the finished product and feel good about the achievement. I happened to notice how Lily took the time to draw out the kitchen to help with the layout recently. she didn't' do it to achieve anything herself, but she felt proud to help and in some way be a part of the project. That is admirable.
Maybe part of the reason why it is hard to meet locals who like house restoration is like most of us they are at home doing their thing, and not the sort of people you tend to meet in many common social situations. Not because they wouldn't' talk to you if you were on a bus or something but most of us also spend quite a bit of time at home instead of at as many social events. Maybe we need the forum to vent so that we can get topics out of our system. I asked my girlfriend this morning if she'd gone in and looked at the work I was doing in the living room and got a solid "yep" gee I thought.. couldn't she say wow it's coming along you are half way through the taping.. then I thought why did I even say anything it's such a boring topic. She spent much of the time knitting. I'm lucky she likes to do things with her hands too or she'd probably just be too bored with me. I probably need to find more things to do together but somehow I don't' seem as good at finding those things couples are supposed to go out and do together to achieve that "quality time"

What do others do to get out together other than work on houses? are we allowed to talk about that here ?