to slick: those are not the only two choices!

Posted by: coopfornow at November 9, 2009 10:13 AM in response to Contractors & Chauvinism

thanks for posting your experience. As so much of this blog is about fixing things,it is only to be expected that the subject of this kind of treatment comes up.
There is a wide range of sexism, varying from the :"don't you worry your pretty little head about it" to the incredibly offensive violent quote about the whip. And perhaps you can only understand it if you have been the subject of this behaviour. Being called a faggot is less threatening if you are not one, but if you have experienced violence because of it, it takes on a different meaning. Dealing with sexist behaviour is not funny for most women.

Posted by: coopfornow at November 6, 2009 8:41 AM in response to Contractors & Chauvinism

It is true not all walks of life shop there. The more affluent you are, the less likely you are to shop there. There are many many low income folks that are coop members though, and many many people for whom it is only a community or a 'social' choice, and who forget that it is out of necessity for some other folks.

Posted by: coopfornow at October 26, 2009 1:22 PM in response to NYT: Food Co-op Exile's Story Demands 2,000 Words

When you get your credit report make sure you don't accidentally "allow" them to take money out of your bank account for any kind of "protection". One of my friends did that and now she is seeing that charge on her debit card every month, with of course nobody that can be reached at the agency... I googled that problem and found quite a few complaints!

Posted by: coopfornow at October 22, 2009 5:38 PM in response to Someone's Using My Address

Sounds awful. But really, were you forced to leave Brooklyn? There are many apartments available... legal, with heat and ovens and all amenities!

Posted by: coopfornow at October 3, 2009 9:18 AM in response to Broker Rented Us an Illegal Unit

same experience here.

Posted by: coopfornow at October 2, 2009 9:34 AM in response to Home & Stone?

Can you ask to share the cost since both parties were in neglect?

Posted by: coopfornow at September 28, 2009 4:00 PM in response to Does the landlord have to clean?

I bought another TOTO from Home and Stone, http://www.homeandstone.com/index.cfm and was very happy with their competetive pricing ad fast delivery. They may carry that model as well.

Posted by: coopfornow at September 28, 2009 2:58 PM in response to Toto Eco Drake Local Distributor

rental? budget? how many people? pets?

Posted by: coopfornow at September 26, 2009 4:47 PM in response to Seeking Apartment in Brooklyn

Mark Morris. That is not exactly in CG but not that far either. http://markmorrisdancegroup.org/the_school/adults/class_schedules#link_for_adult_workshop_97

Posted by: coopfornow at September 15, 2009 3:37 PM in response to Mat Pilates in Carroll Gardens?

I see cars parked on the right. Looks like there is enough space for a car to double park with room for a car to slow down and pass while using maybe getting slightly into the striped dividing area, whatever that is called. we have to learn how to accommodate all needs, what is wrong with cars giving up some space?

Posted by: coopfornow at September 9, 2009 1:38 PM in response to Possible Perils of the Sands Street Bike Path

The bike lane is fine. The van is probably delivering to a place on the right, otherwise they would have been on the other side of the meridian. So it would have been better to double park on the right. Now they hinder traffic on all sides.

Posted by: coopfornow at September 9, 2009 1:13 PM in response to Possible Perils of the Sands Street Bike Path

Goodness gracious, where does this all come from? Incestuous? Are you nuts? These posts are just offensive.
1,400-square-foot, two-bedroom, three-bathroom condo in Park Slope.... I would live there with (almost)any of my relatives!

It is a typical NYTimes story, illustrating what wealthier folks can do. Oh well. Call the NY times and ask them to talk about what really matters.

Posted by: coopfornow at September 8, 2009 11:07 AM in response to Renters Become Their Own Landlords

Now this is the first time I am happy a realtor was incompetent!

Posted by: coopfornow at August 28, 2009 6:12 PM in response to Anyone info on 260 Ocean Pkwy?

I tried to buy (summer 2007) there but was beat by an incompetent broker and an all cash deal. At least he says it was an all cash deal. I offered more and a 30% down payment. No go. I just checked and Property Shark shows that apartment as the same owner as when I tried to buy it. 2B. It looked really nice.

Posted by: coopfornow at August 27, 2009 7:51 PM in response to Anyone info on 260 Ocean Pkwy?

"...will be serving frozen dumplings"
Somehow this doesn't sound right. Or is it a new flavor icecream?

Posted by: coopfornow at July 29, 2009 11:40 AM in response to Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up

Sorry you have to deal with this!
There are plenty of links to exterminators in the forum, but I just want to add my concern about harsh chemicals and bleach... they are horrible. They will build up immunity in the bugs and harm humans and pets in the mean time.
Even if you did not bring the bugs to this new apartment, they might appear from another source. There is no telling really... good luck with it all! Hope they stay away!

Posted by: coopfornow at July 24, 2009 3:10 PM in response to Bed Bugs and Rats

redirected from where?
14000 per year is about 39 each day. And where do the women go?

Posted by: coopfornow at June 25, 2009 2:59 PM in response to Meeting Tonight to Protest Armory Intake Center

this really gives drag a bad name!

Posted by: coopfornow at June 18, 2009 2:26 PM in response to 'Dragnut' Thomas Prusik-Parkin

Thanks... its a one bedroom coop, Ditmas Park, good shape, nice building.

Posted by: coopfornow at May 7, 2009 11:06 AM in response to Broker or FSBO

I noticed that many reactions are about the "old lady" aspect of it. That means that we are trying to connect the appropriateness of the reaction to something we don't really know. What if it were a totally able younger person rushing in with some reason we do not know about? What if the OP was an "old lady" herself?

Posted by: coopfornow at May 5, 2009 9:50 AM in response to Keyed Car Incident

Shannons, Fort Hamilton Parkway.

Posted by: coopfornow at May 3, 2009 10:29 AM in response to Perennials

I realize the potential for bad jokes here... we would just like the stories of the experiences of course... not an actual experience!

Posted by: coopfornow at March 17, 2009 11:53 AM in response to Bed Bugs Experiences Sought

nope, no restaurant, unless its illegal and hidden, no ducts -just these fumes... which seem to be coming from near the radiators, often seems to be later in the evening, after "normal" cooking hours...
doorman has no clue, super has no clue, I have no clue. Will now contact management company.

Posted by: coopfornow at November 11, 2008 7:32 PM in response to how to remedy bad smells

Thank you Denton. I actually sometimes think the airshaft is part of the problem. Is it common for an airshaft to have an exhaust fan? I checked the roof, it is just a vent pipe, no fan in it. Would there be a fan at the bottom pushing air up? I took a picture in the airshaft, and can vaguely see a round shape a few floors down...

Posted by: coopfornow at November 11, 2008 10:04 AM in response to how to remedy bad smells

Yes... many many comments about high end appliances. They don't seem to be worth it. Is it just the name? What makes them so wonderful?
Read the consumer reports... I just think we are spoiled with so many options and wonder where it stops being reasonable.

Posted by: coopfornow at September 21, 2008 11:36 AM in response to High end appliances

Argentina wrote:
"This guy had the thickest Bensonhurst accent imaginable."

Tsk...tsk, Argentina.
Shame on you!
Lack of awareness!
You are not hired, Argentina.

Posted by: Pigeon at November 6, 2009 4:21 PM in response to Contractors & Chauvinism

"Males of all different occupations have very strange thoughts about women. It just hardware supply store blokes do not talk to any women so when they see you they cannot hold their ideas."

LOL, bobjohn.

Posted by: mopar at November 6, 2009 5:33 PM in response to Contractors & Chauvinism

There are plenty of skilled professional contractors and suppliers out there so just keep on not hiring the a$$holes. If they have no respect for you then they'll do what they want on the job instead of what you're paying for.

I have my own tools and I know how to use them. I sweat pipes. But I don't have to prove anything to them. I'm not doing any heavy lifting - that's what I'm paying them for.

She who holds the checkbook holds the power.

PS I bought a wreck a long time ago. Got a lot of 'YOU'RE the owner?'. I assured them that it was OK, that it was legal for women to own property in New York State. They rarely GOT the sarcasm. rarely get that attitude any more.

Posted by: jfss at November 6, 2009 6:28 PM in response to Contractors & Chauvinism

"where they called my husband for a decision, who would have to call me; who would call the plumber/electrician, who would then call my husband back instead of me."

Seems like your husband's fault here, lol. Why didn't your husband just tell the contractor you were in charge, and refuse to discuss it?

Ask him that tonight over dinner :-)

LOL -- we talked numerous times about how asinine it was that contractors refused to call me. It was like they were going through contortions NOT to talk to me. My husband and I would both tell them to stop calling him and to call me, yet they couldn't get it through their thick heads. Like a mental block or something that a woman would have decision making capacity.

I used to deal with this nonsense all the time when I worked in IT as a programmer and doing tech support. I worked at a huge academic medical center and the doctors would always questioned my ability when I showed up to fix their computers; my male colleagues never got second guessed like I did. Since they were essentially paying me, I took more BS than I would have liked, but when I'm doing the hiring, I reserve the right not to work with any contractors who have a pathological inability to respect women!

Posted by: brooklynstyle at November 6, 2009 7:14 PM in response to Contractors & Chauvinism

the stupidest part of this is that some of my employees are women. and we still make dumbass sexist jokes..

Posted by: eman1234 at November 6, 2009 8:30 PM in response to Contractors & Chauvinism

eman1234
since when is making a pass at a woman considered a culture?
You't can't imagine how many men bug the crap outta me on a daily basis.
Tis the season to be jolly.........

Posted by: Ysabelle at November 6, 2009 10:20 PM in response to Contractors & Chauvinism

Listen, the reality is that women get hazed in stereotypically male work environments, and shouldn't need tougher skin than men in similar positions but absolutely do.

As a woman who has worked on way more jobsites than offices, I have survived and thrive because I have a very dirty mouth, am not afraid of conflict and am just about impossible to offend. I also go ahead and sympathize with how weird it looks to see a tiny blonde woman lifting a 100-lb bag of cement, actively point out that I am smaller than my co-workers, and generally don't try to act like everything's normal. I am a novelty, and honestly it's easier and more honest to work with it than it is to work against it.

You can't change people, but you can behave as if you will be treated the way you want to be treated, and empathize with the fact that a lot of people in the trades have very little formal education, come from countries that are really sexist, and live in a much more gendered world than you do. This mixture of integrity and empathy is strong. It doesn't work instantly, and is more about developing relationships than negotiating the hardware store, but it works really well.

Posted by: vanburenproud at November 7, 2009 9:33 AM in response to Contractors & Chauvinism

The surprising thing about this thread is it is full of women I had previously assumed were men.

Posted by: mopar at November 7, 2009 10:36 AM in response to Contractors & Chauvinism

"The surprising thing about this thread is it is full of women I had previously assumed were men."

You sexist :-)

Posted by: denton at November 7, 2009 5:30 PM in response to Contractors & Chauvinism

People who renovate brownstones are spending tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars. And while doing so they're being told by people like eman and denton they have to just accept and try to fit into the "culture" of these workers?

Whatever. Not by me. I would never hire anybody who made comments like the ones that were listed. How about these contractors and workers trying harder to fit into MY culture as their employer? You know, like I have to do when I'm hired by somebody! I think that's argentina's main point, that the new "culture" of homeowners in the United States is this: Women are a significant group of homeowners and even when married are more often the boss on these jobs, so act professionally and with courtesy or you don't get hired.

Posted by: traditionalmod at November 8, 2009 8:20 AM in response to Contractors & Chauvinism