Plumbing the Depths

Posted under Hardware on February 28th, 2024 by

Welcome back to “Game Shifter,” where the challenges keep flowing, and the competition is as tight as a well-sealed pipe! I’m Sam, still your host and still here the whole time, ready to dive into round two with our contestants.

This time, we’re plunging into the world of plumbing. Brendan, Allan, and Isaac must construct a water-based contraption using supplies from a renowned Hampton hardware store. Known for its extensive plumbing section, this store has provided everything our contestants need to make a splash in this round.

The rules are simple: create a device that can transport water from point A to point B in the most efficient and innovative way possible. The catch? They have only 45 minutes to complete their contraptions. The pressure is on, and not just in the pipes!

Brendan is focusing on a filtration system, aiming to purify water as it travels through his device. Allan is working on a water-powered engine, hoping to impress the judge (still me) with their mechanical prowess. Isaac, always the artist, is constructing a decorative fountain that combines form and function.

As they work, I can’t help but admire the quality of the plumbing supplies for sale near Cheltenham. It’s clear that our contestants are equipped with the best tools and materials to bring their visions to life.

The clock is ticking, and the water is flowing. Each contestant is putting their all into their creations, knowing that this round could make or break their chances in the competition.

Time’s up! The contraptions are complete, and it’s time for the judge to evaluate. Brendan’s filtration system is praised for its practicality, Allan’s water-powered engine for its innovation, and Isaac’s fountain for its artistic flair. But only one can be the winner of this watery challenge: Isaac!

Stay tuned to see who takes the lead in the nextround of “Game Shifter” and what other surprises we have in store. Remember, in this game, you never know what’s around the next bend!

Wizard Cooling Off

Posted under air conditioning on January 15th, 2024 by

“You need to find a new place to live,” the swamp monster said as it walked into the room. The wizard turned to look at it from where he was crouched in front of the air conditioning unit. He refused to look it in the eyes, tightening his bathrobes around himself defensively.

“Why would I want to do such a thing?” he said, shivering as he inspected the unit that refused to cool the room despite the boiling temperatures. 

The swamp creature gestured to the tools around its moss-filled living room. “You’re a professional fixer upper-er!” it replied. “My in-laws came by yesterday and they were disgusted by how functional everything was.” 

“Well, I’m afraid I can’t move out until next week. Do you know how hard it is to book a ducted heater service with a local technician? I’m not cancelling.” He banged at the unit, praying that it would somehow gurgle into life before him. He had already tried to duct-tape his staff together to fix the machine but after it let out a few warning sparks, he decided it was more trouble than it was worth. 

“Why did you book that? Things aren’t meant to work around here,” it huffed. The wizard turned just in time to see small mushrooms sprouting up in frustration from the green foliage of the creature’s back.

“There’s no way we’re living here without getting some urgent heating services and repairs. Canberra is way too cold in winter, I won’t survive!” The wizard stood up abruptly, a pointy hat almost teetering off his head as he placed his hand on his hips disapprovingly.

The creature could feel its patience draining. They had known each other for almost a decade. He had suddenly showed up one day after being kicked out of his magic academy. Since then he had been fixing things left and right. The agreement had been a few weeks to find a new place but it had now been months.

Before it could speak, the wizard was storming off into another room.

“You have to find a new place to live!” it called out to his retreating form, but the words would fall on deaf ears.

Glass Travel Mishaps

Posted under Glass on July 26th, 2023 by

Sarah had been at WindoSolutions Labs for a few weeks now, and her job had taken a leap from routine to downright fantastical. Her new assignment was testing the portal glass. At first, it was an adrenaline-inducing ride that felt like a child’s dream come true – stepping into one piece of glass and magically appearing from another.

They used different rooms, each laden with an assortment of glass that would have made other businesses offering decorative glass installation for Melbourne offices jealous. The spaces felt like mazes, filled with a dizzying array of coloured glass, frosted partitions and mirrored surfaces. The sheer aesthetics of the spaces were mind-boggling. Every room held its distinct charm and character, which only added to the complexity of her task.

Sarah quickly learned that she needed to pay close attention to the type and tint of the glass she was using. The Labs used a plethora of tinted glass in their setups, each serving a unique function. The blue ones cooled the room, green ones reduced glare, and the yellow ones enhanced the room’s natural light. Knowing which piece of glass led where and how each tint impacted her journey became critical to her task.

But the seemingly innocent exercise grew more perilous. The glass maze became more intricate, and the locations of the entry and exit glasses more unpredictable. Each round was a test of her wit and agility, a challenge she accepted head-on. She needed to pay attention to not just the glass installations, but also the colour applied to them by the best business for commercial glass tinting services in the Melbourne CBD.

One particular day, Sarah misjudged a tinted window and landed smack in the middle of a corporate board meeting in a building several blocks away. Another time, she ended up in a bustling kitchen during peak lunch hour. The unpredictable teleportations made her task challenging and fraught with potential danger.

Despite the risks, Sarah’s determination did not waver. The thrill of the unknown, the ever-present danger, and the satisfaction of overcoming the odds kept her going. Her life had turned into an extraordinary adventure, and despite the growing danger, she was not ready to back down.

 

Earthquakes and Glass

Posted under Glass on June 14th, 2023 by

I cried out as the first tremor shook the building, joined in a chorus of surprised and frightened voices. The lights flickered above us, the gaudy hotel chandelier swinging with a sudden and unexplained momentum.

Earthquake, the crowd began to whisper to itself, and I felt the unmistakable psychic energy of a hundred people trying to remember if doorways or tables were the best place to be when the earth tried to buck you off like so many parasites.

‘Be calm, be calm,’ the hotel manager’s voice rang out across the lobby. ‘Just a slight shake, nothing to be concerned ab—’

A second, more violent rumble echoed through the ground and up into our feet. I clung to a staircase, alongside a man whose luggage proclaimed he’d just been to Melbourne – glass balustrades were a bad thing to cling to, we quickly realised, letting go in a distinct hurry.

‘Okay,’ came the hotel manager’s voice once more, slightly more wobbly than it had been moments previously. ‘As you can see, the structure is more than stable, and it’s highly unlikely that we’ll experience another—’

A huge, violent lurch ripped through the planet. For more than a minute, the entire world became the worst roller coaster ride imaginable, as busts and plasterwork fell to the ground and crumbled into the carpet.

Eventually – mercifully – the movement stopped. The world returned to its calm facade; I knew I would never trust it to stay solid beneath me again.

‘Well then,’ the manager began to speak. ‘As you can see—’

‘Shut up!’ a voice from the crowd screamed at him. ‘You’re jinxing us!’

‘Yeah!’ roared the crowd.

‘I want my deposit back!’ a lady in a leather jacket roared at the poor man.

‘I hope you know someone in Melbourne to do affordable glass replacement,’ another man cackled.

I simply shrugged my coat back onto my shoulders, brushing off the light cloud of dust that had settled over me. Picking up my suitcase, I made my way for the exit and out onto the blissful, open street.

And that’s how I got out of paying for my hotel.

My Plumbing Brother

Posted under Drains on June 29th, 2022 by

‘How exactly are we supposed to use that now?’ I asked, gesturing emphatically at our utterly destroyed toilet.

         ‘What’s wrong with it?’ my brother asked, frowning at me. ‘It still works fine.’

         ‘Fine?’ I squealed, surprised at the octave I managed to hit. ‘What do you mean fine?!’

         ‘It still flushes and all, innit?’ he said, stepping over the small pile of damp towels to reach the lever.

         ‘Don’t!’ I cried out, rushing forward to stop him. ‘Last time you did that, we spent three hours cleaning up the mess!’

         ‘Oh, right,’ he chuckled. ‘The towels.’

         ‘The towels,’ I glared.

         ‘Well, what do you want me to do about it then?’ he asked, putting his hands on his hips. ‘You know I’m not some sort of qualified drain plumber.’

         ‘What? That’s exactly what you said you were!’

         ‘Did I?’ he frowned again, scratching his head. ‘Oh, I definitely shouldn’t have done that. I failed that course in under a week.’

         ‘How?’

         ‘I didn’t go to literally any of the classes,’ he chuckled. ‘But you know, that’s just what university is like, eh?’

         He scoffed and punched me on the shoulder like we were frat bros. I resisted the very real urge to punch him back.

         ‘Do you at least know somebody who can fix it?’ I asked eventually, releasing a huge sigh.

         ‘ A company that specialises in drain repair around Melbourne?’ he frowned. ‘At this time of year?’

         ‘It’s seasonal?’

         ‘What’s that?’

         ‘Plumbers availability!’ I said, exasperated. ‘It’s seasonal?’

         ‘Oh, yeah, absolutely,’ he nodded. ‘Especially around the holidays. A whole lot of people gathered around one house for a big meal…’ he shook his head. ‘It’s chaos. Absolute chaos.’

         ‘Do you know anybody, or not?’ I asked through gritted teeth. ‘Because if not—’

         ‘Me mate Barry might be free,’ he said with a quizzical look on his face. ‘I wonder how Barry’s doing lately. We haven’t spoken much since… well, since—’

         ‘Why don’t you give him a call now then?!’

Solar Energy Initiative

Posted under Energy on October 1st, 2021 by

 

I’m on a mission to convince my employer to move on from nuclear energy to solar energy. The benefits of solar energy are just so obvious. Solar energy is better for the environment, produces cleaner energy and allows you to enjoy energy independence. If my boss doesn’t respond to these climate-charged benefits (which he should because more and more consumers are only purchasing from companies who help the planet), then I’ll move on to the more economical benefits. 

By changing to solar energy, my boss would certainly be eligible for some sort of solar financing, which would help cover the costs of installing solar energy. Then if he still doesn’t go for that, I’ll tell him how he’ll save money and reduce his electricity bills by getting solar panels installed. Lastly, I’ll tell him that installing solar panels helps to increase the resale value of his commercial property, which I assume he doesn’t plan on owning for the rest of his life.  

I really hope that my boss decides to go for it. I’ll feel really guilty and unfulfilled if I work for a company that doesn’t help minimise its climate impact. But I can’t afford to get another job in such a volatile job market, so I’ll have to stay even if my boss says no. Maybe, I’ll even suggest the types of commercial solar panels that he can choose from, to help make his decision making easier. If he feels pressured to make a decision on top of having too much to choose from, that could work against me. I’ll create a short, succinct list of the types of solar panels that are best for him to help streamline the process. 

I’ll report back to you guys on what happens in the coming weeks. I have a feeling it won’t be an overly fast process, so don’t expect an update from me in the next couple of days.

Potential Plantar Fasciitis

Posted under podiatrist on September 1st, 2021 by

At the age of 21, I’ve torn my ACL twice. Well, I had actually torn them both by 20 but I’m 21 now so I feel like it makes sense to say 21. I don’t know. Anyway, that’s not the point. The point is that I’ve gone through some serious setbacks and because of them I haven’t been able to do everything I wanted to do. 

But, after four years of rehab, I have finally been able to start long-distance running again. I can only run in a straight line and can’t make any short movements in order not to destroy my ACL for the third time. I’ve set the goal to be able to run a half marathon in six months time. I’ve always been a relatively good runner and overall fit person, so with enough practice, I should be able to run a half marathon pretty easily. 

I went on my second run yesterday and my goal was to run 5km. I ended up running 12km and I only stopped because if I kept running I was going to be late to hang out with the boys. I could’ve kept running very easily. 

Now that my body has cooled down, my feet are in absolute agony. I may have worked them too hard, because now I feel like I have Plantar Fasciitis or some horrible foot condition like that. I read that doing too much of the same repetitive movement on your feet can be really damaging to them. I’m guessing now that running over double my goal without a break could be detrimental to the health of my feet. I’ll admit, I’m a bit concerned.

I’m going to book an appointment and speak to the local foot specialist in the Cheltenham area to see what can be done about my feet. I’m no stranger to medical procedures, especially on the lower half of my body. Hopefully, there can be some sort of quick fix for this because I want to get back to running again.

Mad with Power

Posted under Energy on August 26th, 2021 by

This is Chuck Fiddlesticks, reporting live on the scene, as officers storm the head office of Wizard Power, a business that has recently come under scrutiny for selling solar panels that may or may not actually be solar panels. This reporter loves solar panels as much as the next person. There’s no question about that. I myself am enjoying the benefits of a solar lease agreement for my business. Solar energy is the way of the future, and if you’re not on board with it yet, then you’re a chump. You know who else is a chump? Boss Wizard. That’s who. Boss Wizard is the scum of the earth. Boss Wizard is at the head of this grand conspiracy. Across Australia, Wizard Power has sold over ten thousand solar energy systems. How many of them actually create solar power? Allegedly, none.

Attention has been drawn to this shady business, after Boss Wizard, CEO of Wizard Power, went on a huge rant about how he “doesn’t” use fireballs to create electricity and then sell that power as solar energy, even though the energy created by fireballs and the sun is virtually indistinguishable. Authorities thought this was most suspicious and decided to look into it further. Wouldn’t you know it, the whole company is a big sham. I called it from the very start! 

How did the authorities discover the truth? Well, it’s quite simple, you see. They took a very fancy commercial solar panel calculator and used it to measure the amount of solar power in these panels, and the reading came back completely negative. Given the scale of this conspiracy, all available units have been called in to assist in the arrest of Boss Wizard, who owns many successful businesses throughout the country.

Right now, Boss Wizard is threatening to use his greatest-ever fireball to blow up the entire office building. Will he actually go through with it? Tune in next time to find out!

Hawkvision’s Kitchen Renovation

Posted under bathroom renovations on August 26th, 2021 by

Welcome to our first profile for the contestants of That Renovation Rules, Australia’s hot new internet competition. Let’s learn a little about our first contestant, Hawkvision! Hawkvision has an impressive CV coming into this competition, although it mostly involves destroying buildings rather than renovating them. Hawkvision has helped save the world multiple times. He stopped Low-Key with his alien invasion back in 2012. Years later, he stopped Ultra Ron from destroying the entire world by dropping an entire city. More recently, he helped save the world from Thanks, who wanted to snap half of life out of existence. That’s pretty impressive! 

But how will these heroic events influence his kitchen renovation? Let’s ask him! Hey, Hawkvision, how are the heroic events you have been involved in going to influence the design of your kitchen renovation? 

Well, I’ve been thinking that I would design this kitchen exactly how we have it at the Revengers facility in the United States. That means it has to be big enough for heroes like the Big Green Man and Giant Ant. It will have plenty of secret buttons, many of them opening up draws containing weapons, such as my trusty bow and arrow set. We need to be ready to save the world at any time, so that is going to greatly influence how I design this kitchen. I also got in touch with some of the best kitchen designers in the Melbourne area, who gave me some useful tips.

That certainly sounds like it will be an interesting kitchen when completed. I imagine that it will be quite futuristic, with a lot of really cool gadgets and technology. I can’t wait to see it reach completion! Of course, our contestants have absolutely no limitations on what materials they use or where they get them from. Budgets? There are none! Does that give an unfair advantage to our well-resourced contestants? Yes, yes it does.

Ute Toolbox Gift

Posted under Aluminium on July 26th, 2021 by

So I’ve just spent my first night in my new home. My housemates and I had a little housewarming party with four of us and our partners, and it was a really nice way to ease ourselves in. I feel really comfortable with my housemates and I know they’re going to start to feel like my family. It’s going to make the transition from living in my family home to living away from my family easier.

Anyway, I don’t know why I keep being so emotional in my blogs. This blog isn’t supposed to be about me and how I feel about moving, it’s supposed to be about praising my friend and thanking him for helping me move my mattress.

Because he was so selfless and did such a good job, I’ve decided to put money towards his next ute upgrade. He wants to add premium aluminium ute canopies to his truck and I am going to help him do it. He’s one of those people that does everything for nothing and never asks for anything in return, and so I want to show him how appreciative we are (and I am) of everything he does for our group of friends.

I know it may seem weird that I’m spending money on an aluminium ute canopy as a thank you gift when I refused to spend money on a moving truck to move my bed. The difference is that this is to thank my friend, rather than spending money on myself. I care about my friend and I want him to feel important, and if that means thanking him with a professional ute toolbox upgrade in the Melbourne area, then I am happy to do that. 

I hope he likes his surprise. I’m going to ask if I can borrow his ute over the weekend and of course, he’ll say yes. When I return it’ll have a brand new ute toolbox on it. I know he won’t be expecting it and I’m really excited to surprise him.

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