#workshop shed portland

[better-built-barns]

Custom Build Sheds Near Me Salem

Better Built Barns specializes in custom-built sheds near Salem, offering high-quality, durable, and beautifully crafted structures tailored to your needs. Whether for storage, workshops, or unique designs, their expert team ensures exceptional craftsmanship and customer satisfaction. Transform your outdoor space with a shed that perfectly fits your vision.#CustomSheds #SalemSheds #BetterBuiltBarns #OutdoorStorage #CustomBuiltSolutions For more information please visit: https://betterbuiltbarns.com/custom-sheds-salem-or/

[betterbuiltbarnssus]

Finding the best custom sheds near me in Portland and Salem.

When you're in search of high-quality, durable, and beautifully designed custom sheds near Portland or Salem, Better Built Barns is your go-to destination. We specialize in crafting custom sheds that perfectly blend functionality, style, and affordability, ensuring that your outdoor storage needs are met with a structure that stands the test of time. Here's why our custom sheds are the perfect addition to your backyard or garden.

Why Choose Better Built Barns for Your Custom Shed?

At Better Built Barns, we take pride in creating sheds that aren't just functional but are also tailored to meet your unique specifications. Whether you're looking for a shed to store your garden tools, outdoor equipment, or even to create a personal workshop or home office, we’ve got you covered.

Custom Designs: No two homes are the same, so why should your shed be? Our custom sheds allow you to choose from a variety of sizes, styles, and materials. Whether you're located in the lush landscapes of Portland or the picturesque surroundings of Salem, we can build a shed that complements your home and your needs.

Durability You Can Trust: All our sheds are built to last, designed to withstand the elements, from the rain and wind of Portland to the changing seasons of Salem. We use high-quality materials and superior craftsmanship to ensure your shed remains sturdy and reliable for years to come.

Local Craftsmanship: As a local business with a strong presence in both Portland and Salem, we understand the specific requirements of the climate in the Pacific Northwest. Our team of expert builders is dedicated to providing the best in local craftsmanship, ensuring that every custom shed we build is not only beautiful but also perfectly suited to Oregon’s weather conditions.

Finding Custom Sheds Near Me in Portland

Portland is known for its vibrant culture and lush outdoor spaces, making it the perfect place to have a custom shed that adds both practicality and aesthetic appeal to your property. Whether you need a small garden shed to store your tools or a larger structure to serve as a backyard studio, our Portland customers appreciate the versatility and durability of our sheds. Our process is straightforward and stress-free. From the moment you contact us, we work with you to design a shed that fits your space and meets your needs. We deliver and install your shed on-site, ensuring a seamless experience from start to finish.

Locating Custom Sheds Near Me in Salem

For our customers in Salem, our custom sheds offer the perfect solution for enhancing your outdoor space. Whether you're looking for a classic barn-style shed or a modern, sleek design, we work with you to create a structure that aligns with your vision. Living in Salem often means having space for larger yards, gardens, and even small farms, which is why a custom shed from Better Built Barns can be a valuable addition to your property. Our sheds offer not just storage, but also an attractive, well-built addition that boosts the value and usability of your outdoor area.

The Better Built Barns Difference

What sets us apart from other shed builders in Portland and Salem is our dedication to quality and customer satisfaction. We understand that investing in a custom shed is a big decision, and we’re committed to making the process as smooth as possible.

Here are a few reasons to choose Better Built Barns:

Custom Options: We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. You have control over every detail of your shed, from the design and layout to the finishing touches.

Professional Installation: Our experienced team ensures that your custom shed is delivered and installed with precision, allowing you to start using it immediately.

Affordable Pricing: Despite the superior quality and customization options, our pricing remains competitive. We believe in offering great value for your investment.

Conclusion

If you’ve been searching for "custom sheds near me Portland” or “custom sheds near me Salem”, look no further than Better Built Barns. We’re ready to help you design and build the perfect shed that meets all your storage or workspace needs. To get started, contact us today or visit our website to explore our gallery of past projects. Let us bring your vision to life with a custom shed built to the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship.

[betterbuiltbarns]

Find the top shed builders near you in Portland and Salem.

When it comes to enhancing your property with a quality shed, finding the right builder is crucial. At Better Built Barns, we specialize in crafting custom sheds that perfectly suit your needs, whether you're in Portland or Salem. Our reputation as premier shed builders in these areas speaks to our commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction.

Why Choose Better Built Barns?

1. Local Expertise:

Our team of expert shed builders understands the unique requirements of Portland and Salem areas. From the specific climate conditions to the architectural styles common in these regions, we tailor each project to fit seamlessly with your surroundings.

2. Custom Designs:

We believe that your shed should be as unique as you are. That’s why we offer a wide range of customizable options, including size, design, and materials. Whether you’re looking for a classic barn-style shed or a modern structure, we have the expertise to bring your vision to life.

3. Quality Craftsmanship:

At Better Built Barns, we take pride in using only the highest quality materials and techniques. Our skilled builders ensure that every shed is constructed with precision and care, resulting in a durable, long-lasting structure that stands the test of time.

4. Personalized Service:

From the initial consultation to the final installation, we work closely with you to ensure that every detail is covered. Our goal is to make the process as smooth and enjoyable as possible, providing you with a shed that exceeds your expectations.

Portland’s Premier Shed Builders

Portland’s diverse landscape and unique weather conditions require a specialized approach to shed construction. Our Portland team is adept at handling these challenges, ensuring that your shed will withstand the elements while enhancing the beauty and functionality of your property.

Popular Shed Styles in Portland:

Garden Sheds: Perfect for storing tools and equipment, while adding charm to your garden.

Workshop Sheds: Ideal for hobbyists and craftsmen who need extra workspace.

Storage Sheds: Designed to keep your belongings safe and organized.

Salem’s Trusted Shed Builders

In Salem, our shed builders are known for their attention to detail and commitment to quality. Whether you need a shed for storage, a home office, or a recreational space, we have the experience and skills to deliver outstanding results.

Popular Shed Styles in Salem:

Man Cave Sheds: Create a personal retreat where you can unwind and relax.

Utility Sheds: Great for practical storage solutions that keep your property tidy.

Playhouse Sheds: Perfect for children to have their own space for creativity and play.

Conclusion

If you’re searching for “shed builders near me Portland” or “shed builders near me Salem”, Better Built Barns is your go-to choice for quality, custom sheds. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and get started on your project. Our team is eager to help you create a shed that perfectly fits your needs and enhances your property.

[guestshed]

The Best Guide to Guest House Sheds in Portland and Salem

At Better Built Barns, we understand the importance of having additional living space. Whether you need a guest house shed Portland or a guest house shed Salem, we offer superior solutions tailored to meet your specific needs. Our sheds are designed to blend seamlessly into your property, providing a functional and stylish space for guests, family, or even as a rental opportunity. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the benefits of guest house sheds, design options, and why Better Built Barns is the best choice for your project.

Why Choose a Guest House Shed?

Maximize Your Property's Potential

Investing in a guest house shed is an excellent way to maximize your property's potential. These structures offer versatile space that can serve multiple purposes:

Accommodation: Perfect for hosting guests, providing them with a comfortable and private space.

Home Office: An ideal solution for remote work, offering a quiet and dedicated workspace.

Rental Income: Generate additional income by renting out the space on platforms like Airbnb.

Hobby Room: A dedicated area for crafts, workouts, or any other hobbies.

Cost-Effective Solution

Building a guest house shed is often more cost-effective than constructing a traditional home extension. With a variety of sizes and customization options, you can create a functional living space without breaking the bank.

Quick and Efficient Construction

Our guest house sheds are pre-fabricated, ensuring a quick and efficient construction process. This means less disruption to your daily life and faster occupancy.

Design Options for Guest House Sheds

Customizable Designs

At Better Built Barns, we offer a wide range of customizable designs to fit your aesthetic and functional preferences. Our design options include:

Traditional: Classic designs that complement any property style.

Modern: Sleek and contemporary designs with clean lines and minimalist features.

Rustic: Charming and cozy designs that bring a touch of countryside elegance.

Interior Layouts

We understand that every homeowner has unique needs. Our guest house sheds come with various interior layout options, allowing you to choose the configuration that best suits your requirements. Some popular layouts include:

Open Plan: A spacious design with a combined living and sleeping area.

Separate Rooms: Distinct living, sleeping, and bathroom areas for added privacy.

Loft Space: Utilizes vertical space, offering a sleeping loft and more room on the main floor.

High-Quality Materials

Our commitment to quality is reflected in the materials we use. We offer a range of high-quality materials to ensure your guest house shed is durable, weather-resistant, and aesthetically pleasing. Options include:

Wood: Classic and versatile, providing a warm and natural look.

Metal: Durable and modern, ideal for contemporary designs.

Vinyl: Low-maintenance and weather-resistant, perfect for long-term durability.

The Better Built Barns Difference

Expert Craftsmanship

At Better Built Barns, we pride ourselves on our expert craftsmanship. Our team of skilled professionals ensures that every guest house shed is built to the highest standards, providing you with a structure that is both beautiful and functional.

Personalized Service

We believe in offering personalized service to every customer. From the initial consultation to the final installation, our team is dedicated to understanding your needs and delivering a guest house shed that exceeds your expectations.

Sustainable Practices

We are committed to sustainable building practices. Our sheds are constructed using eco-friendly materials and methods, ensuring minimal impact on the environment.

Guest House Sheds in Portland

Embracing the Portland Lifestyle

Portland is known for its vibrant culture and emphasis on sustainable living. A guest house shed from Better Built Barns fits perfectly into this lifestyle. Whether you're accommodating visiting friends or creating a home office, our sheds offer a practical and stylish solution.

Local Building Regulations

We are well-versed in the local building regulations and zoning laws in Portland. Our team will handle all necessary permits and ensure that your guest house shed complies with local codes, providing you with a hassle-free experience.

Guest House Sheds in Salem

Enhancing Your Salem Property

Salem, with its rich history and scenic beauty, is an ideal location for a guest house shed. Our sheds are designed to enhance your property, providing additional space without compromising on style or quality.

Community-Focused Solutions

We understand the unique needs of Salem residents. Our guest house sheds are built to meet the community's standards and expectations, offering a practical solution for those in need of extra space.

Conclusion

A guest house shed from Better Built Barns is a smart investment for homeowners in Portland and Salem. With customizable designs, high-quality materials, and expert craftsmanship, our sheds offer the perfect solution for additional living space. Whether you're looking to accommodate guests, create a home office, or generate rental income, our guest house sheds provide versatility and value. Contact us today to start your project and see why Better Built Barns is the preferred choice for discerning homeowners.

[shedtool]

Find the Ideal Tool Shed for You in Portland and Salem

When it comes to choosing the ideal tool shed for your property in Portland or Salem, Better Built Barns offers unmatched quality and customization options. Our tool sheds are designed to meet the unique needs of homeowners and businesses, providing a secure, organized, and aesthetically pleasing storage solution.

Why Choose Better Built Barns for Your Tool Shed Needs?

Unrivaled Quality and Durability

At Better Built Barns, we understand that a tool shed is more than just a storage space. It needs to be durable, weather-resistant, and capable of protecting your valuable tools and equipment. Our sheds are constructed using high-quality materials that withstand the test of time and the elements. Whether you're dealing with the wet winters of Portland or the variable weather in Salem, our sheds remain robust and reliable.

Customizable Options to Suit Your Preferences

Every homeowner has different needs, which is why we offer a variety of customization options for our tool sheds. From choosing the perfect size and layout to selecting features like windows, doors, and shelving, our team works closely with you to create a shed that fits your specific requirements. Our design experts will guide you through every step, ensuring your shed is both functional and visually appealing.

Expert Craftsmanship for Superior Tool Sheds

Precision Engineering and Construction

Our tool sheds are built with precision engineering and expert craftsmanship. We employ skilled professionals who take pride in their work, ensuring each shed meets our high standards. The attention to detail in the construction process guarantees a shed that not only looks great but also provides excellent performance and longevity.

Eco-Friendly Building Practices

We are committed to sustainable building practices. Our sheds are designed and built with environmental considerations in mind. We use eco-friendly materials and construction methods that minimize waste and reduce our carbon footprint. By choosing Better Built Barns, you are investing in a shed that is kind to the planet.

Serving Portland and Salem with Excellence

Tool Sheds in Portland

Portland residents appreciate quality and sustainability, which is why our tool sheds are a perfect fit. Whether you need a small garden shed or a large workshop, we offer solutions that cater to the diverse needs of Portland homeowners. Our sheds are designed to complement the aesthetic of your property while providing practical storage solutions.

Tool Sheds in Salem

In Salem, the demand for durable and customizable tool sheds is high. We provide sheds that meet the specific needs of Salem residents, offering a range of designs that blend seamlessly with local architectural styles. Our sheds are built to handle the varied weather conditions of the area, ensuring your tools and equipment are protected year-round.

Key Features of Better Built Barns Tool Sheds

Superior Security

Security is a top priority when it comes to storing valuable tools and equipment. Our tool sheds are equipped with state-of-the-art locking mechanisms and reinforced structures to deter theft and vandalism. You can rest assured that your possessions are safe in a Better Built Barns shed.

Weather Resistance

Our sheds are designed to be weather-resistant, with features like waterproof roofing, ventilation systems, and robust foundations that prevent moisture buildup and structural damage. This ensures that your shed remains in excellent condition, no matter the weather conditions.

Aesthetic Appeal

A tool shed should not only be functional but also add value to your property. Our sheds are designed with a keen eye for aesthetics, featuring attractive finishes, customizable colors, and architectural details that enhance the overall look of your outdoor space.

The Better Built Barns Difference

Customer-Centric Approach

We believe in a customer-centric approach, putting your needs and preferences at the forefront of our service. From the initial consultation to the final installation, we ensure that you are fully satisfied with your tool shed. Our team is dedicated to providing exceptional customer service and support throughout the process.

Comprehensive Warranty

All our tool sheds come with a comprehensive warranty that covers materials and workmanship. We stand by the quality of our products and offer this warranty as a testament to our commitment to excellence. Should any issues arise, our team is ready to address them promptly and efficiently.

Competitive Pricing

Quality and affordability go hand in hand at Better Built Barns. We offer competitive pricing without compromising on the quality of our sheds. Our goal is to provide you with the best value for your investment, ensuring that you get a top-notch tool shed at a reasonable price.

How to Get Started with Your Tool Shed

Consultation and Design

The first step in acquiring your tool shed is a consultation with our experts. We will discuss your needs, preferences, and budget to design a shed that meets all your requirements. Our team will provide you with a detailed plan and a quote, ensuring transparency and clarity from the outset.

Professional Installation

Once the design is finalized, our skilled craftsmen will handle the installation process. We ensure that your shed is installed correctly and efficiently, taking care of all the details to provide you with a hassle-free experience. Our installation process is designed to be quick and minimally disruptive to your daily routine.

Ongoing Support and Maintenance

Even after the installation, we offer ongoing support and maintenance services. Our team is always available to address any concerns or perform necessary maintenance to keep your shed in optimal condition. Your satisfaction is our priority, and we are committed to providing excellent after-sales service.

Conclusion

Choosing Better Built Barns for your tool shed Portland or Tool Shed Salem ensures you receive a high-quality, durable, and aesthetically pleasing storage solution. With our commitment to quality, customization, and customer satisfaction, we are confident that our sheds will meet and exceed your expectations. Contact us today to start designing your perfect tool shed.

[practicing-practice]

The Fingerprints of Stagehands: Ada Carley

This is a project by William Herbert Holt III that was completed for ART 497: A History of Art and Social Practice taught by Dr. Kiara Hill in the Fall 2023 Term.

In The Fingerprints of Stagehands, I wanted to delve into the intricate web of the art education system, specifically focusing on the often overlooked work study students who form the backbone of our creative ecosystem. Bureaucracy is an omnipresent force in both educational and artistic institutions, and it serves as a discursive site for this project. I wanted to expose the mechanisms that shape the experiences of work study students, not only shedding light on the challenges they face but also prompting a reflection on the broader implications of bureaucratic structures on the creative process.

The act of making invisible labor visible challenges the prevailing notion of the solitary artist and highlights the collaborative efforts that underpin artistic production. Work study students often find themselves enmeshed in a web of tasks that extend beyond their artistic pursuits, doing everything from administrative support, maintaining studios, and running workshops. At the heart of this endeavor is a series of in-depth interviews with work study students, individuals whose contributions are fundamental yet frequently concealed within the bureaucratic layers of educational institutions. Through these conversations, I seek to amplify their voices and unravel the narratives of those who navigate the intersection of art and academia. By examining how art systems within an educational institution intersect, overlap, or diverge, I hope to provoke a critical dialogue around the role of art within academia and the reciprocal impact these spheres have on each other. I want to challenge preconceived notions about the separation of creative expression from institutional structures, emphasizing the interconnectedness of these realms and expose the multifaceted nature of artistic labor within an educational framework. 

I began this project with one interview and a series of flyers, and I hope to continue it by interviewing more students and continuing to explore different ways of disseminating their stories.

To get into contact with William, reach out on Instagram at @pdxwhh or through their website: www.whhthe3rd.com

What follows is the transcript of an interview between William and Ada Carley, a work study student in the Art + Design program at Fariborz Maseeh Hall that was conducted on Wednesday, November 22nd.

Above: PSU Sophomore & FMH Work Study Student Ada Carley.

William: Thanks for taking the time to talk to me today about your work study position in FMH. Before we get into that, could you tell me a little about you and how you came to PSU [Portland State University]?

Ada: I’m a sophomore who technically transferred to PSU from PCC [Portland Community College], but I really only took a few classes there. I graduated High School in 2016 and took a gap year before I did a year of school at a small liberal arts college in Wisconsin called Beloit, and decided I wasn’t ready, so I took about 5 years off working and finding myself really.

William: What’d you find? (laughs)

Ada: A lot of things. That would be a long long conversation.. (laughs). But I finally decided I was ready to go back to school and I’ve been in Portland for 4 and ½ years, so really coming to PSU was because I wanted to stay here. I already have a nice support network here.

William: Are you enjoying your experience at PSU? Do you feel like Portland is home?

Ada: I love it here. I don’t see myself leaving anytime soon. 

William: That’s how I feel too. I moved here in 2015 and I’m from the Midwest, I was born in Illinois and grew up in Saint Louis. I’ve been here for almost 10 years and I feel like once I hit ten years I’ll be an honorary Portlander. I don’t see myself leaving either. Do you have plans for grad school once you complete your undergraduate degree? 

Ada: I don’t know. Part of the reason that I came back to school was to figure out what I wanted to do in terms of a career. My fantasy would be to write novels, but I know that it is not practical to just go out into the world and write novels and make money. Coming back to school has been about trying to come up with a way to use my skills as a writer or an editor to help people and learn about different career paths as a writer. The Creative Writing major at PSU is a BFA program and you can choose to specialize in either fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, so you start by taking intro classes in all of those. This term, I’m taking Intro to Nonfiction and I’m actually really enjoying it. I didn’t really know what creative nonfiction was. (laughs). Basically, it’s things like memoir, personal essay, short story– anything that is true that you can be creative with that isn’t technical writing like a scientific article where you have to be citing things.

William: That’s so interesting. It feels like in creative nonfiction you are really walking a tight line then. You are trying to write something that is truthful, but at the same time, you are trying to embellish and give your writing a flourish.

Ada: Absolutely. We talk a lot about the ethics of creative nonfiction [in my course]. You have to be truthful, but you also want to shape the narrative, tell a story, and make it interesting. So how do you do that while also staying true to the characters who are real life people, and the gist of what happened? It’s really interesting, and I think the nonfiction form actually would lend itself better to a lot of the writing I’ve done for myself, but I just didn’t know about it. I’m really enjoying experimenting in nonfiction. 

William: I think that’s one of the best things about college. Taking so many different courses and realizing “Oh, wait, this is something that I could actually use, this is something that could go somewhere.” A lot of people are not open to that because they become too focused on their individual track, where they think they’re supposed to be, or getting a job. I’m an older returning student, I’m 28 years old, so it’s hard for me not to think practically about being a student and investing my time here. Especially because you are pursuing a BFA, so you must feel a similar type of pressure?

Ada: Yeah. I’m 25. On the one hand, I know that I cannot force myself to do something that I hate for money. I just know that’s not going to work for me. Money is not a major motivator for me. I don’t want to be wealthy. I don’t want to carry around money in that way. But I also don’t want to have to worry about money. So, I am really glad that I’m doing school now because I know myself so much better. I know my limits, I know when and how to ask for help. These are all things that I was terrible at the first time I went to school (laughs). I was 19 and that's why I crashed and burned. Everytime I tell people I’m doing creative writing as a major they’re like “Oh, that’s so cool! I wish I could actually do what I wanted to do.” And I’m like.. “Just do it.” There’s so many people I talk to who are in business, accounting, or marketing and that just sounds awful to me.

William: I agree. Especially because those degrees don’t even guarantee a job in today’s world. You can get a degree for something you hate and still be unable to find a good job, so what’s the point in compromising yourself for money?

Ada: Right. And I’ve been told so many times, “What is an English degree going to get you?” or, “What is that good for?” and I’m like, “What isn’t it good for?” Good writers are always in high demand. Everybody needs them. I’m not afraid of this whole AI thing either. Someone told me recently– “People read because people write.” Meaning that storytelling is a big part of our culture and they desire this human connection. You don’t get that by reading things that come from AI.

William: You can’t replace human connection no matter what. 

Ada: Yeah. Anyway, I’m going on a tangent here. (laughs)

William: (laughs) No, I feel like it’s good. It’s important to know more about you and let the conversation evolve naturally. Okay, well, how did you decide on PSU as opposed to, for example, Reed?

Ada: I liked that it was downtown and really central. I’ve kind of always had this fantasy of living downtown and I kind of thought of living at the dorms and living on campus as a cheaper way of living downtown.

William: Yeah. Everything is nearby, you can hop on the train and go anywhere.

Ada: Right. I liked what I saw in their BFA program. And I like that they have a rock climbing wall– I’m a climber (laughs). I grew up in San Francisco, and when I was there, I never liked the idea of going to a city school. The schools there that I saw like UCSF [University of California, San Francisco] and CCSF [City College of San Francisco] were just like a collection of scattered buildings and didn’t really have a campus feel. I wanted that campus feeling, and I feel like PSU has that even in the middle of the city which was important to me.

Above: Ada engaging in one of their favorite hobbies, climbing.

William: It’s true. Even though it can feel really decentralized at PSU at times, there is a unified feeling that I haven’t seen at other city schools. As a commuter student myself, living on campus seems interesting. What’s that experience like? Do you have a roommate?

Ada: I love it. I don’t have a roommate. I was very serious about not having a roommate. I kind of hopped around from place to place for the last 5 years since I moved out of my parents house, and I’ve had a number of bad roommate situations. So I was very serious about having my own place and I’m so happy. I have my own bathroom which is lovely. I have a little kitchenette, it’s great. I’ve made friends in my building.

William: So definitely not like a shitty dorm bunk bed situation (laughs).

Ada: No. I did a lot of research online, I did housing tours and I made sure that I knew what I was getting into before I signed up for housing and I’m definitely happy. I like having everything right there. This term, all my classes are in the intersection of my dorm so it’s really convenient.

William: I would imagine that is really nice. You know, I didn’t know that Creative Writing was a BFA program. I assumed that you just got a BA in Creative Writing, so that’s interesting to me. Do you see yourself as an artist? Do you feel at home as a writer working with and around predominantly visual artists? I am also a writer and I know that a lot of people want to put a demarcation between the two practices. 

Ada: I’m definitely a creative person. I have that urge to be creative and I need to have a creative outlet. I’m a musician as well. I’ve had some sort of musical engagement since I was a young child; I played the cello from 6th grade through when I did college the first time. I still have my cello but I don’t play it regularly. Now, my main musical engagement is karaoke. 

William: What’s your go to karaoke song?

Ada: Right now, I’d say it's probably Creep by Radiohead. I was actually in a karaoke competition at the Cheerful Tortoise which was a lot of fun. I got 4th place out of 24.

William: Wow!

Ada: Yeah. I didn’t win the top prize of that night which was $300, but since I placed in the top 4 I am going on to the final round in January which competes for $1000. I’m not going to win because there were some really good singers, but it was definitely a lot of fun.

William: Even if you don’t win, that sounds like so much fun. So, how long have you been a work study student? 

Ada: This is my first term, so only about 2 months.

William: So that means you are poised to offer me a fresh perspective. How has it been? What was the training process like?

Ada: It was pretty simple.

William: Trial by fire (laughs)?

Ada: Yeah. The most interesting thing for me is that most of my work experience has been in the food industry. I’ve been a server for almost 3 years in a variety of restaurants. So, I’m very used to a culture where you have to be moving constantly and you always have to find something to do. Work study [at FMH] is very different. But that’s what I wanted. I’m paying for school completely by myself. Now that I’m 25, I don’t need to include my parents' financial info on the FAFSA so I’m getting a lot of financial aid, which is great, and my work study is part of that. I knew that I needed to get work study and so I was getting on top of it before the term even started. My academic advisor used to work in the Art + Design department, so they actually referred me to Xavier [pronounced zah-vee-ay]. I was talking to him and another person in the Art + Design department, and he was very adamant that he wanted me to work for him, which was cool because usually I’m begging other people to let me work for them.

William: It feels nice to be desired professionally, doesn’t it?

Ada: Absolutely. I came in a few weeks before the term started and we had a great conversation where he gave me an idea of what the job would be like. I told him a little bit about me and my experience, and he warned me that it would be very different. Xavier has worked for the school for 29 years and he’s also an alumni, so he’s seen a lot and worked with a wide variety of students, including several that came from the food service industry like me and transitioned into this job. So he knew that transition would be difficult. The biggest part of our job is just being a presence in the work study office in case any professors or students need help with something. But throughout the majority of the term, you have a lot of down time to study.

William: So it’s kind of like holding office hours, sitting behind a desk and just being available..

Ada: Exactly. 

William: That sounds very nice for a writer (laughs).

Ada: Yes! It’s what I wanted because I knew that coming into my first term, it would make it a lot easier to not have to schedule so many study hours around work. I was like, “Okay, this isn’t going to be the most exciting job, but it’s gonna be a good first job where I can get stuff done.”

William: Definitely. I work at the student-run art gallery, so some days I’m like, “Nobody come in, I have a paper to write” (laughs). So why do you think that Xavier wanted to work with you so badly? Did he tell you, or was there a feeling that you got about that? 

Ada: I think that Xavier is always trying to find work study students to cover hours at the FMH office. It’s hard to find that. A lot of people don’t know about the work study office because it is really tucked away. It’s right by the sewing lab, across from the printing lab in FMH. One of my projects once the term is over is to put up some posters around the 2nd floor of FMH that talk about who we are and what we do.

William: So our projects kind of intersect in a way. I hope that I can also bring some more awareness to the work that you do at the work study office in FMH.

Ada: Yeah. Georgia and I try to provide as much coverage as we can, but obviously we are limited by our class schedule. Xavier is always in need of more coverage, but the department isn’t able to hire students who don’t get work study through their financial aid. I often hear from friends who are looking for jobs and I try to refer them but they aren’t eligible. 

William: Is there a time of year that you are the busiest?

Ada: At the beginning or the end of the term, we tend to be a little busier because we issue lockers to art students. There are special, long lockers in FMH that are for students who have big art supplies that they don’t want to carry around, especially for courses like painting. Students only get the lockers for the term. And often at the beginning of the term, professors are looking for supplies. We have first-aid supplies, tools like screwdrivers, and general office supplies available to them. And if people need help finding anything we try to help with that. For me, because I’m new, a lot of the stuff I don’t know so I just ask Xavier or Georgia. Both of them have been incredibly helpful and welcoming. Particularly in my first couple of weeks, I was really lost and swamped. I didn’t know what I was doing in the job and as a student. But they were both incredibly helpful both with the job and with me starting as a student. I believe Georgia is a senior, and they have given me a lot of great tips and just been really sweet.

William: I’m so happy to hear that. It’s nice to feel like you’re actually being supported at work. I don’t know how it’s been in your past professional experiences, but I can imagine you haven’t always felt that way.

Ada: Right. The culture of restaurant jobs is very different. People can be supportive, but it tends to be more like commiserating.

William: You’re like trauma bonded (laughs).

Ada: Yes, exactly. People in restaurant jobs are like: “Oh my god, this is terrible. People are so mean to me. When can I go home? I’m sick, I’m injured, I’m depressed but I still have to be here because if I’m not I can’t make money. My relative just died but I can’t take time off so I’m going to go cry in the walk in.” 

William: I can imagine it’s a difficult environment. On that note, how does time off work in your work study position? Are you allowed to call in sick? 

Ada: Xavier has been extremely flexible. He makes it very clear that I’m a student first. So if I need to make an appointment with a tutor or go to SHAC [Center for Student Health & Counseling] and my only availability is the time that I’m working, he is totally fine with that as long as I give advance notice. 

William: I’m glad to hear that. From what Georgia has told me about their experience in work study at FMH, and what they do in our class together, it seems like they do a lot of tech support. Do you do stuff like that? Have you been called on to put out any fires this term, so to speak? What is the most interesting or most daunting thing that you’ve had to deal with in your first two months? 

Ada: I don’t do a lot of tech support yet. I don’t know if that’s just about the time that I’m there yet or what. Once, a professor came in and needed help with a visiting artist who was trying to bring in a bunch of supplies for a project, so they needed dollies and carts which we have in the work study office. They wanted access to the service elevator because it was bigger. I didn’t have access to the service elevator but I was able to help them get their supplies anyway. I’ve been helping with a lot of odd jobs like that. 

William: If you sit behind a desk all day, I’m sure it’s always a welcome change to get to actually do something and meet other artists. How has it been working with faculty– are professors understanding and generally respectful to you?

Ada: Absolutely. It’s kind of been cool seeing these Art professors and just chatting in the hallway or watching them chat with Xavier, and then I see them in a magazine. I’m like, “Woah, I know that person.” 

William: Can you tell me more about some of your responsibilities? Do you have any regular tasks to complete or is every work day different?

Ada: On Fridays, me and Georgia do studio checks. So, that covers the 2nd floor of FMH, the Print Lab in Shattuck, and the BFA studios in the Art Building. We just kind of go through and make sure there aren’t any big messes, we clean the white boards, we make sure things are unplugged and there aren’t any fire hazards. We make sure the sinks are draining, flush the eye wash sinks, that sort of thing. 

William: Do you think you’re going to continue with work study next term? Thinking ahead, could you see yourself doing it until you’re finished at PSU? 

Ada: I don’t know. It depends on where my search for a career takes me. I may take an internship in my junior year or something like that, and I may not have time to do both. But certainly this year I intend to continue. 

William: As a writer, have you been interested in getting involved with student media, like the Vanguard, the Pacific Sentinel, or Pathos? 

Ada: That’s definitely been on my mind after this Intro to Nonfiction class I’ve been taking this term. I definitely want to find time to submit something. A friend told me this term, “It’s scary to be known.” Nonfiction can be really vulnerable. And there’s the fear of the people that you write about feeling like they’re misrepresented. There is one piece that I wrote this term that I really like and that my peers seem to like that I’m thinking about submitting about my experiences at a wilderness therapy program in Utah. I have so many stories from that time, and I would love to write about it more.

William: I hope you get the opportunity to explore that and I’m looking forward to hopefully reading your writing in a student publication. Is there anything else that you want people to know about work study?

Ada: I think it’s a really great opportunity for people who are eligible. We’re always looking for more people at the work study office so if you are an art student or just find yourself on the 2nd floor of FMH you should come find us in room 244.

[djmollescom]

Workshop Doors (Portland Maine)

[monica-moyer]

Workshop Doors (Portland Maine)

[infinitywizards]

Workshop Doors (Portland Maine)

[20pound]

Workshop Doors (Portland Maine)

[better-built-barns]

Studio Shed Salem

Better Built Barns designs custom studio shed Salem, creating ideal spaces for creativity and productivity. Our sheds are crafted with attention to detail, offering durability and style to meet your unique needs. Enhance your workspace with a quality-built studio shed from Better Built Barns. For more information please visit: https://betterbuiltbarns.com/custom-sheds-salem-or/

[burninglabcom]

Workshop Doors (Portland Maine)

[christinemagtotocom]

Workshop Doors (Portland Maine)

[stuartlordnet]

Workshop Doors (Portland Maine)

[engineering]

EmberConf 2019 Recap

Now that the dust has settled on EmberConf 2019, I thought I'd take some time to write up my experience and what I learned.

I (@oli) was fortunate to be invited to teach my Broccoli.js workshop this year at EmberConf 2019 during March in Portland, Oregon. I taught a similar workshop last year at the conference and received great feedback, and so of course was more than happy to come back this year with a refresher course. For those unfamiliar with Broccoli.js, it's a JavaScript build system used to compile JavaScript projects, and it makes up the build system for Ember.js. My workshop covered an introduction to how Broccoli.js works and how to integrate with it into your Ember.js application. The workshop this year was another great success with attendees leaving with skills to turbo charge their Ember.js build pipeline.

The conference

EmberConf is one of my favourite conferences, not only because I get to geek out with fellow engineers about Ember.js, but mainly due to the stellar organization by Leah Silber and the amazing EmberConf team. EmberConf places a big emphasis on inclusivity, with no space for harassing behavior or anything that makes anyone's experience unpleasant as is outlined in their code of conduct. It's great to be part of such a welcoming community and the organisers should be very proud of the atmosphere that they foster, I didn't see one unhappy face!

The night before the storm

There was a buzz in the air this year, something felt different. After speaking with Tom Dale at the speakers' dinner the night before the conference kicked off, it was hard not to feel infected by his excitement for the keynote the following morning. Tom Dale and Yehuda Katz are the parents of Ember, it was their takes on the technology of the web circa 2010 that gave birth to SproutCore and what subsequently evolved into Ember.js. From their original mantra of Stop Breaking the Web, to today's JavaScript that you wouldn't dream of writing without a compiler of sorts, Tom and Yehuda have pioneered web technologies for nearly a decade. It's for this reason that when Tom gets excited about something, it's probably worth getting excited about.

Keynote time

Conference day one rolls around, and it's keynote time, the room is packed with 1000 or so people, the lights dim and Yehuda and Tom approach the stage. As is customary for EmberConf, they start off with reiterating that EmberConf is an inclusive conference and if you feel someone looks uncomfortable to go and interject into the situation to disperse it or speak to a conference organiser. I've never seen anyone look uncomfortable at EmberConf — quite the opposite for that matter, which is fantastic.

History

Tom covers a bit of Ember's history, being 8 years old this year, and highlights how much the web has changed since Ember was released. The web has evolved so much in the last 8 years, and Ember has kept up and in a lot of cases spearheaded those changes. Ember was founded on the idea of being a framework to "Build ambitious web applications" and one of the founding values of Ember is "Climb the mountain together" (borrowed from DHH). So the mountain is "ambitious web applications" and we climb it together through shared tools, shipping features, and with big changes we move as a community. This really is a fundamental benefit of Ember, that the shared conventions, tooling, and features avoid bike-shedding over things that we as a community collectively agree on and allows Ember to focus on innovation and new ways of solving common problems in a cohesive manner.

A quick recap of some of the things that Ember has done in the past 8 years:

Things like the six-week release cycle, the RFC process, and engaging in standards and code mods have made it easy and predictable for everyone who uses Ember to upgrade as a community and benefit from all the enhancements that come with that. To that end, the Ember Community Surveys show that the majority of users are on the latest LTS or newer version of Ember.

Using the same tools is also important, Ember CLI allows everyone who uses Ember to use the same build tool, and combined with Addons allows for shared extensions to Ember and the build pipeline and allows for the community to experiment and extend Ember in predictable and collaborative ways. Due to the shared conventions anyone opening an Ember application should immediately feel at home and understand how the app is structured, how the build pipeline works, and how additional functionality can be added through shared endeavors.

Stability & Progress

Frameworks must strike a careful balance with the tension between stability and progress. On one hand we don't want to break peoples apps when they upgrade, but at the same time we don't want that to necessarily hold us back from progress, we must climb the mountain together. As such one must strike a balance between aggressive changes cause community fragmentation and cautious changes that leave Ember falling behind its competition.

During the Ember one lifecycle, lots of aggressive changes were made at the expense of leaving some users behind who were unable to upgrade. Comparatively in the 2.0 release cycle, very few major features landed with most releases saying "No new features are added in Ember core", but focused more on internal non-breaking changes to improve stability and coherence. On that note, the fact that the core team managed to ship an entirely new rendering engine under the hood without breaking existing apps, but whilst simultaneously taking advantage of new technologies and improving rendering performance of over 2x is pretty staggering. The Ember 3.0 release cycle tried to strike a balance between shipping things incrementally whilst keeping an eye on the direction of the whole system, driving towards coherence.

Coherence

Coherence is about how features and APIs interact with one another, and making commitments to stability without designing the entire future. For example it means we don't need to land all the changes to a specific programming model in a single release, we can improve the model in one so that new features can be adopted and peoples lives become easier, and finish it off in another thus rounding out the full model and making the API coherent.

An example of this is the component getter and setter model, and how to get rid of this.get('foo') and this.set('foo', 'bar') within a component and replace them with native JavaScript getters and setters this.foo and this.foo = 'bar' would have in the 2.0 series been held back by not having a good story for the setter and this make an asymmetrical and incoherent API. However in the 3.0 series the decision was made to ship the getter syntax, and continue working on the setter syntax until a good solution had been found, and when it does, symmetry was restored and the API became coherent again. So long as there is a long term goal of where we need to get to, we can get there iteratively without having to land everything at once. This strikes a balance between progress and stability.

Incoherence

The problem with this idea of intentionally making something incoherent for the sake of progress leads to the intermediary state potentially being confusing to developers. This confusion state has been termed "the pit of incoherence", it's the middle point between where we are and where we want to be.

The side effect of this is the idea of "churn", that developers have to continually upgrade their apps and adopt new models and ways of thinking, rolling with the punches if you will. So there needs to be a way to communicate to developers when a set of APIs and features have all landed and are all coherent, that documentation is ready and the set are officially supported by the core teams. Traditionally this would be done by cutting a new major release, but Ember uses major releases to signify things that have been finally removed after being deprecated instead of new features being added. This really is the idea of a major version change, signifying that change have been made without preserving backwards compatibility. What most frameworks tend to do however is bundle end of life features with new features, which makes it difficult to upgrade and developers are faced with not only features being removed, but also having to learn new paradigms for the new major version. As an attempt to solve this, Ember is introducing "Editions".

Editions

The idea is to take a snapshot of the framework as a way of signalling to all Ember developers, to all of the core teams, the Ember community and the wide JavaScript community these points of maximum coherence. Essentially "these features are all related and they all reinforce and complement one another, they've all landed, they're all polished and documented, it's a good time for you to go and adopt these features in your application".

And with that, Ember will be releasing its first "official" edition: Octane. Octane is a snapshot of the Ember framework at a given time when a set of features are cohesive and represent "the new way" of building an Ember application. These features are as follows:

Octane is a snapshot, a "peak" of coherence where the core teams have landed a bunch of great new features and now is a good time for the community to adopt them.

To find out more about Octane, checkout the offical preview website.

Roundup

I think editions is an awesome way of packaging a set of features that together for a cohesive experience, that isn't coupled to a semver major release but allows developers to adopt a complete set of changes in one go, invest in learning the "new" ways of doing things and collectively we as a community move up the mountain together.

With the release of Ember Octane, we have a bright future for the Ember project. This edition really does feel like a fundamental shift in the programming model, bringing itself up-to-date with the JavaScript wider community, whilst also ushering in awesome new features like tracked properties, something no other framework is doing as far as I can see.

I think Tom said it best at the end of the keynote:

"I got into web development in the first place because I wanted to make cool things for my friends, and I really love the web because I could write a little bit of code, save the file and instantly I got that feedback loop and I saw something happening on the screen. A little bit of code gave me something really visual and fun and interactive, and I could share it with my friends and they loved it as much as I did. I want that feeling when I'm building things at work."

And Tom is absolutely right, using Ember Octane really does have that similar feedback loop, it really does feel fun.

You can find out more about Ember Octane on the Ember.js website https://emberjs.com/editions/octane/ or watch the EmberConf keynote (and the rest of the conference) in full here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3RKLHvpUAI

I personally want to give a huge shout out to all the Ember core team members who have made this possible, bravo 👏

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

“Their feelings appear to them as being evil or the cause of their fallen condition... resulting in a repression of emotions.”

▲ Father Kent Burtner, right, discusses Rev. Sun Myung Moon and his teaching with former Moon followers. Burtner, a Catholic priest in Eugene, Oregon, has helped “deprogram” many Moonies over several decades.

_____________________________________

The minds of Moonies are changed

By Dave Horsman – South Idaho Press writer

There’s no universal formula for “deprogramming” a Moonie, according to Fr. Kent Burtner, a Catholic priest who first tangled with the Unification Church in 1969.

“The thing that’s crucial is that you consider who you’re talking to. You have to meet him where he’s at,” he said. In young Milton Esquibel’s case, “the process (of withdrawing from his Moonie experience) had already begun because he had so much time to spend with his family. Our time spent with him was to help reinforce the rehabilitation of his emotional faculties.”

Esquibel attended an all-day deprogramming session December 17 in Portland. It had been nearly a month since his parents abducted him from a Moonie group in Los Angeles and brought him home.

“Once they are out of the cult, their emotional life is restored to them rather dramatically,” Burtner said. “In cases where we begin deprogramming soon after the person is brought home, that restoration happens very, very suddenly.”

Burtner currently works at the Newman Center on the University of Oregon campus at Eugene. He previously was in the campus ministry at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, California, where his reputation as an expert on the Unification Church was earned.

His introduction to the sect was in 1969 during his seminary training. “A daughter of our secretary got involved and I was asked to meet with her. She invited me to come to a lecture series in Berkeley. I could see then that the process by which the people got involved was much more significant than the doctrine.”

The American movement was in its infancy then. “It wasn’t until 1972 that they began the series of weekend seminars and 21-day workshops” that Esquibel attended.

Burtner has since helped dozens of young people shed the “emotional amnesia” produced by Unification indoctrination. He prefers “not to work in any extra-legal way —I don’t believe in kidnapping people.”

Gus and Gladys Esquibel, however, were “acting under the law” when they retrieved their 15-year-old son.

The “marvelous thing’ about deprogramming is that Moonies are led to believe it includes a variety of tortures, he said, “when in fact we just sit down and talk. We offer a supportive environment, usually with the family and close friends present.”

Deprogramming “can be done a lot of different ways,” he added. But it usually “gives an individual a chance to look at the aspects of his life in the cult that he wasn’t able to examine when he was in it. We give the person an opportunity to see new information that the cult itself would not have divulged. And it undoes two things that have been done to the individual. The first thing is that their critical faculties (their ability to observe and assess) have been put into a state of ‘suspended animation.’ The second thing is that they are made to feel guilty for having emotions.”

Burtner explained the latter condition: “Their feelings are things that appear to them as being evil or in some way the cause of their fallen condition. That gives the cult the power to control the person. It results in a repression of the emotional life and an inappropriate sense of responsibility for the state of the world. Once they have gotten into that mind set, everything outside the group appears to be evil and Satanic and everything on the inside is where God is. So their parents and their old friends are perceived to be agents of Satan.”

“We’re talking about a systematic program that denies a person his individual freedom without his being aware of it,” Burtner said. “I don’t believe there’s anything in the (Unification Church) that essentially relates to religious commitment. It uses very, very high pressure techniques of coercion and basically places the person in a conditioned neurotic state. When you get the person out of that environment and help them see what was going on, their attachment vanishes.”

Even the diet of Moonies is part of their conditioning, according to Burtner. They get very little protein and “without at least 70 grams of protein per day the cerebral cortex is unable to function adequately. They can’t reason normally.”

People who have been Moonies only a short time often are harder to deprogram according to Burtner. “They have a real idealism, They haven’t realized they are going to spend all of their time either fundraising or recruiting new members.”

Esquibel, although he was with the Moonies only about a month, responded well in the December 17 session.

“A young woman and myself chatted with him over coffee and tea to start with. We got him to talk about his experience and we shared some of our own experiences and helped him to understand some of what he had encountered. Later on he started asking the questions. He had to have time to kind of reestablish his emotional contacts and start living his real existence again.”

Each person is different, Burtner said. “Sometimes he is quite belligerent and you have to state your case quite boldly in the beginning.”

He offers the following advice to young people who may be drawn to the Moonies: “First, learn to accept and deal with your emotional life. Second, remember you have the right to ask a lot of questions when someone wants you to get involved.”

He suggests that parents “maintain open, honest lines of communication. If there are difficulties in the family, deal with them in a straightforward way.”

While Burtner despises the Unification movement, he respects its power. He encourages people to examine the church first hand, but asks them to leave a written statement with the police allowing them “to come and get you after a week” Granting another person power of attorney to assure your return is another possibility, he added.

“I had a case like that in Eugene, involving a young woman who wanted to visit a Moonie camp. She was against the (church) after seeing what one of her friends who had been involved had gone through” and wanted to expose its practices

“She gave me power of attorney and I had to use it after she had been there one weekend. I called (the church) and threatened to turn the story over to the Associated Press if she didn’t come home to talk to me. She returned and went through a day of deprogramming.”

LINK

___________________________________

Karin Hegstrom is helped to find her way out of the FFWPU / UC

Ford Greene – the former Moonie became an attorney

Cult Indoctrination – and the Road to Recovery