LISTEN UP…A message from our Fearless Leader…Mayor Tim Leavitt

The Dreaming Zebra Foundation - Charity Auction

https://www.facebook.com/events/894881090580807/

Adam Ferrara…do I need to say more?

When you get actor, comedian, TV show host Adam Ferrara encouraging you to come out and support our event, you should probably listen because he wouldn’t lie to you. He’s an honest man and this is for a good cause.

Adam is the real deal, and it is an honor that he’s showing us some love.

The Dreaming Zebra Foundation - Charity Auction

https://www.facebook.com/events/894881090580807/

Craig Michaelson actually created two videos promoting our upcoming charity auction…

1. The video that we have been sharing on social media.

2. The video that he actually recorded first, which is more risqué (PG-13 like), and I believe actually shows Todd Robinson in the background on one of the screens. 

This story has so many levels on why it was a success, on who it impacted, and how people came together.

I was there from the beginning of BICO’s involvement; actually I was the first to know about these people’s needs. I have followed up on the story afterwards.

Why?

Because this story is more than a story. This started years before any of us had ever met. Some may call it fate, while others don’t think anything of it, but whatever it is, it unfolded like it was supposed to do.

I have to thank BICO Transportation, because without them I never would have met some very wonderful people. Everyone had an important part to play, and I’m happy to have been able to experience a part of that.

Please read BICO’s post…

http://bicotransportation.blogspot.com/

My Walk with Dan Newth

Dan Newth is a poet. This man is a true artist who takes the surrounding world and makes it his vision…his inspiration.

Dan’s perception of the world is different than mine, but that’s because I can’t relate to what he has been through. It’s as though we share this space, but are complete strangers.

Dan is an amazing person who I’ll talk about more as time goes on (there is a lot there). What I would like to do now though is share one of Dan’s poems with you.

As my wife and I were talking with Dan, he recited this poem to us. The combination of his written and spoken words hit us differently, but the emotions that we felt were real. It was powerful.

I cannot recreate that moment for any of you, but I can share Dan’s poem…

walk away

by dan newth

My mind plays games when

stress triggers the flow

of subconscious childhood fears.

Not something I control

best I can do is mitigate.

I just walk away

away from situations,

away from possessions,

away from opportunities,

away from relationships.

It’s too much to fight.

I never learned physical

my bluff just brings more trouble.

My mind’s not deft enough

for subtleties of argument.

Doctor y give me pills.

Some make me paranoid

nsa and the homeland crew

monitoring me while hipsters harass

Some pills sedate, rotting my

liver for a slow painful death.

What I want is quick and quiet.

So again I walk away

from modern medicine;

from pharmaceutical products

using me to turn a profit.

On the streets where I sleep

someone calls; policeman wake me,

but I don’t argue, I walk away,

try to find a new sleep place.

But my mind gets rattled

and sleep gets exclusive.

Then the voices start whispering

can’t tell what they say at first.

Critical tones turn to sharp accusations

they talk to each other about me

never to me, as if I were shunned,

like fundamentalist shun the outcast.

Kurt Cobain has “friends in his head”

I have the committee that hates Dan,

only they’re not in my head,

they don’t tell me what to do,

they just make shit up and condemn,

pretend a swat team is coming

to terminate me.

Each time I believe and fear

a thousand imminent deaths.

I just want the quick quiet one,

because how do I walk away

from my own mind

A Writer on a Journey with Elk Ridge Custom Homes

by Chris Allred

As a person that works with a lot of different businesses, people, and personalities; there is somewhat of commonality amongst these groups. So much, that one can “predict” the outcome of an event.

I’m not a psychic, nor can I actually predict anything; I am however, able to understand people and why they do what they do. This skill is very beneficial to my profession.

So when I say that spending the day with Elk Ridge Custom Homes was eye opening; please don’t take that lightly, because some of the things that I saw were shocking.

Shocking in a good way, because the attention to detail was some of the best that I have ever seen.

Now…

I cannot claim to be a builder of any sort, and anyone who knows me can vouch for that, but I am a consumer who knows what he likes.

If I ever get the opportunity in life to build a home; Elk Ridge is the only company that I would call.

Why?

Because of the details.

On some of the homes that I got to go to on my adventure, I saw a specific type of siding that needed to be gapped to allow for movement and prolong the life of the product (and the house). At first, it seemed like a small detail for us to be inspecting, but as I was taught the “why”, then it became clear to me that they were looking at the big picture. Why build something that wasn’t going to last?

But what really blew my mind was that Elk Ridge was willing to rip the siding off of the walls and start over if it didn’t meet their quality check. Thousands of dollars that they would have to eat, just to make sure that it was done right.

There are no shortcuts with Elk Ridge. 

That was just the siding. Everything they use is quality.

Roofs for example…

Some builders go with a 20 year limited warranty roof. Some go with a 50 year. Not Elk Ridge…they go with a lifetime limited warranty roof.

Why?

Because they put their name on the house, and if Elk Ridge puts their name on anything, it can be sure to outlast you and me.

There is however, more than quality product…

There are quality people.

On one of the jobsites that we visited, there was this red mud everywhere, and I mean everywhere. It was a mess. The team that I was with was not having it; they were pissed, because the mud was all over the building site (of course), but it was also over the sidewalk and the road.

The boss got to the heart of the issue quickly, because his company’s name was on this build, and the mess was uncalled for and ridiculous. The mud all over the sidewalk and street was caused by a delivery driver who was delivering materials and had gotten stuck.

I saw Elk Ridge flex their muscles. They had the delivery company on the phone, and had them coming out to clean up their mess. Even though it is construction site, that attention to detail, even when it comes to cleanliness, is untouchable.

On my own, I talked to a few of the neighbors around the build site. To my surprise, there were no complaints. Which surprised me, and so I dug a little deeper. The truth was that there was noise and inconveniences that come with any build, but Elk Ridge was so professional in everything, that the neighbors couldn’t complain. They were so used to, and expected, lower quality builders, that they couldn’t find anything negative to say simply because of comparison.

Remember I talked about the red mud?

It was all over my shoes. It was also all over the builder’s boots.

I took some photos of two of the workers, Smokey and Chris, as they were building a deck on the back of one of the houses.

I want you to pay attention to Smokey’s feet…

His worn, but clean, white tennis shoes.

How did he keep them clean in all of that red mud?

Simple…

He would change his shoes and boots Mr. Roger’s style whenever he went between stepping into the home (including the deck) and onto the muddy ground.

This was a step that added a minute (he was really quick), but it was so impressive to see. The care and quality never swayed on the Elk Ridge site.

What about business partners and working with other contractors?

A handshake…literally a handshake (I’m sure that there was more to it).

For example…

Clayton and his crew from “My Concrete Guy, LLC.” were top notch. They are true professionals. They were able to explain where they were in the project, and what was happening going forward.

Honestly…true professionals.

I knew right away why Elk Ridge had been partnering with them to do the concrete work on the project.

With a handshake, the two companies partnered up for additional work.

It didn’t hurt my feelings that Clayton offered up some of his pizza; although I didn’t take any, it was a really nice gesture that said a lot about the man. I would have eaten a piece or six, but it was his and his crew’s lunch, and all I was doing was standing around asking questions.

“My Concrete Guy, LLC.” is a great company that I had the privilege of meeting and learning a little bit about. I wouldn’t hesitate to give them all of my concrete business (if I had any).

In conclusion…

I saw a lot, and I learned a lot. I was able to see different Elk Ridge homes in different levels of completion all over the area. I saw build sites in residential areas, scenic hill tops, in the country, and in town.

There is a quality that amazed me. Every aspect of the build held a standard that I didn’t know existed in any one company.

There was no quality-vs-quantity…

There was only quality.

I know that they talk about it, but to actually see, firsthand, a company willing to lose money to make it right was that jaw dropping moment for me. Elk Ridge is everything that they claim to be.

Am I biased?

It’s hard not to be after I seen the best, but truthfully, I’m a writer who has nothing to gain or lose by writing this piece. I’m not in the market for a custom built home, nor am I looking to buy an Elk Ridge home at this time. I’m simply sharing my journey with Elk Ridge Custom Homes with you…take it or leave it.

http://elkridgecustoms.com/

https://www.facebook.com/elkridgehomes/?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/My-Concrete-Guy-LLC-1666615676895146/?fref=ts

The Charity Auction That is Loud and Proud and Anything but Silent

We are having a charity auction in December. It’s still early to give out a lot of details, because we’re still planning it ourselves, but we have a lot of interest so far…

From…

The Mayor

Politicians

Businesses

Organizations

Charities

Musicians

Actors

Keef Army Films

So who is putting this on?

It’s a joint venture between Illuminati Tattoo and ChrisAllred Design, which means Caleb Brouk and I are working together to make this happen.

Why?

Because we both love to give back, and what a better way than getting everybody involved…that way everybody wins.

How can you help?

• Reach out if you are interested in helping, or know someone who is.
• Share our messages so that others can hear about what we’re doing.

Caleb and I may be organizing it, but it takes all of you to make it happen. 

Sitting Down With “Keef Army” Founders Diablo Dean and Alan Espasandin

I have to tell you right off the bat that I’m no paparazzi because I’m NOT going to give you what “TMZ” would give you.

Of course…

If “TMZ” came calling I would have to spill the so-called beans and just tell everything (for a price).

But since that’s not happening, I’ll be a gentleman and not share everything that I know.

Let me set the scene…

TruEarth Entertainment headquarters. The room was lit somewhere between dim and bright. The look reminded me of the modern day version of Sam Spade’s office. Behind the desk sat Diablo Dean. To my left sat Alan Espasandin.

What I got from my fieldtrip into the creative mind of the Keef Army founders…

Was this…

I was taken behind the scenes of how the Keef Army and the Keef Ninjas began.

I watched demo reels on some of the other folks that played “Deet”.

I got the opportunity to understand the reason behind everything.

I got to see the actors like I never seen them before.

Like I didn’t know that Weston Cage was a method actor, and became Javier every day at home months before shooting began, and then stayed in character through shooting of the film.

The time that I spent with Diablo and Alan was time well spent because I had the opportunity to learn a lot. They took me from the beginning before there was a company, to years in the future of what’s coming up.

When I look at these two guys, I look at them as a complicated puzzle.

As friends…

They shouldn’t be friends, yet be best friends at the same time.

As business partners…

They are completely opposite, yet completely the same at the same time.

The better you know them…the more that makes sense and the clearer that becomes…

They’re perfect for each other.

In a heterosexual business / friendship kind of way (unless there was a dollar to be made in there somewhere. “Deet N Bax 3: Diablo Meets Alan”…who knows????).

Seriously…

These guys are great!

There is one BIG point that I would like to address, and that is the editing work on the “Deet N Bax” movie…

It has taken a lot of heat, and it’s not fair.

I couldn’t even come close to doing any better.

Why?

Well let me explain…

90% of the movie was ad-libbed.

90% (in case you missed that number the 1^st time)…

Normally when a movie, TV show, commercial, or anything else is shot; they film different takes from multiple angles. So the scenes are acted out with the same dialog over and over again with the camera in different positions. Then everything is spliced together, cutting back and forth between different views in the final production, all with a fluid dialog throughout the entire scene.

Or something like that…

Now…

Try that without consistent dialog, where everything is ad-libbed from one take to another?

Meaning that the camera records a scene. The actors take their marks and deliver their lines. The camera moves to a new position, and the actors reset and do the scene all over again…except this time they say other things.

Robin Williams was famous for this, and even though he was hilarious, it drove the editing team crazy because he wasn’t repeating the same lines take after take.

So after understanding the issues…the editing was fantastic.

Are we done complaining about it…any questions?

So what does the future hold?

These guys have a lot going on…

Diablo, Alan, and other representatives of the Keef Army are attending film festivals and traveling the world showcasing “Deet N Bax” and other like things.

They are working on other Keef Army projects not related to “Deet N Bax” that I cannot share with you at this time, but there are some life changing events coming up.

I don’t know if I’m supposed to share this or not, but I’m going to anyways because this is my article…in the works is the prequel to “Deet N Bax”, as well as “Deet N Bax” part 2.

But…

What I’m the most excited about is the upcoming Diablo Dean film starring Weston Cage. The movie premise sounds exciting.

Look…

The Keef Army is bigger than “Deet N Bax”.  There is a lot coming down the pipeline, and there are a lot of really great ideas. Alan and Diablo are moving forward and the entire concept is showing progression.

Plus…

You cannot deny that there are some really great and fantastic people associated with the Keef Army; some who you have seen, some you will soon see, and some who you’ll never see.

I’m personally looking forward to see where this concept goes. 

My First Movie Review Listed on IMDB

Honestly I never thought of listing any of my movie reviews on IMDB, but I was recently asked to do so, and so I did.

Alan Espasandin and Diablo Dean are part of the genius behind turning an idea into a full-length film; of course we are talking about newest and instant “cult classic”…

"Deet N Bax Save Th' World"

Love it or hate it…they accomplished their goal and pulled off a huge challenge.

Yes…

I am honored to be part of their vision in any way that I can.

Especially now…

The movie is being recognized and is winning awards, with a whole lot more wins on the horizon.

So…

Congrats to the entire Deet N Bax team…you deserve it.

Now…

Check out my review on IMDB (the real reason that you are reading this)…

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3202872/reviews-2

And as always you can see what I have been up to at…

http://chrisallreddesign.com/

Know Your Neighbor - BICO Transportation

CHECK IT OUT…

BICO Transportation is our newest “Partner of the Week”…and these guys love to haul…the bigger the better (there are limitations of course).

A true family business that seems to be in it to make other people’s lives better. They are one of a kind, and I highly recommend them for all of your needs.

CLICK HERE…http://chrisallreddesign.com/menu-styles/know-your-neighbor/477-know-your-neighbor-bico-transportation

How Many People Will a MCD’s Sandwich Feed?

I’m ready to rant….

The other day we (as a family) had the worst McDonald’s experience ever. I’m not saying that we feared for our lives, except maybe from the food…seriously.

So like any good citizen that would be bothered by this, I complained to the company.

Some of my complaint contained the following:

• The employees were unable to get our order right, on multiple items
• There were dead bugs all over the floor
• We were approached for money while eating inside of the restaurant
• There was a fight of some sort between a homeless guy and another person

All and all it was not a great experience.

Follow-up from my complaint…

The restaurant manager called me and apologized for our experience. He wanted to make it up to us and invited the family back on the house, meaning he was going to send us a coupon(s) for free food.

Which he did!!!!

Now comes the funny part…

The coupon is for ONE sandwich.

Granted that I may be being picky…we did get something free after all.

However…

Will a MCD’s burger feed an entire family?

Will they cut it up for us into equal sized portions?

Do they even have knives to cut up one of their burgers?

These are seriously complex questions that I’ll need answered before we return to claim our “family meal”.

This is too stupidly funny to even be an insult. McDonald’s has to save money somewhere.

Original ref#:12281914

“It was a dark and stormy night”, wrote Snoopy, but in this case it was true.

 http://chrisallreddesign.com/

Let me set the scene:

It was the wee hours of the morning…12:00…1:00…2:00…AM? Friday slipped into Saturday sometime in the darkness.

The rain fell to the ground. Lightening lit up the sky. Thunder shook the night.

Then a hero swooped in (drove in) and warmed our hearts (stomachs). It was the homie Tommy Habetz.

NOTE: It wasn’t really Tommy Habetz, but his company BunkSandwiches. Tommy was doing other things like sleeping, being with his family, building an empire, etc. He’s the boss…you can’t expect him to do everything.

The moral of the story is to eat at Bunk more often…simple easy rule to follow.

To me…a fresh hot sandwich on a stormy night made all of the difference in the world.

Thank you Tommy for starting a company, opening restaurants, buying a truck, and ultimately having your team make me a delicious sandwich in the middle of the night.

http://chrisallreddesign.com/

Look at me looking all distinguished like…been going gray since I was 19 or 20, but it makes me look smarter (or older)…let’s go with wiser.

https://www.facebook.com/chrisallreddesign?ref=hl

Sneaking a selfie…See if you can spot me in this scene on a future episode of a particular TV show.

https://www.facebook.com/chrisallreddesign?ref=hl

Being all sneaky…snapping a pic of my man Scott Bones while on set between takes (he just took a photo himself).

“Don’t eat the food”, they said. I wonder why…it looked good, but then I remembered how they made the coffee (nothing bad).

https://www.facebook.com/chrisallreddesign?ref=hl

Kicking it on set with the sexy (men can be sexy) Ryan Murphy. This dude is has been in the modeling/acting game for 20 years.

Why did I call him sexy?

Because I saw his modeling photos, and even a straight man (like me) has to say “damn”.

https://www.facebook.com/chrisallreddesign?ref=hl

I absolutely love this…"Knowing Right From Wrong, But Taking the Shortcut Anyway"

I absolutely love this…

This has to be one of the greatest posts that I have seen.

Not from the content (even though it’s great), but because it addresses three of our sponsors/partners all in one post:

Elk Ridge Custom Homes
All County Construction, Inc.
Eric VanderWegen

Knowing Right From Wrong, But Taking the Shortcut Anyway

This picture is funny, and we all laughed about it, but it reminds us of industry standards.
Unfortunately…

Not all standards are where they need to be.

FIND OUT WHY… http://allcountyinc.com/knowing-right-from-wrong-but-takin…/

Who Is REDpoint International?

We partner with a lot of great folks; some of who have goals to help others.

None…and I mean none…

Are doing what REDpoint International is doing.

Basically…

They have two products that they offer, and I cannot speak intelligently about either one of them on a higher level.

Luckily I just make up things as I go (I’m joking of course).

Here are quick glimpses at the two products taken from their site:

Stedline products which provide adhesive free securement for infusion lines… Patient safety & satisfaction matters! Disposable primary tubing stabilization devices that use no adhesives and greatly reduce the risk of IV failure due to movement.

Versatilt Wheelchair Tilting Device for the safe and comfortable treatment of wheelchair bound individuals… Safe Patient Handling Made Easy! A one-of-a-kind wheelchair tilting device that allows patients to remain comfortably seated in their own wheelchair while receiving professional care.

I beg you to please…PLEASE…check out their site.

Read more about what they do, because WE all know someone who can benefit (or could have benefitted) from these products.

THIS IS HOW YOU HELP…

1. LEARN about what REDpoint International does.
2. LIKE their Facebook Pages (they have two…one for each of the product lines).
3. SHARE their posts and information with everyone.

https://www.facebook.com/versatilt

https://www.facebook.com/REDpointInternationalInc

Together we can help make the medical field a better place for all of us.

THANK YOU!

Ladies and Gentlemen…Mr. James Northrup

Who is this creative man of mystery? The one that they call Northrup… James Northrup?

Well…

According to his dad, Mike Northrup…

James is honest, stuck in his own way, hardheaded, and loves challenges. 

But that’s dad talking…

READ MORE AT: http://chrisallreddesign.com/menu-styles/know-your-neighbor/475-who-you-the-interview-james-northrup

Who You the Interview: Adam Ferrara

This is how my morning went…

I got up and left early for an appointment.

When I got back (I work from my home office), my wife was just getting up.

Our conversation…

Kari: Who was texting you at 12:30 last night?

Me: Adam Ferrara.

CONTINUED…

http://chrisallreddesign.com/menu-styles/know-your-neighbor/474-who-you-the-interview-adam-ferrara

Who You the Interview: Dan LeSieur of Elk Ridge Custom Homes & All County Construction, Inc.

Dan LeSieur is a good man, but he has a big flaw in his DNA…he’s too trusting.

Meaning…

He works with people day in and day out, and he trusts them to do what they say that they are going to do. Sometimes it works out perfectly, but sometimes he gets screwed.

Dan knows a lot about the construction business, and it’s hard to get something by him that’s not right.

Building homes, doing remodels, building decks, building fences, and everything else that Dan and his crew do every day is not the issue because all of that stuff is great.

The problem is with people outside of the company that Dan has to partner with, and put his trust into.

And I know why Dan does it…

The difference between a good leader and a bad leader is that a good leader trusts their team (there is a lot more to it, but we’re talking about trust).

A good leader also knows their own strengths and weaknesses, and will partner with others that have different skillsets to create an unstoppable team.

A good leader knows that they cannot, and should not, do everything on their own.

Dan is a good leader!

So when I say that Dan LeSieur has a flaw in his DNA, it’s not really a flaw…it’s his nature.

He’s trusting in the fact that he gives people the benefit of the doubt, and sometimes gives multiple chances to uphold their end of the agreement.

Unfortunately some people take advantage of Dan’s good nature.

I think that we could all learn something from Dan, and that is “a person’s word is their bond”.

Now…

Check out Dan LeSieur’s answers to the 3 Questions:

What is your biggest success? Moving from Southern California to Washougal, WA. That was ultimately the thing I did that saved my life. It was really hard at times, but in the end it made me a better husband, father, business partner, and employer.

What is your biggest failure? Trusting the wrong people, and growing my business too fast; which lead to trouble, but the results gave me my biggest success.

What do you want to be remembered for? For the charities that I helped. For sustaining a successful business that gave me the opportunity to do right by people by helping them throughout life.

Elk Ridge Custom Homes… http://elkridgecustoms.com/

All County Construction, Inc.… http://allcountyinc.com/