January/February 2019
Straight from the
PIPES
6 Things I Miss Most When I’m Away The Best Things About Staying Home
music so everyone can naturally gather and enjoy themselves. The hotel room in Chicago was cold, and I could feel a draft coming from the window. I kept thinking how nice it would be to have my gas logs in there — I think about adding a fireplace to every cold room I walk into.
the hotel lobby and get my coffee there, but by that time, my whole morning is thrown off. I end up carrying coffee up the elevator and usually spill on both hands. In my house, we’ve got four toilets, and three of them are TotoWashlets. If you’ve never had a heated toilet seat that cleans you with warmwater, you don’t know what you’re missing. I go to these hotel bathrooms, and they’re always disappointing. Those TotoWashlets really do make all the difference in the world, and you start to miss themwhenever you’re gone for a week. I also miss having a bathtub I can fit in. Whenever it’s cold outside, it’s always nice to soak in a warm bath. I’m 6 feet, 4 inches tall and I can fit comfortably in the tub at home, but if I try to take a bath in a hotel, only about a quarter of me fits in the water, leaving the rest of me to freeze. Another problem at hotels is that they usually have bottled water, which I think they charge too much for. As a plumber, the water at my place is filtered, and when I’m away from home, I don’t drink as much as I should. I get dehydrated whenever I’m away. I’m not going to spend $5 on a jug of water. I usually drink about a gallon of water a day, and I’m not going to the store to buy 5 gallons to drink while I’m away. I usually end up drinking out of the faucet. I can taste the chlorine. At our house, we have a wood fireplace we converted to gas, which is really nice during the winter. I like to have a room that’s cozy. In the mornings, I’ll usually turn on the fireplace and start up some
You might know the saying “There’s no place like home.” Without a doubt, it’s true. Whenever I travel and have to be away from home for a few days, I’m always longing for the comforts of home. I don’t know about you, but for me, staying in a hotel room for five days or more is uncomfortable. Not long ago, I was staying in Chicago at a pretty nice hotel for about five days while attending a trade event. The conference went well, but it didn’t stop me from missing home. What I missed most of all was my sweet family. I can always talk with them on the phone, but it’s not the same. I also missed my dog, Trixabel. Well ... technically she’s my wife’s dog, but she’s my fourth daughter. I always miss talking with my wife and daughters and having Trixabel sitting on my lap.
1. Family 2. Washlet 3. Soaking Tub 4. Drinking Water 5. Gas Fireplace 6. My Chair
The final issue is that I miss is my zero- gravity chair. I’m 43 now, and I’ve been working hard all my life. About a year and a half ago, I had back surgery. This motorized chair keeps my back in a natural position, as if I were in space. It takes all the stress and pressure off my back and keeps me really comfortable. I can lay down for a 20-minute nap, and then I’m good to go, but when I’m in a hotel room, I have the option of an office chair or bed, and if I lay down in the bed, I’m out for the entire day. Zzzzzz... The best thing about leaving home is coming back and enjoying everything I missed. I get to spend time relaxing with my family, and nothing comes close to beating that.
The next thing I miss a lot when I’m sleeping in a hotel is my morning routine. Usually, I’m up around 4:30 in the morning, and the first thing I do is make coffee. I drink about a gallon of coffee a day — no joke. When I’m in a hotel room, they just have those Keurig machines with the little pods. Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer to use a good old coffee pot. Sometimes I have to head downstairs to
-Jeff Longspaugh
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ClearWater Plumbers | 817-296-0670 | clearwaterplumber.com
to come off in three weeks. If you’re juggling a 50-hour work week with a family and chores, you’re probably kidding yourself by swearing to hit the gym every night after work for an hour. If you’re a hardgainer, trying to look like Arnold will be an exercise in futility. Don’t be afraid to push yourself, but set goals you stand a chance of achieving. Once you hit those successfully, set some new ones! Your favorite fitness Instagrammers may look like gods and goddesses online, but keep in mind that they’re only showing you their best selves on their best days with the best angles and lighting. Instead of trying to be someone else, focus on yourself! Just because they’re hitting PRs or rocking bikinis or eating a vegan diet doesn’t mean you have to. Decide what you really care about, then choose goals that will make your life better every day — even when the camera isn’t around. Don’t wait until January to get started. Decide ahead of time what you want to achieve, make a plan now, and set yourself up for success! someone is living in a house that is around 15 years old and they flush these wipes, it can cause a lot of problems. Those pipes weren’t built to handle this type of material, and it could end up damaging more than you think. A New York Times article states that from 2010–15, New York City spent over $18 million on wipe-related equipment problems. These wipes wreak havoc on the sewage infrastructure — fromyour house to your septic tank and even the city sewage system. A lot of people might say that bidet toilets or toilet seats are expensive, but overall they can save you a lot of trouble and money down the road. I have three TotoWashlet toilet seats installed in my home, and everyone loves them. My oldest daughter has one in her bathroom, but the two younger girls don’t. It’s a riot — they’ll come home after school, and as soon as I open the door, they’ll run through the house yelling, “I call mommy and daddy’s bathroom first!” 4. Letting Instagram Influence Your Goals
don’t mean anything, and there’s no way to achieve them without a concrete definition. For instance, once you understand that “toned” really means “lean and muscular,” you can create a workout plan that helps you shed fat and reveal muscle. And “in shape” can have different meanings depending on your current fitness level. To you, does it mean completing a difficult WOD, losing weight, or reducing your blood pressure? Be as specific as possible when creating your goal. 2. Losing a Large Amount of Weight Losing lots of weight is fine as a long-term goal, but it will take a while. To prevent feelings of discouragement and failure, it’s best to create smaller milestones to hit along the way. Decide what you can realistically achieve during a manageable period of time — perhaps 3–6 months — and make that your first goal. While the scale is a handy tool to evaluate your progress, don’t rely on these numbers alone. Use multiple techniques, such as progress photos, measurements, and the way your clothes fit. 3. Setting Unrealistic Goals Challenging yourself is one thing; setting yourself up for failure is another. If you spent three years putting on weight, it’s not going For our tips and tricks section in this edition, I want to chat about toilet seats. One thing I’ve noticed is that it’s pretty hard to talk about toilet seats, and I think that’s part of the problem. As mentioned on the cover, TotoWashlet toilet seats are pretty great, and these types of products are really popular throughout the rest of the world. In some parts of Asia and Europe, bidet toilets are more common than regular toilets. However, over here in the states, not everyone is aware of themor comfortable talking about them. Instead of using these types of toilets or toilet seats, most people here are more comfortable using wet wipes. There are actually a lot of problems with wet wipes. They’re expensive and wasteful. They might only go for a few bucks off the shelf, but that will start to add up after a while. Even if they say they’re flushable, you still shouldn’t flush them. They’re pretty indestructible. If
Choosing the right goal is perhaps the most important part of achievement. Be brave and challenge yourself this year, but increase your chances of success by avoiding these four common pitfalls. 1. Getting ‘Toned,’ ‘Buff,’ or ‘In Shape’ Do yourself a favor and delete vague fitness terms like these from your vocabulary; they
Jeff Longspaugh Talks About
Toto Washlet Toilet Seats
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ClearWater Plumbers | 817-296-0670 | clearwaterplumber.com
Shower Special Recently, my family and I have been testing out shower heads for our customers. I had them installed in our home so all of us could see which ones we preferred. We based our reviews on the function, look, and durability of each shower head. My daughters were particularly eager to try out each one to see which they liked best. After trying many different shower heads, we determined the best option — for less than $30. The Speakman Assana has 149 different sprays, with five additional unique spray patterns. This features is perfect if you are living with people who prefer different settings. As we’ve reviewed each shower head, an idea occurred to me. If you decide to have this one installed, Clearwater Plumbers would be happy to give you a free installation with the purchase of the head as an add-on to a regularly scheduled service call. We’ll keep a couple of these heads on the truck and honor the $30 Shower Head Special until Feb. 28, 2019.
Each of our plumbers is a favorite to someone, so we’d like to highlight one of them in each issue to tell you a few facts about your favorite plumber, or your next favorite.
THIS MONTH, MEET BRIAN K.
Here are some fun facts about Brian:
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He has been at ClearWater Plumbers for 10 years. Brian’s favorite type of calls are water softener and water filtration calls.
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He is an Eagle Scout!
Brian’s nickname around the ClearWater campus is BK. He’s a proud dad! BK and his wife have an 8-year-old daughter. For each plumber we bring aboard, we ask, “If you could be any vehicle, what would it be and why?”
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Speakman Shower Head Special… FREE Installation Only $30!
Brian’s answer held nothing back and alludes to his eye for detail:
“I’d be a Certified Used Toyota Tacoma, 4-door extended cab, long bed TRD in muted Gunmetal, with all-terrain tires, and an added-on 75K-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. That’s been the truck of my dreams since high school.” SUDOKU
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6954 Boat Club Rd. Fort Worth, TX, 76179 817-296-0670
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ClearWater Plumbers
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Missing Home
4 Fitness Goal Mistakes to Avoid
Tips and Tricks
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Shower Special
Who’s Your Plumber
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3 Steps to a Better Beard
Beard Beauty 3 Steps to Being Happy, Healthy, Handsome, and Hairy
Get a Beard Comb What makes a beard comb so special? While metal or plastic prongs are fine to use on your scalp, faces tend to be more prone to irritation. Wooden beard combs are gentler and absorb facial oils, redistributing them throughout your beard from root to tip. Plus, the lumberjack aesthetic is a nice touch. Remember that beards don’t grow on trees. Regardless of your fashion goals, your facial hair is an important part of your body and needs to be treated with respect! These tips won’t just have you looking dapper; they’ll have your face feeling better than ever.
Oil or Balm? Just like the hair on your head, your beard and the skin underneath need to stay moisturized. The use of beard oil and utility balm (commonly known as beard balm) will keep your hair and face hydrated and add a little extra shine and fragrance to your facial ensemble. Deciding which product to use depends on your beard length. Beard oil is quickly absorbed, making it a tonic for itchy new beards. Individuals with extra-dry skin or Civil War-general-length beards should consider switching over to balms. Applying either of these products will keep your beard smooth, shiny, and dandruff-free. Of course if you have soft water you may be able to go “au naturel”.
Whether you’re the proud owner of goatee or are Valentine’s Day shopping for a bearded loved one, it’s important to know the ins and outs of proper facial-hair care. With a few simple steps, you can turn a mangy experiment into a glorious, shining mane. Wash and Scrub From tangled knots to last night’s dinner, you don’t want anything hanging out in your whiskers longer than it has to. Scrubbing your beard as you shower will keep your face happy, hairy, and healthy. Don’t worry about investing in specialty beard soap unless you have particularly sensitive skin. For most folks, regular shampoo or facial wash works fine. Just be sure to get all the suds out or things will get crusty. Use a gentle patting technique to dry your face afterward. Scrubbing with a towel is a recipe for face frizz.
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