Specifiers' Week

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Author Message Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 1084 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Friday, October 30, 2009 - 01:02 pm:    WHEN IS “NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATIONS” WEEK? by Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Cincinnati, OH By golly, if there is justification for National Pickle and National Salami Weeks, I think we need to have “NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATIONS [or SPECIFIERS] WEEK”! Shoot, even the building code folks have National Building Safety Week to call attention to their work-- why not us, too? Now the immediate amenities could be "Take your Specifier to Lunch"; "Have you Hugged Your Specifier Today?" And "Make Your Specifier Feel Special" day! In all this, personalized stuff would be great and immediately satisfying, and would hopefully be sincere-- i.e., a “real” lunch, not a brown bag or Fun Meal; a really firm, honest bear hug of some duration; and, well, for the last one, be a little creative [you might even use something that lasts beyond one day-- a plant, not cut flowers, or a cactus; a complimentary plaque; a giant mug; or a very large check!]. Why not? We could crib a lot of stuff that others do-- proclamation from the Mayor; tribute from the local AIA chapter; PR in papers; radio, TV spots [as info to public]; posters for offices; ads in various construction trade mags with some really good, nifty and informative copy; OK, a plane flying over with a sky message [as tribute from Heaven]. Now I think we shy away from protest rallies; parades; concerts even by the SpecTones; and anything that is less than professional, astute, and upright. We could inundate the schools; talk even to elementary school classes like the AIA and CSI schools programs [our office goes to schools throughout the year]. Guess the local chapter could come up with Specifier of the Year award! Perhaps a “revolving” trophy [as in moving from person to person-- must be “specific” mustn’t I?] with engraved name [see how many times you can get your name on it!] We could invite ourselves to speak at meetings of other construction organizations in the likelihood they don’t invite us! All in all, the concept is to be informative and not merely self-promoting; to add to the understanding of specifications, the need for them, and the people who dedicate themselves to producing them-- for the good of all owners, and the public in general. Not to show off, but to express the fact that there is yet another group of well-trained, highly expert people who work hard to the benefit of others. We make safe; save money; coordinate others for a common cause; act for others, daily, on-going and expertly. Alan Mays, AIA Senior Member Username: amays Post Number: 57 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Friday, October 30, 2009 - 01:16 pm:    Given the chance to be sarcastic again, you already have a week in a lot of peoples eyes. It is Administrative Assistant's week. Sorry to say that there are some individuals that feel that all they really need to produce a set of specifications is an Administration Assistant. That is why you were only given a day to produce that 4000 page manual... LOL! Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 1085 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Friday, October 30, 2009 - 02:42 pm:    Well, sounds like another good reason to have the "week". Sorry to see your perspective, sarcastic or not. We all, I guess, are maligned,but still we know there are those who appreciate our efforts and benefit from them-- a good reason to both carry on, and celebrate! David E Lorenzini Senior Member Username: deloren Post Number: 88 Registered: 04-2000 Posted on Friday, October 30, 2009 - 03:41 pm:    I like your idea of having our "week", and suggest possibly scheduling it on the same week as the CSI Show each year, even though it may fluctuate a bit, or more. Remember when we used to focus our Chapter activities and presentations on Engineer's Week? David Lorenzini, FCSI, CCS Architectural Resources Co. Margaret G. Chewning FCSI CCS Senior Member Username: presbspec Post Number: 179 Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Friday, October 30, 2009 - 03:56 pm:    Alan, First of all Specifiers are NOT admin assistants! and that needs to be made very clear to anyone who perpetuates that concept. Ralph's idea may draw attention to the fact that Specifiers are specifically educated and skilled to develop the project manual to interpret and complement the design drawings of the Architect/Engineer. Margaret Chewning FCSI CCS Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 953 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Friday, October 30, 2009 - 04:00 pm:    If we want to be celebrated in our offices or even beyond, it wouldn't be good to have the celebration during a week when we are gone. And since we all attend the convention, we'd just be celebrating each other. How about the week of January 16th? That's "National Nothing Day". Or maybe even better, the week of September 28th? That's "Ask a Stupid Question Day"! And we all know how well THAT fits with what we do... Alan Mays, AIA Senior Member Username: amays Post Number: 58 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Friday, October 30, 2009 - 05:32 pm:    Margaret, you pushed my button. I said that totally sarcastically. An ironic form of humor. I know and have stated to many that think so, that they (and me) are not admins. That said, there are many specifiers that get treated that way by teams within their respective offices. That may not be true as much as with independent specifiers. Some firms have decided that the "teams" (usually consisting of inexperienced young designers) should start writing the specifications from the masters. Now these teams are looking into software to get the "specs written for them" within their respective BIM programs. Someone has sold them on that idea. What everyone should read is the article "Written Off?" in Architect|Online or even the article "The Point-and-Click Specifications" in the same magazine. Where is the specifier in point and click? Finally, making a day or week is trivial. Lynn hits on this point. Why make something so respectable so trivial. I live with an Executive Administration Assistant. She works 12 hour days every day and then comes home and works another 4 hours to "catch up" with what has to be done typically each day. Why, because she is the "leader" and usually bears the burden. We live in an everything must be done now age so regular work is regulated to individuals that cost less and are not trained or experienced in the task. Come Administartion Assistant's week, the recognition is a $20 gift card to Starbucks. Personally, I would just like a job well done and I don't drink coffee. She deserves better... Margaret G. Chewning FCSI CCS Senior Member Username: presbspec Post Number: 180 Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Friday, October 30, 2009 - 06:22 pm:    No slight was intended to Admin Assistants, but even as an Independent Specifier, I will find the uninformed architect that thinks all I do is type his redlines. I realise your remark was made in humor, but I find nothing funny about it. Ron Beard CCS Senior Member Username: rm_beard_ccs Post Number: 315 Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 01:04 am:    So Ralph, if we had a Specifiers' Day/Week, then naturally we should also have Specifiers' bumper sticker. What do you suggest our bumper sticker should say? Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 1086 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 07:08 am:    YOU GOTTA LOVE SPECIFERS for the results they achieve everyday in your life! Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 1087 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 08:47 am:    Had this thrown at me by a colleague-- SPECIFERS do it clearly, concisely, completely and correctly; to say nothing of carefully! Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 954 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 09:53 am:    Don't treat your specifier like a mushroom John Bunzick, CCS, CCCA, LEED AP Senior Member Username: bunzick Post Number: 1129 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 10:48 am:    I'm not sure a bumper sticker should read "specifiers do it concisely," but maybe "specifiers do it completely" would be okay. Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 957 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 11:13 am:    Specifiers do it cooperatively? Anne Whitacre, FCSI CCS Senior Member Username: awhitacre Post Number: 921 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 03:35 pm:    This is what I had on my computer for a long time as the scrolling screen: "WORDS ARE YOUR FRIENDS" Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 959 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 03:43 pm:    Here's another "wordy" one: "A word after a word after a word is power." Margaret Atwood Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 1088 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 07:31 am:    SPECIFERS use words and communications to ensure better projects for the community and the users. NATIONAL SPECIFIERS WEEK, 000 XX TO 000XX Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 960 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 10:08 am:    Shouldn't that be "00 00 XX to 00 00 XX" or maybe for insiders it should be "00XXX to 00 00 XX" or to be less cryptic "00010 to 49 00 00" (or for literalists, "48 00 00")? Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 1089 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 10:18 am:    I really had "tomorrow to a week from tomorrow" in mind, but thought I'd give others a chance-- Doug Frank FCSI, CCS Senior Member Username: doug_frank_ccs Post Number: 253 Registered: 06-2002 Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 10:26 am:    Sometimes you just can’t resist Specifiers do it by the book. Specifiers do it with Admin Assistants. (No, probably not a good idea) Authors do books; Specifiers do Project Manuals. Specifiers speak Specifications. Specifiers do it with 6 digits. Doug Frank FCSI, CCS, SCIP Affiliate FKP Architects, Inc. Houston, TX Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 961 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 10:35 am:    Re: "Specifiers do it with 6 digits" or "Specifiers are polydactyl"? Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 1090 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 10:59 am:    Only Specifiers are united in 50 Divisions! Nah! Too much of an insider thing-- we need to say soemthing the public comes close to understanding. Rather brilliantly done in mine at 7:31 AM [above]!!!!! OK, Lynn, we'll do the date better!! Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 962 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 11:03 am:    Ohhhh...I wasn't reading it as a date, but as division numbers... David R. Combs, CSI, CCS, CCCA Senior Member Username: davidcombs Post Number: 313 Registered: 08-2004 Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 11:07 am:    Ditto, Doug Held out as long as I could, but just couldn't resist: Specifiers keep SPECS intact. Specifiers are SPEC-tacular. Specifiers do it in Sections. Specifiers do it with Styles. Specifiers: The Masters of Format. Old Specifiers never die, they just lose their crystal ball. DRC Sheldon Wolfe Senior Member Username: sheldon_wolfe Post Number: 370 Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 11:55 am:    About five years ago, I used a little PR humor to help explain my job. With the help of one of our graphics gurus, I printed a large copy of this image and put it on the front of my workstation, where it remains today. Might make a good bumper sticker. Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 963 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 11:59 am:    You really want your face on all those bumper stickers? Sheldon Wolfe Senior Member Username: sheldon_wolfe Post Number: 371 Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 12:57 pm:    I resemble that remark! Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 964 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 01:04 pm:    Quoted Mr. Wolfe in true malaprop fashion. Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 1091 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 01:21 pm:    Lord Sheldon of Wolfe, me thinks ye hath far extended thy purview, and obscured our purpose with thy overwhelming persona! i.e., you're bigger than life image tends to hide our mission [that's but one opinion] Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 965 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 01:37 pm:    Then again, we could use a mascot! What better image than a cute, cuddly, charming curmudgeon...and please notice the use of 4 - count 'em - 4 "c"s in the description of the potential mascot. He could be frowning in one picture because someone didn't play by the CSI rules, and smiling when they do! Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 1092 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 01:57 pm:    Image/Curmudgeon or Target? But then we'd have to use "T"s-- like tawdry, tedious, tempting, and terribly tenacious! 'Course, we could use that shot of him in the convertible that is all over the internet and newsletters! (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 02:03 pm:    You're all spec writers..."harping" to the wrong choir! You need to tell your bosses/upper management...the ones who review your annual performance, decide whether you still have a "useful" job...and also truly don't know what spec writers really do. I am also somewhat surprised by the male-chauvinistic, sexually-implicit "...6 digits" suggestion. Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 966 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 02:23 pm:    Excuse me, Unregistered Guest, but as one of the females on this particular thread, I am surprised by your surprise. I didn't read anything like that into that comment/suggestion. Once in a while, we break away from the seriousness of what we do and the difficulties we face to just have some fun. This is one of those times. Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 967 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 03:15 pm:    How about (for a bumper sticker): "Specifiers put it in writing" Ron Beard CCS Senior Member Username: rm_beard_ccs Post Number: 316 Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 09:59 pm:    curmudgeon??? .....I always thought more of myself being a troll. Tim Werbstein, AIA, CSI, CCS Senior Member Username: tim_werbstein Post Number: 15 Registered: 09-2006 Posted on Wednesday, November 04, 2009 - 08:10 am:    Specifiers specifically specify specifics. Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 1094 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Wednesday, November 04, 2009 - 08:19 am:    Thanks, Tim, I had a feeling something like this was out there, but you've said it all-- and well! And still retains just enough of our well-known mystique!!! Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 968 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Wednesday, November 04, 2009 - 09:27 am:    "Specifiers do it 'write'" David J. Wyatt Senior Member Username: david_j_wyatt_csi_ccs_ccca Post Number: 126 Registered: 07-2005 Posted on Wednesday, November 04, 2009 - 11:48 am:    "GOT SPECS?" "Have MasterFormat. Will travel" "Will write for food." "MasterFormat: Size really does matter" John Regener, AIA, CCS, CCCA, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: john_regener Post Number: 450 Registered: 04-2002 Posted on Thursday, November 05, 2009 - 02:06 pm:    Practice Safe Specs Robin E. Snyder Senior Member Username: robin Post Number: 280 Registered: 08-2004 Posted on Thursday, November 05, 2009 - 02:35 pm:    How's your Specs Life? Vivian Volz, RA, CSI, CCS Senior Member Username: vivianvolz Post Number: 124 Registered: 06-2004 Posted on Friday, December 18, 2009 - 05:25 pm:    I used to tell my interior designers, "Don't go out without your spec on," to remind them to prepare our abbreviated sheet spec for their small projects. "Specifiers Get Results"