Response to TV Show Viewers: Post 1 - January 23, 2026
Response to TV Show Viewers: Post 45 - April 29, 2026
Answering
the biggest questions generates more curiosity. Here’s a logical follow-up to
me sharing how I failed to adequately respond to learning that the carport,
side porch, and reroof had been surreptitiously nixed.
I could,
and maybe should have responded with, “Your bosses said that you would be doing
Plan C, but you’re doing Plan D instead, sidestepping the big three things I
really need after waiting three months? No thanks. I’m sorry to have to tell
you that we’re not going to be making a pilot after all.”
But then
what?
That had
been a gamble I was unwilling to take. Even though they’d not done what they’d
said up to that point, I still trusted the dual networks and their Minneapolis production
company. I really wanted to believe in them. I needed for those who were
capable to get me on HGTV, even if it was one time, one episode.
Knowing
now, what I didn’t know then, I had leverage I could have used that would have helped
everyone involved. As much as I didn’t like or appreciate it, downgrading to
the pilot episode first would have actually been the best thing if we’d gone
with Plan C. I thought we’d made a minor breakthrough when I laid out the value
of a potential win-win scenario. As I explained it, as I sincerely felt about
it, gutting the interior, building the side porch and carport, and replacing
the leaky roof would have been ideal for everyone. Now I know it for sure.
Although I
thought we’d ended this conversation in logical compromise territory, it may
have changed when the other side had time to consider what we’d settled on. I
realize that for some people, win-win feels uncomfortable, because they genuinely
believe that in order to come out ahead, the other party must decidedly not get
all that they’re after. But I know from experience how that doesn’t work in the
long run.
I thought it
was clear how Plan C would be the best for all, but once again, I didn’t tie
them down because I had an inflated regard. But more importantly, I feared that
doing that would scare them into not showing up at all.
Instead, I
rolled the dice with my fingers crossed, and that was on me. I suppose deep
down I felt that I deserved to live with Plan D, the exterior spruce up in lieu
of what had been discussed and orally landed on over the phone since I had been
more trusting than was prudent.
This is on
me. I’d messed up again. And the reason we started on the outside, as much as I
hated it then and cringe about it even today, and as detrimental as it was to
my chance to renovate my houses on television more substantially, circles back
and points to me. And as I’ve already said, I’m sorry to the people I let down
and all those who had high hopes and big plans for me.
*
Besides me taking my lumps for rolling the dice on the lead producer, something slightly magnanimous is also worth understanding.
If I sent
them home when I realized what was happening, they’d likely feel as if I was to
blame. Right or wrong, this was where my mind went since I lacked the background
to fully understand the consequences and implications if I took a hard line. In
that way, I was in too far. I didn’t know what to do other than to try to keep
my head above water and get a little further along with this opportunity.
At this point, regardless of how screwy and unappetizing this process had become, I had to do whatever I could to squeeze out a time slot featuring me on HGTV.
Response to TV Show Viewers: Post 43 - Coming Soon
