From the Top: Responses to TV Show Viewers up to Post 13

Responses to TV Show Viewers

As I think back and write, I now understand a bit better how to answer questions family, friends, viewers, and strangers have presented over the last thirteen years. To the right people, stirring together my errors with the choices that seemed to work out can serve useful. 

Me being on TV doesn't add up for many. And I get that since I'm also looking back and scratching my own head. Vagueness that was my attempt at politeness created an unnecessary void too easily filled by the overly creative. Like many things, time and patience are the essentials making me more able to get down to some of the nitty and the gritty. 

Working through this Response series of essays is bringing back good memories, and things I haven't thought much about for a while. An assignment perhaps long overdue, I am enjoying it more than expected. For those of you interested in starting from the top, I've dropped this list of links leading up to yesterday.

:)    

Salutes of Appreciation for Notes and Messages - 1/20/26

Response to TV Show Viewers: Post 1 - 1/23/26

The Lifestyle of Rehabbing: Post 2 - 1/26/26

Drawing Inspiration from Survivorman: Post 3 - 1/28/26

My Contractor/Family Man Standoff: Post 4 - 1/30/26

Teaching and Coaching and Coping: Post 5 - 2/2/26

Blog with a Dog Named Cerberus: Post 6 - 2/4/26

Radar Blipping Due to Flipping: Post 7 - 2/6/26

Discovering Rehab Addict Starring Nicole Curtis: Post 8 - 2/9/26

Nicole Curtis on Rehab Addict Grabs My Wife's Attention: Post 9 - 2/11/26 

Oh, Fart Knockers! Nicole Curtis Has Stepped in It Now: Post 9a - 2/13/26

My Wife's Assertion About Nicole Curtis: Post 10 - 2/14/26

Nicole Curtis Boosts My Spousal Awareness: Post 11 - 2/16/26

Self-Appointed Mission: Connect With TV People: Post 12 - 2/18/26

Half-Baked Move Toward Television: Response Post 13 - 2/20/26

My girl and I
Circa 2009 

Trent 

bloodsweatandpigsears@hotmail.com

Salute of Appreciation for Notes and Messages

It’s been a decade since I was in the TV phase of my career. Back then, I had no way of knowing what was around the corner, how the shows would be received or considered, and then in what ways they would pop up beyond HGTV and the DIY network. Even now, the reach of American Rehab Charleston and Restoring Charleston is surprising. And yet, since I still receive notes and messages from viewers, I’m reminded that they’re out there and inspiring viewers who find ways to contact me.

The time taken to watch, but also then to reach out with questions or comments is always appreciated and marks my day, whether positive or not. More than once, I’ve discovered a dusty DM, sometimes years after it was written. I make an effort to respond to everyone, but I’m steadily learning new things about my smartphone, stumbling onto emails or inboxes that are off my radar. And if I’ve missed a message, haven’t written someone back, I’m truly sorry.

Motivation for those reaching out seems to vary. Sometimes people have a question about a scene in one of the episodes. Other viewers ask for advice or my two cents. Some have a great home they think I should take a look at, a house with potential and too special to not save. There are also folks curious about how it happened for me, my background leading to an opportunity to renovate with the film crews. Many are interested in being on television themselves, either they’d like to get into the action with me or want to know if I can help them land shows of their own.

And I’ve also heard from people from my past, kids I grew up with who now have families and careers of their own. They’ve contacted me saying, “I recognized your voice,” or “I saw your name on the screen and told my family, ‘I know that guy!” Old co-workers now in other parts of the country have also written to tell me similar stories of the moment of them discovering me on TV.

However, there have also been disappointed viewers, underwhelmed to a point that they’ve spent time letting me know how they feel and what was not right.

As much as I enjoy writing about renovating, sharing stories or offering encouragement, I think it makes some sense to dig deeper and lay out some answers for those who remain curious.   

And That's a Wrap!!

This is the amazing production team that I spent my summer with!  They were so great!  They've all been gone a full week now and I'm really missing them.  It was like getting to work with family and close friends everyday for two and half months. 

For clarity, I don't choose the people I'm working with on the TV side.  They're sent to me from all over the country.  They're all strangers at first, not just to me, but in most cases to each other as well.  However, over time and quite quickly we grow together naturally and begin to work efficiently as a team that get's to tell the story of a Pig's Ear getting saved.  We were all just thrown together and we made it work in a special way that probably made it hard for people on the outside looking in to believe that we only all just met in June.     

I love getting to work with a tradesperson who stumbles onto a gnarly, unexpected situation on one of my projects and shrugs as they say, "It's not a big deal.  I'll take care of it."  This was what it was like working with this crew on our two houses being renovated simultaneously this summer.  Maybe there were times when they were anxious or nervous on the inside, but they didn't show it.  They were champs day after day and I am so grateful that I got to spend the long days and intense weeks with them. 

Renovating a house is an adventure.  I sometimes need to remind myself of this to gain some additional inspiration as I grind it out.  Taking on a condemned or abandoned house is even more challenging and dirty and nerve-racking.  However, it's also a lot of fun.  I really love each project.  I enjoy figuring out the unexpected and getting to the end with my sanity and hopefully some profit.

As fun as it is during normal circumstances, it's even more enjoyable with the production crew there with me in the middle of the action.  Everyday, we were there experiencing everything together.  When I'm renovating a house like I usually do, I'm alone much of the time and I frequently  don't get to share the experience with anyone.  If I discover something unique or cool, it's most often when I'm by myself.  To have others there with me is special and getting to have experienced pros right there with cameras while I'm miked up is still mind-blowing for me.

Fun, Fun, Fun!  I'm so thankful I got to do two more houses for television.

I'm not able to thank you all enough!  You're the best!