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What do you do when you find yourself in a sticky situation---do you gum up the works?.

By Charles Buell

Home Inspector with Charles Buell Inspections Inc.

June 23, 2011 01:24 PM

How you handle sticky situations can tell the world a lot about who you are and how you will be in other sticky situations.

Gumming up the works

People want to get a sense of whether you will gum up the works or not. They want information they can chew on without feeling they have to immediately spit it back out.

If you want to get rid of those unpleasant qualities that you have been carting around for years---how about considering symbolically going down to the Pike Market in Seattle and finding Post Alley and sticking them on the infamous Gum Wall. When you walk by the wall and smell the cornucopia of gum flavors that have come from all around the world you can perhaps leave yours there as well.

Seattle Gum Wall

I can not think of a more colorful way to deal with a sticky situation.

I think even Jackson Pollock would approve.

Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector

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Barbara Todaro

RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA

Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

Hi Charles....colorful....but very germy....yuck...

Jun 23, 2011 01:27 PM

Stacey Smith

Keller Williams Realty - Aliso Viejo, CA

Your Orange County Beach Cities Realtor

Wow Charles.... I don't know if I should be disgusted or look at that with an artist mind... All I know is I am not sticking my chewed gum on that wall if it means toucing someone else's chewed gum in the process...Unless I have some purell with me... Then maybe.. :)

Jun 23, 2011 01:31 PM

Anna "Banana" Kruchten

HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ

602-380-4886

How interesting Charles - the pictures fit the topic pefectly. Very creative. I bet it's a real show stopper seeing it. I just posted a post on doing the right thing - and your post was the first one that caught my eye afterwards - couldn't be more perfect.

Jun 23, 2011 02:27 PM

Gay E. Rosen

Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty - Larchmont, NY

As Real as Real Estate Gets!

Oh Charles - "I am not amused" YUCK as the Queen would say...

Jun 23, 2011 03:09 PM

Navona Hart

Century 21 Realty @ Home - Farmville, VA

Selling the Best Properties in Central Virginia

Wow a wall of chewed gum, who thought of that, who turned it from a de-facing of property to a work of art?

Jun 23, 2011 03:14 PM

Cindy Westfall

Premiere Property Group,LLC Portland Metro & Suburbs Oregon - Tualatin, OR

ABR,GRI Your Tualatin & Portland Metro Real Estate

Hi Charles, I was walking passed one of the shops and noticed a poster about the gum wall...but didn't realize it actually existed! Love the way you tied this in with your post. It was really nice to meet you at RainCamp!

Jun 23, 2011 05:22 PM

Charles Buell

Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattle Home Inspector

Barbara, I find that a lot of people have that reaction

Stacey if you look close you will notice that most people are very careful to push in the center of the gum so that they can avoid touching anyone else's gum :)

Anna, it is really amazing---here is another picture where even a wire near the wall is covered with gum. This wall represents a LOT of people.

The Gum Wall

Gay, come on---you know you would stick a hunk on there :)

Navona, it has become such a landmark at this point that it is likely to be around for a while

Cindy, same here---raincamp is great. And yes---the wall is for real :)

Jun 23, 2011 05:52 PM

Sally Weatherley

EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Charlie - OMG! I can't believe I missed this landmark! You were holding out on me.

Good news... This post is being featured on We Blog Anything! Congratulations!

Gold Star What? You didn't post this on "We Blog Anything"?!!!

Ok, I'm pressing "suggest" instead!

Jun 23, 2011 06:04 PM

Charles Buell

Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattle Home Inspector

Sally, may the force be with you :) I did mean to post it to the group---I have corrected my mistake

Jun 23, 2011 06:09 PM

Kirsten Lindquist

Pacific Union International - Sonoma, CA

Realtor - Sonoma Wine Country

Charles---Never heard of the landmark...don't know that I'd make a effort to do see it either. Is it in the Guiness Book? What would happen if you bumped into that wall on a hot day? You'd probably never be able to walk away!

Jun 23, 2011 06:40 PM

Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Oh, I have so been there and so done that. And even added to the wall! I don't remember the drippy window sill though...

Before our internet date, I did other stuff. I knew you woulnd't mind.

Jun 23, 2011 10:45 PM

Maureen McCabe

HER Realtors - Columbus, OH

Columbus Ohio Real Estate

ewwwwww there is a gum wall in south-west Ohio, I want to say at a restauarant. I read a blog post about it on ActiveRain years ago....

I think seeing this IRL would make me gag. I think the smell of gum would make me gag. In fact your pictures are so good, I feel my gag reflex starting to.... ewwwwwww.

Jun 24, 2011 12:01 AM

Andrea Swiedler

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties - New Milford, CT

Realtor, Southern Litchfield County CT

I'm with Maureen, I can't stand gum, not the smell of it, not the sight of it, not the thought of it. I would be running and screaming, LOL.

Now let me go and compose myself...

Jun 24, 2011 12:16 AM

Tom Arstingstall, General Contractor, Dry Rot, Water Damage Sacramento, El Dorado County - (916) 765-5366

Dry Rot and Water Damage www.tromlerconstruction.com Mobile - 916-765-5366 - Placerville, CA

General Contractor, Dry Rot and Water Damage

Interesting place to visit?

I gotta get rid of this gum, maybe I'll start a wall here. :)

Jun 24, 2011 02:16 AM

Shannon Coe

exp realty of California, Inc. - Oceanside, CA

760-586-5268, San Diego Realtor

yuck yuck yuck...I don't want to gum up anything!

Jun 24, 2011 03:16 AM

James Quarello

JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC - Wallingford, CT

Connecticut Home Inspector

What!? You didn't show me the gum wall. How disapointing. :)

Jun 24, 2011 03:23 AM

Charles Buell

Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattle Home Inspector

Kirsten---what is a hot day? :) In Seattle?

Jay, thanks for telling me :)

Maureen the smell is really amazing

Andrea, I love all the different reactions people have to the wall

Tom, it would be interesting to know just how the whole craze started

Shannon---not even the Gum Wall? :)

Jim, I know---I apologize---huge oversight on my part

Jun 24, 2011 03:46 AM

Amy Hahn

Pine Knoll Shores Realty - Morehead City, NC

Realtor/Broker - Crystal Coast, NC

Charlie - Okay, so it is a little yucky....I think it's pretty cool too. I'm trying to imagine how it got so out of control, but Still....Kinda cool. It looks like art to me (but I wouldn't want to touch or smell it).

Jun 24, 2011 06:20 AM

Charles Buell

Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattle Home Inspector

Amy, I too want to know how it got started. It is around the entrance to a theatre---so perhaps just patrons looking to ditch their gum before the show.

Jun 26, 2011 10:19 AM

Jim McCormack

Nashville Short Sale Specialist - Jim McCormack - Edge Advantage Realty, LLC - 615-796-6898 - Murfreesboro, TN

Nashville Short Sale REALTOR - Stop Foreclosure

Funny.

Jun 27, 2011 04:40 AM