Community and/or service directory?

[mole]

Being new here, I'm asking for this for selfish reasons, but I've started something like this on another forum I'm on and folks really like it.

Could we have a place to list Free Thinking service providers, or at least the nice and accepting folks for services such as house cleaning, massage therapists, auto repairs, handyman, punk barbers? (I especially need this last one!)

Thoughts?

[Savonarola]

Could we have a place to list Free Thinking service providers

We could have a list right here on our forum. Anyone could add to it, and anyone could read it. I can even make it a sticky so it appears at the top of the category.
On second thought, I'd probably maintain it and add to a single post so that we can put the services in alphabetical order to make finding what one is looking for easier. Still, people can post a reply with a new list entry for me to add.

If we could have two or three things to start the list, complete with the appropriate business/contact information, that would be great. Anyone? (*cough*Tamara, Darrel*cough*)

or at least the nice and accepting folks for services such as house cleaning, massage therapists, auto repairs, handyman, punk barbers?

As long as you mean "non-discriminatory service providers" and not "folks who will accept services from infidels." (We can't be posting what essentially are customer lists or "outing" people against their wishes.)
My general rule is to not make it an issue with any of these people (auto mechanics, handymen, etc.), though I guess known evil atheists like some of us may have some difficulty...

[Dardedar]

I really don't expect a lot of demand for that sort of thing. And we are really small. But if people want to do it, that's fine of course. I doubt that folks will be lining up associate their business with heresy in Bible land. Consider the privacy and discretion both of you insist upon.

D.

[mole]

i totally understand, d. i've come up with an idea that might work for everyone: how about, when i'm looking for some service here, let's say a handyman for example, i'll just start a new thread in "other" and ask for folks to private message me with recommendations? would that suit?

[Dardedar]

Sure. And it wouldn't need to be private. We are just about 20 people in here. The difference I think is if there is an appearance of some kind of official endorsement/connection. Most business are a little afraid of that because it might limit your customers. Heretics have been boycotted for a long time. Robert Ingersoll (1833-1899) spoke of it.
If you want your piano tuned, a new scooter, or to rent a goat, call me. If you want philosophical advice call Doug.
Oops, got to go to work now....

D.

[Barbara Fitzpatrick]

Well, I'm not new around here, but I need somebody dependable for yard work (as in mow the lawn and weed eat around the house for $20 every other week during the season). Since I've been unable to do it myself I've had several people who sometimes show up and sometimes don't, and that's a bit frustrating - especially since I don't want to lose somebody who's good by hiring somebody else when the former really meant to do it, but had something come up.

I may also be looking for a general jack or jill of all trades type person who can check out and maybe fix a roofing job I had done a few years ago - it leaks and the guy who did the original job keeps saying "It's probably blowback" and promising to come look at it - then not. Someone I can at least bounce some ideas off of for dealing with winterizing my front porch besides tacking plastic around it - not only does that look "tacky", but all that tacking and untacking is destroying the strips that hold the screen on.

Any help or advice would be gratefully appreciated.