Sunday, April 30, 2006

Sunday Morning reflections

I cannot remember the last time that I got up this early on a Sunday. It really is quite nice to be able to lounge around in my house and drink coffee, read and relax. I guess that's what normal people do who don't have to go to studio all of the time.

Well, last week was a very fun and knowledge-filled week with architect Alberto Campo Baeza. We basically spent the whole week looking at our projects of the semester. He told us all that we were stupid and that what we had after a week [when he was here the first time] was better than what we had now. Ha. We expected him to say that, as it was essentially his job to do so. Later on he did say that we had very good projects and that he greatly enjoyed his week with us. He even gave me a letter of reccommendation for Richard Meier's office. Campo Baeza and him are friends. Campo Baeza actually lives in the same building as Meier's ex-wife. We ate several meals with him and he told us great stories of famous architects and their promiscuous wives. Not Richard Meiers though.

Two weeks from now I will be a graduate of the College of Architecture, Planning and Design and Kansas State University. I have no job lined up. I have no ticket or idea of how I am getting me and my stuff to New York. I have no place to stay in New York. I think I will try for a June 1 lease on an apartment. I should probably go up a week or so before that then to get the best chance of finding a good place. I am ready to get out of my place in Manhattan, KS. One year in this dump is enough for me. Get me to a real city. Excitement. Energy. Diversity. All are lackin in my current residence.

Today should be a beautiful day. It rained the past two days. Now the sun is out and the weather is wonderful. I have some work to do but not much. Help Gabe with OZ, get my effects ready to send to Mr. Meier, and tidy up my portfolio. Lend some help on the film if they need me.

I have been listening to Sigur Ros the past few days. Must be due to the rainy weather. I love laying around listening to it rain. So peaceful. It really is a spiritual experience. The cleansing of the mind and body. Who needs showers? I need more coffee.

Yesterday I had BK Joe coffee at Burger King. Not nearly as bad as one would think. I am glad that fast food chains are making 'premium' coffee now. Thank you Starbucks. Well, sorta. I guess I had to put that, as we all have to openly hate Starbucks. But I drink their coffee. I worked for them for 5 years. Hypocrite. Aren't we all?

Friday, April 28, 2006

No more Campo/Cinnamon Apple Friday

Today capped a week of discussion and reflection with the Spanish architect, Alberto Campo Baeza.

Now it's time for Cinnamon Apple Friday!!!


+

= only time will tell

Thursday, April 27, 2006

May She Rest in Peace



On April 25th, Jane Jacobs passed away. An author on many subjects ranging from urban planning to economics, Mrs. Jacobs always had a special meaning to me. She wrote the famous book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities in 1961, and I read it about a year ago while I was in England. I was very intrigued by her ideas that she put forth about what makes a successful city, and after reading this book I had a longing to live in New York City, something that I am going to be doing in the very near future. She argued that neighborhoods make successful cities, not skyscrapers, and used her neighborhood in
Greenwich Village as a prime example. She was a woman who never completed college, yet could still speak so articulately and eloquently about very important issues. Her ideas will be missed.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

I've been [top5] tagged!!!

tagged by Easy E

[in the kitchen]
not the best at kitchen utilization, but here it goes
1. cheese slicer recently given to me by my mother
2. Mr. Coffee coffeepot
3. Ramen noodles
4. eggs, Dillons Jumbo
5. smoked salmon, caught by me in Lake Michigan

[in the closet]
1. Converse All-Stars [black high tops and white low tops]
2. Seven For All Mankind jeans
3. Black euro sportcoat
4. North Face sleeping bag
5. Photos from various trips to Europe

[in my bag]
1. sketchbook from Brighton, England
2. Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses
3. Uniball pen
4. The Sun Also Rises, by Hemmingway
5. daily planner

[at studio]
1. Uniball pen [same as in my bag]
2. iTunes w/50+gig of music
3. various pages of my portfolio and resume scattered about
4. LaCie 80 gig hard drive, holding my digital portfolio
5. CMU on my desk, holding rolls of trace and various other things

[at home]
1. glass with lilacs, picked by my girlfriend
2. 12" Powerbook, currenty in use
3. collection of various books, ranging from literature to architecture
4. Pumping Iron DVD with Arnold Schwarzenegger
5. Small pile of letters from firms thanking me for interest in jobs, but with none to offer me

I tag Keen Friday at In the Studio

Monday, April 10, 2006

Worker Bee

This is going to be a very busy week. It started out yesterday when I had to go back to Kansas City for my final [finally] dentist appointment. I have a slight problem with the enamel on my teeth whose cause is unkown, but what happens is that it wears down and causes my molars to become quite sensitive when eating. So, the way to remedy this is to go in and grind down half of my molar, give me a temporary cap for two weeks, and then put a permanant crown on. Today I got the final crown put on my eighth molar. [Yes, I have eight crowns] Also, my studio professor wanted us to have a mock up of our final presentations that are due in a week and a half and I didn't really have that for him, as I was busy this weekend going back to the dentist and working on a 20 minute presentation that I have on Wednesday in my Minor Modern Architects theory class and the great New York Architect, William Lescaze. Oh yeah, I also have a test tomorrow morning in the most boring class in the world, Professional Practice. It's that one at 8am that I never go to. Well, it's off to study!!!!

Friday, April 07, 2006

Impulse

Today in studio I received an email about a chair design contest that the IA department was doing which ends at 9 o'clock tonight. Basically, there are a lot of old frames of broken Guilietta chairs, and they decided to have a contest for the campus open house that is this weekend. Not wanting to work in studio, my friend Ryan and I decided that it would be cool if we busted out a chair really quickly for the contest, as the prize for the winner is 10 free Chipotle burritos! We took some time looking at the frame and looking around studio for various materials that we could use and this is what we came up with:










All-in-all, it took us about 4 hours to do and cost us $0! Not to bad for a rainy Friday afternoon.

As some of you may know, I messed up my ankle/foot pretty good last week. It still hurts today, and here's a pic of what it looks like: