a knock off prada ninja belt......Zaina hang a poster of Zaha above you desk or aluminum bats.

Olaf, I think a simple poster with the slogan:  "At least you're doing better than Balkins" would do wonders. It works for literally every situation.

Broke a leg? Hey, at least you're doing better than Balkins

Cold coffee? Dito

No coffee? still dito

Car hit a school of pandas? forgot to wear pants to your bail hearing? set your hair on fire twice in one day? 

Still better off than Balkins.

haha non. love it

Lol.....

although Zaha makes me feel proud as an architect, as a woman, and as an arab ... she said it herself that she didn't have much going on in her life other than architecture :p.... I don't really aspire to her because many designers would have done what she did if they only had same opportunities she had, AND I'm not really a fan of form-based architecture :p 

non... still Balkins is a human being 

zaina i am not certain abou balkins being human

he might be Persian.

so there is a good chance he is Persian.

Lol... 

Persians are Iranian humans :p 

... just saw the other thread of Balkins... the responses always make me laugh.. :D

I mean, guys..! there are many stupid inexperienced people in the world including myself! why Balkins? lol 

Zaina, I paint, read, and attempt to date nice women. Two out of the three are going splendidly.

Zania,

Are the barriers place in front of you based on bias in the classroom? By all means, don't answer if you don't care to.

yes Iranian humans are an interesting bunch......i drink kots of beer and my daughters yell at me a lot so then i drink more beer

yup..definitely it's dating :p !! haha

Marc,

yes one of the many barriers are based on bias in the classroom and a certain type of instructors who is not willing to listen and force their ideas and opinions on students, not to mention not caring...:/ really discouraging 

other barriers related to my society and culture and the fact that I might not be able to leave the region or at least the city to peruse my dreams or get an appropriate life... and the fact that force is used against me.... !! personal issues  

"Old guys" suck. They can make your life hell in school but their influence lessens the further you distance yourself from them. Be patient and persistent.

As for the rest, I suggest bring that bat with you on dates in order to avoid any confusion about your focus.

haha :D thanks Marc 

Zaina, I'm assuming (and hoping) you don't mean physical force is being used against you? Just emotional force from your family and culture (not that the latter isn't abuse and very painful, I just think if you're being beaten up we might be able to do something to help).

Can I email you via the Archinect Contact link to tell you a story about one of my college roommates who I think might have faced a similar situation?

:'( I am sure each of us have their own battle to fight.... 

Sure Donna, you didn't have to ask... <3 <3  ... feeling guilty already bringing something like this up on a professional forum 

zaina, we're all on your side.  part of being an architect is protecting health and safety.  your battle is our battle.

that's why Archinect exists, a place for architects who want to be architects can vent  and get advise.

this is Thread Central, not professional

what Archinect has done for the social world of architecture is probably immeasurable...use it.

3......2.....1.....wait for it, or Building Design Professionals; archinect has helped bring more attention to BDP.

nein.

There should be a central thread for X school vs Y school, its taking up the whole forum.

Still raining/snowing here in Denver as of earlier today.

Zaina, hopefully Archinect community can provide sounding board, advice or place for venting. Also, f*** the haters!

Been missing TC, and Archinect. Busy recently, at work and outside, with new projects and such.

Also congrats to both David and shuellmi!

Zaina, I have experience with counseling and am pretty good at it if you want to reach out, I'm here, feel free to email me. Meanwhile, ever hear of sublimation? It is when you take something negative and turn it into a positive. 

Two weeks in Seattle and things are finally starting to feel normal. Yesterday I decided to get outside the city for a bit, and take a road trip up through the North Cascades National Park. I was back in the city in time for dinner. This is so much nicer than Ohio.

thanks Nam,

Beautiful area, I've only been once but remember being amazed at just how green everything was.  I also recall walking  around downtown and stumbling upon the city hall, total shock and a little bit of embarrassment at not knowing about it before

Prettiest drive I've ever taken was through the Cascades. So lush and waterfalls everywhere. 

David: That looks incredible! I've yet to make it to North Cascades but I spend most of my weekends in the wilderness... you can understand why.

oh wow... beautiful!!! what a beautiful nature...! ... the Glacier skywalk must be somewhere along this mountain..?

...

didn't know what to say when I have read all of your kind compassionate words, but (THANK YOU  for saying this...)! <3 <3 much love

@tintt... that is very inviting THANK YOU, and the concept of "sublimation" of Frued... I've looked it up, really interesting! :) I would have loved to use your consultancy, but the problems I face are more actual than psychological..

Zaina, talking things through with friends (or strangers) isn't just for psychological reasonss, it is good for other things... financial problems, advocacy, health problems, interpersonal relationships, I could go on but I don't know what you are facing. Sublimation is a word that also means going straight to a gas from a solid state, skipping the liquid phase. I think of it psychologically as a reminder that mind matters over matter, in other words, the spiritual (gas) realm is where I exist, not down in the physical realm where matter is subjected to more forces and restrictions. Sublimate, become a gas. It's a coping mechanism. 

you get an invite as well?

did he start his own invitation only forum?

art exhibit

Anybody heading to the AIA convention at the end of the month?

I wish I was. I love Philly. If I hadn't just moved across the country I'd probably be there.

Hopefully next year... It will be in Orlando in 2017, correct? Might be a good opportunity to catch up with some old friends in Florida.

I've decided! Life is too short not to do what I don't love. I'm concentrating my efforts on animation and VFX in my spare time now.

i'll be there; 9/11 truthers, beware.

what, that's still a thing Beta?

They have a booth at the convention.  We were just talking about them yesterday...

f.....

Can you not point Balkins in their direction and let the black-hole of ignorance consume both?

Jet fuel doesn't burn steel beams!

I will be the guy standing out in front of the Convention with my Donald Trump for President sign...oops wrong convention.

alright, thread central found

i'm looking for a good coffee table book on shingle style houses -- any suggestions?

Donna, will do.

I'm probably only there for the Expo on Saturday.  I don't need any CEU's and its been too busy of a spring to have had the forethought to take a class for any other reason.