REcently a friend asked me this weird question, so I thought I would pose it in this forum:
"When was the last time you were truly happy...and for what reason?"
Dec 9, 04 7:45 am
It was somewhat fleeting, but.... On 21 November 2004, I and Tony, an architect/artist friend, were going through Briar Hall during the last day of its salvage sale. Briar Hall was a (unknown to us) Georgian mansion by Horace Trumbauer. The experience of going through Briar Hall with workmen crawling all over it, taking it apart, deconstructing the building, was very remindful of the days back when I was in high school where frequent visits to Whitemarsh Hall, the then derelict 'Versailles of America' too was a Trumbauer designed mansion in the midst of deconstruction. Afterwards, in the parking lot before we left in our respective cars, Tony and I talked about the afternoon's experience, and then it suddenly dawned on me that it was the 8th anniversary of Quondam - A Virtual Museum of Architecture online. I was then very happy to have spent the day in some significant architecture that was most definitely soon to be quondam.
If you mean an extended period of time it would've been the summer of 2000. I spent three entire months traveling all over Europe with my best college friends. Real world realities of paying bills, meeting office deadlines and such really weren't on my mind. I had a girlfriend whom would do just about anything for me and for some naieve reason I thought I was in love. Things were bliss.
I think you can be happy most of the time, provided, you lower your standards of happiness...
Today is a pretty good day. It's exactly one week til the due date for my studio final, and I'm ahead of the game, for once. Today's my 25th bday and my favorite gift so far is the Squidward watch my little brother got me from Burger King. And after a long break from archinect, due to lack o' time, I finally got to browse through and post something. Yep, I'm happy. Why? Because I've got low standards.
My last recollection of hapiness was last year studying in Brazil, and specifically attending a great music festival in Rio the weekend of Halloween. I don't know if it was the weather, the women or the laid back life style but that was perhaps simpler times but more satisfying none the less.
graspin: i dont know what you want to know. my story is muddled with bitterness and pain. this thread is about happiness, and don't wish to sully it up.
I too was wonderfully happy while I was traveling Europe for 6 months. I had it all going for me then, had it all figued out back then too. It set my standards of happiness too high to currently maintain.
I think I’m going to donate it all to some kind of charity....the 'men who desperately need a digital slr fund'. I hear they're in need right now. hehehehe.
the five weeks i've spent many years ago in italy hitchiking cars to go to the beach, drawing and selling sketches on the street to buy gellato, spending a homeless night in rome on a bench and so much more with my friends, one of them not with us anymore
nice warm day in los angeles.
i just had a long conversation about language with this 20 year old kid in unurban coffee on urban street, who speaks three languages and extensively read about said, chomsky and the frankfurt school. go figure.
11;am i am in my office now. rolled up the office gate to air the space which has been closed for a week due to cold. i don't have any immediate work in front of me.
i am happy.
Falling asleep in the warm Setember sun in an alpine meadow above treeline after a 3 hr. hill climb on my mtn. bike with my best friends of 20 + yrs, with the knowledge that the office staff had things in hand, the kids were looked after by grand parents, no plan for the rest of the day aside from the 1hr. descent I would awake to, where to go have dinner and most important issue of the day what beer to order after the descent.
i always feell like i would be happier if i would do things bettern then i am doing at the moment.. but when that comes.. i am still thinking i would be happier if... ...i would be doing that better..
so it just goes in circles.. always wanting to do something else...
i guess.. i need to find hapiness otherwise..
true happiness is relative is it not?...
i felt pretty happy this morning when visiting two sites...feeling
busy...knowing what i was talking about and just being around
construction...albeit traditional. then getting back to the office
and making all the calls and such i had to make...listening
to my morning jacket, which is reminding me of last year's bonarroo
which is reminding me that i'm going again this year....knowing
i'm going to play soccer tonight and tomorrow...i have a meeting with
a cabinetmaker on saturday to discuss maybe making a small run
of one of my furniture designs for sale in new york...
and yet...i'm still melancholy because a girl hasn't called me back
after what seemed like a really good first date two weeks ago...which
i guess wasn't.
but then again i feel sorta happy about that cause it means there
are still people out there that can make me feel the full range of
emotions...stupid heart...
and patrick how did you meet some young lass from norway?
let alone marry/or almost/ her..i only ask because i'm of nordic
descent..
new years' eve of year 1999.
Went with two of my best friends to Fort Jaisalmer in India, had a very good dinner, and walked with some alcohol (no one seems to mind) into the fort to the highest point. We sat there drinking and snacking on the very edge of the fort, feet dangling from the top and talking bullshit all night.
no worries, no love issues, no work, nothing seemed to affect me that evening.
more happy: about 30 minutes ago I had to go back to my old school for something... a cute girl I knew from before spotted me in the business building and struck up a conversation
approaching bliss: about 4 months ago, began falling for a girl i was dating... that was before I found out she was nuts.
bliss: about a year ago, an architecture trip to Berlin, Germany. Returned to the states and spent the semester's studio working on a project related to the trip, capped off by a killer presentation at Holabird & Root and drinks at my super-cool prof's architecturally amazing loft. That semester was one of the best times of my life.
The world is really a pretty great place, messed up as it is. Your happiness relies on your own perception, you can choose to view the world in good light or in bad.
happiness is... I talked to a contractor today who is negotiating a renovation I have. He thought one of the design details was "really neat" - a great solution for a problem area, said he never would have thought to do it and thought my design was going to look great. I thought it was a solid solution as well, but given the budget on the job (200K to refurbish a stadium!) I made the entire thing an alternate as it was purely an aesthetic fix only. Then he went on to say that he thought he could do it for a really good price and was going to do everything he could to make it happen! YES! This was looking like a disappointing project until today!
sameolddoctor - I must clarify for the stadium for 200K - the field, field lighting, track resurfacing, bleachers or parking lot isn't in my scope.
it's still a stretch.
stefanie it's okay.that was just my job and i could be a good friend to anyone.please allow me stef...i will send you an email so pls send me your email address..by the way, you don't have time to quit smoke?
happiness...
REcently a friend asked me this weird question, so I thought I would pose it in this forum:
"When was the last time you were truly happy...and for what reason?"
It was somewhat fleeting, but.... On 21 November 2004, I and Tony, an architect/artist friend, were going through Briar Hall during the last day of its salvage sale. Briar Hall was a (unknown to us) Georgian mansion by Horace Trumbauer. The experience of going through Briar Hall with workmen crawling all over it, taking it apart, deconstructing the building, was very remindful of the days back when I was in high school where frequent visits to Whitemarsh Hall, the then derelict 'Versailles of America' too was a Trumbauer designed mansion in the midst of deconstruction. Afterwards, in the parking lot before we left in our respective cars, Tony and I talked about the afternoon's experience, and then it suddenly dawned on me that it was the 8th anniversary of Quondam - A Virtual Museum of Architecture online. I was then very happy to have spent the day in some significant architecture that was most definitely soon to be quondam.
My wedding in September
If you mean an extended period of time it would've been the summer of 2000. I spent three entire months traveling all over Europe with my best college friends. Real world realities of paying bills, meeting office deadlines and such really weren't on my mind. I had a girlfriend whom would do just about anything for me and for some naieve reason I thought I was in love. Things were bliss.
i've had little in betweens, but for the most part, my last happiness streak was 3 years ago when i was in love. it just hasn't happened since then...
stephanie: tell me about your love....wink.
I think you can be happy most of the time, provided, you lower your standards of happiness...
Today is a pretty good day. It's exactly one week til the due date for my studio final, and I'm ahead of the game, for once. Today's my 25th bday and my favorite gift so far is the Squidward watch my little brother got me from Burger King. And after a long break from archinect, due to lack o' time, I finally got to browse through and post something. Yep, I'm happy. Why? Because I've got low standards.
My last recollection of hapiness was last year studying in Brazil, and specifically attending a great music festival in Rio the weekend of Halloween. I don't know if it was the weather, the women or the laid back life style but that was perhaps simpler times but more satisfying none the less.
DGG: happy birthday!
graspin: i dont know what you want to know. my story is muddled with bitterness and pain. this thread is about happiness, and don't wish to sully it up.
Thanks Stephanie!
I too was wonderfully happy while I was traveling Europe for 6 months. I had it all going for me then, had it all figued out back then too. It set my standards of happiness too high to currently maintain.
gotcha!
Yeah, I've never been to Europe... or on vacation for that matter... it's way easier for me to be happy.
haha. sigh. sniff.
never been on vacation?!
Bonus day...now that's happiness!!!!
I think I’m going to donate it all to some kind of charity....the 'men who desperately need a digital slr fund'. I hear they're in need right now. hehehehe.
my girlfried asking me if i'd promise i'd marry her, a couple of days ago on the phone, out of the blue, just like that.
any time i go back and see my friends, everytime i go riding with them, everytime i see a good gig...
the five weeks i've spent many years ago in italy hitchiking cars to go to the beach, drawing and selling sketches on the street to buy gellato, spending a homeless night in rome on a bench and so much more with my friends, one of them not with us anymore
nice warm day in los angeles.
i just had a long conversation about language with this 20 year old kid in unurban coffee on urban street, who speaks three languages and extensively read about said, chomsky and the frankfurt school. go figure.
11;am i am in my office now. rolled up the office gate to air the space which has been closed for a week due to cold. i don't have any immediate work in front of me.
i am happy.
So it seems like most happiness comes from lack of responsibilities or unwanted responsibilities.
Falling asleep in the warm Setember sun in an alpine meadow above treeline after a 3 hr. hill climb on my mtn. bike with my best friends of 20 + yrs, with the knowledge that the office staff had things in hand, the kids were looked after by grand parents, no plan for the rest of the day aside from the 1hr. descent I would awake to, where to go have dinner and most important issue of the day what beer to order after the descent.
i always feell like i would be happier if i would do things bettern then i am doing at the moment.. but when that comes.. i am still thinking i would be happier if... ...i would be doing that better..
so it just goes in circles.. always wanting to do something else...
i guess.. i need to find hapiness otherwise..
true happiness is relative is it not?...
i felt pretty happy this morning when visiting two sites...feeling
busy...knowing what i was talking about and just being around
construction...albeit traditional. then getting back to the office
and making all the calls and such i had to make...listening
to my morning jacket, which is reminding me of last year's bonarroo
which is reminding me that i'm going again this year....knowing
i'm going to play soccer tonight and tomorrow...i have a meeting with
a cabinetmaker on saturday to discuss maybe making a small run
of one of my furniture designs for sale in new york...
and yet...i'm still melancholy because a girl hasn't called me back
after what seemed like a really good first date two weeks ago...which
i guess wasn't.
but then again i feel sorta happy about that cause it means there
are still people out there that can make me feel the full range of
emotions...stupid heart...
and patrick how did you meet some young lass from norway?
let alone marry/or almost/ her..i only ask because i'm of nordic
descent..
watching the 'O.C.'!
happiness is when i am there. that is aegean sea.
nice pic!
larslarson why don't YOU call the girl back if your first date was so good?! Maybe she's waiting for YOU to call?
liberty-
i called her twice...and she didn't call back...that's what i meant...
Sorry, lars, I did misunderstand.
Sending out "call lars" vibes for you.
l.b.
feelin' the love...
when: about three months ago i was really happy, borderline ecstatic.
why: got to work with one of my favorite firms/studios on a pretty cool project.
...happiness is knowing that:
although the girl i loved doesn't love me, every day that goes by will be better...brighter...and i will love agian.
this morning: waking up and hearing my 6 month old baby-boy saying Dada! Maybe his next word will be Dali, or Exquisite Corpse....
patrick,
i studied in roros, norway for two months after graduation...
sadly i got mono while i was there...
my achilles heel, high cheek bones and scandinavian coloring...
how long was your study and where?
new years' eve of year 1999.
Went with two of my best friends to Fort Jaisalmer in India, had a very good dinner, and walked with some alcohol (no one seems to mind) into the fort to the highest point. We sat there drinking and snacking on the very edge of the fort, feet dangling from the top and talking bullshit all night.
no worries, no love issues, no work, nothing seemed to affect me that evening.
link
link
happy: right now, I enjoy reading this forum
more happy: about 30 minutes ago I had to go back to my old school for something... a cute girl I knew from before spotted me in the business building and struck up a conversation
approaching bliss: about 4 months ago, began falling for a girl i was dating... that was before I found out she was nuts.
bliss: about a year ago, an architecture trip to Berlin, Germany. Returned to the states and spent the semester's studio working on a project related to the trip, capped off by a killer presentation at Holabird & Root and drinks at my super-cool prof's architecturally amazing loft. That semester was one of the best times of my life.
The world is really a pretty great place, messed up as it is. Your happiness relies on your own perception, you can choose to view the world in good light or in bad.
happiness is... I talked to a contractor today who is negotiating a renovation I have. He thought one of the design details was "really neat" - a great solution for a problem area, said he never would have thought to do it and thought my design was going to look great. I thought it was a solid solution as well, but given the budget on the job (200K to refurbish a stadium!) I made the entire thing an alternate as it was purely an aesthetic fix only. Then he went on to say that he thought he could do it for a really good price and was going to do everything he could to make it happen! YES! This was looking like a disappointing project until today!
wow 200K to refurbish a whole stadium??? woo hoo
you must have bust your balls trying to make it fit within that budget man!!!
if i were you i'd be happy too!
is a warm gun
sameolddoctor - I must clarify for the stadium for 200K - the field, field lighting, track resurfacing, bleachers or parking lot isn't in my scope.
it's still a stretch.
and I don't have balls, but i busted the female equivilent, whatever those are.
ovaries
of course! duh.
did you start your new job today steph?
yeah! besides having to re-learn autoCAD, it's great!
thanks for asking!
hi stefanie! do you have an email address? i wanna make friends with you,pls?
i don't think you want to make friends with me...
i smoke.
stefanie it's okay.that was just my job and i could be a good friend to anyone.please allow me stef...i will send you an email so pls send me your email address..by the way, you don't have time to quit smoke?
no.
i like smoking.
a lot.
i am going to go smoke right now.
bye.
could you give me your email address? pls.its okay, personal is different to a job..pls
ros just click her name...its there....duh?
thanks a lot..do you have yahoo acount or msn?
new jobs? smoking? none of this sounds like happiness to me! lol
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