I'm just about to give up on archinect, thanks 100℅ to Balkins.
BB, you have a moral obligation to stay and suffer with the rest of us.
Personally, I'd like to be a movie or TV show architect. Good looking, youngish, hip but not goofy, cool house, nice car, hot wife, perfect kids, never actually at the office working on anything but somehow the bills are being nicely covered.
My read on Balkins is he's subconsciously creating a horrendous reputation in each of the professions in which he wishes he could succeed, thus rendering himself un-hirable, un-commissionalbe, whatever. This is because he's desperately afraid he doesn't really have what it takes to be successful in any of those fields, so he's shooting himself down before he can start and find out. This way he can blame it on everybody being against him - because they are.
His best bet would be to pick some entirely, new, fresh direction - maybe one that requires only limited training (plebotomist? MRI technician?) or mostly on-the-job training (tax preparer? roofer?) and just jump into it and stay off the internet about it entirely.
My read on Balkins is he's subconsciously creating a horrendous reputation in each of the professions in which he wishes he could succeed, thus rendering himself un-hirable, un-commissionalbe, whatever.
Pretty sure he's got some mental issue.
Sad thing is, we fired someone like that a couple week ago. It's not that he was bad at his job, and actually pretty good. The issue was that no one wanted to work with him on a team. An example is on the life-safety sheet, I like to put the use on the room so the plan examiner knows the activity going on. Instead of doing it, he'd come back with the submittal requirements showing me how it wasn't needed (taking the time to do that and waste my time and his counterpointing instead of just adding the redline). Multiply that by a hundred directions you give to staff on a project only to be constantly told by an intern "that's not really what you need" with a researched explanation on why he believed himself to be right (ignoring that we've been doing this 20 years and have a lot of reasons behind the direction he was given)... At first, it's not bad; you try to teach. But eventually, you hit that point where you are tired of having to explain and defend your direction. There wasn't a PM here that wanted him on their team.
He learned the hard way and I'm guessing will get more and more bitter with every job loss because he can't seem to understand why no one wants him around.
I was on another forum where some moron regularly came on and wrote the most vile and vicious racist crap. I was shocked, and learned that s/he was a regular. But nobody responded or referred to the posts. Nobody. As a result, you could just skip over those posts and follow the thread's conversation (almost) uninterrupted.
Of course the temptation to respond was always there, but, from what I saw, after a few rants with no retorts from anyone, the dolt left. S/he would slither out the next day, spew, get no reaction, and slink back in again.
I've often thought that cycle-couriering (?) would be really awesome. I've read three books on the subject written by local riders here in London over the last 6 months, each of which was fascinating. Unfortunately I think it's been totally romanticized beyond reality (ironically, very similarly to architecture in that respect). I just love taking my fixie out for a hard lap through the city; traffic here averages only about 20 mph so you can frequently overtake it on anything other than long straight-aways. I think the biggest problem is that a once-novel profession that was very heavily intertwined within the punk/underground/alternative scene has been largely commercialized by the likes of Deliveroo, etc., to the point where it's effectively an office job on wheels. Im starting to think I should hit up an alley-cat race in the near future to meet some of the 'originals'.....
citizen, that's a good policy that I should take to heart.
You're right, there's really no reason for anyone to reply to him on this thread - and I shouldn't have. I find ignoring racist rants easier though than ignoring some of the things that Balkins posts, particularly "advice" in response to newcomers with questions about education, licensing, working in firms, hiring architects, professional regulations, construction standards, codes, you get the idea...
I feel wrong not responding on those threads where if you let his posts stand without comment then you know you're letting somebody else be woefully misinformed - sometimes expensively or dangerously. I try not to direct my replies in those threads directly to him - but if you post anything disagreeing with him, even if not directed to him, then he goes off on a defensive track, like mightyaa's former coworker, googling nonsense, throwing together legal mumbo-jumbo, and just muddying the question further.
I saw some absurd Balkins posts on a masonry forum, where they've given him a permanent automatic disclaimer about how he has no qualifications or training in the trade - so everything he's ever posted there has that in big red letters at the top of it. Maybe we could just start doing that manually - posting a standard warning after each of his posts. If that's ALL we ever post then newbies will be warned, but nobody will have to engage him.
Note: Richard Balkins, RickB-OR, RWCB_PBD, does not hold an NCARB accredited degree or foreign equivalent. He is not a licensed architect in the United States or abroad. He is not an experienced design professional.
Note: Richard Balkins, RickB-OR, RWCB_PBD, does not hold an NAAB-accredited degree or foreign equivalent. He is not a licensed architect in the United States or abroad. He is not an experienced design professional.
Note: Richard Balkins, RickB-OR, RWCB_PBD, does not hold an NAAB-accredited degree or foreign equivalent. He is not a licensed architect in the United States or abroad. He is not an experienced design professional.
My note is a little wordy but i think it covers things as succinctly as possible.
That chimney forum isn't the one I'm thinking of - I was thinking of one where he attempted to answer questions about clay roof tiles in China with stories of his roof in Astoria.
The chimney site's strategy is also good - at least it would give newbies some idea of the relative credibility of various characters.
Rick, why don't you become a carpenter...seriously. It would do you good to get out of the computer and do some manual labor. Sell the theodolite and drone and buy some basic tools...
If not an Architect, what else would you be?
painter or cartoonist.
---- I am starting to think RickB's slowly turning to be the lifeblood of the forum.
Sequential Art (used to love drawing comics) Industrial Design not Per Correll or his current incarnation in this thread...so ridiculous.
A boxing kangaroo
A man whore
second that boxing kangaroo. i'd also think about being a member of the empire's senate before things got all dark and evil.
code official ... or the punching bag for the boxing kangaroo. I'd probably come home feeling the same after each days' work.
I'm just about to give up on archinect, thanks 100℅ to Balkins.
BB, you have a moral obligation to stay and suffer with the rest of us.
Personally, I'd like to be a movie or TV show architect. Good looking, youngish, hip but not goofy, cool house, nice car, hot wife, perfect kids, never actually at the office working on anything but somehow the bills are being nicely covered.
I think I'd be a weaver.
My read on Balkins is he's subconsciously creating a horrendous reputation in each of the professions in which he wishes he could succeed, thus rendering himself un-hirable, un-commissionalbe, whatever. This is because he's desperately afraid he doesn't really have what it takes to be successful in any of those fields, so he's shooting himself down before he can start and find out. This way he can blame it on everybody being against him - because they are.
His best bet would be to pick some entirely, new, fresh direction - maybe one that requires only limited training (plebotomist? MRI technician?) or mostly on-the-job training (tax preparer? roofer?) and just jump into it and stay off the internet about it entirely.
My read on Balkins is he's subconsciously creating a horrendous reputation in each of the professions in which he wishes he could succeed, thus rendering himself un-hirable, un-commissionalbe, whatever.
Pretty sure he's got some mental issue.
Sad thing is, we fired someone like that a couple week ago. It's not that he was bad at his job, and actually pretty good. The issue was that no one wanted to work with him on a team. An example is on the life-safety sheet, I like to put the use on the room so the plan examiner knows the activity going on. Instead of doing it, he'd come back with the submittal requirements showing me how it wasn't needed (taking the time to do that and waste my time and his counterpointing instead of just adding the redline). Multiply that by a hundred directions you give to staff on a project only to be constantly told by an intern "that's not really what you need" with a researched explanation on why he believed himself to be right (ignoring that we've been doing this 20 years and have a lot of reasons behind the direction he was given)... At first, it's not bad; you try to teach. But eventually, you hit that point where you are tired of having to explain and defend your direction. There wasn't a PM here that wanted him on their team.
He learned the hard way and I'm guessing will get more and more bitter with every job loss because he can't seem to understand why no one wants him around.
I was on another forum where some moron regularly came on and wrote the most vile and vicious racist crap. I was shocked, and learned that s/he was a regular. But nobody responded or referred to the posts. Nobody. As a result, you could just skip over those posts and follow the thread's conversation (almost) uninterrupted.
Of course the temptation to respond was always there, but, from what I saw, after a few rants with no retorts from anyone, the dolt left. S/he would slither out the next day, spew, get no reaction, and slink back in again.
It was a useful lesson.
I've often thought that cycle-couriering (?) would be really awesome. I've read three books on the subject written by local riders here in London over the last 6 months, each of which was fascinating. Unfortunately I think it's been totally romanticized beyond reality (ironically, very similarly to architecture in that respect). I just love taking my fixie out for a hard lap through the city; traffic here averages only about 20 mph so you can frequently overtake it on anything other than long straight-aways. I think the biggest problem is that a once-novel profession that was very heavily intertwined within the punk/underground/alternative scene has been largely commercialized by the likes of Deliveroo, etc., to the point where it's effectively an office job on wheels. Im starting to think I should hit up an alley-cat race in the near future to meet some of the 'originals'.....
citizen, that's a good policy that I should take to heart.
You're right, there's really no reason for anyone to reply to him on this thread - and I shouldn't have. I find ignoring racist rants easier though than ignoring some of the things that Balkins posts, particularly "advice" in response to newcomers with questions about education, licensing, working in firms, hiring architects, professional regulations, construction standards, codes, you get the idea...
I feel wrong not responding on those threads where if you let his posts stand without comment then you know you're letting somebody else be woefully misinformed - sometimes expensively or dangerously. I try not to direct my replies in those threads directly to him - but if you post anything disagreeing with him, even if not directed to him, then he goes off on a defensive track, like mightyaa's former coworker, googling nonsense, throwing together legal mumbo-jumbo, and just muddying the question further.
I saw some absurd Balkins posts on a masonry forum, where they've given him a permanent automatic disclaimer about how he has no qualifications or training in the trade - so everything he's ever posted there has that in big red letters at the top of it. Maybe we could just start doing that manually - posting a standard warning after each of his posts. If that's ALL we ever post then newbies will be warned, but nobody will have to engage him.
^ All good points, and an interesting strategy...
I don't even recall this masonry forum.
I don't know about a masonry forum, but InterNACHI puts a little disclaimer for any non-member poster:
Please Note: Richard Balkins is a non-member guest and is in no way affiliated with InterNACHI or its members.
https://www.nachi.org/forum/f18/witches-bend-chimney-54282/index4.html#post1067236
It's not just Balkins though, other non-member guests get it as well.
Note: Richard Balkins, RickB-OR, RWCB_PBD, does not hold an NCARB accredited degree or foreign equivalent. He is not a licensed architect in the United States or abroad. He is not an experienced design professional.
NAAB accredits degrees, not NCARB
Note: Richard Balkins, RickB-OR, RWCB_PBD, does not hold an NAAB-accredited degree or foreign equivalent. He is not a licensed architect in the United States or abroad. He is not an experienced design professional.
Ok,
Thanks E_I,
I don't frequent that forum very much.
You should, your post count is only at 1 ... tsk, tsk. I'm sure home inspectors could benefit from your sage advice.
duly noted EI
Note: Richard Balkins, RickB-OR, RWCB_PBD, does not hold an NAAB-accredited degree or foreign equivalent. He is not a licensed architect in the United States or abroad. He is not an experienced design professional.
My note is a little wordy but i think it covers things as succinctly as possible.
whatever.
That chimney forum isn't the one I'm thinking of - I was thinking of one where he attempted to answer questions about clay roof tiles in China with stories of his roof in Astoria.
The chimney site's strategy is also good - at least it would give newbies some idea of the relative credibility of various characters.
Rick, why don't you become a carpenter...seriously. It would do you good to get out of the computer and do some manual labor. Sell the theodolite and drone and buy some basic tools...
this thread made me become a junkie.
Is Balskid a Bubble Boy?
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Investment banking: Stock Broker, portfolio manager....etc
Balkin, you are delusional. Reading your statements make me wonder what happen to you as you high school.
Stupid iPhone. I accidentally flagged myself. :0/
Balkin, you are delusional. Reading your statements make me wonder what happen to you in high school.
Back to OP post: I would be happy.
Shoe maker
Beatboxer / a cappella singer.
receptionist to a film production studio, which I got to actually do last week.
assistant cat sitter, which is also something I have actual experience in.
Yes, what an amazing profession to be involved..
othopedic surgeon
or
ski bum
can't decide, both require dedication i'm not really prepared for
Why not both? Same industry.
film director
I'd build wooden boats for a living.
I would make maple syrup and build wooden boats
Robe boy for super models?
A gardener, to grow trees ans plants :) !
A gardener, to grow trees ans plants :) !
Super architect. I’m a rockstar now.
Artist.
I'd put a jewelry studio in a classic travel trailer and drive around the country being an art fair hippie.
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