I must say I'm extremely excited about the miners in Chile making it out Alive. My father spent most of his younger life as a Hardrock Miner. He worked in Gold mines, Copper mines, and Uranimum mines to support his personal family of six along with his sisters and brothers. My grandfather pulled him out of school when he was finishing up the 8th grade so he could pull his own weight. I must say he did thru his life. So Via Chile Miners!

Hi TC, a bit of pandering for a family member - please vote for my cousin to become the next great pundit...

my wife says it feels like a grown-up car.

i don't know why i can't post images anymore....

Is that a good thing?

Diving back into the sheds today. Gonna open a different one, and see what I can find.

nice i always wanted a jetta

reminds me of this song.

And i am officially getting old. I was too tired after dinner to make it too the show. So i went to sleep.

SW - I'm digging the new car.

I can't tell you how many times I have read this sentence:


WonderK I want to hear about your flowers.

Dangit, n, I thought I was on the wrong page!

I, too, was experiencing some deja vu, n_ :o)

I forgot to say this earlier, but thanks, steelstuds, for coming out to my birthday party last Friday. It was a fun night but my weekend obviously went downhill after that.

Also, another bit of bad news today... I found out that one of my only architect friends in town who was actually working with an architecture firm got laid off about 3 months ago. We don't speak that often, obviously, but it was a shock because I really thought his job was secure, unlike so many others.

Ugh.

so what a day. Woke up at the crack of dawn to take engagement photos. Granted we were sidelining the rules for the venue with our photo shoot but what the hell. it was a great morning, and we had breakfast overlooking the city and the weather which is normally foggy held up nicely - just for us.

We spent the rest of the afternoon sleeping because well - what do you expect. In the evening we had family and friends over for wine and cheese and I'm only now making it to bed. A great day... hope you guys are having a good one. It's a long weekend here in JA (Hero's weekend - Marcus Garvey etc... not Bob Marley sadly)

techno I'm so enjoying hearing about the upcoming wedding!

There just aren't enough hours in the day.

Donna, i totally feel you. There's work and so much other stuff i want to do outside of working (reading, writing etc but haven't had the time lately).

Archi once again you make me wish i was in the Caribbean not here.

Although at least it is Friday and the weather is nice and cool for fall.

I just went and volunteered for two hours at my son's school, which ALWAYS ALWAYS makes me feel better about the world. You get back what you give, right?

Now I'm ready for a beer to go with my lunch of leftover Indian food. Hmmm.

I just got my teeth cleaned for free, and no cavities! Then, just for fun, we polished abes teeth. He loved it so much, we did it twice! I was so proud I took him to the park. And there...

I ran into an old HS classmate. There was the initial "is that her?" dance, and finally I made the first move. It was like a time warp. She has t changed a bit, just some extra poundage - which if I'm honest was nice, cause she was a wafe before, and now I'm the thin one. Wish I hadn't been wearing work in the dirt clothes.

I'm thinking about beer and pulled pork with black beans for dinner.. after a grulling October 15....tax day. I don't know how it is in the rest of the country but we seemed to have hit a wall. Thinking, I'm glad I have lots of firewood stacked and ready to burn for the Winter Months. Seems like were seeing little projects with high expectations or impossible zoning and impossible zba conditions. It is one thing to be employeed and laid off and totally another to be self employeed and have little paying work. Guess me and the Mrs will go to bed with fingers and toes crossed that we see a swing in a positive direction.

one way to get a lot of things done outside of work... is to not be working any longer.

though i feel for you snook. and i'm glad i wasn't in a position to pull trigger and go it on my own in the last 2 years.

that sounds familiar snook. i thought it was just us. maybe there is a typological description of the work floating out there today? it is rather frustrating to have too much of that sort of thing going on, frankly. throw in a bit of insanity in the real estate business and it is all quite fun...not ;-)

now it looks like usa is in more even more shit via the foreclosure scandal currently unfolding. just in time to pop the small but frothy bobbles of the nascent recovery. what luck.

jump, would you even expect anything more?

America is the man who sells ketchup to the woman in white gloves. When she complains about her gloves getting stained, America tells her she should have bought glove insurance.

The offers to dry clean her gloves for 3 times the price and then expects a tip.

And then tells her that the dry cleaning has destroyed her gloves and that she'll have to buy new gloves from their department store down the street.

Any former SOM employees in here? I just got a call this a.m. SF office. They seem to be relatively interested.

All the former SOM'ers that were there in the 60's to 90's sing songs of praise. Last decade has been more of a gong show. This observation is based on people that I know/have worked with.

Sadly, regardless of anything, I would take the job if I were to make it to the offer stage. Desperation is the mother of progress.

p.s. fun analogy Unicorn. But, as any libertarian will tell you, the lady in white gloves needs to learn the lesson of personal responsibility. Gullible suckers are fair game in free market economy.

Ohhh it's weekend and I've gone to bed tanked to the rim of rum, scotch or wine for the last three days. Guess what I'm doing this weekend? That's right a glorious repeat performance. Hopefully I can fit some food somewhere in there.

And I still have a 5 page lecture to write up... I'm taking a missus break. I will have to learn in the future how to balance spending my waking moments with her and practising architecture, so far she's been winning.

i did not expect the bad paperwork UG. I knew there were problems, the buzz has been in the air for some time that more was to come. so not surprised that issues are coming out. i just didn't expect this particular one.

when we deal with banks here we have to be so meticulous it is not funny. it is in many ways rather petty, the documents necessary to get a deal going. and now i guess it makes sense, it is to make sure the kind of stuff being revealed in usa doesn't happen here. i guess i was extrapolating and assumed that all banks were as careful.


i think the whole ideal of personal responsibility is for everyone but the person calling for it...in america. maybe it is real in other countries but in the usa (and probably canada) it is usually the person shouting the loudest who has the most to hide.


here in japan it is a bit different. responsibility is taken, very ceremonially really. but only if a person is caught. before then? all bets off, or that is what it seems. However, here nobody pretends to be moral and holy. so it isn't hypocrisy, only embarrassing...


long day today but productive. calling her a day at 0200 AM, AGAIN. but feeling quite good.

could be the wine.

night all

They ran out of beer in the Bloktoberfest in Philly. Hey, but the music and food is good.

Anyone been to the MoMA Humanitarian architecture exhibit? Have been thinking of going. That and Cooper Hewitt.

just in from a couples weekend and to send off the missus. It was a great drive down with laughter and good times. Now to get as much done over the long weekend for this lecture. I don't think I can procrastinate anymore.

I find out some cool information though one of the high density uber rich condos that are under construction on the north coast is powered by a tri-gen converter that burns sewage to create electricity. Talk about green. DJ and treekiller I'd love your thoughts

hi all, been fairly productive this weekend. now headed for bed. still didn't get all the reading and writing done i wanted.

did a bunch of yard work.

slart, nope but Archinect's own Quilian Riano reviewed Small Scale, Big Change: New Architectures of Social Engagement for the Design Observer here.

Ok guys, I need your opinion on something.

Lately I've been thinking that I'd like for my Web site to be a little more dynamic and useful for people. I've also been frustrated in that I haven't really been inspired enough to continue blogging about issues of environmental design and energy efficiency... which I am obviously passionate about, but can't seem to muster a paragraph.

Mainly I've been thinking that there is plenty of work out there for people who want to work in energy efficient and high performance buildings, but people just aren't connecting with those positions because of lack of connections or qualifications. A lot of this works requires basic training, maybe some certifications... but that of course all costs money.

So what I'm wondering is... do you think it would be worth trying to put the "collective" in the greendesigncollective.com by trying to make it a more supportive environment for those who want to work in green design/energy efficiency? And if so, what would you like to see?

Emily,

I would say maybe you could do one or more posts re: these positions and how one could either become qualified to get one or how to get them once qualified?

How would one get into the industry in the same way you did?

Morning all.

Good morning, Happy Monday!

Emily, sounds like a fantastic idea. Like career mentoring?

nam and Straw, thanks. Yes, kind of like a combination of posting about resources and career mentoring. I did this thing about a year ago where I offered free Web hosting for portfolios to anyone who was unemployed... but I realized recently that this is only helpful if the people who are posting their portfolios have the qualifications to put them in a position to secure "green economy" type jobs. How do I help them get there?

Maybe until I figure something out I can turn my blog into a "Dear Emily" type of advice column? I frequently offer myself up to job-seekers in a "Patron Saint of the Unemployed" way for coffee and what-not.

I love that you are seeking to actively career mentor, I think you can make a difference that matters. You can have links to classes and programs, maybe compile reviews too. You could start by writing about your own experience and how you navigated your career moves.

Had a big morning, we got two new clients! Have I told you all I love my new job. We are making it work!

Congrats Strawbeary! umm.. what are you new client's phone numbers? I want to ahhhh congratulate them as well?

Emily that sounds great. And you are right I do see the "dear Emily" in your future. Perhaps a place professionals and the average home owner can go to get [color]green[/color] advise. God knows I need it. I spent all morning trying to write up this paper for the lecture at the end of the month - I have one page of garbage written so far. To be totally honest I'm a little demotivated since the missus left but it has to get done.

hi TC... i'm looking for some precedents of "water cleaning" landscapes over on this thread... thanks!

I think your idea sounds great Em. There are a lot of people out there who are seeking such advice and it will be nice to see one of our very own fill that void.

beta - SoCal was fine. Didn't have much time to do anything but work, though Thursday I did get to walk along the Harbor in San Diego. Glad to be back and amongst the living once again.

SW - love the new car. I have an affinity for Jettas. Alaywa have, always will.

Snook - My whole family (myself NOT included) are all self employed so I can greatly empathize with you and the other self employed individuals here. I am sending positive vibes your way. Hope this situation passes soon.

To add to toaster's 99% invisible podcasts, here are short video podcasts from e2. Narrated by brad Pitt, by the way, not that that makes me listen to them a little more intently or anything.

Also: the music is strangely familiar to Marlin's music from his travelogue. Hm.

Hey TC-
Anyone here got suggestions on an inexpensive housewarming present that isn't a bottle of wine of a plant? My friend's having her housewarming party on Saturday and I'd really like to get her something. Thanks

I really love toasters that put designs in them, actually. I think they are super fun!

Thanks for your support, all. I just have to find the time to start blogging about it again.

melty, how's this for unconventional house warming; smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector and fire extinguisher, in a gift basket with a super-hot dry chili mix, and tabasco sauce...?

is that hello kitty toaster image safe for work??

Do they have a yard? If so, maybe a basket filled with gardening gloves/tools.

beta, I love the fire safety basket idea! Toss a box or two of baking soda in there as well, and a list of local emergency info (poison control #, closest emergency room address, suicide prevention hotline, etc.).

Our traditional wedding gift is Phillippe Starck's Alessi juicer. But it's a wee bit pricey.

unicorn - how'd you find my picture?

LOL toaster!!!

If I ate toast on a regular basis I would totally have to get one of those for myslf. I wonder if she actually has a toaster. Hmmmm...

n_ that would be an excellent idea but she lives on the top floor of a five storey walk-up.

beta - you may have something there... though I think that's more than I am capable of spending at this time (I have this crazy notion that fire extinguishers are kinda expensive)

Keep the wonderful suggestions coming, as I'm still stumped.

NSFW

UG - re: another thread: I was very specific in who I called out for a reason. There are several tactics to maintain civil discourse online (as in life) - in this case certain people should know better than to stoop to someone else's level (especially if that person's opinion is in the minority). I don't claim to be completely inculpable, but I try my best - especially on topics I care about.

I don't know if you're mature enough to get this yet, but I think you're smart enough.

*m - I think you should get her an elevator.

N, that's hilarious. What about a window box full of Plants?

Today is so boring. I signed up to sun Rotc, but they did t need me. I've been filing truancy papers all day. Shoot me please.

thanks, but I'm married.