I'm bored out of my skull today. Why do we have to work between christmas and new years? The whole week should be a state mandated holiday, pay and all. Oh well. At least we have archinect to keep up entertained.
hills of minnesota? beta what are you smoking? there are no hills in this state!
but OA, you're welcome to move here!
C- hope your flight south goes well. Since I'm not having much success recruiting folks to join me on the stage at gb2008 to discuss megacities and sustainability, I may have to pull the plug on that idea for now. Still a slight window to pull this off if you can pass along the names of a few afh folks that are great speakers and can discuss what it takes to build sustainable stuff on the cheap.
I arrived yesterday and my family is staying at my sisters amazing house on top of Mount Washington. Think floor to ceiling glass, exposed concrete floor, IPE wood exterior, great views of the mountains and downtown LA. Yes, its amazing.
I arrived at 8:45 only to go directly to a restaurant where we had 9:30 reservations for my Dad's birthday. Four bottles of wine later, we left at 1 am. I'm exhausted this morning. Anyone eaten at Cuidad in downtown LA? It's highly recommended.
nam, they didn't give me as many drugs as I would prefer. I think our bodies' expectation of pain is worse than the pain itself though. I spent the whole procedure on the jump, shaking, almost crying, because the feeling of pressure was so intense that my body kept expecting to feel considerable amounts of pain at any moment. But none came! So obviously I was getting myself all worked up over nothing.
But overall it went well, I'm home and vicoden-ed out again. This feels like a good excuse to spend the day on the couch, watching movies and eating ice cream.
I should be more stimulated by my task at hand, playing with creating a streetscape for large retail center in Beijing. a cool project that we are doing for an invited competition. but,
just.
having.
a.
hard.
time.
focusing.
after.
lunch.
so buck up Gin, you get to go home one hour before I can.
right so I am now at work for this "welcome back home" exhibition. It is absolute crap...1/2 the people here are local and directly involved with the stuff happening. Again another bloody waste of tax payers money - British tax payers at that. Sigh.
So I'm here archinect'ing like the rest of you whilst I wait for the finger food to come out.
them mississippi cliffs ain't hills, but a hole. minnesota is one of the flattest states in the country. hell, even florida and north dakota has more vertical relief then the land of 10 thousand lakes. back east, we'd call anything under 2000 feet a hill. in cali anything less then a mile tall is a hill (opps mt hollywood aka mt. lee is 1625' tall)
Eagle Mountain is the highest point in Minnesota, at 2301 feet
The lowest point in Minnesota is at Lake Superior; 602 feet above sea level. so doing the math, minnesota has only 75' more vertical elevation then from santa monica to the hill behind the hollywood sign (12 mile). this state is a pancake!
(ok, Florida's Highest Point, Britton Hill, FL. 345 is a wee bit flatter)
my office is shutting down early today to head to the office party at one of the principals houses' out in the sticks. I'm skipping the fun to enjoy my private stash of bourbon in the warmth and quiet of my home. most folks are taking a bus, which makes me even less interested in going somewhere as a captive...
At 9:30 a.m. on June 14, a van carrying Lucky Lady, as animal-rescue workers called her, took off from an Animal Care and Control shelter in East Harlem, bound for the Farm Sanctuary, a 175-acre shelter that, according to its Web site, is “set amidst rolling green hills and forests in the Finger Lakes Region of upstate New York.” The farm is next to the Sugar Hill State Forest, just west of Watkins Glen, N.Y.
“The funny thing is that yesterday, the Parks Department actually found six chickens in a park –- I believe it was Prospect Park — and so we transported those six chickens along with the lamb,” said Patrick Kwan, a spokesman for the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, a coalition of nonprofit animal-care groups.The alliance operates the van, which is normally used to transport homeless dogs and cats.
Lucky Lady had a United States Department of Agriculture tag, indicating that she had been intended for a slaughterhouse or poultry farm, Mr. Kwan said. She had most likely escaped from a live-animal market in the Bronx. So far no one has come forward to claim the lamb. If the butcher were to materialize, would it be safe to assume he has lost his rights to the lamb? “I assume that would be the case,” Mr. Kwan said.
I've canoed the boundary waters in Minnesota and I can honestly say I don't remember any hills. Lots of crystal clear beautiful lakes, a waterfall or two, lots of mosquitoes and amazing sunsets, but no hills.
It only took 10 months, but I finally finished sanding and priming my bathroom. Woo-hoo! Next on the list... color.
Just checking in to say hello and farewell.....I'm leaving Cincinnati today and heading back to California really early in the morning. It's not soon enough though.....my stomach is all out of sorts and I feel like I've swelled up in just the two weeks I've been here. I can't wait to get back to my bike! It's no wonder they have an obesity problem here. Jeez.
I had some of those major virus problems ended up totally dumping
everything and starting all over. So my Christmas Holiday was spent
spending alot of time on the phone with a couple of dudes from India. They were extremely interested in the whole Christmas Thing...
and they really liked hearing about snow......anyhow we be back again but with a twist on my ole handle.
Hope everyone is cranking it up for New Years!
I understand this is the 100th time the big ball has been dropped in New Yorks Times Square. They have once again re designed it with
Waterford Crystals and it going to be twice as bright as last years ball!
Gin you might want to wonder down there and join the crowd.
How is everyone doing with the pending new year? Is everyone making resolutions? Again I'm planning to quit smoking...yes yes yes I know...I've been very good recently. down a few every other other day. But other than that i'm drawing blanks...I might follow dubK and start cycling - but I can't do it to work, its on the other end of a mountainous island and I feel once I got there I'd be too gamey to interact with people. The problems of trying to do the right thing in a tropical climate...
That's a good question, techno. I really haven't given it much thought yet, but I suppose now is the time.
In the past, I've found goal-oriented resolutions to be more effective than the "do more" or "do less" resolutions. My resolution in 2006 was to finish IDP and begin taking the ARE; my resolution in 2007 was to pass the ARE. Both goals helped me to structure my plans for the entire year, and both were measurable and definitive.
But I, too, am stumped for a resolution for next year... It's something to ponder...
I think my New Years resolutions mostly center around taking better care of myself: see a dentist on a non-emergency basis, continue losing weight or at least don't gain any back, stuff like that. But I think there'll end up being one in there about pushing myself harder at school, too. That's important, as I feel like the past quarter I only got myself up to a basic senior-undergrad level in graphic design, and that's obviously not good enough. Maybe good enough for the first quarter, but can't let it stagnate there. I now know and respect the Swiss style, and it's time to move past it and get things done that really represent me.
Well, hell...vetica; I had to google "Swiss sytle" to refresh my memory about what it was.
Funny (and I'm going to contradict my previous post), grad school was the one place where having strict goals (like finishing the degree in x-amount of time, or simply fulfilling the given requirements, etc.) worked against me. When I finally let go and allowed myself to be absorbed into what the faculty was helping me to discover, I found myself producing much better work.
I guess what I'm trying to say, rationalist, is don't be discouraged by the work you produced in the first quarter. Rather, look forward to the opportunities in the next quarter.
hrm.. I'm not sure how that translates to a resolution. Your resolution could be to simply "make beautiful things."
I'm not discouraged by it, and think it's probably necessary given the background I was coming from, but I know that I can't stay in that place, either. I definitely got two good portfolio pieces out of it, being my info design spreads (linked to previously), and some political posters I did.
I think the resolution would be something more along the lines of trying to find my own voice. "Making beautiful things" is less helpful.
Hmm, I guess that there's a bit of a corrolary goal in there, something about narrowing down thesis options.... that's a little stressful to think about. I've got a good half-dozen ideas in play at the moment, and it's difficult to know what criteria to use to narrow them down.
my new resolution - to attack. attack architecture. spit and venom, fire and brimstone. punch holes in walls, crack open this staid profession and fuck all. i am tired of my passive voice. let the chips fall. if you - and by you, i mean you know who you are - don't like it, move out of my way or dig out from under my rubble.
i love lebbeus, so i want to come at this from a JGB perspective, beauty through destruction, repair as necessary, blood and guts always.
My resolutions are the same as last year: be more patient with my son, and keep better track of my billable hours.
I blew them both last year!
Actually, I have a resolution to check out the church I went to Christmas Eve and attend their month of January weekly class on where Christianity is going in the 21st Century. It promises to be political and challenging, this church is quite liberal. I also have a bizarre personal history with this church, going back top my last job, that I'm ready to face now. More on that alter, it's not as dramatic as it sounds.
LiG, I may be emailing you on this: it's an Episcopal church, and coming from a Lutheran chilhood, I'm not quite sure what I'm in for. But you and I seem to be on similar wavelengths when religion comes up around here, so I may seek your counsel.
LB: If you grew up Lutheran, it actually shouldn't be too much of a culture shock, depending on what particular flavor of Lutheranism you're used to... The Episcopal Church USA and the ELCA (the largest and the most mainline Lutheran denomination in the US) are actually in full communion with each other now. Feel free to email me anytime, and I'll be happy to try to answer any questions.
My resolutions: Get into better shape, get my finances under control, improve my dating life and social life. They're the same resolutions I make every year, but this time I'm serious. I really mean it. I plan on taking the first steps right now.... As soon as I take a nap.
beta, i do hope you can avoid the blood and guts. i have seen enough real violence in my lifetime to not wish it on anyone, whether as metaphor or not. somehow the idea of seeking blood and guts just makes me sad. there is no such thing as beauty through destruction and lebbeus' work on war was prettily provocative but based on the sufferring of personal friends, which mostly just pisses me off. so fuck lebbeus woods.
a passionate life is worthwhile, but one filled with passionate bile? i think i will be one of those moving out of your way beta. but hope it works for you.
orhan, that is super cool news about rotondi, writing, and the rest. good vibes!!
holidays start for me today. we have wrapped up 2 projects this week, and just got our completion certificate from city for the home featured on our blog, though there will be some things to finish off after everyone starts working again next week. open house in 2 weeks if anyone is in tokyo and wants to hang out!
off to the countryside by train, fingers crossed we won't get caught in the mountains again, and a week visiting old friends and eating japanese food morning noon and night. as always i will lose weight over the hols (fish for breakfast for a week will do that to you). but will have enormous fun in the process. love new years. hate the slushy snow we get at the inlaws place, and the lack of central heating when it is almost 0 Celcius outside. but the friends and family make it all worthwhile. can't think of better way to start the new year...
hey tumbles, after potty training dogs really don't like to poo or pee where they live or where they are not supposed to.
but they do it to complain about something. having two from the related breed, i know they are really people oriented dogs. maybe mies is bothered with something. i hope she comes out the crate soon.;(.
probably you know all this i am saying anyway.
Claudia Wells, a fellow artist and friend from Philadelphia recently posted her photographs of some of Brian's early clay work on her flickr site, here. In turn, our bathroom here is filled with her little clay creations (Steven, you may remember them.)
These were way pre-Angus, I'm actually amazed that he got the baby imagery so right. They are very wierd, and funny and look like old friends right now.
LiG, I'll be emailing you when I get back to 'work" next week and have time for such things ;-)
Doesn't sound at all like a rant.... That post makes a lot of sense. God save my projects from people who "know" AutoCAD based on textbook learning, but don't have a clue how to draft or how to build.
its been a sick post xmas so we've been in watching movies mostly
But one of the little tasks has been selling my old tiny truck (really tiny) and trying to come up with a name for my new house. A name you say? Yeah like in Japan, jump can you confirm, they don't really use house numbers per say, rather names...locals use their own names, snow birds come up with something crafty - and since I'm somewhere inbetween I've been trying to find something cool. We've been battling through names like Ohana - which is Hawaiian for Family (I'm not sure what my gf is trying to tell me) but it doesn't really work for me. WWTCD I need your creative juices...please.
Also the puppy has been strange - we haven't seen her go potty in about the last 12 hours...think she's sick?
the puppy is now staring outside seemingly begging to go for a walk, but neither of us well enough to do it at the moment. She's so gorgeous with her head on the pillow.
Something in a foreign language? Even "home" sounds better with an accent..
Beta,
Personally, i hope to attack everything this year. For me this doesn't mean violence, but no complacency. I have big plans. Some of which will and some of which won't get done. But not from a lack of trying...
Also, i think to more generally be critical, not negatively but as a form of education/correction...
i haven't really seen that archi, though i think i've read about it somewhere.
there are no street names to speak of though as the mapping of cities is based on areas rather than lines...so a house address goes city name, ward name, municipality name, house number - a description of concentric rings that ends in a target pointing to one house. some people make a bit of a deal over this as evidence of a separate perception of urban form based on areas rather than streets...and maybe that has something to do with the idea of naming homes...?
i do know the postman made us put our name on our apt so he could be sure we were the right place to deliver to...he also is reluctant to deliver mail addressed to other people to our home and will actually ask us if its us...is kinda cool they take the time, cuz my family always gets our address wrong and it takes the mailman's local knowledge to get it delivered...so a name for a house is a good idea.
some of my uncles have named their houses. i think based on places they grew up in but are long gone now...their way of keeping some part of their history alive.
we arrived in countryside 11.30 pm last night. it is about 10 degrees c in our bedroom and my fingers are gettin cold. luckily the laptop is fairly warm in itself or it would be really something to think about. is a good way to do the local heating thing while wasting time, so am at least environmentally neutral....sort of. but if anyone tries to tell you japanese ever had a tradition of comfort don't believe them! what is most ironic for me is that this is the comfort of a renovated house, 100 + years old, and the father-in-law spent several hundred thousand dollars to restore the place, using trad techniques, real solid flooring etc. but it is so close to tradition that it is in some parts of the house nearly unliveable by todays standards...so he never leaves the living room (which is heated and has floor to ceiling double glazing looking at his backyard/park) - and the guest room/house is haptic in a way steven holl never imagined. brrrr. chilly!
Hey TC-
I feel like it's been forever since I last posted. Sounds like every one's got some good resolutions. I'm not known for thinking up New Year's resolutions b/c it seems as though they always fall by the wayside. I have one goal this year to become a LEED AP. I had every intention of taking the test last year, but I never followed through. I've come to the conclusion I just have to do it.
Anyway, I have two more days of comp time, so I'm planning on finishing the bathroom. I'm still not completely sure on the color, but am hoping I can make a decision by the morning so that I can go buy paint in the morning and have the first coat on by the time the New Year's festivities tomorrow evening.
My November/December Foreign Affairs edition is staring at me. Time to crack it open and start reading. There's only one dilemma; should I read it cover to cover or start with the most interesting essay? Tough decision. We shall see
beta, I got my husband the exhaust pipe tie for his birthday. He went on to build an entire suit and outfit around it, which he wore to a buddy's wedding in NYC (at the W, I think), and for which recieved sartorial praise.
He wore the same outfit to a holiday party recently, and one of the most upscale, respected women in the city not only told him she loved his outfit but actually got down on her knees to stroke his boot while saying it.
So be careful where you wear that tie!
nam, reading your post, I thought maybe you were suggesting that a-techno should name his home "archi-" something. Which might not be a bad idea, eh, a-techno? How about naming the house architecnophilia ...architechnohus ...architechnoshack...
i have to make whole pot of these for mme. sabroux's party tomorrow night. ~ 50 count. one by one, prep, roll them up, cook. no, these are 100x better than the ones you get in a can.
i consider the appreciation for these an advantegious eastern mediterranean condition.
ingredients;
olive oil, pine nuts, currants, onions, spoon of tomato paste, salt pepper and dash of cinnamon. process is long and laborous but if you have done them before a few times, it goes easy but still time consuming and many rules to follow. you want to avoid too salty and thick leaves.
of course the hardest part is to answer to relentless same question of "oh! it is out of this world...what's in it?" from the party attendants. it is called grape leaves sarma or dolma. it is vegetarian and lasts at least a week if refrigerated. you can also do it with cabbage leaves which i might if i change my mind tomorrow morning.
architechnophilia.....your name implies love of architecture, or great affection for architecture. So a natural transition might simply be "Love House". I think a place called Love House by a guy who calls himself architechnophilia would make sense.
Of course I would try to put a foreign language spin on it myself....maybe German, and call it "LiebeHaus", which sounds quite lovely. (tuna, is that right?)
I am back in LA now. I loved catching up with family and friends over break but I am relieved to be back in my own coordinated chaos here on the West Coast.
WK - You are pretty much correct. But b/c Haus is a neutral word (das Haus) it would actually be Liebeshaus. Kinda like Liebeskind. Kind or child is also neutral, therefore the architectural world has there very own LOVECHILD.
HA!! Please excuse, the German language cracks me up sometimes.
OMG! That's so funny. I had no idea. Liebeskind = Lovechild. Brilliant! The Ascent should use that in their advertising campaign somehow, with the blue trees. It's a stretch but surely there's an angle in there somewhere.
yes, that is a crappy nighttime shot of the Ascent but to my credit, Cincinnati was so gloomy while I was there that a daytime shot wouldn't have been much better
Thread Central
I'm bored out of my skull today. Why do we have to work between christmas and new years? The whole week should be a state mandated holiday, pay and all. Oh well. At least we have archinect to keep up entertained.
hills of minnesota? beta what are you smoking? there are no hills in this state!
but OA, you're welcome to move here!
C- hope your flight south goes well. Since I'm not having much success recruiting folks to join me on the stage at gb2008 to discuss megacities and sustainability, I may have to pull the plug on that idea for now. Still a slight window to pull this off if you can pass along the names of a few afh folks that are great speakers and can discuss what it takes to build sustainable stuff on the cheap.
Greetings from LA!
I arrived yesterday and my family is staying at my sisters amazing house on top of Mount Washington. Think floor to ceiling glass, exposed concrete floor, IPE wood exterior, great views of the mountains and downtown LA. Yes, its amazing.
I arrived at 8:45 only to go directly to a restaurant where we had 9:30 reservations for my Dad's birthday. Four bottles of wine later, we left at 1 am. I'm exhausted this morning. Anyone eaten at Cuidad in downtown LA? It's highly recommended.
nam, they didn't give me as many drugs as I would prefer. I think our bodies' expectation of pain is worse than the pain itself though. I spent the whole procedure on the jump, shaking, almost crying, because the feeling of pressure was so intense that my body kept expecting to feel considerable amounts of pain at any moment. But none came! So obviously I was getting myself all worked up over nothing.
But overall it went well, I'm home and vicoden-ed out again. This feels like a good excuse to spend the day on the couch, watching movies and eating ice cream.
Glad it went well, all things considered... Enjoy those drugs!
Most. Boring. Day. Ever.
Somebody, please entertain me. I'm dying here!
I should be more stimulated by my task at hand, playing with creating a streetscape for large retail center in Beijing. a cool project that we are doing for an invited competition. but,
just.
having.
a.
hard.
time.
focusing.
after.
lunch.
so buck up Gin, you get to go home one hour before I can.
killa, afton alps, and the boundary waters i know has hills.....shit i got a cliff not 1/2 mile away....
right so I am now at work for this "welcome back home" exhibition. It is absolute crap...1/2 the people here are local and directly involved with the stuff happening. Again another bloody waste of tax payers money - British tax payers at that. Sigh.
So I'm here archinect'ing like the rest of you whilst I wait for the finger food to come out.
them mississippi cliffs ain't hills, but a hole. minnesota is one of the flattest states in the country. hell, even florida and north dakota has more vertical relief then the land of 10 thousand lakes. back east, we'd call anything under 2000 feet a hill. in cali anything less then a mile tall is a hill (opps mt hollywood aka mt. lee is 1625' tall)
Eagle Mountain is the highest point in Minnesota, at 2301 feet
The lowest point in Minnesota is at Lake Superior; 602 feet above sea level. so doing the math, minnesota has only 75' more vertical elevation then from santa monica to the hill behind the hollywood sign (12 mile). this state is a pancake!
(ok, Florida's Highest Point, Britton Hill, FL. 345 is a wee bit flatter)
my office is shutting down early today to head to the office party at one of the principals houses' out in the sticks. I'm skipping the fun to enjoy my private stash of bourbon in the warmth and quiet of my home. most folks are taking a bus, which makes me even less interested in going somewhere as a captive...
Cure for boredom at work: Kattalogen
Most Photogenic Small Animal of 2007:
At 9:30 a.m. on June 14, a van carrying Lucky Lady, as animal-rescue workers called her, took off from an Animal Care and Control shelter in East Harlem, bound for the Farm Sanctuary, a 175-acre shelter that, according to its Web site, is “set amidst rolling green hills and forests in the Finger Lakes Region of upstate New York.” The farm is next to the Sugar Hill State Forest, just west of Watkins Glen, N.Y.
“The funny thing is that yesterday, the Parks Department actually found six chickens in a park –- I believe it was Prospect Park — and so we transported those six chickens along with the lamb,” said Patrick Kwan, a spokesman for the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, a coalition of nonprofit animal-care groups.The alliance operates the van, which is normally used to transport homeless dogs and cats.
Lucky Lady had a United States Department of Agriculture tag, indicating that she had been intended for a slaughterhouse or poultry farm, Mr. Kwan said. She had most likely escaped from a live-animal market in the Bronx. So far no one has come forward to claim the lamb. If the butcher were to materialize, would it be safe to assume he has lost his rights to the lamb? “I assume that would be the case,” Mr. Kwan said.
Crap. Should have done the preview.
Cute photo WonderK.
I've canoed the boundary waters in Minnesota and I can honestly say I don't remember any hills. Lots of crystal clear beautiful lakes, a waterfall or two, lots of mosquitoes and amazing sunsets, but no hills.
It only took 10 months, but I finally finished sanding and priming my bathroom. Woo-hoo! Next on the list... color.
heh heh lamb chop...lucky lady. I'm here its about 1 hr left...sigh
Thanks for the lolcats, Living in Gin. Have you seen icanhascheeseburger?
I have always wanted to canoe and trek 10,000 lake country..
Seems so primal.
Just checking in to say hello and farewell.....I'm leaving Cincinnati today and heading back to California really early in the morning. It's not soon enough though.....my stomach is all out of sorts and I feel like I've swelled up in just the two weeks I've been here. I can't wait to get back to my bike! It's no wonder they have an obesity problem here. Jeez.
snooker has returned as:
I had some of those major virus problems ended up totally dumping
everything and starting all over. So my Christmas Holiday was spent
spending alot of time on the phone with a couple of dudes from India. They were extremely interested in the whole Christmas Thing...
and they really liked hearing about snow......anyhow we be back again but with a twist on my ole handle.
Hope everyone is cranking it up for New Years!
I understand this is the 100th time the big ball has been dropped in New Yorks Times Square. They have once again re designed it with
Waterford Crystals and it going to be twice as bright as last years ball!
Gin you might want to wonder down there and join the crowd.
How is everyone doing with the pending new year? Is everyone making resolutions? Again I'm planning to quit smoking...yes yes yes I know...I've been very good recently. down a few every other other day. But other than that i'm drawing blanks...I might follow dubK and start cycling - but I can't do it to work, its on the other end of a mountainous island and I feel once I got there I'd be too gamey to interact with people. The problems of trying to do the right thing in a tropical climate...
That's a good question, techno. I really haven't given it much thought yet, but I suppose now is the time.
In the past, I've found goal-oriented resolutions to be more effective than the "do more" or "do less" resolutions. My resolution in 2006 was to finish IDP and begin taking the ARE; my resolution in 2007 was to pass the ARE. Both goals helped me to structure my plans for the entire year, and both were measurable and definitive.
But I, too, am stumped for a resolution for next year... It's something to ponder...
I think my New Years resolutions mostly center around taking better care of myself: see a dentist on a non-emergency basis, continue losing weight or at least don't gain any back, stuff like that. But I think there'll end up being one in there about pushing myself harder at school, too. That's important, as I feel like the past quarter I only got myself up to a basic senior-undergrad level in graphic design, and that's obviously not good enough. Maybe good enough for the first quarter, but can't let it stagnate there. I now know and respect the Swiss style, and it's time to move past it and get things done that really represent me.
Well, hell...vetica; I had to google "Swiss sytle" to refresh my memory about what it was.
Funny (and I'm going to contradict my previous post), grad school was the one place where having strict goals (like finishing the degree in x-amount of time, or simply fulfilling the given requirements, etc.) worked against me. When I finally let go and allowed myself to be absorbed into what the faculty was helping me to discover, I found myself producing much better work.
I guess what I'm trying to say, rationalist, is don't be discouraged by the work you produced in the first quarter. Rather, look forward to the opportunities in the next quarter.
hrm.. I'm not sure how that translates to a resolution. Your resolution could be to simply "make beautiful things."
I'm not discouraged by it, and think it's probably necessary given the background I was coming from, but I know that I can't stay in that place, either. I definitely got two good portfolio pieces out of it, being my info design spreads (linked to previously), and some political posters I did.
I think the resolution would be something more along the lines of trying to find my own voice. "Making beautiful things" is less helpful.
Hmm, I guess that there's a bit of a corrolary goal in there, something about narrowing down thesis options.... that's a little stressful to think about. I've got a good half-dozen ideas in play at the moment, and it's difficult to know what criteria to use to narrow them down.
my new resolution - to attack. attack architecture. spit and venom, fire and brimstone. punch holes in walls, crack open this staid profession and fuck all. i am tired of my passive voice. let the chips fall. if you - and by you, i mean you know who you are - don't like it, move out of my way or dig out from under my rubble.
i love lebbeus, so i want to come at this from a JGB perspective, beauty through destruction, repair as necessary, blood and guts always.
Hi TC.
My resolutions are the same as last year: be more patient with my son, and keep better track of my billable hours.
I blew them both last year!
Actually, I have a resolution to check out the church I went to Christmas Eve and attend their month of January weekly class on where Christianity is going in the 21st Century. It promises to be political and challenging, this church is quite liberal. I also have a bizarre personal history with this church, going back top my last job, that I'm ready to face now. More on that alter, it's not as dramatic as it sounds.
LiG, I may be emailing you on this: it's an Episcopal church, and coming from a Lutheran chilhood, I'm not quite sure what I'm in for. But you and I seem to be on similar wavelengths when religion comes up around here, so I may seek your counsel.
beta, attack everything with passion!
LB: If you grew up Lutheran, it actually shouldn't be too much of a culture shock, depending on what particular flavor of Lutheranism you're used to... The Episcopal Church USA and the ELCA (the largest and the most mainline Lutheran denomination in the US) are actually in full communion with each other now. Feel free to email me anytime, and I'll be happy to try to answer any questions.
My resolutions: Get into better shape, get my finances under control, improve my dating life and social life. They're the same resolutions I make every year, but this time I'm serious. I really mean it. I plan on taking the first steps right now.... As soon as I take a nap.
beta, i do hope you can avoid the blood and guts. i have seen enough real violence in my lifetime to not wish it on anyone, whether as metaphor or not. somehow the idea of seeking blood and guts just makes me sad. there is no such thing as beauty through destruction and lebbeus' work on war was prettily provocative but based on the sufferring of personal friends, which mostly just pisses me off. so fuck lebbeus woods.
a passionate life is worthwhile, but one filled with passionate bile? i think i will be one of those moving out of your way beta. but hope it works for you.
orhan, that is super cool news about rotondi, writing, and the rest. good vibes!!
holidays start for me today. we have wrapped up 2 projects this week, and just got our completion certificate from city for the home featured on our blog, though there will be some things to finish off after everyone starts working again next week. open house in 2 weeks if anyone is in tokyo and wants to hang out!
off to the countryside by train, fingers crossed we won't get caught in the mountains again, and a week visiting old friends and eating japanese food morning noon and night. as always i will lose weight over the hols (fish for breakfast for a week will do that to you). but will have enormous fun in the process. love new years. hate the slushy snow we get at the inlaws place, and the lack of central heating when it is almost 0 Celcius outside. but the friends and family make it all worthwhile. can't think of better way to start the new year...
hey tumbles, after potty training dogs really don't like to poo or pee where they live or where they are not supposed to.
but they do it to complain about something. having two from the related breed, i know they are really people oriented dogs. maybe mies is bothered with something. i hope she comes out the crate soon.;(.
probably you know all this i am saying anyway.
thanks jump.
hey all!
Claudia Wells, a fellow artist and friend from Philadelphia recently posted her photographs of some of Brian's early clay work on her flickr site, here. In turn, our bathroom here is filled with her little clay creations (Steven, you may remember them.)
These were way pre-Angus, I'm actually amazed that he got the baby imagery so right. They are very wierd, and funny and look like old friends right now.
LiG, I'll be emailing you when I get back to 'work" next week and have time for such things ;-)
i'm still alive... but i've completely missed the last 10 pages of TC... trying to catch up a bit...
i hope that everyone had a great christmas, hannukah, kwankaa, festivus, other... enjoy your new years festivities... be safe...
I just posted a semi-rant in the sketchup thread:
http://www.archinect.com/forum/threads.php?id=68984_0_42_0_C
someone please tell me I don't come off like a mad scientist or someone about to start a cult.
Doesn't sound at all like a rant.... That post makes a lot of sense. God save my projects from people who "know" AutoCAD based on textbook learning, but don't have a clue how to draft or how to build.
its been a sick post xmas so we've been in watching movies mostly
But one of the little tasks has been selling my old tiny truck (really tiny) and trying to come up with a name for my new house. A name you say? Yeah like in Japan, jump can you confirm, they don't really use house numbers per say, rather names...locals use their own names, snow birds come up with something crafty - and since I'm somewhere inbetween I've been trying to find something cool. We've been battling through names like Ohana - which is Hawaiian for Family (I'm not sure what my gf is trying to tell me) but it doesn't really work for me. WWTCD I need your creative juices...please.
Also the puppy has been strange - we haven't seen her go potty in about the last 12 hours...think she's sick?
liberty those are some disturbingly cool sculptures
the puppy is now staring outside seemingly begging to go for a walk, but neither of us well enough to do it at the moment. She's so gorgeous with her head on the pillow.
Archi...
Something in a foreign language? Even "home" sounds better with an accent..
Beta,
Personally, i hope to attack everything this year. For me this doesn't mean violence, but no complacency. I have big plans. Some of which will and some of which won't get done. But not from a lack of trying...
Also, i think to more generally be critical, not negatively but as a form of education/correction...
i was worried I was the only one alive
hey liberty, i got a cyberoptix tie! i am in love!
i haven't really seen that archi, though i think i've read about it somewhere.
there are no street names to speak of though as the mapping of cities is based on areas rather than lines...so a house address goes city name, ward name, municipality name, house number - a description of concentric rings that ends in a target pointing to one house. some people make a bit of a deal over this as evidence of a separate perception of urban form based on areas rather than streets...and maybe that has something to do with the idea of naming homes...?
i do know the postman made us put our name on our apt so he could be sure we were the right place to deliver to...he also is reluctant to deliver mail addressed to other people to our home and will actually ask us if its us...is kinda cool they take the time, cuz my family always gets our address wrong and it takes the mailman's local knowledge to get it delivered...so a name for a house is a good idea.
some of my uncles have named their houses. i think based on places they grew up in but are long gone now...their way of keeping some part of their history alive.
we arrived in countryside 11.30 pm last night. it is about 10 degrees c in our bedroom and my fingers are gettin cold. luckily the laptop is fairly warm in itself or it would be really something to think about. is a good way to do the local heating thing while wasting time, so am at least environmentally neutral....sort of. but if anyone tries to tell you japanese ever had a tradition of comfort don't believe them! what is most ironic for me is that this is the comfort of a renovated house, 100 + years old, and the father-in-law spent several hundred thousand dollars to restore the place, using trad techniques, real solid flooring etc. but it is so close to tradition that it is in some parts of the house nearly unliveable by todays standards...so he never leaves the living room (which is heated and has floor to ceiling double glazing looking at his backyard/park) - and the guest room/house is haptic in a way steven holl never imagined. brrrr. chilly!
Hey TC-
I feel like it's been forever since I last posted. Sounds like every one's got some good resolutions. I'm not known for thinking up New Year's resolutions b/c it seems as though they always fall by the wayside. I have one goal this year to become a LEED AP. I had every intention of taking the test last year, but I never followed through. I've come to the conclusion I just have to do it.
Anyway, I have two more days of comp time, so I'm planning on finishing the bathroom. I'm still not completely sure on the color, but am hoping I can make a decision by the morning so that I can go buy paint in the morning and have the first coat on by the time the New Year's festivities tomorrow evening.
My November/December Foreign Affairs edition is staring at me. Time to crack it open and start reading. There's only one dilemma; should I read it cover to cover or start with the most interesting essay? Tough decision. We shall see
beta, I got my husband the exhaust pipe tie for his birthday. He went on to build an entire suit and outfit around it, which he wore to a buddy's wedding in NYC (at the W, I think), and for which recieved sartorial praise.
He wore the same outfit to a holiday party recently, and one of the most upscale, respected women in the city not only told him she loved his outfit but actually got down on her knees to stroke his boot while saying it.
So be careful where you wear that tie!
nam, reading your post, I thought maybe you were suggesting that a-techno should name his home "archi-" something. Which might not be a bad idea, eh, a-techno? How about naming the house architecnophilia ...architechnohus ...architechnoshack...
i have to make whole pot of these for mme. sabroux's party tomorrow night. ~ 50 count. one by one, prep, roll them up, cook. no, these are 100x better than the ones you get in a can.
i consider the appreciation for these an advantegious eastern mediterranean condition.
ingredients;
olive oil, pine nuts, currants, onions, spoon of tomato paste, salt pepper and dash of cinnamon. process is long and laborous but if you have done them before a few times, it goes easy but still time consuming and many rules to follow. you want to avoid too salty and thick leaves.
of course the hardest part is to answer to relentless same question of "oh! it is out of this world...what's in it?" from the party attendants. it is called grape leaves sarma or dolma. it is vegetarian and lasts at least a week if refrigerated. you can also do it with cabbage leaves which i might if i change my mind tomorrow morning.
Grape leaves seem more mediterranean than cabbage leaves. The lemons are beautiful.
architechnophilia.....your name implies love of architecture, or great affection for architecture. So a natural transition might simply be "Love House". I think a place called Love House by a guy who calls himself architechnophilia would make sense.
Of course I would try to put a foreign language spin on it myself....maybe German, and call it "LiebeHaus", which sounds quite lovely. (tuna, is that right?)
I am back in LA now. I loved catching up with family and friends over break but I am relieved to be back in my own coordinated chaos here on the West Coast.
Time for dinner? I'm not sure anymore...
tuna- you have one day to register for the leed-ap exam and save $50 for you or your boss. good luck with the studying.
oh, I got a bathrobe to ward of the winter chill.
Thanks Barry, I'll definitely do that.
WK - You are pretty much correct. But b/c Haus is a neutral word (das Haus) it would actually be Liebeshaus. Kinda like Liebeskind. Kind or child is also neutral, therefore the architectural world has there very own LOVECHILD.
HA!! Please excuse, the German language cracks me up sometimes.
OMG! That's so funny. I had no idea. Liebeskind = Lovechild. Brilliant! The Ascent should use that in their advertising campaign somehow, with the blue trees. It's a stretch but surely there's an angle in there somewhere.
yes, that is a crappy nighttime shot of the Ascent but to my credit, Cincinnati was so gloomy while I was there that a daytime shot wouldn't have been much better
Oh Orhan, my mouth is watering.....I am sure they are delicious beyond belief, in part because they are made with love by an artist.
Excuse me, I have to go stop my child from riding his new bike around the living room.
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