good musical taste in the genes! congratulations again, acorn.
actually, is it 'seedling' or is that just short for 'seedling assassin'? one would indicate a sort of opposite-of-dad life trajectory and the other would indicate a chip off the old axe.
like father, like son.
likes beautiful women, likes art, likes sleeping, likes eating, talks with his mouthful...
not sure how much of a weeder he is, we'll find out in the next few few month.
everybody's well wishes really means a lot to us. thank you. A special shout out to SH who showed me all the path with her adventures of Abram. we'll need to have an archinect class of 2008 get together at some point.
Ha, a babies-of-archinect gathering, that would be hilarious! Angus already accuses me of only liking "boring architecture", if I told him we were having a playdate with a bunch of architect's kids he would probably welcome the opportunity to compare notes on how crazy their parents are!
tk, Steven is beautiful, and glad to hear he's doing well on the resting and eating fronts. Ms. tk really does need to take it easy - that abdominal surgery is never a picnic, and her poor body was exhausted from pregnancy/labor even before being cut open! Don't let her overexert, she needs to rest and should not be carrying anything but Steven. Take care of her - and I hope you have parents/relatives in town to be taking care of YOU right now?!?
Philarct that "love of sawdust" thread might be what you're looking for?
wow. congratulations tk! and welcome to the world steven starr! what a great name...
i feel compelled to say that all of the people that i know with larger than average heads, nam included, are exceptional people (with exceptional intellect).
not sure how yours went down, but i'll share my experience...perhaps just to offer for comparison to you and your wife my own less than straightforward birth...
i was 2 weeks late coming into this world...tall, a bit under 22 lbs, and evidently stubborn about leaving the lovely womb world. mom had to have a c-section because i was all folded up, coming out butt first (breech). when i finally was extracted my legs were folded up and when the nurses tried to straighten me out the legs would just spring right back into the folded position. i have especially flexible hamstrings, which i credit to this early encounter.
hope everyone enjoys their memorial day. sunny and 70's in nyc...
No...no.....a bit under 22 pounds *cannot* be right for a newborn....makes my hips hurt just thinking about it! Angus was 9#7 and he was freaking huge! You *must* be wrong on that number, AP, please, please tell me you were smaller than that....
well that would be a really good argument for a c-section, though...
i'm certain that angus wants the sculpture in your front yard, anyway, lb. why should the cool big toys his dad makes just go sit in some park somewhere? i notice that mr liberty bell's awesome car made it into the photo.
lb brian did a great job. had a proustian moment as i recall a youthful moment with friends of smashing one of those with huge rocks near some under construction tract houses in my neighborhood. we also burned a lot of model airplanes back in the day.
great scultpure LB... I can imagine myself sitting in it "upright" as the police haul me away.
I too am hoping AP meant 22" versus anything else. I was trying to image 22lbs and that's about 2/3 my pup and that's still HUGE. I should call my mum and find out how's she's doing after reading that.
lb- can I buy one of those? I'm sure steven starr will definitely want a few of brian's sculptures around our house (if I don't end up owning my very own skid loader).
tc is sure quiet this memorial day. I hope you are all making use of the lovely weather happening in your nation. Its barbi time...see previous as to the proper use of that term and the foods that constitute a bbq (ask Sarah if you have doubts)
Its raining here which is a welcome change - yesterday was 34 degrees and it was only 9:30 (I blame global warming and all those tree cutting bastards that wear Brookes brothers suits and a recycle logo on their Hummers...bastards I tell you) <- eco rant!!
Well I'm alive and feeling a little bad for not being more communicative. Truth is I've been absorbed by the HBO series that Hawaii Guy brought for me to watch, called Rome, which I had heard of but never seen. Well 2 days later I'm done with Season 1 and jonesing for Season 2. It's rather enthralling.
Speaking of Hawaii Guy, it seems that following his weekend visit we're officially an item now. I'm still averse to the term "boyfriend" though, so if anyone has anything better, please let me know. Otherwise he will heretofore be referred to as "WonderMan".
liberty bell....I love love LOVE Mr. liberty bell's sculpture. That thing is kick-ass! How does he do it? What's it made of? Details, please! :o)
Good Morning TC-
Hope everyone's Memorial Day weekend was a good one. I spent a good chunk of time with my fam (brothers to exact), which was quite nice, considering I haven't really seen them since the end of March. I rarely see them, which amazes me considering we actually live in the same city. But oh well.
I'm completely high off of Benadryll at the moment. Took two last night b/c my allergies were driving me crazy... and well they still haven't worn off.
Got an email today inroducing me to this cool site. I'm sure most of you already know about it but I thought I'd share anyway. Have a good day.
Wow, TK, your poor wife. Glad its all over/better. He is cute. Thank you for posting his picture AFTER the clean-up.
My weekend went ok. Had to single-mom from Wednesday until Sunday, which SUCKS, and I must say I don't know how any of them do it. But Husband finally got home, with a 4th place grin (thats good for them) and a plush 'Conneticut Lobster' for Abram. I asked him how do we know it isnt a crawfish, but it does say Conneticut, and I guess they don't have crawfish up there.
Oh, and another email from EB. Apparently, she is actually a he, whoops, and I caused him to lose a bet over my actual existence. Oh well. I will have to say thank you to Yahoo for revealing his name, but in spirit of the game, I will keep it a secret. Not that I know who he is anyway.
hi all. Yesterday was a snoozey one. Unlike you lucky 'merikans I was at work and it was labourious and difficult trying to stay awake with the rains. The showers kept on for most of the evening and finally stopped about 9pm. After which it was stiller than a pregnant possum.
WonderMan aka dub-man take care of our archinect treasure.
Sarah we have crawfish here in Montserrat and I can't tell the difference between those and janga, shrimp, or anything else that turns pink when you cook um.
40 Years ago - today - this morning [10:30 AM to be exact; a Monday morning, Memorial Day no less] - a blond haired, blue-eyed child was born to a mother and a father. The father was not there - which if you knew the child you'd come to find out that the father, if ever there, was hardly there when he was "there." He was in Korea, you know the DMZ, the place where holding back the Commies was, at the time, seemingly "important" to our collective values. My, oh my how times have changed - he said with a grin. The mother, there and always there, loved and still loves the blond haired, blue-eyed boy, and even though the boy made life rough on the mother, he remains the No. 1 son.
The boy would be born between the assassinations of MLK and RFK, and during the most turbulent time of the 20th century; Undeclared War, unrest in France, GWB was "avoiding" service in Nam, a Submarine is lost, strife in the Middle East, the world was in flux. Flash forward to today; a Kennedy is dying, an African-American named Obama is running for President - and yes a white Person talks about assassination, we are in a War no one wants, and yes there is still strife in the Middle East. Perhaps this is just coincidence, but the blond haired, blue-eyed boy thinks this is serendipitous.
The boy would be generally a fun-loving child. At the early age of 1 he would experience the worst of a world newly forming before his eyes. He and his family would experience the justifiable rage of a people looking to exact justice, from a world that offered little, but his parents would not find fault and would only seek to try and offer a world free of inequality. At the tender age of 3, he, the blue-eyed boy would experience pain for the first time, minor burns form boiling water - remember to turn handles into the stove - another portent of a past-future remembered. At 4 the boy would learn that, newly waxed floors are not to be run on and emergency room doctors lie. Needles in the mouth area would plague the boy well past his boyhood and into his manhood. At the age of 5, well nearly 6, the boy would go through the start of his first of many life altering experiences; he would suffer a skull fracture after being kicked off a playground slide - he and a accomplice went up the wrong end and the boy got stuck, accomplice slid down, boy go boom. The fracture would turn his head - part of his dome, you really can't see it now - into a simile for a crushed ping-pong ball. The boy would be in the hospital for 2 weeks, and he can remember is the 7 nurses holding him down to jamb what looked like a 2' needle in him, prior to surgery, the red speed boat outside his window, being put back on IV after "choking" on a piece of food, and the McD's Big Mac and Strawberry Shake.
Later the boy and his family - two other siblings, don't want to forget them - would move too Germany. Germany is where the boy would endure more events to shape his soon to be future life. He would suffer from Petit Mal seizures, that teachers would not see, and would quickly label this child a "problem child." The children would make fun of and ostracize him, making friends would be difficult, although the boy remembers Kevin Bell and his brothers; Mike and "Blimp," and they managed to protect him. They would not however protect him from seizures, and the subsequent EEG's that were performed in old German buildings turned into Air Force hospitals. The early procedures were painful at best, and absolutely torture at worst - something about German buildings and torture could be inserted here, but Elaine Scarry seems to capture the moments aptly - would define the blond haired, blue-eyed boy's world, for 3 more years.
to all the Canadians I just had a clam and beer for lunch, and it was yummy. It went well with the ceasar I had for breakfast on Sunday. I am not usually inclined to drink during work hours (liquid lunch) but lately I don't give a damn!
happy b-day Beta, is that the start of your memoir?
happy b-day n_
wK, congrats on snagging the dub-man. Rome is great, my only complaint is the replacement of the actor playing Octavian part of the way through (even if there is logic there). So who is your fav of the characters so far? (if you like rome, you'll also like Deadwood & Battle Star Gallectica - if you haven't already seen them...)
The starrman is approaching his one week old milestone- what a profound transformation we've witnessed so far.
love the tonka truck lb- did angus provide inspiration with his toys? actually, tonka trucks are probably more of a 'previous generation toys' i guess... or do they still make them? hmm.
and also, congrats to dubK & dubM [love how we keep twisting these names].
At age ten. Well, seizures are gone from our blue-eyed boy. Gone. Stupidity isn't though. The Family - now increased by one - moves to Indianastan - learns about tornado's, blizzards, dairy farms and Livestock News Shows, oh the fun! You wish the fun could end there right? But no, the blond haired, blue-eyed boy decides after seeing the 1978 blockbuster Hooper, that he wants to be a stunt man! Yee-haw!
I must digress here a bit, because I remembered some interesting parts of being 4 and 5. I lived in Texas for a short time, in Ft. Hood
and in Temple
and in that time I encountered what, to this day, would be some of the most fucked up shit ever. My first day in Temple me and this neighbor kid encountered a water moccasin snake, his dad the Green Beret scared it away. We, on a daily basis encountered scorpions and other poisonous snakes and ants. When we had rainstorms, the crawdads would invade the parking lot. I saw my first drive-in movie behind the swamp - the swamp where one day to older neighbor kids would go with their knives, and proceed to kill as many poisonous snakes they could - to see Mary Poppins
. Wild shit. I first got in trouble - big time - for giving a kid the middle finger - I swear mom, I was giving it to the devil, and not to Jesus! - got a beaten for that one. I went to Baptist Sunday School, learned that my parents were gonna go to Hell for cursing, and that my mom had dreams of me becoming a Minister - uh, sorry there too ma! In Ft. Hood, I got bit by a dog, went to some underground caverns, went surf casting with neighbor friends, and learned that you could eat pigeon - well, you could if you were the redneck racists living next door. Oh yeah them, when they found out my father's good friend from the 'Nam was BLACK, well we became the proverbial race traitors. Damn Honkey's. That's enough about that State - GWB can have it.
Back to 1978 and my Hooper story.
The blue-eyed soul thought shit, it'd be REAL cool if he rode his chopper 'round the hood, and then attempt to put his feet on the middle bar and ride without his hands on the handlebars. Cool, the chicks will flock to him, the boys will envy him and the townies will give him a parade. Funny how cool, a striped tank top, a chopper with shifter, and chicks could make you act all stoopid. Only, here's the thing; the pedals had no rubber on it, zero. Ego, hot chicks, broken gear, and a bad Burt Reynolds movie can only equal one thing = bad news for the fair haired, blue-eyed boy. Yep, you guessed it - BIFFED -IT HARD - at first the boy felt like he had the wind knocked out of him, but when he lifted his tank top, he found blood - now where could that come from? - shit, there's a laceration across his abdomen, what's inside? Yes, our boy looked inside - to see what he was made of, and he in some respects is still looking - [this seems to be a point I will carry with me over into my architectural thinking], wow that shit is whack, wow it's a deep cut, oh shit, I might DIE! No, pops, keep mom over by the curb, she'll freak - you remember the ambulance ride when I had the skull fracture, she should stay away - the Vietnam Vet Medic is doing fine. Emergency Room was a joy, this whining woman next to me and I am staying strong, nearly broke the doctor's finger. Well, I was in the hospital for four days, and during my short stay my hero Ali
was whipping Spinks in Ali v. Spinks 2. I always thought he was fighting for me, in fact I lobbied the doctors to keep me there so I could watch the fight by myself. The local Scouting Troop enlisted me, and I visited an architect's office for the first time, and there we have it folks, my connection of pain and architecture. After that stint, the Ft. Ben Harrison Rod and Gun Club told me to go to Toys R Us and buy whatever I wanted so, I bought every single Star Wars
figure in existence. I know the chicks definitely dug me then.
Later in 1978 the blue-eyed boy moved to Fort Monmouth. He met what would become his oldest friend, Clayton. Clayton, sensing the new weak kid in class, kept him from being picked on by the other kids. He would teach about many things; the thing I remember is learning about [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_James]Rick James[/ur] although I still don't think I know what Superfreak means.
The blue-eyed boy played soccer - because over protective mother would not allow football - and schooled many so-called players.
In junior high I learned about love and loss. I learned that trying to look cool for a girl in the roller rink can only lead to disaster - repeating mistakes, I know - and little kids will take your legs out, and you will fracture the radial head bone in your elbow. That next day I also learned about assassination - again - Reagan
only 4 months after Lennon's death
. Damn girls, why you all make us act like fools?!
High School. I hated it. Loved The Number of the Beast
, I loved getting shit faced with friends. I even downed a fifth of JD to show off. I loved DnD
and my personal favorite Villians and Vigilantes
! I dabbled in art class, read a little, tried graphic design, and generally felt I was going nowhere fast, and you know what, I did.
Parents divorced in 1983. Mother had to go on public assistance - 4 kids, no college, minimum wage job = desperate times - we moved in with my mother's boyfriend, he was cool and an ass.
In between sophomore and junior year I was playing basketball in the summer - I was pretty active, even if I was a bit chubbsy-ubsy - with a friend and that was when I fractured my ankle and tore the tendons in my ankle. Because of my laid up status, I was 3 feet from the refrigerator, watching 1984
, well needless to say, I got fat - quickly. So, going back to play soccer in junior year was not gonna happen. Never had anyone to show me how to get in shape. This will figure later, trust me.
After graduation I did little, oh wait, I did wreck my friends 1969 GTX, suwheat! I lost most, no wait, I lost all of my high school friends because of that. No worries, most were not worth a bucket of spit. Clay moved to GA. after freshman year. I did, however, meet up with some new guys; John Pappas, Dom Dill, and Joe Dockery - we wore our hair long and our beards longer. We drove 1970's and 1960's Chrysler products, and the Jersey Shore feared us, we were the epitome of Born To Run
and I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide
. We rocked and we drank - hell, I wasn't even 21 and I could get served. Ah, Golden Years
Next:
2[2] 30 or How To Get Burned by your Father and still get found guilty of assault.
beta...i was 40 when I finally was registered....my life working poor before......still working poor....with a shit load of work on the board.
54...my wife reminded me today...oh hell architects are not good until their old. On another note....took Frito back to the vet for a
check up.....and Damn if he isn't going to be in a cone head for another two weeks....it seems he is a stuborn bugger and had a third testicle....which needs to be removed at no cost. I guess he is a freak dog....so the vet can publish it in a journal. For the record we are not looking forward to the cone...massive below the knee brusing for the Mrs. and summer is coming along... Pick it up Bud....Life is good for you know....cause you have a field of Friends!!!!!!here at Architect. I relish every positive thing you post....but please don't drag your self down....cause we can all match you tit for tat. Were all survivors!
LOL!!! A third testicle snook? I've never heard of such a thing. I hopeFrito gets out of cone soon.
beta - I agree, don't dwell on the bad stuff. We've all had our trying times. Relish in the good memories. Those are the ones to keep close to your heart and will keep you sane when times are rough. I too thoroughly enjoy your insightfeul posts so keep them up. Oh and one more thing that I think you'd get a kick out of... my 23 month old nephew runs around constantly saying "Obama, Obama, Obama!!!!!" See even the children love him ;o)
On Tonka trucks, most now are made of plastic, but they brought the old school metal ones back at christmas for some sort of anniversary thing. I hope they continue them.
And beta, aren't you the one with the really cute blonde/blue eyed son? Wearing the crazy glasses? I'm sure you are...now I have to go and look.
And with as many hospital trips as you've had so far, I can understand your mother being protective...you were expensive!
Oh, damn, it was OldFogey's kid, but this is who I was picturing in the first posting of the memior.
At age fifty, after having designed your best work of architecture, you still felt empty, and unsatified. You finally came clean, roamed the world for a few years, and returned to the U S of A as a woman.
lol Sarah. Beta your story is reviting, and the writing style is def w2.0 - my soul aches with the passion you've written.
Now for something completely different. I woke up rather upset this morning. It was directed at the so - bad dream, but timely cause she leaves for a 3 month sabbatical in a couple days. Anger seems to surface when you know you'll be without the one you love for a while. I'll keep busy whilst she's gone, and try not to get up to old trips (mid week drinking, smoking, blah blah) and try to be responsible (clean house, work on project, work on sale agree for new purchase, find another plot of land, register development company, etc) - oh and get my ass a passport and visit the archinecteurs
Freudian slip I'm sure...trips should read as tricks
ps. we are building a pergola to over the apartment downstairs. My design, her friends are building it, she's managing and changing my designs. Loved ones should never be clients I had to count to ten a few times yesterday afternoon - reminding her that it was her house, and she could do what she liked, whilst in my head I kept repeating "that's why I bought my own house, so I could do what I liked!"
Atechno - I was wondering about the passport issue when you first discussed your trip. What all is involved? And where is the SO going this time around? Sounds like you have a lot of great ideas/projects going.
LOL Sarah!!!! Beta coming back as a woman at age fifty? ... Hmmmmm.
techno, I have to agree with you there. My dad is EASILY the worst client I've ever had. I look forward to the day when both our business ventures are going well enough that I can say, "sorry, I don't have time to take that on, but can I recommend someone else for you?"
Some paradigms never change: vado just called me bitching to high heaven about the same problem he posted about on the paradigm shift thread. Thank goodness we architects have each other to feel one another's pain!
vado, hope your afternoon is getting better, dear!
Thread Central
good musical taste in the genes! congratulations again, acorn.
actually, is it 'seedling' or is that just short for 'seedling assassin'? one would indicate a sort of opposite-of-dad life trajectory and the other would indicate a chip off the old axe.
like father, like son.
likes beautiful women, likes art, likes sleeping, likes eating, talks with his mouthful...
not sure how much of a weeder he is, we'll find out in the next few few month.
everybody's well wishes really means a lot to us. thank you. A special shout out to SH who showed me all the path with her adventures of Abram. we'll need to have an archinect class of 2008 get together at some point.
Ha, a babies-of-archinect gathering, that would be hilarious! Angus already accuses me of only liking "boring architecture", if I told him we were having a playdate with a bunch of architect's kids he would probably welcome the opportunity to compare notes on how crazy their parents are!
tk, Steven is beautiful, and glad to hear he's doing well on the resting and eating fronts. Ms. tk really does need to take it easy - that abdominal surgery is never a picnic, and her poor body was exhausted from pregnancy/labor even before being cut open! Don't let her overexert, she needs to rest and should not be carrying anything but Steven. Take care of her - and I hope you have parents/relatives in town to be taking care of YOU right now?!?
Philarct that "love of sawdust" thread might be what you're looking for?
orhan-
when can we get one?
Here is my husband's newest "baby" - guess it's mine too since it will be parked in our garage when the exhibition run is complete!
wow. congratulations tk! and welcome to the world steven starr! what a great name...
i feel compelled to say that all of the people that i know with larger than average heads, nam included, are exceptional people (with exceptional intellect).
not sure how yours went down, but i'll share my experience...perhaps just to offer for comparison to you and your wife my own less than straightforward birth...
i was 2 weeks late coming into this world...tall, a bit under 22 lbs, and evidently stubborn about leaving the lovely womb world. mom had to have a c-section because i was all folded up, coming out butt first (breech). when i finally was extracted my legs were folded up and when the nurses tried to straighten me out the legs would just spring right back into the folded position. i have especially flexible hamstrings, which i credit to this early encounter.
hope everyone enjoys their memorial day. sunny and 70's in nyc...
No...no.....a bit under 22 pounds *cannot* be right for a newborn....makes my hips hurt just thinking about it! Angus was 9#7 and he was freaking huge! You *must* be wrong on that number, AP, please, please tell me you were smaller than that....
well that would be a really good argument for a c-section, though...
i'm certain that angus wants the sculpture in your front yard, anyway, lb. why should the cool big toys his dad makes just go sit in some park somewhere? i notice that mr liberty bell's awesome car made it into the photo.
AP, why thank you, and that is also an interesting theory for your flexibility. I wonder if that explains mine too?
Also, LB, that is a pretty wicked sculpture. Your husband did that?
lb brian did a great job. had a proustian moment as i recall a youthful moment with friends of smashing one of those with huge rocks near some under construction tract houses in my neighborhood. we also burned a lot of model airplanes back in the day.
hahah....oops. a bit under 22 inches tall, 9ish pounds. my bad...
great scultpure LB... I can imagine myself sitting in it "upright" as the police haul me away.
I too am hoping AP meant 22" versus anything else. I was trying to image 22lbs and that's about 2/3 my pup and that's still HUGE. I should call my mum and find out how's she's doing after reading that.
Happy Memorial Day to all the yanks on TC
lb- can I buy one of those? I'm sure steven starr will definitely want a few of brian's sculptures around our house (if I don't end up owning my very own skid loader).
tk, i don't know where i saw it but here is a source. of course i abracadabra'd it..;.))
http://www.soul-flower.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=SOL021&Category_Code=TD&Product_Count=16
tc is sure quiet this memorial day. I hope you are all making use of the lovely weather happening in your nation. Its barbi time...see previous as to the proper use of that term and the foods that constitute a bbq (ask Sarah if you have doubts)
Its raining here which is a welcome change - yesterday was 34 degrees and it was only 9:30 (I blame global warming and all those tree cutting bastards that wear Brookes brothers suits and a recycle logo on their Hummers...bastards I tell you) <- eco rant!!
barbeque rocks...i fired up my george foreman grill for some hot dogs today! sadly, i couldn't find any zima to wash it down with.
Well I'm alive and feeling a little bad for not being more communicative. Truth is I've been absorbed by the HBO series that Hawaii Guy brought for me to watch, called Rome, which I had heard of but never seen. Well 2 days later I'm done with Season 1 and jonesing for Season 2. It's rather enthralling.
Speaking of Hawaii Guy, it seems that following his weekend visit we're officially an item now. I'm still averse to the term "boyfriend" though, so if anyone has anything better, please let me know. Otherwise he will heretofore be referred to as "WonderMan".
liberty bell....I love love LOVE Mr. liberty bell's sculpture. That thing is kick-ass! How does he do it? What's it made of? Details, please! :o)
Good Morning TC-
Hope everyone's Memorial Day weekend was a good one. I spent a good chunk of time with my fam (brothers to exact), which was quite nice, considering I haven't really seen them since the end of March. I rarely see them, which amazes me considering we actually live in the same city. But oh well.
I'm completely high off of Benadryll at the moment. Took two last night b/c my allergies were driving me crazy... and well they still haven't worn off.
Got an email today inroducing me to this cool site. I'm sure most of you already know about it but I thought I'd share anyway. Have a good day.
Wow, TK, your poor wife. Glad its all over/better. He is cute. Thank you for posting his picture AFTER the clean-up.
My weekend went ok. Had to single-mom from Wednesday until Sunday, which SUCKS, and I must say I don't know how any of them do it. But Husband finally got home, with a 4th place grin (thats good for them) and a plush 'Conneticut Lobster' for Abram. I asked him how do we know it isnt a crawfish, but it does say Conneticut, and I guess they don't have crawfish up there.
Oh, and another email from EB. Apparently, she is actually a he, whoops, and I caused him to lose a bet over my actual existence. Oh well. I will have to say thank you to Yahoo for revealing his name, but in spirit of the game, I will keep it a secret. Not that I know who he is anyway.
hi all. Yesterday was a snoozey one. Unlike you lucky 'merikans I was at work and it was labourious and difficult trying to stay awake with the rains. The showers kept on for most of the evening and finally stopped about 9pm. After which it was stiller than a pregnant possum.
WonderMan aka dub-man take care of our archinect treasure.
Sarah we have crawfish here in Montserrat and I can't tell the difference between those and janga, shrimp, or anything else that turns pink when you cook um.
40 Years ago - today - this morning [10:30 AM to be exact; a Monday morning, Memorial Day no less] - a blond haired, blue-eyed child was born to a mother and a father. The father was not there - which if you knew the child you'd come to find out that the father, if ever there, was hardly there when he was "there." He was in Korea, you know the DMZ, the place where holding back the Commies was, at the time, seemingly "important" to our collective values. My, oh my how times have changed - he said with a grin. The mother, there and always there, loved and still loves the blond haired, blue-eyed boy, and even though the boy made life rough on the mother, he remains the No. 1 son.
The boy would be born between the assassinations of MLK and RFK, and during the most turbulent time of the 20th century; Undeclared War, unrest in France, GWB was "avoiding" service in Nam, a Submarine is lost, strife in the Middle East, the world was in flux. Flash forward to today; a Kennedy is dying, an African-American named Obama is running for President - and yes a white Person talks about assassination, we are in a War no one wants, and yes there is still strife in the Middle East. Perhaps this is just coincidence, but the blond haired, blue-eyed boy thinks this is serendipitous.
The boy would be generally a fun-loving child. At the early age of 1 he would experience the worst of a world newly forming before his eyes. He and his family would experience the justifiable rage of a people looking to exact justice, from a world that offered little, but his parents would not find fault and would only seek to try and offer a world free of inequality. At the tender age of 3, he, the blue-eyed boy would experience pain for the first time, minor burns form boiling water - remember to turn handles into the stove - another portent of a past-future remembered. At 4 the boy would learn that, newly waxed floors are not to be run on and emergency room doctors lie. Needles in the mouth area would plague the boy well past his boyhood and into his manhood. At the age of 5, well nearly 6, the boy would go through the start of his first of many life altering experiences; he would suffer a skull fracture after being kicked off a playground slide - he and a accomplice went up the wrong end and the boy got stuck, accomplice slid down, boy go boom. The fracture would turn his head - part of his dome, you really can't see it now - into a simile for a crushed ping-pong ball. The boy would be in the hospital for 2 weeks, and he can remember is the 7 nurses holding him down to jamb what looked like a 2' needle in him, prior to surgery, the red speed boat outside his window, being put back on IV after "choking" on a piece of food, and the McD's Big Mac and Strawberry Shake.
Later the boy and his family - two other siblings, don't want to forget them - would move too Germany. Germany is where the boy would endure more events to shape his soon to be future life. He would suffer from Petit Mal seizures, that teachers would not see, and would quickly label this child a "problem child." The children would make fun of and ostracize him, making friends would be difficult, although the boy remembers Kevin Bell and his brothers; Mike and "Blimp," and they managed to protect him. They would not however protect him from seizures, and the subsequent EEG's that were performed in old German buildings turned into Air Force hospitals. The early procedures were painful at best, and absolutely torture at worst - something about German buildings and torture could be inserted here, but Elaine Scarry seems to capture the moments aptly - would define the blond haired, blue-eyed boy's world, for 3 more years.
At age ten.
[to be continued]
This is the most gripping birthday story I've ever seen.
Until it's continued, Happy Birthday, beta.
Yes indeed, it is a very gripping story. Happy 40th Birthday Beta!!!! I hope you celebrate it in all its grandeur.
Beta - We have the same birthday. Funny, eh?
Happy Birthday.
It's my Quarter Century birthday.
Happy Birthday Beta and n__ 40 & 25...cool
happy birthday beta and n_
to all the Canadians I just had a clam and beer for lunch, and it was yummy. It went well with the ceasar I had for breakfast on Sunday. I am not usually inclined to drink during work hours (liquid lunch) but lately I don't give a damn!
im feeling really productive today
i just took two online quizzes for my health class
and scored 100 on both
then i beat minesweeper on expert twice
i gotta say it feels good
is everbody else having a good day?
Happy Birthday you whippershnapperz
Happy Birthday to you too, n____!
happy b-day Beta, is that the start of your memoir?
happy b-day n_
wK, congrats on snagging the dub-man. Rome is great, my only complaint is the replacement of the actor playing Octavian part of the way through (even if there is logic there). So who is your fav of the characters so far? (if you like rome, you'll also like Deadwood & Battle Star Gallectica - if you haven't already seen them...)
The starrman is approaching his one week old milestone- what a profound transformation we've witnessed so far.
happy birthday, beta and n_______!!
love the tonka truck lb- did angus provide inspiration with his toys? actually, tonka trucks are probably more of a 'previous generation toys' i guess... or do they still make them? hmm.
and also, congrats to dubK & dubM [love how we keep twisting these names].
happy one week starman
>10 2 20<
I must digress here a bit, because I remembered some interesting parts of being 4 and 5. I lived in Texas for a short time, in Ft. Hood and in Temple and in that time I encountered what, to this day, would be some of the most fucked up shit ever. My first day in Temple me and this neighbor kid encountered a water moccasin snake, his dad the Green Beret scared it away. We, on a daily basis encountered scorpions and other poisonous snakes and ants. When we had rainstorms, the crawdads would invade the parking lot. I saw my first drive-in movie behind the swamp - the swamp where one day to older neighbor kids would go with their knives, and proceed to kill as many poisonous snakes they could - to see Mary Poppins . Wild shit. I first got in trouble - big time - for giving a kid the middle finger - I swear mom, I was giving it to the devil, and not to Jesus! - got a beaten for that one. I went to Baptist Sunday School, learned that my parents were gonna go to Hell for cursing, and that my mom had dreams of me becoming a Minister - uh, sorry there too ma! In Ft. Hood, I got bit by a dog, went to some underground caverns, went surf casting with neighbor friends, and learned that you could eat pigeon - well, you could if you were the redneck racists living next door. Oh yeah them, when they found out my father's good friend from the 'Nam was BLACK, well we became the proverbial race traitors. Damn Honkey's. That's enough about that State - GWB can have it.At age ten. Well, seizures are gone from our blue-eyed boy. Gone. Stupidity isn't though. The Family - now increased by one - moves to Indianastan - learns about tornado's, blizzards, dairy farms and Livestock News Shows, oh the fun! You wish the fun could end there right? But no, the blond haired, blue-eyed boy decides after seeing the 1978 blockbuster Hooper, that he wants to be a stunt man! Yee-haw!
Back to 1978 and my Hooper story.
The blue-eyed soul thought shit, it'd be REAL cool if he rode his chopper 'round the hood, and then attempt to put his feet on the middle bar and ride without his hands on the handlebars. Cool, the chicks will flock to him, the boys will envy him and the townies will give him a parade. Funny how cool, a striped tank top, a chopper with shifter, and chicks could make you act all stoopid. Only, here's the thing; the pedals had no rubber on it, zero. Ego, hot chicks, broken gear, and a bad Burt Reynolds movie can only equal one thing = bad news for the fair haired, blue-eyed boy. Yep, you guessed it - BIFFED -IT HARD - at first the boy felt like he had the wind knocked out of him, but when he lifted his tank top, he found blood - now where could that come from? - shit, there's a laceration across his abdomen, what's inside? Yes, our boy looked inside - to see what he was made of, and he in some respects is still looking - [this seems to be a point I will carry with me over into my architectural thinking], wow that shit is whack, wow it's a deep cut, oh shit, I might DIE! No, pops, keep mom over by the curb, she'll freak - you remember the ambulance ride when I had the skull fracture, she should stay away - the Vietnam Vet Medic is doing fine. Emergency Room was a joy, this whining woman next to me and I am staying strong, nearly broke the doctor's finger. Well, I was in the hospital for four days, and during my short stay my hero Ali was whipping Spinks in Ali v. Spinks 2. I always thought he was fighting for me, in fact I lobbied the doctors to keep me there so I could watch the fight by myself. The local Scouting Troop enlisted me, and I visited an architect's office for the first time, and there we have it folks, my connection of pain and architecture. After that stint, the Ft. Ben Harrison Rod and Gun Club told me to go to Toys R Us and buy whatever I wanted so, I bought every single Star Wars figure in existence. I know the chicks definitely dug me then.
Later in 1978 the blue-eyed boy moved to Fort Monmouth. He met what would become his oldest friend, Clayton. Clayton, sensing the new weak kid in class, kept him from being picked on by the other kids. He would teach about many things; the thing I remember is learning about [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_James]Rick James[/ur] although I still don't think I know what Superfreak means.
The blue-eyed boy played soccer - because over protective mother would not allow football - and schooled many so-called players.
In junior high I learned about love and loss. I learned that trying to look cool for a girl in the roller rink can only lead to disaster - repeating mistakes, I know - and little kids will take your legs out, and you will fracture the radial head bone in your elbow. That next day I also learned about assassination - again - Reagan only 4 months after Lennon's death . Damn girls, why you all make us act like fools?!
High School. I hated it. Loved The Number of the Beast , I loved getting shit faced with friends. I even downed a fifth of JD to show off. I loved DnD and my personal favorite Villians and Vigilantes ! I dabbled in art class, read a little, tried graphic design, and generally felt I was going nowhere fast, and you know what, I did.
Parents divorced in 1983. Mother had to go on public assistance - 4 kids, no college, minimum wage job = desperate times - we moved in with my mother's boyfriend, he was cool and an ass.
In between sophomore and junior year I was playing basketball in the summer - I was pretty active, even if I was a bit chubbsy-ubsy - with a friend and that was when I fractured my ankle and tore the tendons in my ankle. Because of my laid up status, I was 3 feet from the refrigerator, watching 1984 , well needless to say, I got fat - quickly. So, going back to play soccer in junior year was not gonna happen. Never had anyone to show me how to get in shape. This will figure later, trust me.
After graduation I did little, oh wait, I did wreck my friends 1969 GTX, suwheat! I lost most, no wait, I lost all of my high school friends because of that. No worries, most were not worth a bucket of spit. Clay moved to GA. after freshman year. I did, however, meet up with some new guys; John Pappas, Dom Dill, and Joe Dockery - we wore our hair long and our beards longer. We drove 1970's and 1960's Chrysler products, and the Jersey Shore feared us, we were the epitome of Born To Run and I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide . We rocked and we drank - hell, I wasn't even 21 and I could get served. Ah, Golden Years
Next:
2[2] 30 or How To Get Burned by your Father and still get found guilty of assault.
Happy 25th n_
Happy 1st week starrman
aml - Tonka Trucks still exist. I looked at them at Xmas last year for my nephew but as he's 7, he's grown out of the truck loving stage :o(.
happy birthdays kiddos...
beta...i was 40 when I finally was registered....my life working poor before......still working poor....with a shit load of work on the board.
54...my wife reminded me today...oh hell architects are not good until their old. On another note....took Frito back to the vet for a
check up.....and Damn if he isn't going to be in a cone head for another two weeks....it seems he is a stuborn bugger and had a third testicle....which needs to be removed at no cost. I guess he is a freak dog....so the vet can publish it in a journal. For the record we are not looking forward to the cone...massive below the knee brusing for the Mrs. and summer is coming along... Pick it up Bud....Life is good for you know....cause you have a field of Friends!!!!!!here at Architect. I relish every positive thing you post....but please don't drag your self down....cause we can all match you tit for tat. Were all survivors!
LOL!!! A third testicle snook? I've never heard of such a thing. I hopeFrito gets out of cone soon.
beta - I agree, don't dwell on the bad stuff. We've all had our trying times. Relish in the good memories. Those are the ones to keep close to your heart and will keep you sane when times are rough. I too thoroughly enjoy your insightfeul posts so keep them up. Oh and one more thing that I think you'd get a kick out of... my 23 month old nephew runs around constantly saying "Obama, Obama, Obama!!!!!" See even the children love him ;o)
Oops. My nephew is 19 months. My bad. Considering my brother is a die hard Republican it's even funnier/cuter. Tee hee!!!!
On Tonka trucks, most now are made of plastic, but they brought the old school metal ones back at christmas for some sort of anniversary thing. I hope they continue them.
And beta, aren't you the one with the really cute blonde/blue eyed son? Wearing the crazy glasses? I'm sure you are...now I have to go and look.
And with as many hospital trips as you've had so far, I can understand your mother being protective...you were expensive!
Oh, damn, it was OldFogey's kid, but this is who I was picturing in the first posting of the memior.
tuna and snook, this is going somewhere, so bear with me - only two parts left or 3; i think EVERYONE will be surprised by [t]his story.
sarah, alas, no kids...but i was a toe head like OF's.
Beta, let me guess...
At age fifty, after having designed your best work of architecture, you still felt empty, and unsatified. You finally came clean, roamed the world for a few years, and returned to the U S of A as a woman.
lol Sarah. Beta your story is reviting, and the writing style is def w2.0 - my soul aches with the passion you've written.
Now for something completely different. I woke up rather upset this morning. It was directed at the so - bad dream, but timely cause she leaves for a 3 month sabbatical in a couple days. Anger seems to surface when you know you'll be without the one you love for a while. I'll keep busy whilst she's gone, and try not to get up to old trips (mid week drinking, smoking, blah blah) and try to be responsible (clean house, work on project, work on sale agree for new purchase, find another plot of land, register development company, etc) - oh and get my ass a passport and visit the archinecteurs
Freudian slip I'm sure...trips should read as tricks
ps. we are building a pergola to over the apartment downstairs. My design, her friends are building it, she's managing and changing my designs. Loved ones should never be clients I had to count to ten a few times yesterday afternoon - reminding her that it was her house, and she could do what she liked, whilst in my head I kept repeating "that's why I bought my own house, so I could do what I liked!"
Damn that's a cute photo. I was a towhead too.
Atechno - I was wondering about the passport issue when you first discussed your trip. What all is involved? And where is the SO going this time around? Sounds like you have a lot of great ideas/projects going.
LOL Sarah!!!! Beta coming back as a woman at age fifty? ... Hmmmmm.
happy birthday, beta!
techno, I have to agree with you there. My dad is EASILY the worst client I've ever had. I look forward to the day when both our business ventures are going well enough that I can say, "sorry, I don't have time to take that on, but can I recommend someone else for you?"
Well, I'm bored out of my gourd today. Wheres that other installment, Beta?
Sarah here's some visual stimulation
Is that the pergola or something else Atechno?
Some paradigms never change: vado just called me bitching to high heaven about the same problem he posted about on the paradigm shift thread. Thank goodness we architects have each other to feel one another's pain!
vado, hope your afternoon is getting better, dear!
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