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Wilma Buttfit

I forgot how old I was the other day and had to say two numbers out loud to see which one sounded right. I was pleased that it was the lesser of the two numbers.

I am 19 with 18 years of experience. 

Jan 25, 15 8:03 am  · 
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Sarah Hamilton

I don't EVER tell my students how old I am.  It's funnier to hear them guess.  If they're feeling particularly snarky, they'll say 45, or 52, but when they're really trying, they're usually under by a good 8 years.  A few of them even teamed up the other day to scour the internet for my personal info.  They finally came close with "between 30 and 35," at least they're learning to  do research.

Jan 25, 15 2:43 pm  · 
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Speaking of houses, this is intriguing:

Louis Kahn's Clover House is for sale. I bet the restoration costs will exceed the purchase price, assuming there's no bidding war.

Jan 25, 15 7:27 pm  · 
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I saw that Kahn house on FB. Definitely a good restoration would cost the same or more than the purchase rice.  Still.... IT'S A KAHN HOUSE!!  Ugh, it's gorgeous, so cool.

Jan 25, 15 7:29 pm  · 
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Oh, I know. The price seems very low considering...

Jan 25, 15 7:31 pm  · 
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I just think of Kahn houses as being like domesticated unicorns or something.  No one actually *owns* them, and they never actually get abandoned and go on the market.....but apparently my mythology is wrong, they do!

Jan 25, 15 7:34 pm  · 
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Well, I just read something that said Kahn only designed nine private residences that were actually built, so in some ways it is a unicorn.

Jan 25, 15 7:46 pm  · 
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Oops, it's the Clever House, not the Clover House. Anyway, here it is, in better condition:

Image from http://thepenngazette.com/the-houses-that-kahn-built/.

Jan 25, 15 8:12 pm  · 
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Sarah Hamilton
Honestly, I'm not sure that condition is any better.

I want to know if the furniture in the for sale photos are actually there, or if the interior shots were just scanned from a book. It looks like a time capsul.
Jan 25, 15 8:34 pm  · 
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You guys, Aaron Betsky is going to be the new head of Taliesin! I called this MONTHS ago, because I applied for that job and while he's FAR more qualified than me I also predict that this will be a disaster while I would have actually been able to make it succeed.  Arrogant, yes, I admit I sound arrogant.  But I grew up in Scottsdale and I understand Arizona and its relationship to FLW and the frontier mentality in a way that Betsky, all due respect, will NEVER get.  He won't be able to connect with funders in that city, they'll think he's just another East Coast aesthete there to make the wild west more like New York City (salsa commercial voice), and right now what Taliesin needs more than anything is MONEY to be able to continue.

Jan 25, 15 8:49 pm  · 
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OK, I have to walk back the word "disaster" up there.  I don't think it will be a disaster *because* of Betsky.

Taliesin School of Architecture is in a unique and exceptionally challenging place right now.  The next few years could be a disaster no matter WHO is leading the school - if they can't get their financial situation in order sufficiently to get their accreditation in order, the school could very well fold or become a non-accredited archi-spa offering courses for dilettantes.

Betsky is without a doubt smart and strong enough to be a leader that is capable of taking the school to an entirely new and enviable place.  It very likely won't be the path I would have led the school down, but that's unimportant; every candidate would have offered up a different vision and who knows if any of them would have worked (although I'm confident mine would have LOL).

I'm actually very excited at this and will be watching to see how it unfolds. I think Taliesin School could have been written off as some idiosyncratic and dorky collection of true believers previously (to those not paying close enough attention, that is), but with Betsky at the helm that won't be the case. I'm not sure where it will go, but I'm *certain* people will be paying attention.

Jan 26, 15 8:23 am  · 
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Carrera

Taliesin School of Architecture

Man, if I could do a do-over. Considered it 100 years ago. New guy needs to figure out the core problems and fix them. With a 3 year tuition/cost of $150,000. that could be at the root. With the average undergrad coming in maxed-out on federal loans that means the borrowing must be private. At a monthly payment of $1,700/month (to borrow $150k) you would need a salary of $80-90,000 to justify that. Only 2% of the population carries that kind of student loan debt. With starting wages being maybe $24,000 per year that tuition needs to be cut in half or more. Think they should have hired a Wall Street shark instead.

Think they need to sell Wisconsin to raise cash and cut expenses by at least 25% then go find a whale.

Some may say that this place is for the well healed, but if you are well healed why do you need to be an architect? Always said I couldn’t afford to be an architect and supplemented with CM & real estate. The tuition at schools like this is unsustainable.

Jan 26, 15 11:52 am  · 
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I do believe that's 'well heeled', but your version is arguably more suitable.

Donna is too much of an optimistic realist to qualify for a position that requires immersion in giant tubs of manure. Not that she wouldn't be great, just that the requirements for celebrity outweigh the requirements for competance.

Jan 26, 15 2:19 pm  · 
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And based on the given example, it's a good thing Kahn only did nine houses. It's fraught with basic mistakes, even for its day.

Jan 26, 15 2:21 pm  · 
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I appreciate that show of confidence in my abilities, Miles!  I can handle being knee-deep in giant tubs of manure, but you're correct that immersed entirely would not be possible for me.
 

Jan 26, 15 3:05 pm  · 
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snooker-doodle-dandy

I had to put my thoughts off about FLW...cause there is 65' of Snow Coming to New England tonight and tomorrow morning.  Not being a boy scout I was out replacing the spark plug in my portable generator.  One trip to the Store for a Spark Plug and Oil.  One trip to the store for a  socket  ratchet cause I broke my old one of twenty years last Summer.  Then one trip to the store cause I couldn't find my spark plug gapper.  Think I last used it about ten years ago.  Changed the spark plug, but couldn't find the right gap on the spark plug gapper, so said screw it it looked just about correct from looking at the .025 marking.   Had to go to the internet to  view u-tube Video cause the on off  switch is  weird.  It has an  "O" marked on the left and side and a "I" marked on the right hand side.  Couldn't figure out which was the on switch.  I recall having a problem with this a couple of years ago, and the directions on the installation manual  show an on / off indication not and "O" & "I".  Just for those who want to know "O" stands for off and "I" stands for On.   Once I got that figured out went out and she fired up on the third pull on the Starter Chord.   Then I had to haul  the generator up on the deck.  Put her in place and then wandered off to join my fellow "Yankees" in the gas line filling  5 gallon gas tanks.  Managed to get everything done before it was dark.   Had  Chili for dinner, and drank a bottle of wine watched TV  cause I couldn't miss the 11:00 pm  weather.  Looks like we are out of harms way....they have down graded the storm from 65' to maybe 15"

Hopefully  all my work today was for nothing, but in this case it is always better to be prepared than not.  I wish I had thought more about it last Fall when I was having a Beer on the back deck watching the Sunset.

All you other people in New York, and New England be safe.

Jan 26, 15 11:32 pm  · 
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Great story snook, and typical - many trips to store required for what should be one simple thing.  Glad the 65' of snow didn't actually land on you!

Jan 27, 15 8:42 am  · 
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CD.Arch
Meanwhile on the West Coast, we had a 70 degree day here in Oregon yesterday. Weather is strange.
Jan 27, 15 9:24 am  · 
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Non Sequitur

Business as usual here at negative 25.

On another note, I attended a Daniel Libeskind lecture last night. That dude can sure talk-up a storm.

Jan 27, 15 9:59 am  · 
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snooker-doodle-dandy

Looking out the window and seeing snow. Looks like it has finally arrived.  Think we have had more snow since the sun came up than all of last night. Good thing is I haven't had to use the generator.

Miles you get socked?

Jan 27, 15 10:10 am  · 
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Non Sequitur, by "talk up a storm" you mean Libeskind can stream words out of his mouth without pause? Agreed. But everything he says sounds to me like word salad.

Or as a commenter said about Sarah Palin recently: "It's like her thoughts are bouncing around inside her head like a bunch of lottery balls." That's how I feel about Libeskind's talks.

Jan 27, 15 11:30 am  · 
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SneakyPete

Donna,

 

Sorry for the left field question, but you seem as if you'd be one to ask:

Do IDP Hours expire? I completed my hours, got my eligibility, and have continued paying the $75 record fee to keep it "active" but I'm not sure I want to stay in the direct field or not, so I've been putting off taking the exams (due to time and financial costs involved). I don't want to come back only to find I need to start over from scratch.

Jan 27, 15 11:35 am  · 
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Sarah Hamilton

Because I'm such "with-it" teacher, my students have two days to create, design, and mail a tshirt design for the Skills USA competition.  The shirt has to be based on Louisville KY, because that is where the national competition will be.  And by two days, I really mean 3 hours, cause that's all their class time.

So, what's Louisville all about?  Obviously I can't have them focus on Bourbon and Mint Juleps.

Jan 27, 15 11:49 am  · 
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SneakyPete

Baseball, Horses, KFC

Jan 27, 15 11:51 am  · 
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What is more - 24-30" or 60-75cm?

Whichever it is, I've been shoveling like a miner all morning and I've barely scratched the surface.

Jan 27, 15 12:03 pm  · 
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snooker-doodle-dandy

Miles I would offer to give you a hand but I would have to shovel my way to your house.

Heard the fines for being on the roads were $500.00.  You see anyone driving around during the storm?

Jan 27, 15 12:21 pm  · 
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SneakyPete I don't know the answer for sure.  My recollection is that you have ten years from when you start your IDP file to get it completed. Here is a link to NCARB's IDP coordinators by state:

http://www.ncarb.org/Experience-Through-Internships/~/media/Files/PDF/IDP/IDP-Coordinators/ArchitectLicesningAdvisorsbyState.ashx

They're actually not called IDP Coordinators any longer; they're now called Architect Licensing Advisors....by any name, they are the people in each state who can answer specifics about how your state handles the process. I'd recommend calling one of yours in your state, our guys in Indiana are *very* knowledgeable and eager to share that knowledge!

Jan 27, 15 12:21 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur

There are fines for driving?

Jan 27, 15 12:24 pm  · 
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Send up the Steven Ward signal.....

 

Based on my time in Kentucky:

- hand-laid stone running fences

- black-painted wood running fences and tobacco barns

- a slow, laid back attitude that's mostly very friendly and gracious

- hot, sticky, humid weather, leading to the laidbackness

Jan 27, 15 12:32 pm  · 
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SneakyPete

Thanks, Donna!

Jan 27, 15 1:48 pm  · 
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And hats, Sarah! Kentucky Derby HATS!!!

Jan 27, 15 2:21 pm  · 
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You know, once upon a time we all posted lots and lots of images in the forums.  Then one day garpike posted what was supposed to be a bicycle but it came up as an image of elderly porn. That scared the heck out of me, and I think a bunch of other people too. But I like images in threads!

Jan 27, 15 2:23 pm  · 
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snooker-doodle-dandy

Thinking someone should go outside and see is Mile was run over by a Snow Plow.

Yes Driving  was banded on the roads to non essential  people  all of last night and into today for many areas of New England.

Jan 27, 15 2:33 pm  · 
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Double aspirin, hot cocoa and an ice pack on the lower back. I'll live to fight another day.

No choice, still have to dig the studio out. 

Jan 27, 15 3:39 pm  · 
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snooker-doodle-dandy

No Bourbon Muscle relaxer?

Jan 27, 15 4:46 pm  · 
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toasteroven

somewhere between 24 and 30 inches where I am - hard to tell because there's a lot of drifting.  finished shoveling and am about to make some chowder.

 

steven ward symbol... I'm guessing someone in a bespoke suit, bourbon in one hand, t-square in another, riding a horse.

Jan 27, 15 4:49 pm  · 
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toasteroven

btw - I've learned over the years that locals put hot-sauce in their chowder.

Jan 27, 15 4:54 pm  · 
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ahhh, nice a refreshing nap. And I can walk!

I'll fix that - it's tequila time.

Jan 27, 15 6:17 pm  · 
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Wilma Buttfit

I can't even picture snow right now. 73 degrees on the patio today. I'm on my 3rd beer, also on the patio today. Snook think of binary code when looking at switches with 0 and I. 0 is a no go and I is a hit. Or think of circuitry, 0 means a gap in the circuit and I means the circuit is connected therefore complete. I used to get confused by same thing till I taught myself that.

Jan 27, 15 7:04 pm  · 
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That's a good Steven Ward symbol. When my older sister first started college and I was considering architecture school she told me it was cool that you could identify all the architecture students riding their bikes around campus by the t-squares sticking out of their backpacks. Those days are gone!
Jan 27, 15 8:02 pm  · 
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toasteroven

donna - don't forget the drawing tube - my non-arch friends thought I was carrying around a rifle.

Jan 27, 15 9:15 pm  · 
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curtkram

I'm sure most of you already figured this out,  but if not

http://www.theimpeccablelife.com/girl-scout-cookie-bourbon-pairing/

Jan 28, 15 7:51 am  · 
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That's helpful, curt.  Why the heck haven't my GS cookies arrived yet?!

You guys, the Charleston thread is over 120 responses long.  That's not right.

Jan 28, 15 8:59 pm  · 
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curtkram

it's the dead horse beating that we like to do when talking about 'traditional v. modern,' as if that's even a thing.  i can't find anything useful in 120 comments other than eke and thayer like old looking stuff, some other people have some other opinions.  i just don't think it requires that many posts to have your opinion heard.

Jan 28, 15 9:12 pm  · 
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gruen

spent much of the snowstorm indoors. kinda a weak storm if you ask me, MUCH less than the promised 24-30", maybe a wimpy 12-14". amirite?

the new toy (snowblower) was a joy. I did my drive, the walks, the elderly neighbors drive and walks, then for the heck of it I did the walks on the entire block. I wish it'd snow like this every day. It was *almost* more fun than the motorcycle. OK, yeah. 

..then..how about that software engineer who wants advice thread? dang

Jan 28, 15 9:13 pm  · 
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The Charleston thread makes me miss surixurient.

Jan 28, 15 9:46 pm  · 
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Ok gruen this cements my status as a fully dorky Midwesterner, but...what kind of snowblower?! I get so worked up over my neighbors not shoveling their sidewalks that I feel like I should just do the whole block myself!
Jan 28, 15 10:12 pm  · 
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Sarah Hamilton
Yeah, the home builder thread is great! She's kinda sassy.

Looks like Massachusetts got hit pretty hard by that blizzard, though. It looked like an Ice Huricane on the news. Houses destroyed. Towns flooded. Didn't know Old Man Winter had it in him.
Jan 28, 15 10:23 pm  · 
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This is gruen's rig.

Jan 28, 15 10:24 pm  · 
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Yeah, my neighbors would *love* that charging down their sidewalks at 7am before I head to work! Does anyone make a Roomba snowblower?

Jan 29, 15 8:44 am  · 
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