New Look to the Blog

I tried to clean the look of the blog up. Tell me what you think. Greys and black colors on white.

Images

Waco Bound at 3:00 pm

Just some of the fun you can have... in Waco, Texas.

Brace yourself Baylor for the time of your life!

Project for the Semester

So, I have posted my 4 boards for the semester. I did well, according to my Prof., but my "conceptual underpinnings" weren't as developed. In other words, in architecture school they expect you to come of with some narrative that explains your project, OR... complete crap.

An example would be, "I envision my project as the overlapping of layers, both functional and programmatic, which can be seen in the approach I took to form, but also to materials."

My response... G-G-G- GAY

I was just interested in planar elements... actually obsessed. Planes floating over the horizon with nothing holding them up. But, that isn't conceptual enough. Sounds pretty conceptual to me.

Board #4

Board #3

Summer Pasta for Lunch

Fresh pasta with basil from the garden, olive oil, parmigiana, and wine

Studio Project: Board 2

More boards to come in the future

Studio Project: Board 1

Daiki Suzuki

Daiki Suzuki is at the forefront of the work wear trend. Makes some awesome things for Engineered Garments.

Bow Ties Anyone?

I ordered 2 bow ties yesterday from The Cordial Chruchman. Hand-made in the USA for $26. Can't beat that price.

Awesome Site

A nice site called A Trip Down South

Summer Shoes?

I purchased these shoes at an estate sale of a gentleman who was a lawyer nearly 3 months ago for something like $15 (maybe less). However, they pinched my toes a little. Thus, I ordered a shoe stretcher.

Now, they are stretched! Sockless for the summer, of course.

Why Blogging?

I personally find blogging to be extremely odd. But, in the context of the modern movement, the subsequent postmodern movement, and the contemporary movement I would like to title "Modern Modernism" or "New Modernism" I think blogging fits in perfectly.

I think blogging really takes its roots in Hunter S. Thompson Gonzo writing style. Never before had a news story/article been more about the writer than the actual course of events. It takes a truly amazing character to pull this off, so we find Dr. Thompson transforming into Hunter S. Thompson--the drug taking, alcohol drinking, fast living individual characterized in many of his writings. He became consumed by the character.

Put this on a time line and Hunter was engaged in this style right around Modernism's death and the birth of Postmodernism. Did he cause this shift? Hardly! But, like all famous authors, poets, artists, revolutionaries, et cetera he characterized what was going on around him and compressed it into a form that could be read.

So, what does this have to do with blogging? Well, the creation of the internet, along with internet dating, in light of facebook and myspace has cut the traditional ties for social interaction.

The other day I called someone on my cell phone and I thought, "What would happen if I didn't have a cell phone anymore? How would people know where I was? How would people reach me?"

Do you get what's at the bottom of this thought process? Our generation believes that, on some level, the world would stop if we weren't able to be found. Literally, we believe that gravity would fail, the Sun would crash into the planet and everyone would die... except for Australia. We believe that the world needs US. We are arrogant.

Now, this isn't meant to be depressing. In fact, if you can really get this its liberating. But, if you were to die tomorrow, people would be upset for a few days maybe weeks. If you were really important maybe a few months. But, life for that person would GO ON!

In fact, I would say that for a few years people that knew you would genuinely miss you, but they would not wake up every morning and think, "I can't get out of bed because that person isn't around." And... this is what's amazing... after they die, you will pretty much be a non-entity. No one will really miss me after everyone that has known me has died.

So.. depressed? Don't be. What this means is that we have an impact, but our impact is not related to US. What I mean by that is that humility is at the heart of our impact. In order to truly matter we must get over ourselves and realize it isn't about US. It's about others. We must be last in order to be first.

You might remember as JC was going up to Jerusalem to be killed on a cross, his closest buds on this Earth were arguing about their positions because they believed JC was going to overthrow the ruling powers in might. He stops them and relates how in order to be great they must be last (Matthew 19). To this day we still read about these people. They became last in order to be first.

So... blogging is this weird activity that seems to summarize perfectly the social interaction of our generation and/or the thought that we matter more than we think. Blogging is weird. That's all!

Why Amazon Rocketh

Gutenberg is to printing press as amazing is to Amazon.com.

I have to avoid Amazon.com if I don't want to spend money. Every time I log into Amazon... it KNOWS WHAT I LIKE. That is crazy. Amazon is the best friend for dorky book people. I sign in, it tells me what I want before I know what I want, I order it, the books arrive, I am satisfied. What a perfect course of events.

If Amazon was a dating service, I would already be signed up.


My most recent purchases from Amazon.com include the following:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/057119382X/ref=oss_product
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1856694828/ref=oss_product
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1568985886/ref=oss_product
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/3836503263/ref=oss_product

Back on the saddle again

I am back... even though I never really went away!

So... rumor has it my one follower wants me to keep on truckin'. Thus, I proclaim:

I am back on the saddle again.

I CAVED!!!

I caved! I purchased my Filson Padded Computer Bag. I say I caved because I was going to wait a few more weeks before I bought it. However, I went to a store to check the different sizes and... well... I walked away a few weeks early with my new bag.

I love it! I am excited to use it for the rest of my life! Not another briefcase for a long time.

Check the pic and think about a Filson bag. They have the best warranty... AHHH... pretty much lifetime, no questions asked warranty.

I will post some original pics of my own bag soon.

Good Bye Facebook

Ever tried deleting your facebook.com account? Good luck! It is really hard.

I had to search the internet to figure it out and then it is not immediate. It takes 14 days for facebook to delete your account. This underscores my whole logic in getting off facebook. They want you to always be ON facebook or "CONNECTED" to the world.

As Tim Leary said, "Turn on. Tune in. Drop out." I would modify this idea a bit to the following:

"Turn on and tune in by turning off. Drop in to real life."

At any rate, I still have e-mail and this blog. I still have text messaging and a cell phone. I still watch t.v. I am trying to use the mail more. I do use zippers because button flies suck.

If you want to talk... let's get real... give me a call.

Luddite

What are you searching for?

I find it interesting that the tendency for mankind is to fill our lives with stuff. My individual tendency is to purchase uniquely made items that will age beautifully. For example, one of most prized possessions is a Moleskine cover made of natural Kip leather (not making up the kind of leather) made by Gfeller. I like this thing so much I purchased another... and then another in chocolate brown.

I find myself always battling though. Do I really need this thing? The answer is "of course not!" yet I purchase anyways.

America is one of the largest consumers of resources in the world. I have the statistic somewhere, but we consume some ridiculous amount of the world's total resources. So it would seem that we would be without any want. However, depression and suicide runs rampant in our country. We are not happy. The old economics saying is true, "Unlimited wants, limited resources."

I read recently that Denmark is one of the happiest countries. One of the Danish individuals interviewed was asked why. He explained that in Denmark they have really low expectations. It is a damn fine day if you don't wake up with any expectations because the littlest detail can make the biggest impact.

This is one of those serious posts (if you haven't found out already). I have found myself saying recently, "Live for this moment." If life is a series of moments and we live every moment to its fullest, then we live a full life. Don't confuse living for the moment with some CARPE DIEM, stand on your desk and recite poetry mumbo-jumbo. Rather, lower your expectations. Be still!

The other day I was sitting in car talking to my friend and it was raining outside. I remember the drops of rain splashing off of the window and thinking, "This is really cool." I love the rain. I feel like it's the world taking a shower one spot at a time. But, I often neglect to really appreciate the rain because I am too busy cursing the fact that I am going to be running late for this meeting or that my pants will be all wet after running to my car. I need to be still and live in this moment. The fact of the matter is I might die running to my meeting in a head on collision with an 18-wheeler. Should have enjoyed the rain more because they were the last drops I was going to see!

One last story. I heard this from my buddy whose Dad told him about this. Someone asked job interviewers what one word they would use to describe my generation. Then this person asked people from my generation what this word would be and said the only hint was that the word started with "E." The replies came in. Energetic, entertaining, and so forth.

The answer:

ENTITLED.

Ouch! Our generation has been given so much that we now feel entitled to what we have been given and more. The fact of the matter is we deserve nothing. So the challenge for myself, and hopefully for you, is stop feeling so entitled for every little thing and lower your expectations.

The reality: we deserve nothing. Makes you appreciate wiping your butt with real paper instead of a leaf when you think about it.

Too Legit to Bag Groceries

I went to Whole Foods today to spend the little money I have on lavishly expensive items. This is a once a month trip for me because I really can't resist to buy fair trade, free trade, organically grown, coffee that comes in a package that has seeds that when disposed of in the proper way grows little coffee plants. I just can't resist that. It's so ridiculous it makes me happy.

So I was checking out. I went to line 3 because I noticed CHAD had an amazing beard that I wanted to admire. Yes. I do like to compare facial hair with men named CHAD. Trust me. If you saw this beard you would want to grow one too whether you are a guy or a girl.

Anyways, CHAD was pretty hip. CHAD was so hip that he and his sacker (is that the proper term?) were bantering back and forth. Did I mention the sacker also had an awesome beard because he DID. Anyways, I felt pretty at home. I happened to be wearing a flannel shirt, jeans, and some shoes from Spain (camper's). I felt like CHAD and I could grab an organic, local beer and talk beards.

So as CHAD and the sacker were talking they struck up a convo (CHAD doesn't say full words like conversation) with the lady they were checking out. This lady was NOT hip. She was NOT wearing flannel. She did NOT have a beard. She could not talk about the finer points of Real Ale's Coffee Porter (which is delicious on a cold day... check it out).

CHAD was talking about what an AWESOME prank it is to throw dry ice at people. That is burns them and that that is hip. This lady felt the need to disagree. Apparently, she was some kind of medical professional and kinda gave CHAD a talking to about hurting people. NOT HIP!

So once this lady left the sacker and CHAD started talking about what she had said. The convo (there it is again) went a bit like this:

Sacker Dude: "What did she say about pranks? Something about a urnial?"

Chad Bro: "Man, I don't know. I don't like asking people to repeat themselves so I just smile and laugh. That always works."

Sacker Dude: "Hahaha. Awesome!"

But, this is all okay because the whole time CHAD was looking at me with this knowing look like I definitely could "dig" what he was saying because I also have facial hair and wear flannel. I could not dig. I don't care CHAD. And... that's exactly why I dig. YOU DIG?

Regardless, if you want to make friends with the staff in a Whole Foods don't act like you want to make friends with them or you even care to make friends with them. That's not HIP. Oh yeah, and grow a beard.