Lazy Sunday

Ahhh!....Sunday. The day of rest. Rowdy and I obey. Living the high life. Here's to the hope that everyone is having a delightful Sunday. peace.

   

some rainy day colors

Not too much going on today. It has been drizzling off and on all day. I have always enjoyed the atmosphere during a good rainy day. Everything gets cleansed and appears brighter and more vibrant in the process. Mom was going out to garden in the rain for a bit, so I decided to take a wander by the garden myself for a few photos.





**can't wait for a real camera. Auto-focus all the way, baby! More [less focused] photos on flickr.

Smooth sailing.

Went out this evening for, if my memory serves me, one of my first hassle free outings on Dad's boat. It seems every time there is something, some slight mishap, or minor failure of equipment that fouls up the trip juuuust enough. Tonight however was quite nice, great breeze, nice seas, and for a second, I was able to forget all the potential hassles of owning a boat, briefly dreaming of having my own one day. I should know better.

Dad and I set out about 4:30 or so, and on one tack off the channel were able to make it all the way out to the other side of NAS. Took a turn for Gulf Breeze, then a slow turn back to the marina. Caught a nice sunset (not shown), and an equally pleasant full-moonrise (shown, to the best of my ability on a rocking boat). It's a long weekend, so maybe we can try to go 2 for 2.

Couple more rockin' attempts on flickr, though they are not very successful with just a point and shoot.

peace.

So....deux

I guess it is time for my annual blog posting. Updates....hmm, let's see.

I have recently graduated from SCAD with a Master of Architecture degree. However the diploma for said degree is being withheld until I turn in my thesis book. Guess they really want the proof that my life sucked over the last few quarters.

I moved from Savannah this last weekend, back to Pace, Florida where I grew up. I will miss Savannah greatly, but will probably miss the people I met there more. College was the last item on my preconceived list of accomplishments that I must do to have a 'good life'. Oh, the mind of a high school kid...I sometimes wish I could return to high school and tell myself not to worry about lists, and to just do whatever you want. Pace is a nice place to sit and think, primarily because there is not much else to do here, but perhaps I am not looking in the right places.

It is a peculiar feeling returning home after so long away. I have visited plenty, and this move still feels like a visit, so I am beginning to fear the realization that I am nearing thirty and living with my parents. All the more incentive to complete the tasks I must do here and move on. I have a quite lengthy to-do list hanging on my wall next to me, just in case I wake up one day guilt-free. By the looks of the list, I could be here for a while. As lists often do, I intend for it to change as time passes, however if it stays the course it could take a good six months to a year to complete. I have a few urgent tasks, namely that damn thesis book, followed by a website, and of course finding a job, but I also have a few 'wants' added in the form of materialistic purchases that I feel necessary to move on with my life in the direction I want. (ha, typing 'I want' only makes me realize I don't need them, ah! why with the self-inflicted guilt?). Again, with these preconceived lists and wants, but I guess that is what people call dreams. I don't know. I don't know what the future holds, but I hope I can let go of some of these lists and just live freely. (perfect timing, Tom Petty.)

If you are down this way, let me know. Rowdy and I could probably use a break from sitting on the back porch reading and writing. That will do for now I suppose.

à bientôt!


p.s. I will be trying to update and maintain this blog a bit more. Be sure to look at some of my friends blogs as well. They are very talented artists and designers that need jobs and people to pay them money to live. So hire them. Peace.

So....

So....it's been a while since I've used this. I was recently reminded that I had a blog, and was somewhat surprised that I had forgotten, as I usually enjoy sharing what's going on. I guess I could have used in the last year or so, but I just haven't felt like typing things out for some reason. I could have used it last summer to tell you about my trip to Hawaii, or about my growing puppy, or maybe in the fall to tell you about my dealings with a coward, or even in the recent months to tell you of my fabulous experiences in southern France, but I didn't. Don't know why. I guess if you know me you know what you need to know about me. I'll post some things now that I have remembered this outlet, but don't rely on it. If you want to rely on anything, do so with my photos. Those are updated on a more regular basis. They are here. So...until next time.

Au revoir

Rowdy

It's been a few weeks now with this new critter running around, so the "aaw, look at the puppy" phase has worn off, and I still want him around, so he will be staying. He's almost got #1's down, and he's learned his lesson with #2's, so that is good. I've put up some pictures from a couple weeks ago, hopefully I'll put up newer ones soon, as he's doubled since then.

Some days...

....just aren't as good as others.

Woke up way too early, cause my bladder was at its breaking point. Stumbling in the dark looking for the door. Stepped on something loud and a cracking. Ouch. Finally get back to bed for 30 min. before the alarm goes off for practice. Getting ready, realize that ouch earlier was my new pair of glasses, momentarily destroyed, overwhelmingly ticked. Park at the gym for practice, we run 10 minutes late, so I must have deserved the parking ticket. Body is already sore and it's only 9am. It's overcast and cold. Blah. Had a few hours to do work for classes, couldn't find the motivation, but I did find the bed. Kinda fixed my glasses. Class from 2 - 730. Blah. It's cold. House is empty. Making some warm, easy dinner, Ramen. Check the email. Listen to some music. Realized the Ramen had been boiling for 20min. Ugh, white mush. Turn up the music louder. Typed a blog about my awesome day.

Today sucked. But it could have been far worse I'm sure. Tomorrow can only be better. I think these kind of days happen every now and then to average the rest out, and to make you realize how good you really do have it, because by the end of the day, the only thing that matters is that you wake up in the morning and step on your glasses. Time to make more Ramen. You can't mess that up twice in a row, right? :)

Listen to Regina Spektor.
It may make your day suck less.

Resolution

Well, it's a new year. If my math is correct, it's been about 10 years since I finished high school, which is a somewhat disturbing thought. Don't they have parties for that? So far '07 is going well. Back in Savannah, the Winter quarter just started, and crew practice is back in the routine.

I am taking a class this quarter that has become very interesting very quickly. One of the ideas that has repeatedly kept my mind interested in architecture is the idea of creating sustainable design, and "thinking green". This class, Environmental Control, focuses a lot on the subject. It has been a common element of design, and is in constant discussion over at Eichberg Hall (Arch. Bldg.). And starting this quarter, SCAD's School of Building Arts has adjusted their mission statement and course goals to include the teaching and understanding of the ecological responsibilities held by an architect, and to uphold the environment they alter. I was planning to do so anyway, but making it a requirement for every student is wonderful. I think it is a great initiative, and I plan to do my part to support it in my own life as much as possible, hence the resolution title.

Having reverted to the college life, anything cheap becomes appealing. And being around "green" people at Eichberg, lectures, and constant energy saving fact sheets posted on bulletin boards, I am becoming more and more aware of how easy it is to save my money when it comes to power bills, water bills, etc. In EC, one such fact was that the U.S. contains 5% of the world's population, yet we use 25% of its energy, leaving the U.S. with the most energy spent per person in the world. Furthering the guilt, the fact following was that the Southeast region of the U.S. spends the most per person in the country. Leaving me to be one of the most energy consuming people in the world. Yuck! Tuesday we watched this video, Kilowatt Ours. It shows how the U.S. creates most of its energy, and is quite helpful at showing ways you can help to save as well. The easiest ways to be turning off the lights, computers, AC, etc., when no one is using them. Also, replacing your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. They are slightly more expensive, but they are guaranteed to last 5 years, and emit far less energy (incandescents are lucky to last a year). If you happen to come across the video, I recommend checking it out. It's interesting. Well, that's my PSA for the year. I'll let you know what else I find interesting as I come across it. Back to work.

Head of the Hooch

Hello again.

Went to a new place this weekend, Chattanooga, TN. It seems to be a pretty cool place. It should be known that I didn't venture far from the riverfront, but what I saw from there was pretty cool. We had our first head race regatta there this weekend. Our 'first' regatta scheduled a couple weeks ago at Cape Fear was cancelled. This weekend is our final of the short fall season. It will be in Augusta, GA, and will mark one year of crew for me. Yoohoo!

Anyway, this weekend was a good row, despite finishing DFL. The women had three boats, a varsity eight and pair, and a novice four. The men only had one boat, a varsity eight. It was our first race together in that configuration. It went well, but we need work. It didn't help that we were up against half of the SEC & ACC, and not to mention the US National Team. Comparative to the size of our school, and our experience, I can't say we did that bad. We'll get better. Results , Pictures , Video

Some of the family was there this weekend. That was nice. Haven't seen some of them in a while. Thanks again for coming. It was great to have some fans for a change.

Pet Peeve #294

I am sure we have all experienced this once before, if not several times. Though I am not sure how frequent it occurs in the women's restroom, I know that it occurs quite often in the men's, and that is the, always unpleasurable, unflushed toilet or urinal. If I am to write about such crap, I assume it has reached the level of pet-peeve, which makes it quite an appropriate discussion for a blog post.

So, let's discuss.

Why? Why would anyone not dispose of the container which they just left their bodily waste? I know some people don't take out their garbage for a while, letting it pile up, but I believe this is on a different level than that. It's one more simple task before you pretend to wash you hands in the sink. Apparently, zipping up your pants was far too much physical action for you to bear, and pushing down a level a half an inch is just too much. Maybe you simply enjoy the idea of the next user cringing when stepping up to the toilet. Why?

Is it a matter of pride? "Hehe, look what I did," yet you flee the scene before you can point it out to anyone. Maybe post-it notes should be left on the counter so that stakes can be made on your accomplishments. I understand that from time to time is proper male discussion to speak of the length of a coiled 'monster', or the duration of a post-LOTR wiz, but those are normally spoken in the past tense, not something you share in a public restroom with strangers. These such marks on a toilet should normally, and preferably to most, be kept to yourself and your own mental records.

Is it a matter of conservation? According to some crazy people, our planet Earth is going to run out of water someday. I'm not sure how exactly since ice caps are melting as we speak (read), so I don't see what they are so worried about. Anyway, I know it is common practice for some to try to conserve water, like taking baths instead of showers, filling the sink with water while shaving instead of letting it run, stuff like that. However, when it comes to discarding waste immediately, letting it sit there emitting odors throughout the restroom until someone returns, possibly hours later, is entirely unacceptable.

I experience this quite often in the building I spend a good bit of time in, Eichberg Hall, and it is my assumption that many of the Architecture, Historic Preservation, and other building majors students (aka. eager environmentalist hippies) try to conserve the water in Eichberg's toilets. I have also experienced it in other buildings on campus that should have a lower number of Earth-happy people, yet my reaction is the same. Similar to a humorous thought regarding vegitarians, I flush the toilet at least once, maybe twice for a #2, for everytime you don't flush. So, therefore you are not saving anything. Granted, you have managed to stink up the bathroom for everyone else, and that is something I can't get rid of as easily, but nonetheless, your efforts have been thwarted. I encourage everyone having similar views towards unflushed toilets to do the same. Together we can make a difference, blah, blah, blah.

If you happen to be a non-flusher, please elaborate as to why you make this your routine. Thank you.