a short history of america - r. crumb

How typical that I as an architecture student am posting this image but with ideas of (new?) improved infrastructure being pounded through my brain, along with the thought of multi-functional infrastructures that break the traditional mono-functional modes, looking at the detailed lines, lovingly rendered by R. Crumb, is soothing... even with the sad realization that infrastructure in America has been so clumsily wrought that planners engineers and architects have nearly single-handedly destroyed the landscape. Here's to revising that model - slowly and hopefully, hopefully eventually.

cactus & frog

I'm hoping the internet connection doesn't crap out as I type this. It's been rough having the connection go out every 20 minutes; with this modern day and age it's so easy to take Internet connection speeds for granted so when it's spotty it can make people crazy! Lately I can't string together coherent sentences or thoughts and I blame school. Too much thinking with the brain equals stunted functions in other areas. The Lithops cactus is one that my mom got for me after she killed my other one (she gave it water when I told her not to!) I made the bespectacled frog in metal class. It's lame because I didn't weld anything but at the time I made it I was very excited. The glasses need work.

Today was extremely productive in that I spent time with my sister through running errands (always fun!) and after we spent a ton of money on living necessities we also went to spend some money on clothing necessities. I was in desperate need of more jeans and we were both just in a clothing funk so we searched and chose and spent wisely so it's all good. Sorry for the rambling. Even though I'm doing this to unwind myself a little it isn't working so I'm just going to work for a few more hours before I call it a night. Happy autumn by the way, even with the onset of this massive heat wave. 105ºF on Monday?! Holy moly...

hey hey

This is my friend Joe Gil. For the past few weeks he's been touring the west coast from Seattle down to San Francisco with fellow singer-songwriter Allen Stone. Tonight was Joe's cd release show in Los Angeles and it was awesome! Joe was backed by some talented musicians tonight and they took great care to let his vocals shine through and it was wonderful. I have big hopes for Joe, and I think his talent and energy are evidence enough that he will continue to move forward.

METAL

The highlight of my day was working with metal!

1. Dinosaur cut out of mild steel with a plasma cutter, cleaned up with an angle grinder & then filed down further with a regular, er grinder.
2, 3. Stainless steel sheets cut & crudely folded into these "aggregating units" for studio. They didn't aggregate in quite the way I wanted them to but I can now I guess I can give a bunch of cool-ish ornaments to people when Christmas comes around.

I was feeling really angsty tonight this week and I know it's just small stuff but I'm waiting for that moment when I won't take things so seriously. I really need to lighten up and stop obsessing on little things and focus on what matters. Life is great! Why can't I see that?

the third eye

I'm beginning to see the people I know through an objective-tinted subjective lens. Like he's actually kind of a solipsist so no wonder he's so self-centered, or this person tries much harder than he actually has to, or I like this person a lot but past the surface level we really don't get along therefore we don't give a damn about each other. This person has been and always will be loyal to me no matter how tense things get between us, this person is a kaeru, and she will always return regardless of how long it's been. This person is really a genuinely awesome person after the initial repugnance wears away. Someone I regarded so highly in terms of inspiration isn't so amazing anymore, about as reliable as a zephyr. I have a rock, my pillar in the storm, who sacrifices his own interests for those of others so much more than anyone I have ever met, without ever making a point of saying so. I'm seeing... the real colors of people. Or rather, a brighter shade. A truer hue? I feel like I have been so ignorant and superficial. Like life has been a cartoon and all of a sudden I am seeing things in three dimensions. I've long regarded myself as intelligent and perceptive to a point but now I feel like I've been blind all along. I guess this is growing up.

molten gummy vitamins in 1, 2, 3

If you're tired of the conventional method of taking one or two gummy vitamins at a time, why not consolidate all those fussy individual gummy pieces into one massive block? A natural method is the best, and you can do this in 3 easy steps*:

1. Make sure the container is sealed tightly! This ensures that the contents, once molten will not spill out.
2. Place the container in a hot place (I put mine in my car!) for about 8 hours. A day in the 90-100 range is ideal. The day I melted these gummies was 105ºF, but surely the temperature rose as it was baking all afternoon in my car.
3. Let the gummies cool, then when solidified, loosen the gummy mass and take a bite.

Now you don't have to worry about those gummy pieces tumbling out as you hurriedly and eagerly run to have your daily dose of vitamins. Just a small bite will do, and if you're feeling extra adventurous, share the gummy mass with a friend! If you want to get really creative, you can even go for a stained glass effect, which happened somewhat naturally with mine. The possibilities are endless!

*If these three easy steps are not easy enough for you, just microwave the gummy vitamins on HIGH for a few seconds, though preferably not in the plastic container.

dear friend

I'm glad I got to see you today. It feels great to get back on track. :)