SAD NEWS | AUGUST 31, 2005
I found out some sad news today. I was already feeling a little uneasy about going to Rome, because of the housing situation and money matters, but today I found out that two of my best friends here, Alejandra and Cristina, are not planning on going. I am a fairly independent person, but whenever I imagined going to Rome, I imagined they would be there with me. I thought they would be the people I went on weekend excursions with - to Barcelona, Paris, London... I can go on my own, and I can most certainly find others to go with, I just thought I would be traveling with them. They are both really fun to be around. We are able to goof off and be silly with one another, but also still have serious conversations when we want. I don't think I will be able to change their minds, but I hope they do. It won't be as fun if they are not there. Maybe I am just being selfish. Not everyone goes. Not everyone wants to be in debt an extra ten years after college is over.
I do have some good news. The idiot guy who provides our wireless internet service came over to "help" me set up my repeater. So, it kind of works now. All of these networking guys are so funny (I have met quite a few). They think they have a lot of power because they set up and control the network you use. So they act all important and special when they come to help you. When this guy left my apartment he was chuckling about how he made someone's internet connection really slow (about 28 Kbps) because they were messing with his network. That is probably what he had to do to teach this guy a lesson, but you could tell he got some satisfaction out of it. What a silly man.
I have been busy working on the Phillips Exeter Library research all week - doing fun things like circulation and public vs. private space diagrams, and writing an abstract about the building. As interesting as the building is, I am not finding this research all that interesting. And that is a bad sign, since I will soon be spending precious time in AutoCAD drawing files of this building so I can laser cut a model of it for my night class. I really think the amount of work (time and energy) we put into our school projects is ridiculous. We don't get to talk about them for very long at our critiques, and our job interviewers don't really look at our portfolios (they are more interested in where we have worked). I suppose it is all about the experience of working hard and being organized and graphic. I learned enough this summer to know those are necessary skills in the architecture profession.
I have another meeting this Friday with the Engineering professor about the Clovis project. I am supposed to have my bid ready for him. I am planning on using tomorrow night to prepare a proposal. All I have done thus far is a little bit of site research. I really hope my creativity doesn't let me down tomorrow when I am working on this. I would feel really disappointed in myself if I wasn't able to prepare something satisfactory for this simple exercise.
ONGOING FRUSTRATIONS | AUGUST 29, 2005
This has been such a frustrating week, and it is only the first day of class. I ordered a new router for my apartment to act as a repeater because our internet signal is such a joke. Steven was nice enough to let me use an extra access point he had in conjunction with the router to repeat the pathetic internet service provided by my building owner. He set it up for me last week and I got it from him when I was in Chicago this weekend. So, when I get back to Ames last night, and am ready to plug it in and have it work, it won't because the people who provide our wireless decided to enable a password. And it won't work if the signal has a password. There was NEVER a password on our service before, and now, all of a sudden, there is. I called the people who provide our internet to ask them what was going on, and I got stuck talking to the incompetent secretary, who just tried to get me off the phone rather than listen to what I had to say. I called my building manager and he acted clueless. I told him he needed to make the signal stronger or disable the password so I can use my own repeater, but he has no idea what I am talking about. Does anybody? Does anybody care that our internet signal feels like Dial-up?! I am suffering here! I was spoiled with a fast connection this summer and I am not going to put up with this crap! I have been patient long enough and I am not going to deal with this any longer. It is the 21st century and people are dependant on using the internet to pay bills, check email, and do research, especially when they are in college!
I am not even done complaining. If it wasn't bad enough to still be dealing with a craptacular internet signal, there are things wrong on my computer. Every time I plug something into a USB, specifically my External Hard drive, the "Hardware Manager" tries to install it a million times. So I can't get my external hard drive to work, which means I cannot back up any of my files. I DO NOT trust my computer and this makes me feel very uneasy to know that I am working hard on things and do not have another hardcopy of it somewhere.
One more thing - I am not even sure I want to go on this Rome trip. We have our Rome Prep Seminar every Monday night and the instructor that teaches it is a total fruitcake. He spent the first 15 minutes of class talking about Roman comic books. The he complains about how he can't get the projector to work so he is just going to draw everything on the dry erase board (hardly any of my teachers can ever get those projectors to work. If I am feeling nice I will set it up for them, but most of the time I think it is sad and pathetic so I just let them blame their incompetence on the projector). So he squiggles a drawing of Italy on the board that looks like something a 5-year old might draw. Then he continues to write the names of important towns in Italy in Italian on the board, which also looks like the handwriting of a 5-year old. Then he tells us will all need to lose weight to go to Rome because we have to walk up and down a bunch of hills, and finally, he draws and names 9 different hills on the board. Before we leave he tells us we have to know everything that he drew. The only relevant information I got out of that class was were our studios and apartments are located in relation to Vatican City and the train station. And I had to redraw that onto a map of mine when I got home so that I made some sense.
The name of the studio we work in is "Palazzo Cenci." I read online that there is a statue in front of it depicting a scene from 16C when Beatrice Cenci killed her father after he raped her, then was immediately put to her death to deter others from continuing in their family feuds. Sounds like a nice place... You can't believe everything you read online, but I do know that the palazzo is really close to the "ghetto", the traditional Jewish neighborhood of Rome. So it has a horrific past in relation to the Nazi treatment of Jews in World War II. I guess we will learn more about that in class if I decide to keep putting myself through the anguish of being there.
I think I am almost done complaining now. I just felt really frustrated and needed to let some of those feelings out. Now it is time for me to work on studying the Louis Kahn Exeter Library of Exeter, New Hampshire. We are doing library precedent studies in studio this week, and I am teamed up with my friend Justin on the Exeter library. We decided to do study this library because we are taking a night class that covers the work of Kahn(and also LeCorbusier), and we are going to build a model of the Exeter for our major project in that class. I thought it would be a good idea to study it for studio because it forces us to find all of the information we will need to build a model of the building and start working on it now. The Phillips Exeter Academy is a private boarding school for high-school age students. The building itself is very subtle on the exterior, appearing to be another normal brick building. When you go inside though, you see a magnificent contrast in materials, and wonderful use of natural light. I read that Kahn was originally planning to have the interior be brick, but he had to use concrete because of budget issues. I can't imagine how it would look with brick. I just love the concrete and wood contrast. I think that an interior made of brick would have been too busy. We might visit it this semester for that night class, but I doubt it will happen. I just don't have an extra $500 laying around, although I would love to see it in person.
NEW PROJECTS | AUGUST 26, 2005
I have been busy designing a "storage element" for the past few days. Rather than reinventing the bookshelf, I decided to improve it. I stuck with the idea of making the library more leisurely and inviting, but also tried to provide an area for digital interaction. I ended up using the shape of a curve to create more dynamic book stacks, and encourage an interacting feeling. Rather than walking down straight corridors, you walk with the curve of the shelves, which would potentially present the books in an interesting way. When multiple shelves are placed next to one another they begin to create a "snake" curve of space. Every unit has the capability to house a digital media center on the concave side, so the library using the system could have as many or as few media centers as necessary. This system is not very practical for maximizing square footage in a library, but I think it would be useful for a children's area.
We received this assignment on Monday as a "charette". Charette actually refers to the cart that the Beaux Arts students in Rome would use to carry their work in for deadlines. The students worked in buildings that were far from where they had to turn in their assignments, so they would run with their charettes to submit their work on time. Our charette does not refer to this cart, but the concept of "racing" to get as much done as possible by a deadline. Usually, in our studios, the goal of the charette is to accomplish something by the end of class, but this was actually a Monday to Friday charette. I am not too happy with the amount of work I got accomplished. Obviously, my idea is not completely thought out, because I have only been working on it for four days, but I wish I could have been more technical with it. I could have done an exploded axonometric or something. Oh well.
Last week this lady at our school sent out an email about a professor in the College of Engineering who was looking for a student to help him design an apartment building. I decided to respond to his inquiry because I enjoyed the apartment project last Spring. He wasn't too specific about what he needed help with, but I figured he just wanted a student to help him prepare some documents in AutoCAD. Well, I had the meeting with him today, and it turns out that the project is going to be located in Clovis, California, and may be specifically targeted at senior citizen housing. It would be interesting if I worked on an actual project for senior citizens, because the apartment I designed last Spring was for the elderly. He is interviewing 3 students (including me) and wants to see ideas by next week, and projected hourly rates for work. Then he will select a student and wants them to prepare a drawing by the end of the semester. I wasn't expecting the interview to be the way it was - he just explained the project to me, showed me a site plan, and asked me to make a sketch of it and show him some ideas next week. How am I supposed to know how much to charge? I will have to charge by hour if I get the commission because I don't know how long it will take to finish the final sketch. Hmm, wish me luck!
THE FIRST TWO DAYS... | AUGUST 24, 2005
I have made it through the first two days of class surprisingly pain free. The only unpleasantness has been the reality of how expensive school is - I have already spent over $500 on books and supplies. I buy my books on the Saturday before class starts every semester. They are always really expensive, and part of me is thinking I should just wait and buy them on a discounted web site. But I am one of those impatient people who cannot sit to wait for books when she should be reading them for class - so I always buy them before hand. I try to look at it like it is an investment into my future, because almost all of the books that I buy are related to architecture. So they turn into reference books that I may never look at again but feel better knowing they are there.
The studio project for the semester is to design a "Médiathèque de Montréal", which basically means a library with an emphasis on digital media, along with exhibition and performance space. I actually had to design a project similar to this Fall semester last year. I designed a Louis Kahn archive for Boone, Iowa, but the project was so bland that I did not put it into my portfolio. I am hoping it will be a different case with this project. The site in Montréal is quite urban, and maybe even located at a "crossing-point" between different building styles/eras. It will be very interesting to decipher the site conditions when I am in Montréal.
The studio I am in this semester is called "comprehensive" studio. I think this means we have to produce actual construction documents and, according to the syllabus, be very "technical". I am not sure exactly what else being "comprehensive" implies, but our instructors tell us it is so labor intensive that they allow us to work in partnerships. So I will probably work with my good friend Alejandra. Luckily, we have a complimentary skill set - she is magnificent at drawing and I am good at making models. I also think she is more of a free spirit than I am when it comes to design, I am more pragmatic, so it should be an interesting outcome.
The warm up assignment for the semester is to design either a storage element or a viewing element for the médiathèque. I think this means we are supposed to either design a shelf or a study carrel. I randomly selected to design a "storage element" so I am currently struggling with redefining what a "storage element" is, and what media it supports. I think that browsing at media in the library should be a leisure experience, and that all too often, it is not. In the library on campus, I feel like I am being caved in by shelves, and that makes me want to get out of there as fast as possible. This project is due on Friday (model and drawings) so hopefully I come up with something somewhat competent by then.
BACK IN AMES | AUGUST 20, 2005
Well, I am back in Ames. And what exactly does that mean? It means my internet signal sucks, I am surrounded by thousands of college students, and I miss Steven... but it also means I am about to begin another exciting school year! Okay, I tried to make that sounds as positive as possible, but I don't think it worked. I am trying to ease the transition from summer to school by preparing everything for class and getting the apartment set up, but I still think my mind set will be all messed up for at least a few days. I was hoping that by my fourth year of college I would be used to starting school all over again, but I am not.
It isn't that I dread class. I am actually at the stage in my scholastic career that I am choosing most of the classes I am taking. It is liberating to be able to choose your schedule this way, because I get to take the classes that I think will best compliment and advance my knowledge and skill set. So, if I end up not liking a class, it is my own fault. There is just this factor of control that you have to give up to be a successful student. You have to accept that you will receive assignments out of the blue and have to drop plans. You have to accept that you won't get to talk to your fiance or family on the phone very much because you can't do that and work at the same time. And the hardest part, you will have to accept that you will pretend the outside world doesn't exist so you can focus on your work. When I am in school, I seriously lose track of what is going on around me - the news, current movies, even the weather. It is not because I don't care, but because I am trying so hard to stay focused. And that is what I dread about going back to school - losing that little factor of control, not being able to decide when and where I will do things without considering a zillion other school related projects first. If it is something I am passionate about, it feels right to drop everything for one project, but if it isn't, then I have the hardest time finding that passion.
Last spring semester was the first time I really felt a passion to work on a project. It is sort of embarrassing to admit that it took so long, but it is true. My instructor was a wonderful guest lecturer from NYC, and she was very compassionate, caring and encouraging... traits missing in a few of the other instructors. I didn't learn so much about technique that semester, but I learned how to love a project and put my soul into it - I don't know if it would have happened without her support and encouragement. What is important is that I learned how to make a design challenge intrigue me. I learned how to put a spin on it to feed my own creative drive. I hope to find that again this semester because I think it will help with the transition. I'll find out soon enough.
SCHOLARSHIP NEWS, AGAIN! | AUGUST 17, 2005
I received another scholarship today - the James H. and M. Suanne Stange Scholarship. It is a scholarship specific for fourth-year architecture students focusing on a multidisciplinary education. I worked really hard to write an essay about how I plan to implement a multidisciplinary education while studying at Iowa State University, and got it turned in exactly on the last submittal date. Then the general architecture counselor sent out an email saying not enough students applied for it - so she was pushing back the submittal date for another month. I wanted to bang my head against the wall. Not only had I rushed to get it finished, ensuring errors in my essay, but this also meant more students were going to apply. Anyway, I guess that didn't matter. I am very honored to receive this scholarship, because I believe a multidisciplinary education is very important. You can't be a good architect without some background in engineering, business, accounting, general design, etc. Those electives in college aren't just for "fun & easy" classes. They should be taken seriously as a chance to broaden your horizons. Here is my essay:
James H. and M. Suanne Stange Scholarship
It is no joke that the relationship between architects and engineers is under constant strain. I worked with engineers this past summer, and quite a few times, I found myself defending the architectural profession. Even in our pre-professional careers at Iowa State University , it is not uncommon to hear jokes about the “always practical” engineer or the “pretty” designs of an architect. This is not to say that architects are incapable of making the same types of remarks, but that this attitude is inappropriate and unprofessional.
I am a firm believer in a multi-disciplinary education. This means that although I am an Architecture major, and tend to take an interest in building aesthetic, I am not going to ignore the structure and functionality of a building. When the architect has the capability of understanding these systems, it is extremely important that they pursue this knowledge. This small step increases the quality of the building, and of the relationship between the Architect and Engineer.
Thankfully, Iowa State University's required courses for architecture students include preliminary structural courses in Wood, Steel and Concrete Design. I plan on taking this introduction one step further, through attending Civil and Construction Engineering courses that I consider beneficial for a student of architecture to take.
I believe attending courses concerning Construction Materials and Methods, Contract Documents, or Transportation Planning (to name a few) is essential to my Iowa State University education. It is necessary that architectural students take not only design courses, but engineering courses as well. An architect with a good understanding of structural systems is an indispensable asset to any firm. It could mean spending less time with another consultant and saving the client more money. It could also provide the opportunity to design and test new structural methods that have never been attempted before.
The structural, environmental, and mechanical systems that support a building are often as interesting as the design of the building itself. It is obvious when the architect who designed a building understood these systems. The space is more efficient, and the building operates more smoothly. I don't want my lack of education to prevent me from designing such an integral building. I want the ability to design cohesive, complete buildings, and I know I will achieve it through pursuing a multi-disciplinary education.
The practice of Architecture is much more in depth with this knowledge, and I know that my understanding of the built environment will be enhanced when I have completed these courses.
I do believe in this - I am even taking a Construction Engineering class this Fall! My boss this summer, Steve, has shown me how important it is to have a background of structural and construction knowledge. He offers an additional service to guide his clients through the whole construction phase of their projects - from pouring the foundation to finishing the landscape. When his clients use this service, their houses look magnificent when they are completed, because someone was there to make sure everything went smoothly during construction. And believe me, there is a lot that can go wrong. I hope I will have that same knowledge (and patience) someday.
This scholarship brings my financial aid total up to $5500. I am shocked by this number, and pleased to see that my hard work has paid off.
BACK TO SCHOOL BLUES | AUGUST 16, 2005
Yuck. School begins in less than a week. I am neither mentally nor physically prepared to go back. I wonder if anyone else experiences anxiety similar to my own on the first day of class. I always feel like I am going through a major culture shock. Even though I keep myself busy, both at work and home, during the summer, it does not compare to my school schedule. I feel like every waking minute has to be dedicated to some school related project. I feel bad for sitting down to eat a nice meal. I even feel bad for sleeping at night!
From my observations this summer, I think it is accurate to say that not much changes when you become an architect. I struggle to leave my office at six. I usually feel like there is more work I could be doing if I stayed. My boss and his partner always stay later, take work home, and work on the weekends. They both have families, but I know they struggle to balance them with work. Is it possible to be a successful architect and have a family? My brother's girlfriend asked me when I was planning on having kids, and I told her I was waiting until I am at least thirty - and she laughed at me! I think it is becoming more normal for women to have careers first and children later... but I don't want to be 60 when my children graduate from college! And when I do have children, I don't want to quit work because I have a child. But I don't want to leave my child at home with a nanny either!. Maybe when I am thirty there will be anti-aging technology, and I can stay young as long as I want (us humans, always trying to cheat death). As for now, I should probably spend my time focusing on our wedding, not worrying about having children.
Another reason I don't particularly look forward to a new school year is because of money. I must say, I am lucky that there is an architecture school in my home state of Iowa, because the out-of-state tuition is absolutely ridiculous. But it is still expensive - tuition, my apartment, food, gas, supplies, deodorant, etc, it all adds up. And the architecture school schedules a field trip for each semester. At first they were not so expensive, taking a bus to Des Moines, or taking the train to Chicago. But flying to New York City and Montreal, and spending a semester in Rome - it puts a big dent in the already jalopy checkbook. I can proudly say I will be paying off my student loans until I am dead. I feel even worse for my out-of-states colleagues. They will probably be in debt until well after they die.
And I am a little nervous about this Rome trip. Where will I live? Will I have internet access (I know, it is sad that I think that is important)? Will I have pots and pans to use? Will I be able to take prescription medicine over there? What if I get sick? I am not worried about the language barrier or being away from my family. I am just nervous about all the little logistical details. All the students going on the trip are required to take a prep course about Rome, so I am sure they will explain all these little details there. Part of me just wants to know NOW. Enough complaining. This is just what's on my mind right now.
INTERESTING ILLUSTRATIONS | AUGUST 12, 2005
I found some interesting art sites today, completely by accident. The first one has cute, yet sometimes sardonic art. The name of the artist is Kurt Halsey. I couldn't find much information about him on his site, but I like his artwork nonetheless. He is very good at depicting the emotion of the characters in his illustrations (and of course, many of the illustrations feature cats, so I couldn't resist).
The second artist is a little more disturbing, but still interesting. What is funny about those two images is that I sometimes feel that way! The artist is Sam Brown, and he creates these pictures from titles that people send to him. He uses a tablet to draw all of his illustrations in Photoshop. All hail Photoshop (I am an addict)! Anyway, check out the funny images on his site. They will make you laugh, or run away covering your eyes.
SCHOLARSHIP NEWS | AUGUST 8, 2005
Not to be boastful, but I received another scholarship today! Last January I was having a really hard time paying all of my school, rent, supplies and food bills, so I decided to research and apply for scholarships. I applied for many of the ones offered from the Design College at my school, but also others that were specific for architecture students. I never expected to receive any. Not to be a pessimist, but a lot of qualifying people apply for these scholarships. When I was applying for college my senior year of high school, I was also applying for scholarships... and I didn't receive any. I have been kind of discouraged since then to try again. But as a student financing my own education, I have become desperate to find additional funds. So I spent all of my free time (conveniently between the hours of two and five a.m.) last semester applying for scholarships, and it has paid off.
I received two scholarships without even applying - the ISU Grant and the Academic Recognition Reward. These two are automatically given to you if you have a certain G.P.A., which goes to prove that grades actually do matter in college. I have received four others - the Catt College Scholarship, the Black Hawk County ISU Women's Club Scholarship, the Masonry Institute of Iowa Scholarship, and the newest one - the NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction) Scholarship.
Carrie Clinton Lane Chapman Catt was a student at ISU in 1877, and graduated at the top of her class in three years. She was the first woman student to give an oration before a debating society, and she went on to be the first woman superintendent in Mason City, Iowa. She was an activist for women's suffrage and succeeded Susan B. Anthony as the president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. Catt was a lobbyist for women's right to vote and helped form the League of Women Voters. She helped form the Women's Peace Party during WWI, was active in the League of Nations during WWII, and was an activist for a child-labor amendment to the Constitution. Basically, she was a wonderfully active woman. On our campus, Catt Hall houses philosophy and some political science offices. It is also a wonderful building, which I think is sadly falling apart. I actually applied for the Catt College scholarship through the general design office in the College of Design.
This year was the last year that the ISU Women's Club of Black Hawk County gave a scholarship (Black Hawk County is the name of the county I am from in Iowa). They were founded in 1929 and were the only ISU Women's club in Iowa until now. They are joining with the Iowa State University Alumni Association Club of Black Hawk County, so they will no longer be giving a women's scholarship. It is kind of a political B.S. decision - the Alumni Association at ISU doesn't want to give money to two clubs, so they made them join together. I attended an ISU Alumni Association in April to receive my reward, and met President Gregory Geoffroy. He thought he recognized me from a sorority - YEAH RIGHT!
The Masonry Institute of Iowa (MII) is an association to promote excellence in masonry and offer training and seminars to masons and members. I went on a field trip sponsored by the MII to Johnston, Iowa, when I was a sophomore. We toured a masonry manufacturing plant, and even constructed our own mini-masonry wall. I had so much fun on the trip that I decided I might as well apply for the scholarship.
NAWIC was founded in 1953 to promote a network between women in the construction industry. I think it is wonderful that organizations like this exist. Women are generally not encouraged to learn about construction. It is not unheard of to have Construction Engineering majors at ISU who are women, but it is also not common. Anything that is done to promote and encourage women about construction is very beneficial, especially to a woman architect. If an architect understands and follows construction techniques during the design process, then the design is more likely to be built to their specifications.
All in all, I have received $4500 in scholarship money. I am very grateful for all of it, especially since I am spending a semester in Rome this spring, and will be spending over three times what I normally spend for tuition and living expenses.
SATURDAY... THE WAY I LIKE IT | AUGUST 6, 2005
Today Steven and I were able to do something we hardly ever get to do - aimlessly wander the city of Chicago with no obligations or scheduled engagements. My brother, his girlfriend, and my nephew are in town this weekend to attend the "Need For Speed Formula D Championship", a drifting show at Soldier Field. They are staying with us, so we went down with them to the city, and spend the whole day wandering around while they were at the show. Although we didn't attend the drifting show with them, some interesting photos from the event have surfaced.
Steven and I had a good time. We walked from Soldier Field all the way to the Hancock building (a 3 mile walk), passing the Shedd Aquarium, Millennium Park, and of course, all the shops on Michigan Avenue. Besides the great skyline, we saw lots of interesting "performances" on our walk, including break dancing, a bagpipe player, and a kitty cat puppet show (my favorite!). Of course, we couldn't avoid spending a little money in the shops on Michigan. After we were done shopping, we walked to Navy Pier (another mile walk), where Nick and Courtney later picked us up.
It was great to spend the day just walking around and exploring the city together. We usually get so caught up in what we "need" to do, that we don't spend the time to appreciate the beauty of the world around us. Today we had time to enjoy the breeze of Lake Michigan and check out all the sail boats, converse about the aesthetics of the buildings around us, and of course, observe all the interesting characters of the city.
And as always, it is wonderful to have guests in our home. We will be spending tomorrow in the city again, with Nick, Courtney, and Nick Jr., and I am looking forward to another fun day.
LIFE ACCORDING TO MAUDE | AUGUST 3, 2005
I bought the most hilarious book at Borders yesterday, Life according to Maude, by John Lund. It is one of those 6" x 6" gift books that you see at the front of the store, and usually don't buy for yourself. But it had a talking cat on the cover, dressed up like a human! Who could resist that?
The whole book consists of silly pictures of Maude, the cat, acting human, accompanied by even sillier advice from her. Basically, Maude is a girl cat obsessed with shopping, chocolate and gossip. She is not afraid to admit how beautiful and perfect she is, and how worthless men are. So, she is a stereo-typical woman. What makes this so funny is that I know women who are like this - obsessed with chocolate, shoes, etc., and to see a cat portray one of them is just hilarious.
Some of my favorite lines of advice are: "I'm never lonely - those few extra pounds always keep me company" (as Maude stands in the bakery), "The only way to dream big dreams is to nap big naps" (as Maude sits on the foot of her bed, wearing a lovely string of pearls), "Three simple words to happiness: bitch, bitch, bitch," and "Never let other people's jealousy rob you of feeling good about being superior to them" (as Maude buffs her nails). The pictures accompanying the text make what she is saying even more hilarious, but unfortunately, it is illegal to "use or reproduce in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of reprints in the context of reviews" (whatever that means). Since I am trying to avoid any time in jail and large fines, I will avoid scanning these images to post here. I searched for peeks inside of the book on major publishing websites, but did not find any there. I did find an interesting site featuring artists that do this sort of fun work with animals though, called portalpub.
To avoid disappointing you, I have created a lovely image of Data, in the style of Maude. The advice given by Data is completely original. Check it out.
A NEW MONTH | AUGUST 1, 2005
It is the first day of August. I always feel a bit sad on this day. I am reminded that the end of summer is fast approaching. Not the "real" end of summer, but the end of my "summer" vacation from school. I am rarely prepared to leave the freedom of the summer and go back into the school year. During school, I devote ALL of my time to working on school-related projects. I enjoy working on them, but I don't have any free time to work on other, personal projects. So, it really has to do with how much I have/haven't gotten accomplished this summer. Enough complaining, I will have to get used to it eventually, I won't be in school forever. And I don't think you get summer vacation from work (I wish!).
Yesterday was my 21st birthday. I spent it in Guttenberg, Iowa, with my family. Steven gave me a gorgeous jewelry box with my monogram on the lid, and it was filled with diamonds! Okay, not really, but it is a beautiful wooden jewelry case. I have never seen a jewelry case as exquisite as this one. Steven has such great taste; I don't even want to know how much it cost.
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