It doesn't make much damn sense but oh well

I got word from my studio professor that my Sausalito boardwalk proposal was one of four student proposals that the City Manager would like us to personally present at the next Waterfront Working Group meeting. I was surprised and amused considering the fact I was told my design was "not very interesting" by the a reviewer panel few weeks ago.

However, this doesn't mean the proposal suddenly got more interesting in the last two weeks. It is the plain truth that cities are attracted to practical and prudent things over the sky's the limit brand of proposals a lot of my classmates offered.

I won't let this one go to my head. The presentation is on April 22.

Noo toons

Keep Your Eyes Ahead, The Helio Sequence
Rise Above, The Dirty Projectors
Body Language Six Mixed, Junior Boys

Vine time

For Spring Break this year I traveled to the Central Coast of California. For the know-nots out there, it's the area roughly between Santa Barbara and Carmel-by-the-Sea. My sister accompanied, and we had a very good time. Much wine was consumed. The best day was driving around the hills of Templeton on the west side of 101, encountering turkeys and a number of fine pinots.


From Wild Horse Winery & Vineyards


Big Sur is a great drive, esp. in a convertible.


It was windy at Point Lobos.






I was thinking this scene would look better minus the powerlines and transmission towers, but maybe it's just me....

If someone can claim you as a dependent, do not check box 6a.

Despite the fact that I received a notice I will be receiving $600 later this summer, I still owe dollars to the IRS on my federal return. I've been dragging my feet over getting the paperwork done for weeks, but tonight the pressure climaxed and I took out my pen and worksheets and began the ugly process.

Turns out I owe less than the rebate thing we will get this summer, so that is good, but it's still painful to do this paperwork. I've done my taxes incorrectly the last few years, so this time I am paying careful attention to lines 18 and 26. I have a feeling something will be awry despite my conscientious outlook.

Oh, and one thing I've learned is that doing your taxes isn't so bad if you have both brownies and red wine as companions.

Spring break is around the corner and things look to be turning around...

Sausalito!

Scroll down for FULL effect:































































































Two of two. This one is nearly as long as me. I still am constructing the eighth scale model....

New York's finest!

Eliot Spitzer used prostitutes while he was Attorney General for the State of New York. As his state's highest legal advocate, he thought no one would ever find out he ordered prostitutes to visit him at the Mayflower Hotel, no less than 5 blocks from the White House, on Massachusetts Avenue, in the heart of our nation's capital. Presumably staying there on official business...Perhaps meeting senators for drinks in the hotel bar, then retiring to his room, where some lady for hire was there enjoying the prepaid wet bar.

Pathetic comes to mind. Lonely comes to mind. Willful arrogance comes to mind...

In brighter news, I managed to find my beloved handbag on ebay and it has already shipped. Sure, it has a few scratches, but it is practically the real deal. And I saved quite a few dollars through ebay as well.

Backordered

Nordstrom apparently doesn't have qualms about advertising items on their website that will be backordered for 5 weeks.

I got an email about my amazing handbag, informing me that the expected ship date would be April 15. That is more than a month away. By the time I get the damn handbag, the new lines will be out for late spring.

Lame-o.

I checked around on the web and the item is unavailable everywhere else, too. Apparently it is quite popular. There was one in stock at Macy's but they wanted $25 to ship it. Nord's has $5 shipping, which is why I initially ordered through them. Little did I know of the pending delays.

Spend thrift

I just ordered a very expensive handbag. I don't really deserve the damn thing, but I tend to splurge when I am a computer slave before a final studio review. I hope Nordstrom delivers so I can have it by the end of the week.

Field trip to McNear Brickyard in San Rafael, CA

On Tuesday afternoon, my Design in Detail class took a trip to see a brick factory. It was an amazing day and I learned a lot going to McNear Brick.


Our journey begins at the palettes.


This is where I'd play if I was a kid. It looks very fun and dangerous.


This controls how the bricks are cut as they move through the factory on a conveyor belt. I was tempted to push some of these and pull some levers.


This is a view of the kiln firing bricks down the line. The bricks that are visible have just finished being inside there for something like 12 hours. They were still warm and steamy. 1900 degrees in there.


Here is Mr. McNear telling us how some of the machinery works.

Saturday's tune stopper

Panda Bear, Good Girl/Carrots