Tuesday, December 05, 2006

winter [work]land

well, yet another sign that i need to apply for my aarp membership and start watching the antiques road show on a more regular basis.

last week we had our first snow of the season, and as much as i wanted to run home at lunch and bundle up like ralphie's little brother in "a christmas story" and partake in this freshly fallen treat, i couldn't. instead, i had to sit in front of my desk, in my khakis, staring out the window, watching perfectly good snowball material go to waste on my window sill.

from the time i could walk, up until last year, a snowfall was an excuse. a reason to forget any responsibility and enjoy a little blessing brought on by mother nature herself. a gift to us all saying, "who needs school, go play." but now with this job, comes responsibilities, and deadlines. obstacles between me and the snow.

spending just a few months in this profession, i've quickly realized that i only get paid if i can bill my time to someone with money. therefore, i have to work the majority of the day. however with the snow gently falling outside, and sugar plums dancing in my head, i was pondering ways architects could enjoy the season, while still accumulating somewhat billable hours. here's a few ideas.


- building to-scale snow mock ups of projects in the parking lot.
- louie kahn snowman lookalike contests.
- design competitions will be decided by snowball fights. using your own firm as "base".
- clients must sit on our laps and tell us what they'd like for their buildings.
- year-end bonus will be determined by "freeze-out" competitions.
- all elevations will include christmas lights with corresponding lighting plans to be coordinated with the electrical engineer.
- instead of coffee, we offer clients egg-nog in moose head shaped glasses.
- i dare my co-worker chad to put his tongue on the lamp post outside.

just a few suggestions i'll bring up at the next office meeting. i hope everyone can enjoy the season in their own way.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

i like 'em all. except maybe the one about having our clients sit on our laps...you have heard of the proverbial "architectural hard-on"? that might get a little akward.

Luke said...

*grin* This post took me back...You definitely haven't changed too much. :)

Nicole said...

ummmm, i also am unsure of the sitting on laps. 1 - i'm tiny, so large clients could crush me. 2 - there should be no creepy old men involved, which rules out many architects and clients. other than that - it's a snowball to the face, wittman!

Anonymous said...

christmas story reference? in that vein, why don't we take outrageous mounds of homemade mashed potatoes, pile them high, and have an antoni gaudi look-alike contest.

wishing i had something less pathetic to add,

corbizi.

Anonymous said...

That's hilarious. I'd totally be up for some urban sledding right about now.