stickin' it to the [man]

alright, so the title may be a little deceiving. i'm not actually stickin' it to the man, to be honest, i'm actually working for the man. however the title "working for the man" just doesn't have the same ring to it. anyway......let me explain. i recently acquired a job with the college. i am now the assistant curator for the college of architecture, planning and designs, chang gallery. alright, i made that title up, but doesn't it sound good? i didn't think it would be a terribly hard job. just a couple of hours every few weekends, hanging and displaying different exhibits that the college decides to show. however upon hearing the rather "light" schedule i have this semester, i was asked if i would be available to do a variety of other jobs for the college. not minding adding a few dollars to my slim wallet, i agreed. my first task was to deliver project boards back to the aia office in kansas city. although, i had to move a few things around on my schedule, i was able to clear a block of time today.[anyone that knows my schedule, is laughing right now] the college set me up with a state vehicle full of gas, and since the boards were rather large, i got to "roll" in a station wagon. i know what your thinking. sweet!, i agree. i hadn't rolled in a station wagon since my junior year of high school. i had almost forgotten how "off-the-hook" they can be. so i got the car, loaded the boards, and spent this afternoon cruising to k.c. in a large white station wagon, with a big "k-state" on the side. the weather was great, and i was able to "rock out" with some great music provided by, bloc party, rilo kiley and the flaming lips. i couldn't believe that i was actually getting paid to leave studio, take a road trip and "rock out". maybe in a small way, that's why i feel like a got to "sick it to the man", the fact that after seven years of paying tuition, the state is finally throwing a few "hamilton's" my way.

the [republicans] of the caribbean

the halfway point

today i waited in a line. a really long line. a very really long line. a line i haven't seen the likes of since the summer of 99, which of course was the infamous [pirates of the caribbean] line at disneyland. in that line, the payoff was to see some of the best animatronic pirates these eyes have ever seen................... come to think of it,...... i believe they're the only animatronic pirates these eyes have ever seen. anyway the pay off this time was to receive my free ticket to see the president of the united states of america, george w. bush. that's right. the commander in chief is coming to the little apple. the paper announced it yesterday, and they started handing out tickets on a first come, first serve basis today. now, i don't care what your political affiliation may be, or if you live in a red state or a blue state, i'd like to believe that everyone would be excited. also i feel my generation should care and be more involved in politics then they currently are.

i decided to try and get a ticket for several reasons. first of all, i have a mild fascination with politics at all levels. secondly, for the fact that i've never heard a president speak before, and don't know when i'll get a another chance. lastly, it's free! and i love anything that's free.

today's adventure consisted of enduring a wait in the second longest line i've ever been in, to receive my ticket. i couldn't believe how many people were waiting. they handed out the tickets at the central booth of the football stadium. the line wrapped clear around the parking lot, and then down the street. the above photo was taken about an hour into my wait. while standing, there were actually vendors selling hotdogs, and i even saw someone get a pizza delivered, while in line. i however didn't mind waiting. i feel that the chance to see the president of our nation speak, while attending college, is worth the wait, much like the pirates of the caribbean were at disneyland.









nearing the end of my wait

so this is the [new year]

i can't believe that it's already january 11, and here i am without any resolutions. but these aren't' something you just jump into. so i took my time and thought about them long and hard, and i think that i'm finally ready to commit, here they are:

i'm going to graduate from college. i'm going to get a job in architecture.

ok, so they sound pretty accomplishable,[that might not be a word], but as i looked up the actual definition of resolution which is, "the quality of having a fixed purpose; determination; firmness." it fits perfectly to how i feel about my choices. i believe that i'm more ready to graduate and get a job then most of my peers. i've been in college for seven years, i'm ready to get out. most of my close friends have moved on and have started their own new lives. they have new apartments, new jobs, and new friends, they're carving out their own little niche into the world. i want to start carving.

the great things about these resolutions is that they'll be accomplished in may, leaving the rest of the year open to new experiences with no other plans. i learned last year that you can never fully plan what the year will hold for you. so this year will be the year for no pre-conceived expectations. i'll be working in a job i've never had before, living in a new city, and meeting new people. i can't wait.

through our own [window]

i heard once that everyone sees this world through their own little window, and through that window we all see things differently.

i wanted to share a little bit of my window. i captured a lot of 2005 with my camera, so on this blog, i wanted to try to do a top ten list of photos to show a little bit of my year. i realize that nothing in my life can compare to other world events such as: the war in iraq, and hurricane katrina. however these photos are just a small glimpse into my life.


i decided to pick ten photographs from the whole year that i felt were either artistic or captured a strong emotion in my life. sometimes a photograph was able to do both. these ten photographs are images that remind me of my year in 2005. i hope you enjoy the view.

2005 in [pictures]

the sunset in new mexico - 1.10.05
this picture was taken while driving west to california to start my internship. i enjoy this photo because of the job it does capturing my feelings at the time. i was leaving the cold, icy january we were having in kansas at the time, and heading west into the unknown. my own manifest destiny. i had no idea what to expect over the horizon.




point loma lighthouse - 1.16.05
i included this photograph for artistic reasons. i love the color of the sky against the white of the lighthouse. this picture also represents my first weekend in san diego. for a slightly "cheesy reason" i included this picture because this lighthouse was used as guidance for ships, much like i felt that i my internship would be for my education.





view from my front door - 2.13.05
this photograph isn't very artistic, but it was what i saw whenever i left my apartment, which was mostly for work. it's not an amazing view, but having been born and raised in kansas, to be, it was breathtaking.





the pelican on the o.b. pier - 3.19.05
no long story for this picture, and it's not terribly artistic, however this bird was on the pier one day and it fascinated me for well over twenety minutes, and i'm thankful that i had a camera at the time.




jean by the window - 3.25.05
my girlfriend at the time, came to visit me during her spring break. i believe i was able to snap this photograph of her before she was aware of it. everything about this picture, the light coming in the window, her pose, her clothes, and her look, come together so naturally. this is one of my favorite photos i ever took of her.




sunset at pacific beach - 4.9.05
this was the beach closest to my apartment. i came here often to watch the sunset. i felt like i was at the edge of the world. nothing can beat a kansas sunset, but this is a very close second.




pacific beach - 5.20.05
this photograph was taken the day i first was able to stand on a surfboard. i had dreamed about surfing ever since i first saw the movie "gidget". even though i only stood for a second, a seven-year dream of being able to surf, was a tad closer that day.




gamble window - 6.25.05
this was one of my favorite photos i took this year, because of everything wrapped up in this picture. i love the framming, and the color. the craftmenship of the window is amazing. but also when i see this picture, i'm reminded of one day finally having the courage to travel through los angeles by myself, relying on nothing but map quest, and braving the worst traffic i've ever been in, all in order to view an architectural icon. oh and it's also doc browns house in back to the future, which is one of the best movies, ever.




the pizza grotto - 8.11.05
another great picture of jean, but i included this picture because of the moment it captured. i had finally finished my internship, and jean had flown out to drive back to kansas with me. we hadn't seen each other for three months. we went out to eat at my favorite pizza place and talked about our ideas of the future over dinner. this photo will always remind me of that conversation.





one final photo - 9.20.05
this was taken at a "decemberists"concert in lawrence. i drove from manhattan, jean drove from kansas city. after the concert we had sandwiches and coffe. that night, we got into our cars and drove back to our own, seperate lives.