2005
Upcoming Trips: Spring Break in LA! I'm going with 30 of my classmates and our agenda is to draw, visit sites, and talk about architecture for 4 days straight. Luckily, I have plans to spend some time in the mountains when I get back so it all evens out. Also, coming up! A month in NYC this summer. An interdisciplanary class called Crossmedia Practices is being offered through CCA. It involves studying with different artists and studios including David Byrne, The Wooster Group, and Diller and Scofidio. I'll be staying with friends and I'll have my own studio somewhere in the Village. Our goal is to create a collaborative project with other graduate students from the writing, fine arts, design, and architecture departments incorporating new technologies and materials. Marianne Weems from the Builders Association is the creater and advisor for the course.

Today, I rediscovered how much I like iced soy chai lattes. I've had two in one day from my new hangout, Axis Cafe and Gallery. The place gives off shall we say a certain kind of impression, but it's really a great place to hang out when I have to study or I need a break from working in my studio. The three things it has going for it in my book are being next door to school, having coffee that doesn't suck, and having the only comfortable seating in a 5 mile radius. Also, they remember my name so that makes me feel just a little bit special.

Woohoo! I survived the first week of the spring semester in the MArch program at CCA. Today, my studio class paid a visit to the Mechanics' Institute . It is the oldest library west of the Mississippi and houses the oldest chess room in the country. Some unique features in the library include the dumbwaiter for transporting books between floors and the continuous book stacks that span between 3 floors. However, the best part of the institute is the spiraling staircase that is straight out of Vertigo. This place is really worth checking out, but unfortunately you have to be a member to just drop in. Why were we visiting this place? I don't exactly know yet, but I do know that we are studying how the building functions within itself and on its block in the past, present, and future. We are also collecting information on the needs of the institution and how a landmark can expand without dramatically changing its structure and so on.


I've had confirmation from my doctor that the toe is indeed fractured. I'm getting around in flip flops since any other shoes smoosh my toes together and are extremely painful to walk in. I see an ugly image of Birkenstock sandals and socks in my future. Luckily, biking is a lot easier than walking.

It is isn't definite, but I think my little toe on my right foot is probably broken. It doesn't like when I drop heavy objects like toilet tanks covers on it .

My spring semester starts Tuesday, January 18th. My classes are Integrated Building Systems, Studio 2, History of Architecture 2, and Architecture Theory 2 (green building seminar).

Sagan is one of the more interesting galactic sound experiences I've heard in San Francisco as of late. They recently performed at the Elbo Room in the Mission with Spoonbender 1.1.1 and IRR. APP. (EXT.). As the crowd stared into a projection of a swirling starry scene, a collection of sounds whirred forth. I closed my eyes, hung my head, and drifted off into my happy place. View the trailer for the new cd and dvd "Unseen Forces" filmed by video artist, Ryan Junell. "Unseen Forces" contains multitudes: cranky computers, chirpy helium speed loops, big lumbering rock drums, spiky metal guitar leads, crumbling towers of gabber stomp, pastoral piano meanderings, field recordings from bird hospitals, abrupt tempo collapses, and shivering synthesizers. (Vague Terrain)

I started the new year off with a 3 1/2 hour session of yin yoga at Valencia Yoga Tree. The intention I set for the class and for the new year was to be calm and remember how to remain calm through the upcoming spring semester even when stress and anxiety arise . I'm determined to keep the yoga up on a weekly basis no matter how busy I get. I totally ran myself down the last few months and had one cold after another. (Architorture!) I may not have a life outside of school, but I shouldn't have to ruin my health. Thanks Dina! I feel great!

I recently got a shiny new bike after my well loved red Lemond was stolen out of my garage. Damn you bike thieves! It's been over a month and I'm still hoping that I'll pass my bike on the street although I'm sure she's been stripped of all her parts by now. My neighbors mentioned seeing a known bike thief hanging around our street the same time my bike was nabbed. I'm also suspicious of certain people living under the Duboce underpass near Vermont Street. There are piles and piles of bikes locked together under there and you just have to wonder.

Anyway, since then i've got a schmancy new bike. It's another Lemond Buenos Aires and it is lighter than my laptop because of those carbon fibers. The ride almost feels effortless.

Happy New Year! My to do in 2005:

Update this site more often
Keep a regular sketch book and journal
Do more yoga
Read more Murakami
Bike
Make more photographs for "Left Behind" series
Draw, draw, draw
Knit a long chunky scarf
Send more mail art!
Become a Maya expert
Find a summer internship
Visit friends in Germany before they move

2004/2003 archive

in rotation:
the beach boys
new telepathic friends
matmos
elliot smith
damon and naomi
bonnie prince billy
joanna newsom
brian jonestown massacre
the high llamas
camera obscura
rilo kiley

reading:
Norwegian Wood
Le Corbusier The Poetics of Machine and Metaphor
Cradle to Cradle: Rethinking the Way We Make Things
Dwell
The New Yorker

links:
atlas cafe
aquarius records
rainbow grocery
california college of the arts
buzz town
mc sweeeny's
southern exposure
give verse
jill bliss
otsu vegan style
san francisco cinemateque
porchlight
soma fm
silent way
this american life
yoga tree
zum shows

friends:
apple-o
danfuzz
danny scherr
ert
jen faith
jeremy scenester
jon fast
sean grout
2good4u

currently crazy about:
chris ware
dandelions
cranes
tea
freitag
scrabble
damon and naomi
linda hagood
my boyfriend
redecorating the loft
biking
succulents
maya
matmos
peter zumthor
herzog and de meuron
brooklyn
cat and girl
rooftop gardening
making web sites for fun!
pretzel making
knitting
taco tuesday
tangerines
clogs
my hiptop
kisslings
queen bee
vitamin water
short videos