Update

Just wanted to let you all know what I've been up to. This week is going to be extremely busy. I have an interim review of the Mobile Med project on Friday. I'm meeting with three of the KU studio professors to see what their thoughts, ideas, feedback, problems are with the project. I chose to meet with Murli Ramaswami, who I have had as a studio professor because he always gave me wonderfully constructive criticism and continually challenged ideas I had already set in stone. I think that the project I did in that class is among some of the best stuff I have done while in school. Second is Dan Rockhill, the Studio 804 professor. Lately 804 has been doing a lot of mobile or pre-fab projects and he is an extremely valuable asset to the school, really, who better to ask about a mobile building project? Lastly is Steve Padget, also a past studio professor. What can I say, I just like him. I like talking with him and he thinks like I want to think. So between now and Friday morning I have to print off about 40 pages (@ .20 per page), have them bound, convert them all to digital format and update the web site, and if there is time put together some kind of powerpoint media presentation for the actual review itself.

I work tonight and Tuesday, as usual, then we'll see the rest of the week. I am really loving my job and my boss is wonderful... business is not. It's so frustrating because he has a great resturaunt, comparable prices, wonderful atmosphere and service, and NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT IT. I can see what it could be and that gives me the motivation to keep working. So far I have been able to pay my bills with just a little bit left over but recently it has been getting tighter. The inconsistency just kills me. And with Christmas around the corner who knows what I will do. One thing I know is that I will not be able to take off for a month. I think I may well have to spend most of Christmas break in Lawrence making money.

This last weekend was a ton of fun. Alicia's whole family was in town and it was great to see them. Her Grandma and Grandpa came up for the Lawrence Antiques show and her mom and dad came in just because. They took us out for dinner Friday and Saturday which was great! While it's no replacement for my own family, it's just kinda nice to be with family every once in a while. :) I'm really looking forward to Thanksgiving. Alicia and I are going to get engagement pictures taken back in Speareville and then I think it's on to Denver to see Mom, Austin, and Uncle Monte.

Anyway, that's what's up!

Project Runway Rant

OK, so anyone who knows me know I have an opinion on everything. On past seasons of Project Runway and The Apprentice I posted after every episode to let you all know what I think. Although I have restrained myself this season, I feel as though I can no longer hold it all in. Whether or not y'all care to hear it, here is my rant.

I have loved designers this season, I have hated designers this season. I tend to go for the underdog. Last season I loved Santino and I pulled for him the entire way. I still think that he should have won. This season my adopted designer was Jeffrey. I know people say "Oh, he's such an asshole, he's so mean..." were they watching the same episodes I was? I liked Kane, I thought Malan was extremely talented, I loved Alison and until recently, I really kinda liked Laura. And I think it goes without saying that Michael is everybody's favorite. He's a wonderfully talented designer, he's a gentleman, it's just so easy to love him!!!

I have also hated several of the designers. Robert was ridiculously boring, Bonnie had less talent than an armadillo, and Uli is a one type with no creativity whatsoever. But the one designer who embodies everything that is souless and wrong is without a doubt angela. (She gets a little "a" because she's not worth the capitalization) From the beginning I disliked her design, her stupid little rosettes, and her general personality. The best episode this year was when she went all the way to Paris in order to be eliminated and go home a few minutes after arriving.

Now, my support of Jeffrey and my Hatred of Angela culminated in the mom's episode. I will admit that I hated Jeffrey's outfit, it was the worst one that he designed on any show all season. To his credit, he was faced with an impossible task. In the words of my dad, he had to polish a turd. But where I developed my general disgust with angela into my utmost desire to see her fail was when she instructed her mom to bad mouth Jeffrey on the runway. It was sneaky, underhanded, and really, really lame. angela showed her true colors and that it was all about competition, not doing her best on this episode and she got her comeuppance. Bye Bye!

This leads me into last episode. As I said, I liked Laura. She is an architect and a great, be it geriatric focused, designer. However, she lost me on the last episode when she accused Jeffrey of cheating. Jeffrey was finished with every piece in his collection and every piece was impeccable, therefore... he must have cheated. WRONG!!! I don't know if he did or didn't but let's examine some facts. Jeffrey was more serious about this entire competition than everybody save Michael. Look at past seasons. Most competitors were finished with their pieces upon arrival in NY Last year. They also had them complete an additional piece once they arrived. If Jeffrey cared about this competition the way he said he did, he may have well expected to have another piece added to his plate when the got to New York. Why wouldn't you have everything done?! Secondly, they had TWO MONTHS to complete 12 pieces. That's roughly five days per piece. On the show they only get one or two days!!! Imagine what they should be able to do with a week. Lastly, the way the issue was raised was wrong. Even if he did cheat, I don't believe that there was any real way to prove it. You don't bring the issue up the night before the show. And if anyone is going to bring it up, the last person it should be is one of the competitors. Laura, in short... SHUT THE HELL UP AND WORRY ABOUT YOUR OWN COLLECTION! I really thought her comments made her look desperate, threatened, and grasping. It was a serious jab at her character and was all to familiar to me. I go to school with a whole lot of girls that are going to grow up to be just like her. (Past group work)

I'm going out on a limb but I'm going to say that on tonight's episode Jeffrey WILL SHOW HIS LINE. It will be wonderful and all this big stinky mess will blow up in Laura's face.


P.S. But none of this really matters because Michael is going to win.

P.P.S. And Uli shouldn't even be there.

John Stewart is an Idiot

There are a few times in one's life when you reach total and utter frustration and despair over something that is so completely stupid you cannot understand it or do anything about it. Did that make sense? If not it is because I cannot think straight I am so angry. I get my news from Yahoo every morning. This morning I came upon this little gem. I really cannot believe just how stupid people can be. Right under a story about a North Korea gaining nuclear power, something that should scare the bejesus out of everyone on the face of the earth, I read about people actually supporting two comedians to run for president of the free world. I hate John Stewart... and Stephen Colbert. Yes I know they are comedians, yes I know poking fun at politicians can be hilarious, the problem is that in our media controlled society, this is THE ONLY EXPOSURE TO POLITICS that some people get. This also should scare the bejesus out of everyone on earth, or at least in America. I do, however, agree with something John Stewart said for the first time in my life. Stewart scoffed at suggestions that some people actually get their news from "The Daily Show."

"There's no way you could get the news from us," he said. "I've seen the show. It couldn't happen."

If he doubts the integrity of his own show as a creditable news source he shouldn't parade it as such. Carlos Mencia is a comedian, he doesn't pretend to be anything else or give himself legitimacy. The reason I chose him in particular was to make a comparison. I can say honestly, that Carlos Mencia is more "fair and balanced" than the train wrecks that are "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report." The single thing that makes our system of government wonderful is that everyone can vote, the single thing that makes our system of government awful is that everyone can vote. If you say you get your news from either of these shows, do our society and the world a favor and stay away from the voting booth. Listen to John Stewart, get your news elsewhere.

busy, busy, busy

Wow, has it really been a week? Things are flying, I worked all day Saturday and Monday and Tuesday nights. Sunday is pretty much completely taken up by church and church activities. And here we are on Wednesday. I have also been making a lot of updates and changes to the other two websites. I've really been working to try to update my portfolio website. I had an interview yesterday with an architect here in town. He does a lot of smaller projects but I think getting my foot in the door would be wonderful. It really sounds like a great job, I'd be mostly doing CAD work, but we have to start somewhere! I'm really looking forward to this weekend, it's KU Homecoming, Mary and Nelson, Colin and Bo, and Me and Alicia are going to get together for our monthly couples thing, and there's a party at the house... Oh and I work all day Saturday, I'm sure. AIEEEeeeee! I'll try to keep you all updated.