This blog called "lovetann" has a lot of interesting things.

So... my job is really feakin cool. I get to build two models that could be potentially really high quality (I have a much larger budget than if I was funding it on my own), and my boss takes time out of his day to teach me autoCAD. An hour to two hours a day he spends showing me things in either autoCAD or model building. I can't believe I'm getting paid to do this. I even get to play chess during work with my russian co-worker!! I never thought such an amazing opportunity would present itself. My boss told me that he enjoys having people who are more motivated to do basic autoCAD stuff. If he was to hire an engineer or some one who was an expert in autoCAD they would be more of a drag around the office because they don't necessarily enjoy basic autoCAD projects.

I'm learning alot about building codes and stuff because thats basically my job is to specify on drawings why these things he has designed adhere to code. Its interesting but the most interesting things are learning autoCAD and learning to read drawings and construction documents. I'm learning that construction documents aren't necessarily standardized, at least to architects. Any how...

My boss's office is attached to a fabrics distribution company's warehouse, so its this strange juxtaposition of elegantly designed offices/greenspace in a factory/light industry section of town.

AutoCAD 2006

Over the summer I went to three interviews at architecture firms in Delaware. All were in regard to posted openings, a seemingly promising prospect. The trend that developed, however, had to do with two recurring themes in the interview discussions. The first was the term "professional degree." The second was a word which I dreaded dealing with from the very start: AUTOCAD.

It became increasingly evident that there wasn't a lot of entry-level work for recent interdisciplinary graduates with no drafting skills. Perhaps I was ineffective in communicating my willingness to do the most menial tasks. Anyway, the following points were driven home in each interview:


1.) Entry-level employee = AutoCAD monkey,
2.) We don't hire untrained monkies.

I'm having trouble coping with equating the value vs. cost of various forms of education. Now I am enrolled in a $400 AutoCAD course at the Delaware College of Art and Design. Where is the love for the educated vibe? The architects around here seem like engineers.

I'm thinking of a Talking Heads song, ".....there's a city in my mind.."

Why is thinking at odds with working, learning dissociated from occupation? Starting to feel like a ghost town.

Bio-terrorism, Interior Design, and the Mexican Ghetto.

So my *ephem* program called Archeworks has begun. Let's just call it my Design Program. Much better name, simpler, and not as... well... trendy and cute.

So basically, it involves two parts. First, is a project. There are 15 participants involved, divided into 3 teams. My team's project involves working with Chicago Public Health on Bio-Terrorism issues. The second part is an ethics/morality course and a future studies course.

This Design Program is so intaresting on so many levels. The people involved, for one. Everyone there has some sort of ethical thing going on in their heads, and has some sort of bent in their intarest toward design. That is all we have in common. People are all ages...I am one of two fresh-graduates. And all sorts of types of jobs or other things ranging from architects/interior designers/art gallery people/artists/computer people/lanscapers/health care workers/community developement people/ city workers/ oh, yeah, and ME! So, that alone makes it pretty intaresting right there.

So, today "class" was the morality class. It was just fasinating to be in an academic discussion with people from such diverse backgrounds about morality, absolutes/relitivity, ethics, you know. We acually went around the circle, and all said our own stance/beliefs on ethics. I was first in the circle, not by choice. It was very strange and exciting to hear what people said. It felt like some weird sort of reality tv show.

And the projects are awesome the other two groups are working on: sustainability w/ the Museum of Science and Industry and the the other on: everyday stuff for stroke victims w/ some big stroke research place here in town. It's basically a giant year-long charette, and if it's good enough, it has the possibility to be implimented. My project has some money behind it, so i hope that helps too.

Anyway, this is getting really rambly, so I will stop soon... but I also wanted to ad that I got a job, so if anyone is worried about there spelling abilities and how that will affect their future job prospects... whatever. I am the office manager at an interior design firm, yeah, i don't get excited about interior design, but i look at it as a way to learn how to run a small business. I am just cleaning up a business degree or something.

And now I am at home, in the mexican ghetto.

Book reviews

I was looking at the Urban Planning Research blog this morning and saw some book reviews (on a very old post, and an even older book review - 2002). I thought some of you might have read some of these books; I know alot of you have read Suburban Nation. The book Picture Windows looks very interesting and i was wondering if any one else had read it.

B... Be.... Bee....Beee.... Freeeeeeeeeee!

Okay, the title is better, BUT... I still feel we could do better... Much better. ( Hi Matt and Will!! How are you guys doing?? How's California? Job? Surfing??? Ecuadorian endeavors? I am going to take up wind serving!!! )

My job-fetching saga continues:
Today I had an interview at a temp agency that deals only with design firms. I had my Work-Place-Stylish ON ( at lease I thought so ), you know, the little suit and stuff. I took the train downtown, and rode the elevator up to the 14th floor. *good so far*

After 1 hour of paper work, .5 hour face interview (they had jobs I wanted), *good so far*... Then: tests. I aced them all: Word, Excel, Power Point, I type 50 WPM ( I was excited about that.), arithmetic... I was a dreamboat to any and every employer in every way. *good so far* .........Then... A SPELLING TEST???? WHAT? AM I IN 2nd GRADE??? .... And hey, at least in 2nd grade I got the words a week in advance.

I Failed. I guess you can probably tell from this post. I retook it. Failed again. SPELLING.
I was so pissed, the interviewer told me they don't every take people that can't SPELL. (discrimination, I say) That's what I use spell CHECK for, I told her. I was so pissed, I didn't want to burst into tears, so I headed for the door, not saying anything. She walked me out. She told me I could retake it in two days. I just boiled.

So that's my story morning glory.... Apparently, everything you need to learn you learned in kindergarten. I am overly reliant on the computer, but I'm okay with it. Spelling, for the 2nd-grade-me, was more of an exercise in personal growth rather than an exercise in how-to-spell. I think my 'person' definitely benefited from the exercise. Therefore, the spelt-word and I can get along with the aid of spellCHECK. In fact, spellCHECK acts as a sort of mediator, a Christ-figure, if you will, in my life. Perfection of written communication is the ultimate goal, and spellCHECK is the bridge humble servants of written communication MUST take.

hilarious. Really, very hilarious. \\\

spellCHECK is your friend. And my friend. Just reach out and give it a little lovin.

Caught In A Pickle. tickle. tickle.

the problem with this blog is the name. it needs something snappier. what is "Calvin Architecture".... uh, boring.

maybe if it had another sort of theme... we are all graduates with varying Degrees, but of the same level of employability. (even though mine, i'd like to remind everyone,... is a Pre-Professional Degree. yes.) Dispite my seemingly professional-bound degree, we are all in the same boat. so we have that in common.

Any thoughts folks??? i'm getting OLD sitting here!!!

it smells of corn tortillas...

i appreciate will's enthusiasm. well done, will.

so i am currently in Chicago. soon, i will be starting a program with a name SO cheesey that i ALWAYS try to avoid saying it out loud... ARCHEWORKS. uuuuuugh. i get chills in my spine. HOWEVER, it's gonna be sweet. It's all about studying the ethics of design, and doing practical projects.... like acually researching and building something..... wooooooo!

and i am working on getting a job.... yeah, i've been looking forEVER, it seems, maybe i'm too short. or a girl. or... oh yeah, i got a BFA... I find that getting a job is rather like trying to fit yourself into a nicely packaged box that has to better than eveyone else's box. I am so exicted to get a job, if for no other reason than to pass the poverty line...

speaking of being a girl... it's kind of an issue in my nieghborhood. if, lets say, you are a female, and you decide to walk down the street, you are constantly reminded by evey male that you are a fleshy thing. it's annoying. and repulsive. i mutter all kinds of atrocities in their general direction. expecially if they have small children with them and they are wagging their tounges in the air at you??? i think not.

other than most men. i love my neighborhood, and highly recomend moving here. it's the cheapest in chicago, and has super good eats. i live above a grocery store where i am becoming friends with the owner... and it's 2 miles from the lake.

so... life after calvin is a good thing... you know what I heard??? I heard calvin is becomeing an evalgelical school of sorts. ... as in they're adding a church planting minor, a youth ministies minor.... uuuuuh, are those academic studies??? these kids should get majors in religion and sociolgy. and acually get some substance. go to bible school if that's what you want.

okay kids.. post i say...post!!!