And Other Stuff
Aug. 9th, 2006 10:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shipperxIn the list of "other things"
1) Just got the damn weirdest comment in my last post by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
bnfsatemybaby which somehow equated Duck's ever-lingering desperately in need of perspective Spike hatred with... er...defending 'stupid [insert his/her offensive term for gay people here]', because hating Spike and calling his fans immoral and nuts is TOTALLY the same thing as arguing against homophobia (while you're using a slur against homosexuals, no less! Way to go with poor word choice! FYI, the way to combat bigotry is not to impersonate a bigot--especially when it's a non sequitur in the thread. Then, it just looks like you are the homophobe.)
Also, as someone intolerant of homophobia, let me say -- get off my side. You're making it look irrational!
Very strange.
Then again, popping over to thesockpuppet username, I think strange and hate-filled nonsense is probably what should be expected from that quarter. Still... odd. (And BNFs, if you're reading: Hon [and I'm using the term in the Southern vernacular of "Asshole"] have you ever thought about looking into anger management?)
Oh well.
(Though it did bring a chuckle as it somehow reminded me of the Unauthorized Biography of MsScribe. I think it's the shared territory of obvious sockpuppet, irrational hatred, and anti-social behavior)
2) It's been pimped all over creation, but I'll add one more pimp.stoney321 had a fairly surreal e-mail from a bigot who decided that spreading homophobia via his business newsletter was less than totally batshit. He was wrong.
3) Forgot to mention that yesterday I had to head down to my alma mater for the AIA's required yearly continuing education credits. It was rather fun returning to the old Ivory Tower of "design for its own sake is everything." The first seminar was interesting (and is what inspired the "Ivory Tower" reference) as it usually amuses me when professors impart their subjective view of things as the 'right' one and what they don't like is 'wrong.' I mean, I'm not really defending Post-Modern architecture, here, but it was amusing to watch him flip through slides of various buildings (all famous buildings that had praise during their construction) and proclaim that this one -- despite acclaim -- was terrible, and this other one was awesome. Now, admittedly, we all come with our points of view. Personally, I've never been a fan of Deconstructivist architecture because, for all its claims of just 'being about the materials', it seems unnecessarily Baroque to me. But it amused me and infused me with nostalgia to remember these oh-so-esoteric debates that really happen very rarely in real life. It's rather fun to be back in the academic environment where debating Minimalism versus Classicism is all in a day's work. Fun! (I'm not being sarcastic. I totally mean it).
Oh, and I totally loved when the professor used the term "Architectural Exhibitionism" as an insult of a building. Reminded me of college when I used to call architects who became overbearing and forced their own design choices on their clients as "Artistic Masturbation," because I felt that they were only designing for themselves.
Still, I did agree with him that Fay Jones's Thorncrown Chapel is one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture constructed in the 20th century.
The second seminar was less esoteric and, arguably, more interesting. This professor has clearly done some very, very interesting things in his life. As he spoke about global architecture, it was clear that he's spent a great deal of time in China and India. It was incredibly interesting. He also, surprisingly, had worked in the Middle East. Specifically, in the Gaza Strip. In fact, back in the mid-1990s, he had worked with the people who were trying to help along the concept of peace and he had in fact worked with bothIsrael and Palestine, developing a master plan for how land could be used to unify instead of divide. Ambitious to say the least, and such a wonderful concept. If there's anything about architecture that I do love is that in its theory and in its practice it's a constructive profession. It can be naive in many ways, but it's hopeful. And it's taught in school that we all contribute. It's just one of those "I love my profession" type things. It gives the warm and fuzzies. Aw. Group hug.
Too bad, the plan was doomed by intractable strife. It was incredibly sad when he showed the design of the "Justice Center." I know that I and, from what I heard, others kept thinking "I wonder if that building is even still there." Sad.
The talk also seguewayed into symbols. I was sort of stunned when he flashed the picture of the Twin Towers on screen because of all the emotion evoked by the picture of the intact Towers. As he mentioned, on a purely architectural level, the Towers were anything but beloved. They weren't considered to be an example good design. Yet now, filled with the history and the tragedy, the sight of them holds all kinds of emotional power. There's an ache and a memory of the grief, disbelief, and numbness of 9/11.
4) Not so emotional or fuzzy was the unhappy (but rather expected) circumstance of running into the ex-bosses. I ran into one of the ex-bosses last month at a different Continuing Ed class. According to my friend Peter, I looked totally freaked when ex-boss flashed a big smile and came up to hug me like a long-lost friend. (Easy for Peter to laugh. He didn't hug Peter, despite the fact that both of us are refugees from the samehellhole firm. I mean, this boss was always two-faced in the extreme, but it still wigs one out when the same guy who didn't give pay-raises or bonuses for years (and would cut you down behind your back) suddenly behaves as though you're his 'bestest friend EVAH!' a year after I turned in my resignation and basically said "I'm outta here, you jerk!" Anyway, yesterday, I caught sight of that ex-boss and did the whole dance of avoidance only to run directly into the other boss who I didn't even speak to on the day I resigned. He, too, was all smiles and hugs and "Hope everything is good with you/everything is great with me despite the fact that he fired a friend of mine last week because that old firm is on its dying last legs, and god forbid he take a paycut so that a 60+ year old man can work until his retirement. It's just surreal, you know.
I did have a bit of justice on Peter, however. (Hee!) as I left the seminar at lunch because I had all the continuing ed credits that I needed (and we have more work than we can complete at the office so I really needed to go), leaving Peter to endure (what he called an incredibly boring) last two seminars in the presence of the two two-faced ex-bosses.
5) Project Runway Michael finally, finally got some love from the judges! He won! I could have squealed like his excited model. Yay, Michael. Also, Michael 'Farty' Kors was back and, I admit it, I love the snarky fart. Finally, patting myself on the back, I totally called Bradley to be 'auf'd' even before the episode aired. He's had on-going design issues and I figured no way in hell would Angela be out simply because too many fans want it. I just knew that fate would ensure that she lived to sew those little granny-whatevers another day.
1) Just got the damn weirdest comment in my last post by
bnfsatemybaby which somehow equated Duck's ever-lingering Also, as someone intolerant of homophobia, let me say -- get off my side. You're making it look irrational!
Very strange.
Then again, popping over to the
Oh well.
(Though it did bring a chuckle as it somehow reminded me of the Unauthorized Biography of MsScribe. I think it's the shared territory of obvious sockpuppet, irrational hatred, and anti-social behavior)
2) It's been pimped all over creation, but I'll add one more pimp.
stoney321 had a fairly surreal e-mail from a bigot who decided that spreading homophobia via his business newsletter was less than totally batshit. He was wrong. 3) Forgot to mention that yesterday I had to head down to my alma mater for the AIA's required yearly continuing education credits. It was rather fun returning to the old Ivory Tower of "design for its own sake is everything." The first seminar was interesting (and is what inspired the "Ivory Tower" reference) as it usually amuses me when professors impart their subjective view of things as the 'right' one and what they don't like is 'wrong.' I mean, I'm not really defending Post-Modern architecture, here, but it was amusing to watch him flip through slides of various buildings (all famous buildings that had praise during their construction) and proclaim that this one -- despite acclaim -- was terrible, and this other one was awesome. Now, admittedly, we all come with our points of view. Personally, I've never been a fan of Deconstructivist architecture because, for all its claims of just 'being about the materials', it seems unnecessarily Baroque to me. But it amused me and infused me with nostalgia to remember these oh-so-esoteric debates that really happen very rarely in real life. It's rather fun to be back in the academic environment where debating Minimalism versus Classicism is all in a day's work. Fun! (I'm not being sarcastic. I totally mean it).
Oh, and I totally loved when the professor used the term "Architectural Exhibitionism" as an insult of a building. Reminded me of college when I used to call architects who became overbearing and forced their own design choices on their clients as "Artistic Masturbation," because I felt that they were only designing for themselves.
Still, I did agree with him that Fay Jones's Thorncrown Chapel is one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture constructed in the 20th century.
The second seminar was less esoteric and, arguably, more interesting. This professor has clearly done some very, very interesting things in his life. As he spoke about global architecture, it was clear that he's spent a great deal of time in China and India. It was incredibly interesting. He also, surprisingly, had worked in the Middle East. Specifically, in the Gaza Strip. In fact, back in the mid-1990s, he had worked with the people who were trying to help along the concept of peace and he had in fact worked with bothIsrael and Palestine, developing a master plan for how land could be used to unify instead of divide. Ambitious to say the least, and such a wonderful concept. If there's anything about architecture that I do love is that in its theory and in its practice it's a constructive profession. It can be naive in many ways, but it's hopeful. And it's taught in school that we all contribute. It's just one of those "I love my profession" type things. It gives the warm and fuzzies. Aw. Group hug.
Too bad, the plan was doomed by intractable strife. It was incredibly sad when he showed the design of the "Justice Center." I know that I and, from what I heard, others kept thinking "I wonder if that building is even still there." Sad.
The talk also seguewayed into symbols. I was sort of stunned when he flashed the picture of the Twin Towers on screen because of all the emotion evoked by the picture of the intact Towers. As he mentioned, on a purely architectural level, the Towers were anything but beloved. They weren't considered to be an example good design. Yet now, filled with the history and the tragedy, the sight of them holds all kinds of emotional power. There's an ache and a memory of the grief, disbelief, and numbness of 9/11.
4) Not so emotional or fuzzy was the unhappy (but rather expected) circumstance of running into the ex-bosses. I ran into one of the ex-bosses last month at a different Continuing Ed class. According to my friend Peter, I looked totally freaked when ex-boss flashed a big smile and came up to hug me like a long-lost friend. (Easy for Peter to laugh. He didn't hug Peter, despite the fact that both of us are refugees from the same
I did have a bit of justice on Peter, however. (Hee!) as I left the seminar at lunch because I had all the continuing ed credits that I needed (and we have more work than we can complete at the office so I really needed to go), leaving Peter to endure (what he called an incredibly boring) last two seminars in the presence of the two two-faced ex-bosses.
5) Project Runway Michael finally, finally got some love from the judges! He won! I could have squealed like his excited model. Yay, Michael. Also, Michael 'Farty' Kors was back and, I admit it, I love the snarky fart. Finally, patting myself on the back, I totally called Bradley to be 'auf'd' even before the episode aired. He's had on-going design issues and I figured no way in hell would Angela be out simply because too many fans want it. I just knew that fate would ensure that she lived to sew those little granny-whatevers another day.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-08-10 05:16 am (UTC)::depression:: Vincent survived! I live in hope that one of these days he'll be gone. I still haven't forgiven him for that stupid basket hat.
YAY Michael! It shouldn't have taken so long!
no subject
Date: 2006-08-10 05:22 am (UTC)And I'm so glad that Michael finally got some public love!
no subject
Date: 2006-08-10 01:09 pm (UTC)From my personal experience of having two architects close-to or nearing retirement, and one in training, in the family (father, his brother, the son of said brother), it seems like a wonderfully free job in some respects. Being able to join artistic creativity and practicality (needless to say, my chosen profession-to-be somewhat resembles this); what's important is not the flamboyancy of ultra-famous buildings with questionable stability/soundness, but the quiet, everyday craftmanship. Of course, being steeped in Scandinavian (and similar) design brings another layer to this view.
But yes, being constructive, building something that matters (without much wishful woolgathering, naturally).
no subject
Date: 2006-08-10 02:03 pm (UTC)http://www.thorncrown.com/history.htm