My Nephew Has Arrived!

It was a rude awakening at 2:30a.m. "Brad my water just broke." I was up and ready in a record time. I even jumped into and out of the shower before the water could get warm. It was as if subconsciously I had rehearsed what it was I had to do next, but with all honesty my adrenaline took over and I just acted and not thought. We gathered everything up and got to the car. She wasn't having contractions, which I would later find out was a sign that my 2:30am day would not be over until very very late.
As we got to the hospital Shane, who we'd talked to on the phone several times met us, and helped us into our room. Daddy to be was more nervous than I was, perhaps he knew what was to come, or perhaps I was just content with my uncertainty. It wouldn't be until that night after 8:00pm that she would have the baby, and with long hours of waiting in the lobby and the very exhausting routine of cafeteria cuisine and stale coffee, It was finally time for me to meet my new nephew. He wasn't what I though he'd be.
He was a good looking new born. I thought that new born babies were notoriously ugly, but with a head of black fuzz, and facial features that blatantly quote the mother and father. I'm amazed at how good looking my nephew turned out to be. Cole Hudson Prettyman 5lbs. 15ounces, and long. He's the coolest thing I can think of right now.
The more I thought about having a nephew, the more it made me think. (This is the deep part) it's actually given me a renewed interest in tomorrow, not only in tomorrow, but in the future of the living. Seeing this small human that was unable to care for itself, and the fact that it may not have even realized what it had just begun made me largely more sympathetic to the future, and it's well being. Call me cold, call me a sucker, call me an uncle, but my thoughts about things have changed, and I can only guess that this is for the better.

The hills Are Alive (Part III)

With the thoughts of a possible shake up among West Virginia politics, in my part deux blog I realized that I left half of it out. Another important party to keep in mind is the GOP. Though on the state platform the Republican party has never had much power we have had two recent Republican Governors Arch Moore and Cecil Underwood, West Virginia has also had a very interesting Presidential voting record voting for Bush twice and recently for McCain. The new trend for West Virginia is to vote for whoever is the strongest advocate of the 2nd amendment. As the GOP is concerned Shelley Moore Capito, a great deal of discussion has surfaced concerning her plans for 2012. She currently serves in the US House of Reppresentitives.Another toss up in the discussion of who will go where in 2012, rather who the State select to place where in 2012.

222

With the death of the Ted Kennedy I am left watching the news in awe. I'm fascinated by the Kennedy legacy and family.There style and just the name and what they represent to America.. This year has been a great year to die with an impressive list who have gone so far including: Cronkite, Novak,Paul, Jackson, and now Kennedy. It's kind of crazy. I am also left thinking about Ted Kennedy and the fact that we share a birthday with George Washington. It makes me feel proud to have such a birthday, and connected to the father of our nation and the 'liberal lion'.

Members of the West Virginia CCC erected this sign in WV in the 1930's. I love it.

Another Adventure over the mountains into Virginia.

Another Adventure over the mountains into Virginia. This time I took route 250, and stopped at a rest stop that we usually always stop at to take a break.It's a primitive place with outhouses, and no running water. Little did I know that it was an old Civil war fort and encampment. There were nearly a mile of trails and still existing trenches that the 12th Ga infantry unit used to bunker down for the Union's western offensive. I know it probably wasn't a good idea for me to go hiking trails in the middle of the Appalachian alone, with no one knowing where I was, but what started out as just a few feet up the trail turned into a very cool exploration of a historic site.As I twisted my way through the wooded trail-I begin to come across some awesome lookouts that were once used to combat oncoming Union forces. Below are two of the vista lookouts(facing east and west) from the breastworks. There were a couple of great places to sit and think there, and I also wished I had brought a sketchbook.

Burnham Pavillion

before I go on the posting rampage tomorrow, I'm going to pass this along. This is Zaha Hadid's Burnham Pavillion in Chicago. Zaha Hadid my favorite female architect, and Burnham-one of my all time favorite American architects. What can be better?

Pause

I know I have disappeared, but I'm very intensely finishing my final project for my internship. I will be back with more by Wed. With some great thoughts that have been building up.

Answering the Art School Stereotype.

It is extremely rainy here today -what my mom sometimes refers to as "a toad strangler". The rain often times makes me tired or depressed, and it wasn't until I went to college (an art college) that I began to channel that depression into constructive energy. I know this sounds cliché, but when I'm the "emo kid" as my generation has so justly labeled, it is usually that same time that I can express my thoughts and creativity the easiest and most successfully. It really gives a new meaning to art therapy. Today I have to draft my final internship project and goal is for it to be in the 15+ pages range. So luckily for me the day is miserable, the coffee pot is hot, and I am wide awake. I'm posting the link below it's my favorite song to work to in a mood like this.

The Hills Are Alive (Part deux)

It's no secret that I love politics. In West Virginia the democratic majority is a rare breed, that has formed its bedrock from the support of labor unions and the conservative lower-middle working class. Though I have gone off to college I still stay in tuned to the issues facing the state, and it excites me that many of the up coming elections are going to be heated. First, there are many rumors afoot that Robert C. Byrd will be retiring before the end of his term in 2012.
Just an aside-if you are clueless as to the record of Senator Byrd, he is one man that America will remember. He is currently President pro tempore -meaning third in line for the presidency in the event that Biden and Pelosi can't hold the post. He's been Senate Conference Secretary, Majority Whip, Minority Leader, and twice Majority Leader. He's been the Leader of the Democratic Party, and holds a 'pork barrel' full of records including longest serving, longest tenured, longest living Senator, and my personal favorite for one of the longest filibusters. Anyway, with him leaving and our own Governor JOE Manchin left to appoint someone-the speculation is everywhere. Names like former Governor caperton have been popping up. Reguardless of eho the Governor appoints-his second term of office will be up in 2012, which creates another interesting race.
Many Governor hopefuls have already made themself known to the public stage. One such hopeful is a State Senator Jeff Kessler, who has already filed. Many other names are circulating like Morgantown's Ron Justice, Speaker Rick Thompson, Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, and my personal favorite State Treasurer John Purdue.
One thing is for sure the cards are in play for the next few years to be intense on the state's political stage, and I think the fact that it's already being talked about is a sign that there is going to be a great race in the future.

The Hills Are Alive (Part 1)

West Virginians are a very proud people. We gain pride in the fact that we are a self sustaining people, as proven in times like recession.We are also proud of the fact that we were formed like our country in the face of adversity. The architectural symbol of our state was created by one of my favorite architects of the early twentieth century, Cass Gilbert. As a child I had no clue who built the capital, but as went through the building I felt an overwhelming sense of State pride.. We are lucky to have a work of architecture by such a noted American architect. I took some time to walk around it this weekend, and it still keeps me in awe. It is also in the process of being restored, in 2005 the dome was restored to the original Gilbert plan, and it is truly amazing.

VJ DAY

Sixty-four years ago this picture was taken by photojournalist Alfred Eisenstaedt, in times square when it was announced that the biggest war in human history was finally over. Although we are unsure who is in the photo officially, it pops into the minds of many when we think of VJ DAY.

DESIGNED BY LIFE-SHAPED BY TIME

Architecture skips from 3rd dimension to 4th.

THIS IS WORSE THAN AN ELECTION YEAR-Well almost...

Post Secret

For those of you who don't know about the Post Secret project. I highly recommend that you check out Postsecret.com, and check out the videos on youtube. The newest post Secret book comes out in the beginning of October.

BookReview: Saved By Sago:A Pastor's Perspective.

I just finished the book Saved By Sago:A Pastor's Perspective. I had heard about it from a friend, who knew I was from the same place as the Sago tragedy. My first thought was that I didn't want to read the book. I mean who would want to relive a traumatic experience? The memories I had of the Sago mine experience where that of tears and shock. The first major tragedy on the local news since September 11th. Why would I want to read something like that? As I just randomly opened to the Foreward, which lead to the introduction, which eventually lead to back of the cover. I read it in one setting, and afterward felt an uplifted feeling. It had some very possitive messages, and offers a great perspective on the apalachian perspective of life. It seriously brought tears to my eyes in some places, and it wasn't due to the fact that it was reliving the chaos or media fiasco. It also was truly enlightening to me at a time when I've been having the denominational debate, it reminded me that when all is said and done there are those who believe and those who don't not the confetti of denominations. Finally, I have met the author personally, and think that he is an awesome guy. He is inspirational to christians in the community, and has served it well in his time here. I think this book is a great read, and I will be passing it along, and buying it for friends in Savannah. I think its a story that needs to be told, and passed along.

Life is a song..Lyrics by Patrick Park

You say life is a dream where we can't say what we mean
Maybe just some roadside scene that we're driving past
There's no telling where we'll be in a day or in a week
And there's no promises of peace or of happiness


Well is this why you cling to every little thing
And polverize and derrange all your senses
Maybe life is a song but you're scared to song along
Until the very ending


Oh, it's time to let go of everything we used to know
Ideas that strengthen who we've been
It's time to cut ties that won't ever free our minds
From the chains and shackles that they're in


Oh, tell me what good is saying that you're free
In a dark and storming sea
You're chained to your history, you're surely sinking fast
You say that you know that the good Lord's in control
He's gonna bless and keep your tired and oh so restless soul
But at the end of the day when every price has been paid
You're gonna rise and sit beside him on some old seat of gold
And won't you tell me why you live like you're afraid to die
You'll die like you're afraid to go


Oh, it's time to let go of everything we used to know
Ideas that strengthen who we've been
It's time to cut ties that won't ever free our minds
From chains and shackles that they're in
From the chains and shackles that they're in


Well life is a dream 'cause we're all walking in our sleep
You could see us stand in lines like we're dead upon our feet
And we build our house of cards and then we wait for it to fall
Always forget how strange it is just to be alive at all

It's Pouring the rain down here today. It's been hard for me to wake up, and though I love rain, it slows me down so much. It reminds me that I spent like a week and a half in Seattle in June and didn't even feel a drop. Everytime I see rain now that's what it reminds me of-Seattle and the pines, and just how awesome the west coast is. Okay this is going no where, hopefully I'll be on my "A" game tomorrow, maybe the sun will be out. Would it be too cliche for me to break out into song right now...
about the sun..and coming out..tomorrow..

Eclipse sale.

I've been helping my sister sell her car recently, and as I sat with her in the parking lot of a Harris Teter for about a half an hour while a man and his daughter took the car for a test drive, I realized something.
Something pretty big.
As we sat there she kept having the random pains and contractions that come with pregnancy, and as I made my way back to the vehicle with the water she had requested-I realized how much work the baby was going to be in the future. I mean there we were two kids selling her dream car, because they had to buy a bigger one to fit the baby, there I was running into the store to get her something to drink, and in the bigger picture these small details that showed that we cared will eventually paramount into the happy life of a little baby boy. I guess what I'm really understanding is how much work and sacrifice my own parents or just parents in general have to make in order to make sure their kids are comfortable. It still blows my mind how young we are though, and how I have these images of my older sister in middle school, as a cheerleader in highs school, as a college freshmen, graduating from grad school, and someone who was always pioneering those new roads at least in life. Now I add this image of her ready to explode, and her always discussing the medical 'jargen' that goes along with it. Though she is about to become a mother in about a month, she'll always have that title of being my 'biggest sister' whether she has the belly or not.

Architects 1930 vs. Architects 2009

Those of you who know me may have heard this before, and it's becoming more and more apparent to me that my time is running out to make a final decision on this topic. I've always wanted to be an architect, and have always been obsessed with architecture, but have recently been caught up a great deal by the idea that today's architects start on the ground floors of corporations, and that the idea of the 1950's 'star'-chitects of the modern era is a romantic idea that is just not realistic, that you have to be satisfied with the idea that you're going to be drafting toilets in someone else's design for the first 20 years of your life.. This turns me off from architecture, but then I'm pulled back to it by the idea that I want to utilize my creative streak, and drawing talent in the best way possible, this with my love for history has landed me at an art school in Architectural History. I'm obsessed with the theory, and underlying thoughts of the architects of the past, and with it was the past appreciation of artistic/drawing and design talent, where the computer was yet to be realized. I think it is for the most part making the built environment more complex, more fascinating, but making the craft less important, and allowing architects to be less concerned with the things that were at one time a priority of the field. The word architect used to mean a person who was responsible for realizing an idea or project;a know all in many different fields and areas of life, and today an architect has come to be known as one who puts the specifications in the computer of the next plywood match box, and who usually has no appreciation or understanding of what was and one who could care less about what is to come. I think architects today should be mindful of the ramifications of their design, take into consideration its impact on the world, and the people that live there I think that architects should be able to understand where architecture as an art form has come from in order to affect where it's going, and finally I think that it is the duty of the architect to do their best to stay in the know about issues on a global scale, that not only affect the built environment, but the ability life of everyone on the globe, who might be experiencing your take on the built world, because you are in essence shaping the world. Finally, I think that too many architects are practicing architecture for their personal satisfaction, and not for expression, or to improve the quality of other peoples lives. We need more academic architects, and less that are concerned with climbing the corporate later. This is a major problem. So, I come back to the main question: is architecture the way to go in grad school?

I'm alive!

I am alive. I've actually been at church camp for the last week-not lying dead somewhere-thanks to those who wondered. I had a great time at camp that I think will be burnt into my mind for some time. It was definitely a dynamic experience, from being in charge of a cabin of twelve 10,11, and 12 year-olds, eating, cleaning and playing with them to the more serious moments of religious discussion. It's really brought me to a new understanding over the years of faith and religion when you have to explain it to someone else, the theory, your experience and your understanding. It makes me define more clearly in my mind the things I like and even the stuff I wish I could change, but none of which I discuss with the campers-the basics were fine. I also met some very awesome new friends and was able to even expand existing relationships, which I am extremely excited about. I guess it really made me put in perspective what christianity is all about, what my denomination is about, and where I stand in both. Finally it reminds me what I don't like about both.