Today I had the opportunity to present my work as the undergraduate representing the Architectural History Department at the SBA review. Afterward I got the chance to have lunch with members of the School of the Building Arts Advisory Board, it was a really interesting event. Students from Interior Design, Architecture, and Historic Preservation also presented projects. I discussed my Eleanor project, which was comparatively undeveloped in the context of the other presentations. While my thesis work has just begun, the other projects presented were from previous quarters. I also found it very helpful and exciting to get the feedback of such a broad and multifaceted group of people. Professionals in the field, such as Architects, preservationists, Designers, Interior Designers, and Critics were all in attendance, and some shared valuable criticism that will in the end boost the quality of my project.Again I find myself working on a project that I love, which feels nothing like work at all.

Photo Project 2: LET THERE BE LIGHT!

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"My college campus has a magic statue... it's a long standing tradition to rub its nose for luck. My freshman roommate really believed in the statue's power and insisted on visiting it to rub its nose before every exam. Studying might of been a better idea. She flunked out sophomore year, but the fact is we all have little superstitious things that we all do. If it's not believing in magic statues, it's avoiding sidewalk cracks, or always putting on our left shoe first. Knock on wood, step on a crack... brake your mother's back. The last thing you want to do is offend the Gods...."

Superstitions fascinate me. I have a few of my own that I don't even realize. Maybe I pay too much attention to my dreams or do little things that I think 'have to' be done. Making wishes when it's 11:11, wishing on shooting stars, I pull off the road if I meet a funeral procession heading straight on, and I never count the cars. I think it's good luck to go over a penny when pumping gas. My bed doesn't point north or south. I wear new clothes on Easter. I keep my wet umbrella pointed up so the rain falls off the same way it falls. There's also something with those 2's 3's and 7's that I haven't quite figured out yet..I'm never awake or alone at 3:30 am. Oh and of course it's bad luck to keep horseshoes pointed downward because all the luck falls out.

"...Superstition lies in the space between what we can control and what we can't. Find a penny pick it up, and all day long you will have good luck. No one wants to pass up a chance for good luck, but does saying it 33 times really help? I mean is anyone really listening, and if no one is listening why do we bother doing those strange things at all? We rely on superstition because we are smart enough to know we don't have all the answers, and that life works in mysterious ways. Don't diss the ju ju from wherever it comes."Grey's Anatomy

I've been living dangerously pro-active lately. I'm not sure if it's the fact that I'm in the home-stretch of my undergraduate studies, or whether I just have so much on my mind. Perhaps it's my way of coping with stress. Perhaps it's my way of dealing with anxiety, or depression, or lack of B12? (okay none of those make sense lol) Perhaps it's because I'm not happy, and was always taught to be optimistic. Maybe it's because I hate when some get depressed and mope around, perhaps I'm rebelling against that stereotype and instead going 1000 miles per hour?

I have an aunt who we sometimes refer to as 'WONDER WOMAN' when I was little I used to say she ate magical beans to give her brain power and energy. I'm sure you all have one or know someone like whom I'm referring . She makes lists and she organizes things and she plans years in advance for EVERYTHING.. She's like a burrito filled with Martha Stewart and the Sham Wow guy...[well kind of]... She knows everything too. She never misses a birthday or a sick day or any kind of unsung holiday. She was insane-or so we thought.. Perhaps I got some of those nuclear reactant genes?

I'm not complaining. In fact I'm well ahead on my thesis both written and research. I'm doing great in my classes, and I can't seem to stop. I'm not sure why I'm even complaining or writing about this. I guess it's a manifestation of my hyper-activity.

Maybe I caught a virus that I don't want a cure for? Maybe I'll just suffer through and get all my work done and live 'miserably' work free? Hope your weekend is a fine one.Swim.

If you would for a moment take a second to ponder the following: My blog recently celebrated its second year, but the hardest issue/comment/question anyone has ever posed was, “WHY?” It was in the form of a comment:

“Why blog, why put the random and the crazy online for both absolutely no one, as well as the whole world? Why waste your time when no one is guaranteed to see it?”

I’ve never really had a good answer for that question, but the answer is beginning to make itself apparent.

I go to the largest art and design school in the country. I sit in class with the future animators of Pixar and DreamWorks, I walk the halls with the Picassos and Cézannes of the twenty-first century. I hear lectures with the next Louis Vuitton and Donna Karen. I come into contact with amazing characters that the world will someday know as “that odd ball” or “that man that changed the way we look at things”. I often wonder who in my class is going to be the next Louis Kahn that everyone loves, or the next Frank Gehry that everyone loves to hate. Perhaps my blog has allowed me to express myself in a way that doesn’t compete or allow for comparison, but instead is individually natural. There is no market, there is no client, no critics, just pure thought that you as the reader have the option to use as an addendum onto everything else in your lives. A year ago today my stomach began to ache. It was a different kind of ache, not one you get from a virus or nerves, but one that reached far deeper within. I want to thank my dedicated readers, to those who have friended me on Facebook, and other blogs/writers that have featured my links[some listed below], and I hope that the future brings improvements for us all as we live without reget. Love and gratitude. –B.

http://freetraveling.info/tag/architecture

http://architecturalhistoryscad.wordpress.com/page/6/?pages-list

http://www.cranial.com/patrick_park/7/

http://www.cranial.com/patrick_park/blogs/bad_news_and_tunes_patrick_park_loneliness_knows_my_name_2003_gzs9/

Photo Project #1: Square,circle, triangle

The resolution is terrible, but you get the idea.

Mallorie and I at the 'Oglethorpe Chapter of Architectural Historians' table at SCAD's Winterfest.

We were recruiting new members for our club, but because we forgot to bring candy for the freshmen we offered them Altoids instead. [it was the only edible thing in Mallorie's purse (everyone knows if you're fishing for freshmen you use something edible or drinkable as bait)]

Overall we made some interesting connections with other clubs, as well as a few perspective members. Olivier also created a slideshow of photos in order to give our table an added visual component. Overall I think the event went well.

“All men dream...... But not equally..
Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find it is vanity;
but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men,
for they act their dreams with open eyes to make it possible.....”

- T. E. Lawrence

Today the other officers and I attended a clubs fair at SCAD in order to recruit new membership for the Oglethorpe Chapter of Architectural Historians. While we are still working to gain national accreditation-the club is in full swing on campus planning the exciting upcoming events of the quarter. We also have adopted a new poster/image for the club(above)created by Olivier our Vice President, which we will be getting printed onto shirts...We are also planning events in conjunction to the upcoming symposium as well as an architectural history film series in the spring. We also set a date for this quarter's Salon, which will be on February 15, 2011.

I came across an awesome link. It focuses on the evolution of the Manhattan in concerns to its urban fabric. I hope that the creator keeps this running and updated. You can play around with several different ways to view the city, and it gives a very concise illustration of how it changed over the twentieth century. Check it out. http://skyscraper.org/timeformations/intro.html

Above: Illustrates what areas of the city has been effected by urban renewal.

Above: Shows the Dutch Settlement that started it all, "New Amsterdam".

Above: Shows both New Amsterdam and the 1811 grid plan.

Below: Also several interesting aspects of the city are illustrated like farms and green space.

Question:

Dead Birds, Dead Fish, and Driving school.

I completed traffic school today for running a stop sign in downtown Savannah. It was very interesting to learn about the several different road rules that differ in the state of Georgia from the state of West Virginia(there were several-mostly more strict..)

I am also fascinated by all of the internet discussion about the random dead birds dropping out of the sky and dead fish washing up on shores... One such incident was incident was in Birds in Arkansas. Fish in South Carolina. Birds in Germany.

Several theories have arisen because of such strange happenings. Many believe it to be some sign of the Apocalypse...

Some believe it's some new out break of disease.

One theory offers that it could have something to do with the New Madrid Fault line, and that similar happenings took place in South America before the 7.0 and 7.2 earthquakes..

One theory says that it is a fulfillment of the seventh seal written about in the book of Revelation.

One internet source claimed that the first bird fell on "1.1.11 @ 11:11".

Some in Arkansas believe it to be connected with the communities fireworks display .. (This makes me want to LOL. )

One expert claims lightening could have struck the flock of birds, or high atmospheric hail..?

Many scientists believe the fish in South Carolina died because of the temperature of the water, but there are several similar reports of this happening in other parts of the world.

This fascinates me. I'll keep an extra eye on the news in the next few days to see if this mess continues.Oh and I passed my driving school test, and the teacher laughed when I asked her what day graduation was.

My first day of classes went well. I can't wait to share some of my photos from my photographic foundations class. I am also looking forward to my World Vernacular class. I also wanted to share some important dates:

2011 SCAD GRADUATION~June 4, 2011

Spring Break~March 16-27, 2011

Check out my photo-shoppin' skills. I made a new background.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Happy Anniversary Birthday ArgyleAddendum!)

Where to Begin? The ArgyleAddendum Blog is celebrating it's second year today. It seems like not long ago I was on here rambling about my New Years resolutions or what was going on in Savannah..Oh the memories lol.

I was looking into some interesting statistics on the blog: The United States, Russia, and France have been the top three countries to view the blog(closely followed by Canada). I have made 168 posts in my two years of blogging, and the most common computer to view my blog is a Windows operating system(random)..

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Speaking of NewYears Resolutions, other than resolving to get into grad. school, which is out of my hands now, I have decided that my resolution(s) this year is(are) the following:

1.To identify the'high-light' of my day everyday.(this was inspired by a very close friend to reflect on the many things everyday I can be thankful for.)

2.To finish my undergraduate degree strongly, with good grades, and a positive momentum to graduate studies.

3.Drink less coffee. Caffeine out. I love it, but I need to cut it.

I know these are random, but I refused to say go to the gym or eat better like most. I hope you all had a great new years eve/day. December 31st was perhaps the greatest day I had in 2010-the doctor gave me a great report, and got rid of the scar tissue, and sent me on my way. 2011 is going to be truly great.