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If I could turn back time?  What’s the first thing that pops into my head?  Well, it’s the same thought that pops into my head every time I look at my design portfolio from architecture school.  It’s not that I believe everything I produced at Drury was crap, not at all.  I just think there were a few projects where I didn’t push myself.  The project was due, so I stopped designing and finished the project…and I’ve come to learn that it’s not about the grade or the degree, it’s about the exploration of an idea.  I could try to blame that I ran out of time on other things…fraternity, friends, girlfriend, etc., but realistically it was time management. Oh ya, that sounds like an exhilarating letter to 18 year old Pat.  I can see myself opening it the first day of my freshman year:

Dear Pat,

This is your future self.  I would like to talk to you about time management…

This is about the time where I would crumple the letter up and say “F— this guy.”  Who does he think he is?  He doesn’t know me.  You see, at this point in my life, I knew everything.  I didn’t.  Not even close.  This, however is a good thing because if I knew everything there would be much in life to look forward to.  But only if I was able to instill in my 18 year old self the ability to manage my time wisely I would have been able to do so much more academically.

I’m sure I’m not the only one that thinks this. How many projects have you worked on where you thought to yourself “If I only had a little more time I would…?”  I always told myself I’d go back and redo the projects that didn’t meet my expectations but of course that hasn’t happened yet.  This thought has crept up more frequently as the opportunity for grad school has become a real option in the next couple of years.  Is it  a misrepresentation to redo a project from college?  Shouldn’t a portfolio show a progression of your work or merely a collection of your most successful projects?  Would it be better to include new projects I’ve just made up to work on instead of fixing the old ones?  These are questions I have been asking myself lately.  No matter which direction I go, I need to have the time outside of work to do them.

I’ve started to look at time management more seriously.  There are a lot of things I’d like to do and not that much time to fit them in (small design projects, train for half marathon, this blog, etc.).  TV has become a lot less important.  Before I got rid of my cable 2+ years ago I would come home from work and plop down on the couch and just surf the channels for the next 30 minutes of entertainment, a similar albeit less lengthy ritual in college.  Suddenly, it’s midnight and I meant to go to bed 2 hours ago.  Now if I want to use the time to watch a show, you better believe I want to be there…and you know what?  I don’t miss it.  I realized I wasn’t really watching anything I was just wasting time.  I’ve learned to tell myself to do things in order of importance.  This has allowed me to start scratching some things off my list that have been on there for years.

What would you change if you could turn back time?

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This post is part of a series entitled “etsy finds” of fun, creative, handmade items found on etsy.com

I perusing etsy again when I came across oneupdesigns.  These would make a great little gift or stocking stuffer (only six bucks!).  They also have other sets with quotes from various movies, music references, etc.  I’ve been wanting to start an etsy store to sell small handmade objects and have to say I’m envious of all these creative shops I find on this website and wish I could get my act together to turn my sketches into something real.

Description from Etsy:

Set of six No. 2 pencils. Black pencils with silver text.

AALTO
SAARINEN
MILES VAN DER ROHE
NOGUCHI
NELSON
EAMES

Pencils are hand stamped by me. There will be slight variations from one pencil set to the next.

[etsy]

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This post is part of a series entitled “etsy finds” of fun, creative, handmade items found on etsy.com

The guys at Walnut Studio have done it again.  If you’re looking for a way to class up how you carry a set of drawings, this is the way to go.  At only 3 1/4″ in diameter it won’t hold the largest of drawing sets but when it does it will definitely stand out when you roll into the client’s office with this on your shoulder.

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So if you haven’t heard yet via my ecstatic Facebook and Twitter posts, I was one of the lucky recipients of the highly coveted New Belgium Brewing Fat Tire Bicycle…and I’m going to tell you how I won.  Now my method won’t guarantee a win but I do believe persistence pays off.  In case you didn’t know, every summer New Belgium Brewing holds a contest called Joy Ride where they give one Fat Tire branded cruiser bicycle away everyday from the end of May through the beginning of September.  There are a few ways to enter – at the Fat Tire summer tour, writing a poem, calling in a number, and a random drawing online.  Around May at my local grocery store, the new Fat Tire bike display is revealed and will remain throughout the summer.  Visiting the bike is the highlight of my weekly grocery trip (I don’t think you realized how much I wanted this bike!).  At the display, there is a small pad of paper that you rip off and it gives you instructions to access the contest web page.  You can enter once a day, and in previous years had entered several times over the course of the summer.  This year I told myself that I was going to win the bike.  The bike’s design was by far the best and I was going to do whatever it takes to win.  So I committed myself to entering every single day that the contest was open.  I placed the piece of paper on my keyboard at work and made it a reminder to enter first thing every morning when I got in.  Around the middle of September, the 17th I believe, I received an email from New Belgium stating that I won the bike.  I must have reread the email at least ten times before I believed that it was real.  First, let me state that I don’t win things.  I was very skeptical and was expected to see some request in the email to send a money order to Nigeria in order to receive the bike!  But alas, it was real and after replying back to formally accept my prize (who wouldn’t accept it?!), I was notified that my bike would ship to me in early October.  The bike arrived and had to be professionally assembled and that first ride home from the bike shop was AMAZING.  The bike has quickly become my commuter bike to work.  It definitely has a distinct look and I get a lot of attention from it.

Read full post for description of the bike plus photos.

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So this project stems from not finding a birdhouse style that I liked. A few months ago I started sketching a few ideas for a modern birdhouse that I could build myself.  Well, I finally got around to actually building it.  I like how it turned out and a few ideas for more birdhouses.  Who knows, maybe an Etsy store is in the works.

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This post is in response to Life of an Architect, Bob Borson’s post Tattoos and the professional.

I agree with Bob in that tattoos do not determine whether one is professional or not but perception can be a tricky beast.  I’d like to think that I would look ‘beyond the ink’ and see the work of that particular individual but I could also see myself silently judging someone for a poor decision in tattoo selection.  To me, tattoos are meant to be abstract, a view into one’s soul…wow, that was deep.  I did not intend to get to that level.  What I mean is that I believe tattoos should carry special meaning to the owner and not some lame saying or obscure advertisement of how “bad ass” one can be.  Seeing as this is subjective to the receiver of said tattoo, this can be hard to determine.  I also believe the location of the tattoo is just as important.  If a tattoo has special meaning to you should it be only visible to you and few others or should it be something you wear proudly for others to see?

In light of the subject, I did a quick search on google and located some architecture themed tattoos that might inspire the rebel in me.

[via Gliffy]

Floor plan tattoo.  One question.  What happens when you have to remove the extra bedroom due to value engineering?

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This post is part of a series entitled “etsy finds” of fun, creative, handmade items found on etsy.com

Here is another great item I found on etsy.  I always carry a sketchbook with me and at least 4 0r 5 different pens (varying colors, inks, etc.).  The Journal Bandolier from cleverhands is a perfect way to keep all of your pens together without needing to carry a bag of pens along with you.  The bandolier comes in a variety of prints and fabrics but I must say the reclaimed rubber is my favorite.

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Check out this blog about my friend Claire’s parent’s house construction in Chillicothe, Missouri.

[My North Missouri]

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This post is part of a series entitled “etsy finds” of fun, creative, handmade items found on etsy.com

Thanks to my good friend Claire for passing this along.  The guys at Walnut Studio are craftsman of fine hand-stitched leather bicycle accessories.  Their latest creation will assist all the bike commuters out there who want to grab a six pack after a long day at work.  This basic leather strap will secure your favorite brew between your legs and hang on to it all the way home.

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Lego just released another set to its Architecture Series, the Farnsworth House by Mies van der Rohe.  The lineup also includes Frank LLoyd Wright’s Guggenheim Museum and Fallingwater.  I’m curious to see how far they will expand this line.  I guess it takes time to not only choose a building worth including but also break it down in buildable lego pieces.

Here is my wish list for the next set in the series:

Villa Savoy – Corb

CCTV – Rem

Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (AKA the Arch) – Saarinen

Sydney Opera House – Jorn Utzon

Chrysler Building – William Van Alen

Which building would you suggest to Lego for their next set?  Answer below in the comments.

[Lego]