Sunday, December 31, 2006

New Books

Christmas brought an influx of new books, both as gifts and through raiding my mom's bookshelf. I have posted most of them on the reading list sidebar. I am particularly excited about The Great Trek, a religious pilgrimage into the desert where a group of mennonites believed Christ would return. My mom's great grandfather was part of the trek. Obviously the second coming did not occur, and most of the mennonites were sent money by relatives in the US and Canada so they could immigrate.

I also received the fabulous entertaining guide I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence by Amy Sedaris and I'm Just Here for More Food, Alton Brown's book on baking (it's more than a cookbook, it's about the science of baking at a non-scientist level)

I finished Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro and can highly recommend it to all. Leah hasn't let me down yet.

Home Again, Again

I never really know how to use the term home... Fresno (now Auberry) is home because its where my family is, even though I've never actually lived in the new house. Maybe it's because it is almost the same as the old house, and my old room is still a bedroom, that it still feels like home. I will say that the scenery around the new house is much nicer. I understand why they would want to move out of the city (understand, but I wouldn't do it myself)






I enjoyed seeing so many friends and family, and the trip to San Francisco was a good time. Adam, Ed, Heather and I went to the DeYoung, in Golden Gate Park. It has been a while since I've been to the park and the Haight Ashbury District. The new De Young has a great perforated metal facade (possibly Cor-Ten) and the tower is much less obtrusive then I had heard. In fact the whole thing reminded me of a Mayan Temple complex.


The circulation through the museum was unclear, particularly since so many of the rooms opened on to each other. this seems like a good idea, as it allows flexibility for curators and visitors, but it makes it difficult to follow any sequence. On occasion I would find that I had overlooked a room, or that I had inadvertently jumped from one collection into another. Still the museum had some very interesting moments, such as views into the atrium, or out to the sculpture garden. Also the galleries were fairly straight-forward, with well diffused lighting. The art was not overpowered by the architecture, which I feel is important in museum design. I didn't get a chance to visit the cafe, since it was a fairly short visit.

There were a couple notable exhibits, such as the Ruth Asawa collection (above) most of the work was her woven wire sculpture, along with some photos and drawings. Ed took several photos (both openly and later surreptitiously) so I recommend his blog if you are interested. He should be posting them soon. Adam took photos of the small but interesting furniture collection. The furniture was spread out through the museum according to period, which makes sense but also suggests that the furniture is secondary to the paintings. Perhaps that show my bias.


The museum was also hosting "The Quilts of Gee's Bend" a fairly well know collection of quilts from an African American community in Alabama. Some day I want to take up quilting. I'm particularly interested in the adaptations of traditional patterns, which was a theme among many of the quilts on display. Perhaps there will a longer post about quilting in the near future.


But now I'm back in Seattle, my other home. Holiday was good, but it wore me out and I had to have a day alone walking the neighborhood, getting an overdue haircut, that sort of thing. Next post, New Years day reflections and that sort of stuff.

Friday, December 22, 2006

Home again, home again


Yes I made it home, and once again managed to score a free travel voucher by detouring through Portland and arriving 6 hours after my original itinerary. Hell, for a free flight anywhere in the US, you bet I'll volunteer to get bumped. Now the question is where to go? Last years free flight took me to Colorado to visit Jay and Becki, this years has a good chance of landing on the East coast. Philly is high on the list, and when I'm that close why not go to New Jersey? Who in their right mind could pass up a chance to go to Jersey? Of course nothing is set in stone, so let the bribing commence. I invite my far flung friends to compete for my affections. Unfortunately I Horizon Air will not take me to Oslo or Kobe, so Jeff and Liz are out of the running (although still welcome to compete for my affection/ care packages).

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Holiday Plans

OK, here are the preliminary plans for the holidays:

I fly in on the Thursday 21st, mid morning.

Saturday - Monday family

Fly back to Seattle Friday (29th)


I still want to go to the DeYoung in San Francisco (Ed said after Christmas works best for him.) Other than that I am open for anything. I'm thinking drinks, movies, horrible TV...

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Train Wreck

For anyone lamenting the loss of House of Carters, there is a new train wreck called Bad Girls cmopliments of the Oxygen Network, which has apparently forgotten any sense of mission it may have had. I'm telling you, if you want to see a drunk girl slapping the crap out of her roomates tune in. Lets think about it for a minute, find 6 or 7 women known as 'bad girls' know for there history of violence and issues with other girls, put them in a house with a bunch of booze and no jobs, and watch the magic unfold. Put it this way, they interpret 'hair of the dog that bit you' as a BOTTLE of tequila. As bad as The real World has become, this is soo much worse, which is why we Tivo it.

I'm not sure how to attach YouTube videos, so follow this link.

The Happiest Place on Earth


Keep Disneyland, give me Powells City of Books.

Yesterday I drove down to Portland (in Nihls the Saab- I love cruise control) with 4 boxes of books. They turned down about a box worth, but I still came out of it with $250 in store credit (what can I say, I have good taste in books and they pay a decent rate) for a shopping spree. Usually when I go to Portland I am with friends, and we have several goals for the trip. This time it was just me, and Powells was the sole destination. After parting with my precious books (this is the first time I ever sold any of my books, it always seemed wrong) I headed to the cafe to fuel up on coffee and lunch. All told I spent about 6 hours in the store. Of course that meant another trip to the cafe, and I even had the pleasure of running into Travis and Holly, and darling little Lyla (sp?) who now has about times the hair as Travis. They were kind enough to invite me to stay at their place that night, but I had it in my mind that this would be a day trip, and I have a hard time changing plans.

This is a new discovery about myself, I like to think I'm a pretty laid back flexible person, but when I get an idea in my head for how to spend the day I have a hard time changing it. If I've been looking forward to taking a long walk around the neighborhood and hunkering down at a cafe with a good book, you'll be hard pressed to convince me otherwise.

Of course no trip to the bookstore is complete without a couple items for myself. Most importantly a book called Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro, recommended by Leah Jost. Leah has never let me down yet so... I also picked up a book on Shaker architecture and a history of the house.

Next step, sell off some cd's for another shopping trip.

Friday, December 15, 2006

Storm Day

For starters, poor whiny Jay couldn't handle my colors, they were just too real for his sensitive eyes. But I will continue to mix it up.

So we had another storm come through. No snow this time, but crazy wind with gust up to 65mph. I felt the whole house shaking under me, the same way it would in an earthquake. There was also a lot of rain in a short time, so quite a bit of flooding. And I saw green lighting, no foolin. Ted (roommate) said that in the midwest that usually means a tornado is coming. I think its because of all the dirt and stuff in the air. The overall result was debris all over the streets and power outages around the city (although not at my house). When I got to work I found the power out and the office cold, so I packed up the model I'm working on and headed home. The last time I had a power outage day off was during the rolling blackouts in CA.

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Book Lust

I was asked for a book suggestion the other day, and I figured why not pontificate to the public about my favorite books. So this evening I sat in front of my recently thinned bookshelves ( 6 boxes are going to Powell’s Books in Portland next weekend, partly to make room for books piled on the floor and partly to help pay for holiday merriment and presents) and came up with a list of my top 10 fiction books. They are presented in alphabetical order by author. Of course there are many others that I feel bad about not including, but one has to draw the line somewhere.

1. Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey
2. The More Than Complete Hitchhikers Guide by Douglas Adams
3. The Classic Illustrated Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
4. Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaardner
5. The Glass Bead Game by Herman Hesse
6. Borderliners by Peter Hoeg
7. Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murikami
8. The Chosen by Chaim Potok
9. In The Beginning by Chaim Potok
10. Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins
11. Refuge by Terry Tempest Williams

Also ran/ honorable mention:
1. The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey
2. Kafka was the Rage by Anatole Broyard
3. Trout Fishing in America by Richard Brautigan
4. Foucault’s Pendulum by Umberto Eco
5. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Persig

What can I say, it’s hard to limit yourself to a list. Keep in mind these are only books from the fiction wing, and only those on the shelves. Presumably none of the books to be sold would make it on the list. And of course there are a lot of other great books, fun (books like The Cockroaches of Staymore by Donald Harrington or the Frisco Pigeon Mambo by C.D. Payne) or challenging in their own way (like Vineland by Thomas Pynchon), but I must not have read them recently enough to list them today. It should also be noted that these are not necessarily books that I would recommend to others. Some of them remain on my shelves for particular reasons beyond their literary worth.

So what have I missed? Are there any books that I have been a fool to go so long without reading? Any that ought to be removed from the list? Do you people read?

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

The car came back

Yes, my car was recovered, which means it was found abandoned in a parking lot by a mall out of town (Tukwila for those of you that know the area, across from South Center Mall). Of course the stereo was missng and the door lock is jacked up. they basically took everything they could, except they were too stupid to open the storage divider between the front seats, so they left the case for the stereo face and the Ipod fm transmiter. they did go to the trouble to take the car jack. Why would you want to steal a tiny ass car jack?

So now I have to wait for an insurance guy to come look it over and give me an estimate. Chances are it won't even be worth a settlement by te time I pay my deductable. Oh well..

On the plus side the editing buttons have returned to my posting window, which means I can add photos now.

Monday, December 04, 2006

Stolen Car

Yes, once again I have had my car stolen. Its been several years since the last time, I figured my luck was improving after having set the record at FPU. I was parked at a friends house last night, and when I came out ot drive home there was nothing to drive in.

apparently the return rate is pretty high in Seattle, although I would really prefer not to get it back. It seems like the hassle involved and the damage they end up doing are usually more of a pain. It is a good car and all, but I like to think of car theft as a way of keeping you from becoming too attached, a sign that its time to get something new.

In the meantime I've got the Saab again, thank goodness for friends leaving the country!

I would pst a photo of something, but the photo option is still not working for me.

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Posting

I wanted to do a post today that required an image, but I don't see the image link button. Anyone else having that problem?

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Snow Day Part 2

The sky is clear and beautiful, which means the temperature has plummeted. The snow has turned into ice...

The roads are full of abandoned cars that slid off the roads. On the news they showed several jackknifed trucks, and one poor car that lost control and plowed into a state troopers car. Its bad enough to slide off the raod, worse still when you slide into a cop.

I'm going in late today (if at all) because the roads are icy everywhere. It is really hilly where I work, and I have to drive down a pretty steep slope to get to the office. I can just picture my car sliding straight down and over the edge. Unfortuantely my boss is taking a bunch of drawings to Nicaragua on thursday, and I have a lot of work to do before they are ready. I feel guilty sitting at home gazing out the window. It is so beautiful outside, sunny and clear. It doesn't seem right that it is actually dangerous to drive.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Snow Day


Yes, it does snow in seattle. This is the second time since I moved here that it has snowed like this. My first year at UW they cancelled classes because of snow. It isn't that bad this time, maybe an inch or two yesterday but the roads were clear in the morning. It started snowing this evening, and I should have left work right away. West Seattle is higher and more exposed, so the snow was pretty bad out there. Driving across the bridge was freaky. I'm not sure how high it is, thousands of feet I'm sure. At least it feels that way when you can see the wind because of snow. Makes me wish I had better tires in the car and that the 4WD worked.

Sunday, November 26, 2006

A day of decadence


Yesterday was a fantastic day of decadence that I can ill afford but felt justified in splurging for. After a nice long lay in, I shuffled around the house for a while then bundled up (the temperature is dropping, its snowing at the moment and is supposed to freeze tomorrow) and hoped on a bus downtown. I had avoided shopping on the day after Thanksgiving, but I was interested in seeing what it was like downtown. Turns out the crowds were not too crazy, but had I been on a serious shopping trip it would have driven me mad. Still, I love living in a city with a real downtown, where the sidewalks are full of people and you can pop into a variety of shops. I limited my downtown shopping to the KCTS store (the local PBS station) for a Christmas present for Dad. After that I headed to Belltown, a neighborhood just south of downtown.

Not having shared my bed with anyone for several years (the last being Tre, who was always welcome until the nose licking became intolerable) I hadn’t felt the need to impress with my bedding. After three years of neglecting the state of my bedsheets, I was finally convinced to buy a new set when the pillowcase seam came undone in my hands. It may not seem like such a decandant thing, but new sheets are luxurious in my mind. I chose a handsome deep red with directional striped, very classy.




Continuing the day of decadence, I strolled over to Le Pichet, the French cafĂ© that I’ve mentioned in the past. I love Le Pichet, but I only go there on occasion, sometimes to meet a friend, occasionally alone. This time I had a book with me and found a seat at the counter. I had the Oeufs plats, jambon et fromage, with a glass of Cote du Rhone, and finished with a frothy cappuccino. Then I went across the street to browse in the architecture bookstore. What an enjoyable outing. Nothing on it’s own was remarkable, more the combination and intention. Eating lunch in a restaurant is not remarkable in itself, nor is buying sheets. The act of setting out on a weekend afternoon to stroll through the shops, pop into a charming bistro for lunch and a glass of wine while reading, then a bit more browsing, it makes for a charming day memorable not so much for its uniqueness but for its idyllic simplicity.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Hollandaise


For some reason I was inspired to try my hand at mking a Hollandaise. It started last night with an innocent trip to the grocery store. I picked up some english muffins, and then it hit me, its been a while since I've had Eggs Benedict. Since my Breakfast Club went defunct due to the other three members leaving Seattle (two out of the country, one to Philly which may as well be). During the heyday it was a safe bet that I would have a benedict at least once a month....

So I can report that I was pleasantly surprised by the results. The sauce didn't break, in fact the consistancy was near to perfect. The flavor left something to be desired. It didn't have the piquant edge I like, probably because I didn't use enough lemon juice and didn't have any papricka. So I cheated and tried to save it with a bit of chili pepper and tarragon (which technically makes it more of a bernaise) but I added them at the end,s o they didn't really have a chance to really meld with the sauce. Still, for a first attempt, I count it a success. Unfortuantely I can't say the same for the poached eggs, a technique I am far from mastering.

discalaimer: the image isn't from my attempt, just a picture to start your mouth watering.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

This one had several questions to answer, so it must be true. Plus I shoot sticky webs from my wrists, so I got that going...



Your results:
You are Spider-Man



























Spider-Man
70%
Superman
65%
Hulk
60%
Catwoman
50%
Green Lantern
45%
Iron Man
40%
Robin
37%
The Flash
35%
Wonder Woman
30%
Supergirl
30%
Batman
20%
You are intelligent, witty,
a bit geeky and have great
power and responsibility.


Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

CA visit

My Holiday return to Fresno is immanent, and every time I think about visiting I have grand plans to see buildings that I should have seen ages ago (the Eames and Shindler houses, the Dominus Winery, etc.) but haven't. This time I am determined to see the new De Young museum in San Francisco.
the height of the tower was controversial, people were afraid it would be an eyesore in Golden Gate park.

The architects, Herzog and de Meuron, use perforated or printed skins on many of their buildings, usually creating fantastic effects. The question is when does this detract from the art. From what I can see the galleries seem to be fairly traditional.


If anyone is interested in a day trip to the museum let me know (I'm looking at you Ed)

I will be in town from Dec 21 to Dec 29, and as usual looking for a couch to crash on a couple nights.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Sorry, I had to pass this on...


So I know I'm trying not to get into the attack Haggard mob, but...this article from the stranger about Haggard's church being the gayest place on earth, as evidenced by the building itself was funny.

I'm old!


Last night was a cruel reminder that I am getting old.

I went to dinner and a show with some friends, Bonnie Prince Billy, aka Will Oldham. The show started at 9:30, with two openers, which means he didn't go on until 11, which means he played untill past midnight, which means I wasn't home untill 1 ish. I was exhausted. The show was ok, but I all I could think was "one more song then I'm going to bed" I had to struggle not to yawn the whole time.

On the plus side, I met a cute girl, friend of a friend. I'm sure that nothing will come of it, but it's noteworthy regardless.


Heather posted about a church they went to for a wedding. The architect, Bernard Maybeck, was a fore-runner of arts and crafts on the west coast. We studied another of his churches, First Church of Christ in Berkeley. Maybeck designed this with Julia Morgan, the architect of Hearst Castle.






Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Visiting Seattle

Ed and Heather have been talking about visiting Seattle at New Years, so I thought I would post a little filmagraphy for anyone else thinking about making up a trip up here at some point. A few movies set in Seattle:



Say Anything, a classic.



Singles, equally classic, parts were filmed in my neighborhood


Also:

Ten things I hate about you- the high school is actually in Tacoma, but several of the scenes were filmed near my house.

Twin Peaks- Primarily filmed outside of seattle

Sleepless in Seattle- obviously

Fabulous Baker Boys- I haven't actually seen it

War Games- a young matthew broderick sticks it to the military



and TV as well, most notably Frasier and Grey's Anatomy, and of course the Real World Seattle. Aparently the view from Frasiers apartment is actually 3/4 of the way up a radio antenna on Quenn Anne hill.


Any others????

A host of Blogthings

You Are A Hornbeam Tree

You are a reserved person, looking in from the outside.
Naturally attractive, you take good care of your looks.
You are not egoistic, and you make life as comfortable as possible.
You look for kindness in others - though you are seldom happy with yourself.
A bit mistrusting and unsure, you dream of being swept away by someone unusual.




You Belong in Amsterdam

A little old fashioned, a little modern - you're the best of both worlds. And so is Amsterdam.
Whether you want to be a squatter graffiti artist or a great novelist, Amsterdam has all that you want in Europe (in one small city).



You Are Austin

A little bit country, a little bit rock and roll.
You're totally weird and very proud of it.
Artistic and freaky, you still seem to fit in... in your own strange way.

Famous Austin residents: Lance Armstrong, Sandra Bullock, Andy Roddick

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Misc:

I just saw a dude with an x-wing tattooed on his hand!
I just got a haircut for the first time in about two months.
I have a head cold,
Which sucks because tomorrow I am doing a wine tasting with some friends. We are tasting “the big six”, three whites (Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay) and three reds (Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon) that make up 80% of the wine sold in the US, either sold as varietals or in blends.
According to the book I am reading (Great Wine made Simple by Andrea Immer) taste is from the tongue while flavor is from the smell. Your sense of smell is crucial to fully appreciating wine, and mine is blunted by this damned cold. Oh well, I will suffer on and drink regardless.

Things that come with a house: Part Two- Yardwork




I have never been a friend of yardwork. I mowed the lawn as a kid, and pulled weeds when forced, but neither of these made for an enjoyable weekend activity. My one proactive attempt at yardwork involved clearing a patch of Will Haskins’ backyard with the goal of putting in a garden. I moved out before the planting ever began.

I am equally surprised as some of you may be at the fact that I have taken on responsibility for the front yard. A week before I actually moved in I spent an hour or two pulling weeds from the planting strip in front of the rocks. That only put a dent in the years of neglect. After I moved in I spent more time weeding (I’m sure that some valid plants were caught up in the purge, I wish them the best of luck wherever the green waste ends up) put in a few plants and laid down some mulch and bark.

Yardwork is a good way to meet the neighbors. The woman in the house next door (left) was really excited that someone was finally taking an interest in the yard. She and her husband had adopted one side of the rock slope (the portion to the left of the steps, adjoining their yard) because they had to look at it everyday and it made their yard look crappy. She offered to split off some of her plants if I needed them, and gave me a volunteer kale plant. Hopefully I can keep up with it. I put in some bulbs, tulips and something white, so hopefully their appearance in the spring will keep me at it. I’m not sure if I will ever tackle the backyard, it’s a bit of a jungle and probably best left to its own devices.

A note to explain the ninja banner. The neighbors across the street have a pirate flag on their door. Some time ago, my friend Liz (whose departure to Japan made it possible for me to move in) decided to hang a ninja flag in response and host a pirates versus ninjas party. Nothing much has happened since then, but I think we should up the stakes by suruptitiously placing ninja clad gnomes in their garden.

Things that come with a house: Part One- Television




I may have mentioned this before, but my move to the house means entering the world of TiVo. Let this post serve as my declaration of love for TiVo! I watch far fewer commercials now, and I can even stomach watching football (an unfortunate side effect of moving to Dude House) because a 4 hour game really only consists of about an hour of playing. I still haven’t really figured out how to program TiVo, so it doesn’t record the things that only I want to watch, but my roommates have good taste in shows…for the most part. This leads me to the next section, shows that I now watch that I would never have watched on my own.

First up, Amazing Race. Yes I used to watch it in Fresno, but the constant bickering really gets to me and I stopped watching. Now I am back into it. My vote is for the moms, they seem so positive and supportive of each other and the other teams. I doubt they will win, but I will support them to the end.

Next, Laguna Beach. It’s like The Real World meets 90210. Every episode is a train wreck, and yet a house full of guys (the afore mentioned Dude House, or The House of Dude) tunes in every week to yell at the tv, simultaneously TiVo-ing it for later replays.

Last up, Wild and Out. I think this is on MTV, although I’m not sure. It’s a hip-hop/stand-up comedy-contest type thing. I’ve come to love it. Charlie Murphy was on the other night, funny stuff.

Other than that I am excited about having access to the shows I’ve always loved but can only watch when visiting friends with cable. The list includes: The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Good Eats, most of HGTV and the FOOD Network. A great new show is Mythbusters, where they test out myths and urban legends.

In summary, my television world has expanded and been equipped with the wonderful gift of Tivo. Now the trick is to not spend the entire evening on the couch watching TV. Wish me luck.

Back to the world of posting

I promised it would happen, and now it has. First, let me start with a post that I wrote but never posted. It is a recap of my trip to Colorado.

I have returned to the land of clouds and a chance of drizzle, tho to be fair the weather hasn’t really switched over, it is still a pleasant Seattle summer.

Colorado was great, we did a lot although it never felt like we were running around. Still, beer and fishing can take a lot out of you. Let me take this opportunity to say that I have a great dislike for loud ass jet skis and the jackasses that don’t care if they are scaring off any chance of my beating Jay to the elusive catfish. REALLY, there is a whole lake to pollute with noise and oil, why do you have to circle in the cove we have chosen to fish in?

I finally made it to the Golden Bee, it was all that I hoped. Everyone knows that I am not a Karaoke’r, but this is different. For those unfamiliar, the Golden bee is a piano bar, and there are books of lyrics at the tables so that everyone can sing along. It was great fun, although I chose not to sing the Army, Air Force, and Marine anthems (it was family weekend at the academy). Jay and Becky are the greatest hosts, and I hope they had as much fun as I did.

Now its back home and back to work. I just went to the Library for some books on S. American architecture. We are designing a house in Nicaragua (sp?) and we want to incorporate the ideas of traditional homes without replicating them. It is a semi steep site, which presents its own challenges. I’ve also been working on a second floor addition to a house near the office.

I gave notice on my apartment, so it is official. I will be relocated by Oct 1, hopefully a bit sooner so I can clean, etc. Moving is a pain, but I am really looking forward to having room-mates again. Once I move I will work on posting regularly, hopefully something more interesting than these life-updates, something more infotaining.

(side note to adam: are you still listening to jazz? I’ve been trying to expand my collection thanks to the Seattle Public Library and the Ken Burns documentary Jazz. I’ve been listening to people like Coleman Hawkins and Fletcher Henderson. Are you interested in another CD or two? This time it may have to be a trade.)

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

blogger is pissing me off!

I just wrote a nice post, and it was deleted when I tried to spell check.

this is a brief summary minus the poetic language and well turned phrases...

moving this week, into the new place by sunday, it has internet and I will start posting and checking other peoples blogs more often

I will be in fresno from dec 21-29

that is all

Saturday, August 26, 2006

Saturday

(Below was also posted as a comment to the last post)

The computer is wiggin, I think it might be a problemwith the wireless card.

The Rudy Weibe book is called Sweetr than all the world. I haven't started it yet. My recent hike at the base of mt baker (a volcano) inspired me to re-read Kerouac's Darma Bums. At one point I found that book vry meaningful, although on re-reading I can't see why. Maybe the insights are in the second half.

As for the Kayak, I'm not looking for white water, more the touring around the lake and mayb into Puget sound type. Something with a couple storage compartments and a rudder. a recreational/day touring affair. maybe a hybrid. But beggars can' be choosers....

Have I told you how much I love the library? I am using theier computer and internet at the moment. Also I picked up a couple moe DVD's and a few books I had requsted. Public library rocks!

If someone knows how to make a sidebar thing to put on the side of the page,I want to put together an on-going list of books. I'm stealing the idea from Nick Hornby, who has a column in Believer where he lists the books he bght that month, and what he has read. The column is usually a review of one of the ones he read (rather than the un-reads, which ouldn' make sense).

Monday, August 21, 2006

Just checking in, still alive.



As I said before, I don't like blogging at work, and it doesn't always work out so well at the cafe (we'll se if it works today). I am planning on taking my computer in to the Mac store so they can fix it while I am in CO. I will be visiting Becky and Jay at the end of the month.

For the first time since I was a little kid, I signed up for a library card. Being in school, I didn't need to get a public library card because I could get everything I needed through the University. If UW didn't have a book I could order it from schools in Oregon. If it wasn't available through any university, it was 99% sure that the Seattle library system didn't own it. But in my attempt to cut down on expenses, I decided to stop buying so many books and start borrowing. This is the excitement my life holds. Today I picked up the first pile of books I had requested from other libraries in the system. It's like being in school, except three of the books are about wine, two are about mennonites (sort of, one is a novel by Rudy Weibe, the other is about the anabaptist seige of Munster in 1534) and one is a movie by Miyazaki, my favorite animator (responsible for such greats as Howl's Moving Castle, My Neighbor Totoro, and Spirited Away).

I had been looking for a new apartment, but that has been abandoned. Instead I am planning on moving into a house one street east of my apartment. My friend Liz is moving to Japan for 18 months, so I am moving into her room in a house. I already know the other guys living there, so I think it will work well. They are a good group of guys, pretty active (climbing, skiing, etc.) so hopefully I will get a chance to join them. Personally my new interest is Kayaking, although I don't have the money to buy a Kayak anytime soon. My goal is to find a used one before next summer. Of course then I will also need a roof rack to transport it, and paddles, and a life jacket, and all that whatnot.

For those of you who know and encounter my Dad, wish him a happy 60th, and be sure to refer to him as an old geezer.

Friday, July 28, 2006

Minor Update

Ok, so apparently the last post went through, so now I'm doing an update to the links. I have added my friend Jeff who is studying in Norway for the next 9 months. I am jealous, but he has had to cut out beer and meat because everything is soo expensive in Norway, so I can't say that I am 100% jealous.

But on that topic, I am trying to cut down on the beer and meat. Some of you may have noticed that the last couple years of grad school have not been to kind to my previously svelte physique, so I am trying to cut the portion sizes, eat more seafood, and exersice more. I don't own a scale, but I feel better already so I guess that counts for something.



Now in the spirit of Mr Wall, I'm going to bitch a bit.

Why do landlords not write information on the for rent sign? Tell me how many bedrooms, how many square feet, and the cost. That way I don't have to call and bother you if it isn't what I'm looking for. And when I call, call back!! I've been talking with friends that are also hunting, and the consensus is that if you call 15 numbers, one or two will call you back. But the for rent signs stay up, so its not that the places have rented out. I don't understand.


Thank you, have a good day.

ps, why will blogger not let me upload images?
I have been chastised by multiple people multiple times for not blogging, and rightly so. I see it has been a month since my last lame post.
Well you won’t get much more tonight. As always I am at a CafĂ©, and the connection tonight is really slow.

Bullet point update:

Still looking for an apartment, which is why I haven’t set up internet at home yet. First I need to sort out the finances so I can determine how much I can afford in rent.

Went kayaking this weekend and loved it. I would love to get a used kayak, but again the finance question, gotta weigh the needs and wants.

Planning on a trip to CO on my free flight voucher from the Christmas bump. From now on I will jump at the chance to give up my seat for a free ticket.

Work is going great. Some days are a little more stressful, but only because I am doing stuff I’ve never done before, so it’s a good stress.

Went to a concert tonight, Dar Williams. It was at the zoo, lots of kids. I think it’s the sort of thing I would love if I had kids and couldn’t have a social life anymore (sorry Woodys, but I’m sure you’ll be the cool parents).


ALL OF THAT WAS WRITTEN THE OTHER DAY...
but I couldn't post it because either Blogger or the internet connection at the cafe wasn't working, not sure which.

I rule the science world

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

In honor of sara helen watermellon. Not in honor really, but I saw it on her blog (featuring her cute new haircut and return to blonde)

Your Seduction Style: Prized Object

The seduction game you play is tried, true, and still effective: hard to get.
You know that the best seducers turn the tables - and get their crush to seduce them.
The one running has the power, and you're a challenge that is worth the chase.

You are a master of enticing and pulling back. Giving a little and taking some away.
You are controlled enough to know rewards come after a long seduction dance.
Even though you want to call, email, or say "I love you" first - you don't!

You're style is the perfect mix of hot and cold - so much so that you have many suitors.
Think Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany's ... or any of those creepy guys from the Bachelor.
You're skilled at inspiring a chase. The real test is picking the person to slow down for.


I'm not sure I agree with it, but there you are. Perhaps this explains why I am sans girlfriend

A New Post

I am now going to update the blog. Fair warning, it will be spotty posting for a while. Now that I am no longer at school I don’t have regular internet access. I don’t want to do to much at work other than check email, and I feel guilty about stealing from the people who live around me and haven’t realized they are sharing their service with the world.

On top of that my computer seems to be having some trouble with wireless. I haven’t figured out if it is the wireless card or the browser, but something keeps crashing my computer. I thought I had fixed the problem, but apparently not.

ON WITH THE BLOG!!



OK, for all of you that loved the monkey once, only to berate me for leaving it up for your enjoyment…..
What you see here is an image of Jubilaem, or liquid courage. It is a bottle of akvavit that helped steel my nerves for the thesis presentation. Don’t tell, but I broke the no drinking before noon policy. Its not my fault they scheduled me to present at 9am.

The presentation went great, except I started with an old version of the power point and didn’t notice until several slides in when the screen went black except for the words “insert image here.” Fortunately I was able to switch over to the correct version and keep rolling. The feedback was good, and I received several comments from professors later who had heard about it. All and all a great experience. Now I’m just waiting for a little slip of paper to come in the mail, telling me its all official.

Friday, June 02, 2006



This was the first hit on a google image search for bizzare. I recomend the safe search for anyone a bit squeemish..think Clerks, "I rented it for us!"


Basically I've been bored and upset that some of your posts haven't been updated for a day or two, then I realized mine was almost a week old. So enjoy the monkey!

Saturday, May 27, 2006

The time has come the walrus said...




So this is it, this little half sheet of purple paper is what I have spent the last three years working towards. Or at least this little sheet will get me the fancy velum with a seal and that jazz, but this one feels like more of a victory. Now all that remains is to give a presentation and answer a few questions (June 7th 9AM) and I will be finished!!!

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Bibliodessey






So I've been meaning to spread the word about this cool site that I frequent. It is a treasure trove of images, crazy random stuff, most of it historical but not always. I highly recomend it.

BibliOdyssey

Thursday, May 18, 2006

scripture help

Ok seminarians, I need a bit of help.

I am looking for a scriptural basis for the following quotes:


"For there is no action so slight, nor so mean, but it may be done to a great purpose, and ennobled therefore; nor is any purpose so great but that slight actions may help it, and may be so done as to help it much, most especially that chief of all purposes, the pleasing of God."

"We treat God with irreverence by banishing Him from our thoughts, not be refering to his will on slight occasions. His is not the finite authority or intelligence which cannot be troubled with small things. There is nothing so small that we may not honour God by asking His guidance of it, or insult Him by taking it into our own hands."


They are both by John Ruskin, presented in the introduction of The Seven Lamps of Architecture to defend his application of moral/ biblical principles to architecture. I was thinking of Matthew 25:40 "...whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me," but that is not quite right, and I feel I would be taking the verse out of context if I used it.

So any suggestions?

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Horray!!

Just a quick post to celebrate the fact that the first draft of my thesis is officially finished. Of course there will be a lot of revision over the next couple weeks, but this was a big milestone, and I made it on schedule. Tomorrow I meet with my comittee to discuss the revisions, but tonight I crash on the couch with a movie, a glass of wine, and a plate of nachos.


I'm not sure why I've had a craving for nachos all day, but there it is.

Saturday, May 06, 2006

Colbert Speech

I'm sure most of you have heard about this already, but here it is again. It takes about 20 minutes, and I would recomend letting it download at least partially before viewing.

The direct link is http://www.dailymotion.com/sensemilia/video/143459

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Question

This question is mainly for Ed, and Tom if he still swings by my blog.

What is the accuracy of the definition of Ethos (ἦθος) as place of living and Ethics (ἠθικός) as theory of living. Do I even have the Greek correct? According to Wikipedia they have the same root. A book that I am arguing with in my thesis claims that ethos is the root of ethics, and therefore limits the ethical function of architecture to the representation of ethos. I disagree, and I would like to start by critiquing the language.

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

One More


I wasn't going to post anything else for a while, but my morning web surfing led me to this cool furniture by a guy named Ryan Frank. He puts boards out on the street and waits till they get tagged, then cuts them up for these bookcases. Some of the other stuff on his site is interesting as well.

Monday, April 24, 2006

update

Its been a while since I've posted, and I don't intend to post anything else this week since I am falling behind on my thesis schedule and need to buckle down the rest of the week.

So a little something to share my excitement. I made the final arrangements today to start working a couple days a week at a one man firm in town. When school ends I will switch to full time untill the end of June, then we will sit down and discuss how things are going. He is taking a chance in hiring me, since I am inexperienced, but I think I can prove myself. We get on well, which is good since it is a small office (both number of people and size of space- 10'x12').

So that's about it. I really hope it works out. I was worried about working for a small firm, but I think I will learn a lot in a short time, and he wants me to take on as much responsibility as I can.

Hope you're all doing well. I am thinking about a trip out to CO this summer, although I haven't asked Jay or Becki yet. Anyone else interested?

Friday, April 14, 2006

Friday update

It is the end of a busy week. I've been up late every night this week trying to stay on schedule with the thesis, so far so good. I still need to finish the second chapter, hopefully this afternoon.
This week also saw two job interviews. Both were really positive. The first was at a super small firm, and the other was at a mid to large (180) firm. There are advantages to both. It will be a hard decision, assuming the decision is mine to make.

So without further ado, for those of you who have been asking about my thesis, I am posting the intro. It is a bit long, and this is the first draft, so it wil go through several revision for clarity and pizzazz, and all that jazz. Hopefully it communicates the intent....


MORALITY AND ORNAMENT: INTRODUCTION

“It is not the form of this architecture against which I would plead…but it is the moral nature of it that is corrupt.” -John Ruskin

“The Papuan tattoos his skin, his boat, his paddles, in short everything he can lay hands on. He is not a criminal. The modern man who tattoos himself is either a criminal or a degenerate…the tattooed who are not in prison are either latent criminals or degenerate aristocrats.” -Adolf Loos

“We throw the out-of-date tool on the scrap-heap…this action is a manifestation of health, of moral health...” -LeCorbusier

“Las Vegas is analyzed here only as a phenomenon of architectural communication. Just as an analysis of a Gothic cathedral need not include a debate on the morality of medieval religion, so Las Vegas’ values are not questioned here.” -Robert Venturi


Since the nineteenth century morality has been enlisted to support and condemn a variety of architectural styles and forms. As the emerging debate over morality and aesthetics became a central issue, architects were obliged to choose between styles, each of which asserted a moral claim as the ‘one true style’. The reliance on moral critique continued into the modern period with architects of the modern movement employing moral claims in attempting to reject established styles. Nowhere was moral discourse more evident than in the debate over architectural ornamentation.
How can we continue to support architectural theories based on moral principles that may not be commonly shared in a pluralistic society? What is the legacy of moral discourse in architectural aesthetics? How as it shaped, and does it continue to shape, architectural theory today? Are figures such as Kohn Ruskin and Adolf Loos merely points in history, or are their theories valid today? Can their ideas be separated from the morality used to defend them? To understand these questions we must first understand the underlying moral principles and how they have evolved through history.
This thesis proposes that examining the rhetoric of morality in the debate over ethics and aesthetics, focusing on the writings of John Ruskin, Adolf Loos, Le Corbusier, Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, reveals changes in the way architecture understands the role of ornament, where it locates the center of culture, and how the limited the application of ethics in architectural aesthetics represents a shift from normative, teleological ethics to descriptive ethics with a limited application of ethics as the representation of ethos as the “character, nature or disposition” of society, “the spirit which presides over its activities.”

ETHICS AND ARCHITECTURAL AESTHETICS
Responding to the symbolic emphasis of Romanticism and provoked by the scientific and formal emphasis of the industrial revolution, architecture in the late nineteenth century looked to moral critique to evaluate the proper style of building. These moral critiques of architectural aesthetics fell broadly under three categories; honesty and deceit, the moral superiority of a particular style, and historicist notions of a ‘spirit of the age’, commonly referred to as zeitgeist. Common to each category is the attempt to establish universal ethical imperatives as a means of rational critique. Also common is a move away from religious to social/ philosophical ethics; culture, rather than God and scripture, became the basis of ethics and morality.
Pugin and Ruskin, both of whom relied on ecclesiastic rationale to demand authentic representation of form and material, led the discourse on honesty and deceit in architecture. Both argued for Gothic as the ‘one true style’ also championed the moral superiority of one style over another. However this claim was soon distanced from religious principles and focused on materialistic factors, such as Heinrich HĂĽbsch’s emphasis on materials, technique, climate, and functional needs as the determining factors of style. Architects and designers such as Hermann Muthesius and William Morris, who advocated for architecture as a means of social renewal, examined the social implications of architectural style.
While social reformers such as Muthesius and Morris advocated for architectural style that embodied the spirit of the age, the emphasis on zeitgeist by figures such as Adolf Loos was a reaction against architectural style as a means of social reform. Loos’ criticism of Muthesius and the Deutscher Werkbund focused on their attempts to create a new style reflective of the age, rather than allowing the spirit of the age to reveal itself organically. For Loos the spirit of the age was naturally manifested in craftsmanship uninfluenced by attempts to join art and craft. The ethical imperative was propriety; conforming to the purest manifestations of naturally evolving culture, as opposed to shaping and guiding culture.

THE NATURE AND FUNCTION OF ORNAMENT
Fundamental to any examination of ethics and architectural aesthetics is an understanding of the evolution of views concerning the nature and function of ornament. Particularly important are the segregation of ornament within the design arts, ornament as an scientific element of geometry and proportion, ornament as an independent category of design, and ornament as a principle characteristic of style.
Groundwork for the distinction between ornament and art was prepared by Leon Battista Alberti, whose treatise On Painting indicates a “trend toward elitism within the design arts that would make ornament a matter for craftsmen rather than ‘creative artists’” Artists attempting to elevate their status separated themselves from artisans and craftsman, claiming the same intellectual qualifications Vitruvius had once made for architects. Collaborations between artists and architects in the late nineteen and early twentieth century, such as the Deutscher Werkbund and the Bauhaus attempted to heal this rift not by reasserting ornament as a fine art, but by re-establishing connections between the artist and artisan.
Theoreticians such as Claude Perrault, a founding member of the Academie Royale des Sciences, represents attempts to place architecture within a framework of rational, scientific inquiry. Perrault’s examination of Vitruvius’ Ten Books, and his attempt to establish rules of proportion for the design of columns and orders, marks a shift away from architecture that embodied a teleological view of the world as purposive, divine creation. Perrault’s ideas would later find support in Jean Nicolas Louis Durand, whose structural rationalism in response to the industrial revolution represented a merging of architecture and engineering.
Perrault’s examination of classical orders also led to the establishment of ornament as an independent category of design, with its own rules of form and composition. Owen Jones derived his 37 propositions concerning the design of ornament from an analysis of ornaments and patterns in various cultures. Viollet-le-Duc, AWN Pugin, and John Ruskin sought to establish a ground for architectural aesthetics, particularly ornament, based on intellectual rather than subjective tastes. Their advocacy for universal principles of design established a connection between beauty and truth, placing ornament in the realm of morality. The understanding of beauty resulting from universal principles would later lead Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown to accuse Walter Gropius and the Functionalists of distorting Vitruvius’ definition of architecture. (Insert Venturi’s Vitruvius/Gropius Diagram)
Establishing intellectual principles for the design of ornament led to an understanding of ornament as a principle characteristic of architectural style. The suitability of architectural styles was the subject of heated debate beginning in the nineteenth century, as evidenced by the debate surrounding Hubsch’s In What Style Should We Build. The implications of style as a means of social reform meant that ornament took on particular significance, and was equally praised and vilified by proponents of social progress. (Insert Morris example) Adolf Loos in particular saw ornamentation as degenerate and the removal of ornament as synonymous with cultural evolution.

SPECTRUMS
The distinction between artists and artisans that led to a devaluation of ornament among the design arts was systemic of a larger debate concerning the relationship of art and architecture and the role of architecture in society. This thesis will examine how contrasting views about the nature and function of ornament reflect shifting understandings of architectures role in society, how notions about where the center of culture is located determined the morally appropriate forms of ornament, and how morality and ethics shifted from normative, teleological ethics focused on guiding society to descriptive ethics with a limited application as the representation of shared cultural values.
“In a highly productive nation ornament is no longer a natural product of its culture, and therefore represents backwardness or even a degenerative tendency.”

Beginning in the late nineteen century it is possible to trace what has been described as the banishment and return of ornament. Common to all authors I will discuss is the understanding of ornament as applied decoration, aesthetic adornment that is not necessary for the intended function of the object adorned. For some, like John Ruskin, the superfluous nature of ornament was responsible for its value. It was in the superfluous that architecture aspired towards the divine, only in that realm of architecture detached from necessity could architecture transcend shelter and guide the human spirit towards fulfillment. Architects such as Adolf Loos, however, suggested that ornament was detrimental; it had become an impediment to function and progress, and as such should be removed from architecture and design. This belief was embraced by architects of the Modern movement, such as Le Corbusier, who saw in ornament the over-reaching of the architectures limitations. Le Corbusier suggested that architectural ornamentation was attempting to supplant the role of art, now perceived as separate from architecture. The role of architecture was to mediate between the essential (the role of the engineers) and the superfluous (formerly architectural ornament, now the fine arts). This separation of art and architecture, according to Robert Venturi (VSBA), led to the estrangement of popular culture from the arts, leaving a void to be filled by the re-emergence of architectural ornamentation.

“But in that class of society in which the woman’s aristocratic blood is also taken into consideration… one can discern an emancipation from the prevailing ladies’ fashion in which homage is also paid to outward elegance. People thus never cease to wonder at the simplicity that prevails among the aristocracy.”

Along with embedded notions of necessary and superfluous, the debate over architectural ornament contains shifting views on the center of culture, from which architecture should derive forms and meaning. The value Ruskin placed on the superfluous as aspiring towards the divine reveals his position within a Judeo-Christian tradition that places God at the center of existence, man as fallen creation, and salvation as the purpose of life. The center of inspiration for Ruskin is God, and by extension all of nature as God’s creation. This is manifested in Ruskin’s advocacy of naturalistic motifs and his insistence on Gothic as the only appropriate ecclesiastic architecture. In contrast, Loos looks to humanity as the source of inspiration, particularly high society which directs a continual, historical, social evolution. The appropriateness of architecture for Loos entails embracing the best of society as the current manifestation of a continual process; this is similar to Ruskin’s notion of striving, only divorced from the divine. Le Corbusier was also concerned with high society; however, unlike Loos he found the inspiration of high society in its purest, distilled form, in objet type, the mass-produced products and machinery of the working class.

"Should architecture not continue to help us find our place and way in an ever more disorienting world? In this sense, I shall speak of the ethical function of architecture. "Ethical" derives from "ethos." By a persons ethos we mean his or her character, nature, or disposition. Similarly we speak of a community's ethos, referring to the spirit that presides over its activities. "Ethos" here means the way human beings exist in the world: their way of dwelling. By the ethical function of architecture I mean its task to help articulate a common ethos."

Karsten Harries begins his discussion of architecture's ethical role by limiting ethics to the articulation of a shared ethos. This limitation is the product of a continuing shift in the application of moral evaluation to architecture, and represents a broader shift in the field of ethical/philosophical theory. It signals a move away from moral imperatives; the ethical role of architecture is to reflect rather than guide society, and ethical criticism is no longer based on universal notions of right and wrong, good or bad. The Enlightenment project saw the elimination telos, from philosophical ethics. What remained was a notion of humanity as it once was, humanity as it is, and a set of moral precepts divorced from their rationale. There was no longer a reason for principles that guided behavior towards a positive end; ethics had rejected the question "to what end?" Harries notion of ethos is in direct contrast to the notion of telos, found in Aristotelian Virtue Ethics. This thesis will examine how the writings signal a shift from Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics as discussed by Alistair MacIntyre to Harries’ notion of ethics as the reflection of community ethos.

(insert intro conclusion)

Look at the bunnies

The myfm bunnis are frolicking. darling. I've been trying to figure out how to update the listing, but I can't. It is supposed to be top rated for the week, but I haven't listened to some of those albums for months. I can't figure it out.

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Slide


I'm sure most of you have heard about this already, since you actually live in Fresno, but apparently part of 168 on the way up to Shaver slid out. My mom was telling me about it. You can see the four lane from their house as it climbs up the mountain, and she said they could see traffic backed up because they had closed down a couple lanes. Pretty crazy. Was it from rain or snow melt?

Monday, April 03, 2006

Portfolio


My portfolio and Resume are taking shape. The image above is a sample of one spread. If I can find a way to post the pdf I will. If someone knows how feel free to chime in. I am starting to apply for internships. It is a little earlier than I had planned, but an interesting email came my way and started the ball rolling. I'm not sure that I am qualified for that specific position, but now that I am working on the portfolio I may as well begin the job hunt. It is exciting and frightening. If anyone knows of an interesting firm I would be willing to check them out. I've been planning on staying in Seattle, but I could be convinced to relocate.
Jay, do you know of anything in your area?
Adam, do you have any god pictures of the curved wall? Mine are all taken during construction.

LastFM

I have a question for those of you that have the last FM thing. How do I change what it shows, like showing the heavy rotation songs rather than every song off the last album I listened to?

Friday, March 31, 2006

Happy Friday

It's been a nice productive Friday. I met with my thesis comittee this morning, and they told my my outline was leaning towards book length, and I need to scale back. That was a relief because the task was beginning to look a bit daunting.

I finally had a bit of breathing time this afternoon, so I looked into the whole MyFM thing, as you can see from the sidebar. Pretty cool stuff.

And I finally mailed some Jazz mixes for Adam, that I promised a month ago. Enjoy.

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Final Quarter

My New Computer

I love Mac Packaging

Seriously, stylish

Isn't it pretty

Look, they're talking to each other. There is a cool new program that lets you easily import everything from your old computer during the intitial setup
The Spring Qaurter started yesterday, and today I started working in earnest. I've moved to a different building, away from most of the campus. It's pretty quiet, so I should be able to get stuff accomplished. I am atempting to set up a routine that includes getting to school at a decent time (8 or 9), reading and writing, going to the gym, and leaving school at a decent hour, sometime around 8 or 9. My hope is that by not forcing myself to work late nights I will not become overwhelmed and loose perspective on the importance of my thesis, by which I mean it is important but it should not consume my life, blah blah blah.

I'm also trying to put together a portfolio and freshen up the resume, so that I can get a part time job. I am starting to look forward to getting out into the world again and working. I've seen a couple interesting openings, so the job market looks positive.

Friday, March 24, 2006

Killians Red

Killian's Red

(66% dark & bitter, 66% working class, 33% genuine)




I'll start with a quote from a review of Killian's Red that I think will reflect on you, too: "deep flavor, somewhat mild, with a moderate head." It goes on to talk about a "light caramel odor," and while that sounds nice, I don't think I can go that far in my analysis.



Overall, Killian's is a very good beer. The only thing that kinda sucks is that even though it says "Irish Red" on the bottle, this stuff's made by Coors, not peaty old Dubliners. I guess that's my way of telling you that you scored on the lower side of the "genuine" part of my test. Here's my guess: you're a sensible, likeable person, and you're popular among different groups of people. The test probably read that as a slight superficiality.


Personality-wise, you have refined tastes (after all, this stuff is kind of expensive), but you know how to savor what you get. Your personality isn't exactly bubbly, but you're well-liked nonetheless. Your sense of humor is rather dark, but that's just another way to say sophisticated, right?



As a real George Killian would say: Sláinte! Cheers!




My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:
free online datingfree online dating
You scored higher than 43% on dark
free online datingfree online dating
You scored higher than 39% on workingclass
free online datingfree online dating
You scored higher than 4% on genuine
Link: The If You Were A Beer Test written by gwendolynbooks on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test