The Lamp

Here are revealed the fruits of my labor.


This lamp was designed through a 3-day design/build challenge for my Environmental Building studies class. Further iterations will be developed, including different materials, etc. Though the same central idea will most likely remain.

The shade/lamp covering is constructed from bond-type paper. It's mounted onto a 2x4 with a channel cut through the back for wiring (I used a dado blade)

*NB: any phallical resemblance is purely coincidental. As are any fecal references. (oh, art.















These pictures were taken in one of the design lab's meeting rooms- the drawings, plans, sketches, etc. are not mine. The room that I used is generally an ID room (Industrial Design). Just throwing that out there for you.

Though the design was originally for a wall-hung lamp, I chose not to mount it for the judging, and it ended up this way:
I'm not exactly sure which way I like better, but because of the channel design, it lays flat either way. After the final round of judging, I'm taking it home to hang up- so I'm not sure that it matters except for future iterations.

Alright, I hope my design talk didn't bore you out of your mind. There's not much room for witty commentary when you're describing the channel for wiring design. (I'll wire your design) <----one possible example... So this weekend I will be MIA from the whole entire internet, as I head to fitness Expo!

Join The Mother(effing)Party!

I'm a superstar.

Or maybe just famous?

Ok. Local Celebrity.

...Right. I sometimes get recognized.
Mostly via drunk girls at parties ("Oh. My. God. You teach Zumba at the gym! This is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo weird that you're here." ...yea, it's not that weird.)

You're looking at (or reading...at?) your friendly neighborhood Zumba instructor. I love my job. Even if it's my second job. What? Teaching Latin cardio fitness classes doesn't exactly pay the rent. Hence, another job that actually pays for my tuition.
So clearly that's not why I do it. Why do I do it exactly (besides essentially mandatory workouts twice a week)? Because of classes like the one I had Wednesday.

Wednesday I subbed a class for the only other instructor in Blacksburg. It was a class at the local Y, not my usual stomping grounds. I teach on Campus as a VT fitness instructor. So just because it's a different (much more age diverse) crowd, I was a little nervous. Would my playlist be appropriate? Would they get my (admissibly lame) jokes?
I was so hyped up that I got there 30 minutes early and sat in the dance room listening to the music. That was when I remembered why I love Zumba so much. It's not about looking hot, it's about feeling that way. And it's my job to make everyone comfortable and loose enough to do that. Every single person has the right to feel awesome about themselves, every woman has the right to feel hot- no matter their size or age. I'm so used to teaching beautiful, vibrant 20-somethings, that I forgot how much fun it is to get down with a group of completely different people.
I love my job.


I had planned on posting pictures of my finished (and architecturally striking, of course) lamp tonight. But the camera was MIA in the wee hours of the morning when I had to go set it up. AKA, I woke up at 8:30 and had to pin-up at 9, which means the camera was sitting on the entertainment center and I just forgot it.
So pictures of my (completed. Yes, completed. Let it be known that I am not useless and completely unmotivated) architectural masterpiece of a lamp will be up tomorrow sometime.
Get excited.

Does This Mean We get a Water park?

Obama's stimulus package was passed by the Senate. I'm pretty sure that means we get a water park. Seriously. It's one of the many, tiny, odd, and seemingly obtuse ideas in politics that still astound me. Under the pretense of "creating jobs" for construction, design (which I appreciate- Obama, you got my back), and ...well stimulating? (Politics always sounds dirty, it's not you.)
I'm guessing that this was added in some sort of attempt to get the bill stonewalled in the senate.

Some republicans were like, "Let's add a fucking water park, who'd pass that shit?"

What they didn't think of, was how much Democrats love water parks. Yea, sucka.


I have a couple questions though... Where will this water park be? who will be able to enjoy said water park? Will it have a politically-oriented theme? When will the water park open? Construction costs?
Basically: I want to go to a politically themed water park. How boss would that be? (does anyone even say 'boss' anymore...I am a true child of the 90s)

So besides water parks and crusty old republicans who, I'm sure, look horrible in swimsuits (as opposed to their svelte Democratic counterparts) I've other news.

Clearly, I'm still alive.
This girl knows how to spin shit like no other.

After spending large amounts of time walking across campus in the perfect weather we had here yesterday (Mid-sixties, sunny, and un-windy, magically) I was able to gather my thoughts, some perspective, and finally talk to B-baby.
And I decided that it really didn't matter that I didn't finish my project perfectly. My professor knows what's been going on in my life yesterday. I've been missing whole weekends (when we arch students really get our work on) to be home with my family, and he knows that. So when I confidently spoke about my piece of crap that was sitting beside me in Pin-up (aka presentation, or design charrette to those not in the biz) I was able to wow him into realizing all of the time and thought I'd put into my crap-ass project.

It was impressive.

Because although my project did suck a little, I knew everything about it. Plus, my initial design was well-thought-out, carefully executed, and well-drawn. It was only the model that sucked.

Moral of the story? I'm allowed to freak out online, publicly... it makes me feel better. That and the fact that one girl didn't have hers done, but she had way less than I did and didn't even try to present. (Yaaaaaaay I wasn't the worst.)

p.s. I still have my pride, etc.

I'm off to my Building Structures: Steel class in a bit. (I love shear and moments!) Then I'm off to the woodshop... that project due thursday? it's a lamp I'm designing. It's gonna be totally boss. Yea, that's right. Boss.

Absolute, Complete, and Utter Failure

You call it failure, I call it resignation.

Today at exactly 1 O'clock, I will be turning in possibly the worst model/project ever made by a 3rd Year Architecture student.
For some reason I just had a complete breakdown during this project, which is actually an extension of a project we did last semester. A complete mind collapse.
I say resignation, because this morning, when I tried to salvage my pride and turn a conglomeration of hot glue, Soldering metal, and zap it into a functioning and presentable model, I had to stop. I couldn't do it.
Now, I am not someone who has ever failed anything (except for a maybe a math test-but not from lack of trying or effort.) This project today will be my first real, actual failure. It's going to be interesting. I'll probably cry...just so there can be no confusion over the total loss of pride, work ethic, and reputation.
Sure, there have been a lot of variables- My mother's return to Chemo, my lack of motivation to become an architect when it's one of the 5 careers NOT to go into right now, and the bachelor (which I watch obsessively). O.K. so that last one: not so much a variable.
The only thing that I can possibly hope, is that my professor takes into account how hard this has been for me, and that I can bring my grade up to passing in the coming semester. I'm banking on option #1.
What I really need to do, is stop feeling miserable, and look at my options. This is not the end of the world. One project won't end my career in architecture.
And if it does...there's always prostitution. I mean, this girl is selling her virginity for 3.5 million dollars. Back-up plan #1. Well, maybe that can be back-up plan number 5 or 6 or something...
In reality, if this semester really goes that poorly, and they don't allow me to stay in the program, I'll just switch my major. All of my plans, etc. will be gonzo, but I won't die. I will live. Even if I end up working at Sam's club for the rest of my life, I will live.
Good god, can one project really ruin your life that much? No. If there's one thing I won't do, it's let that happen. I'm over this. A release of feelings, a quick loss of pride, and I'm on to the next project (which is due Thursday.) Good Lord, I'ma die.