It's Raining!

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I leaped happily as it poured lightly yesterday, which is a real blessing because it felt like months since I last saw a single drop of tear from the sky. The damp streets, the muddy puddles, and the cool atmosphere perfectly coupled with a warm, cozy blanket and a thick paperback book is truly a joy to me.

Today, I'm onto Margaret Mitchell's novel, 'Gone with the Wind,' which my friend Monica lent me. All our site surveying and data gathering for a bookstore renovation has completely built up my appetite for some drop-dead reading. It was really a nice experience.

Jejemons: Grammar Criminals

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"3ow PoHwz! MusZtah nuh pohw 3iKhAw?"

If you have experienced receiving an incomprehensible text message just like the one above or have read a similar comment on Facebook, then you have most likely had a 'Jejemon' experience. A terminology that according to Urbandictionary.com meant 'anyone with a low tolerance for correct punctuation, syntax and grammar,' and a more morbid definition, 'low IQ people who spread their idiocy on the web.' It has come to my attention after reading an article from one of my favorite Saturday paper section that triggered my grammar Nazi inclinations and surfaced a deep annoyance from someone who rips off on language like that.

I remember all too well how I pleaded to someone in a comment-thread-turned-chat-box on Facebook to stop using such kind of language. I wasn't aware of the term then, but like other annoyed Internet users, I totally agree to their proposition to ban the Jejemons on the Web!

Check out more insightful comments about the subject here.

Internship Week 2 Wrap-Up

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So far, my second week of internship at gsn+p architecture studio has been going great. I have finally started feeling comfortable with the environment especially with the people around me. My held-back attitude finally waned and words come out much more easily compared to last week. I figured that the real learning will only start once I decide to break that invisible wall separating me from them, and I did just that after several exchange of conversation with some of the staff. I learned that most of them are all too willing and happy to entertain my queries and help out on things I don’t know much about. It really changed my view of them as compared to last week. Before, I only see them as ‘just’ officemates/co-workers that needed to finish loads of things to be done, but now I completely view them as a living, breathing humans faced with different situations and struggles of doing the best they can on a given task. Observing also that most of them are devout Christians made a big impact on finally breaking the wall I had. It was a common ground I could settle with and be comfortable about. That may as well explain some of the Christians songs that break the silence in the workplace and the diligent attitude of everyone while working.

Well, aside from all that, some of the highlights of this week may have been also the knowledge I gained on the computer software/tools that are used along with design. With the availability of some of the computers for most of the week, my thirst to review my lessons in AutoCADD and to learn the basics of SketchUp and PhotoShop, was surely quenched. If not exploring the sample swatches inside the storage room, studying the details in some of the working drawings, or helping out on some small task, I was in front of an available computer tinkering with those useful tools. (The renderers’ works, by the way, are truly inspiring).

In the end, one of the most important lessons I learned this week was to open my mouth and ask whatever I’m curious about. I heard this from Architect Gene on our orientation with him from last week and a couple of times as well from those in the office, but it is only now that it has finally sunk in. And paraphrasing from one of the staff that taught me about ‘creative procrastination’: ‘in learning, the teacher is only ready when the student is.’

Creative Juice #014: 25 Basic Study Tips for Students

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Check out this cool informative post I stumbled upon while blog hopping on some of my favorite student blogs.

Jamming at Tomas Morato and Timog

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The Earth Day Jam 2010 featuring renowned local bands and musicians who cared enough to lend a voice to Mother Earth is a free street concert held annually in Tomas Morato Avenue that is just nearby my place of internship. It was one heck of an event with artists and NGO's spreading the word of hope on climate change activism. But that jamming session which I later ran into is only half of the highlight last night.

The other 'jamming session' that also brought about the word of hope was held not far away at our parish on Timog Avenue with The Holy One of the Lord Catholic Foundation's Vineyard Class 39 and their first Vineyard Class Formation with Bro. Terry as their speaker on a lesson given about prayer. It was a come-back and a fresh start for me after months of darkness and dryness on my walk with Him. And I am glad to see all my Overseers who were also hyped to see me.

Much has happened during the first months of this year. One wrong decision triggered a domino effect that ultimately led to my very downfall. It took some time to pull myself up and realize that I'm back-sliding. But I am blessed to have been surrounded by good people in all aspects of my life even in the workplace it got me thinking that all hope is not lost.

Today, my journey continues. All glory and thanks to Him for inviting me on in this jamming session.

Creative Juice #013: Sketching Up with SketchUp

I did nothing today at the office but review my lessons in AutoCADD 2010 and explore the wonderful instant 3d graphic gratification that the software SketchUp has to offer. I wish I could help more with the rest of the staff but apparently we were left with one computer each to practice the softwares on our own. Above is an example of my unfinished work inspired by a shed I once read on Dwell magazine. I can't believe I'm even too lazy to finish this one. Teehee.

I was also thinking about creative procrastination that Kuya Doc shared to us yesterday. It was about putting things off or procrastinating on the bad things instead of the good. That message really striked me that it's still in my mind up till now.

Useless

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They say having an intern is a convenience. I mean, who wouldn't want an extra pair of hands who'd help out in your loads of work whenever needed? Today, after some long hours of slacking off that started at around after lunch, I felt very very useless. My mentor was around the whole afternoon and I didn't even ask if he needed my help for anything. I felt ashamed and sad realizing that.

I resolve to work things out tomorrow. The final day that marks my second week at that firm will be the day when, hopefully, some things will start to change. It's a promise I swear to myself.

ArchInspire#001: Curiosity = Inspiration

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I am quite fortunate to have this unlimited access in the Web during my free hours in the workplace. Looking for graphic inspiration, anything really that might stimulate those creative juices from flowing, I've been blogging and at the same time browsing countless sites about sustainable architecture and minimalist design. That particular image, I've just stumbled upon one of my favorite personal blog, definitely is an important reminder I should keep in mind everyday. Haha. I'm still working on that 'bugging-everybody-in-the-office' thing.

Internship Week 1 Wrap-Up

Photo credit to dwell.com

My first week at gsn+p architecture studio was not something I had expected after all. As an intern, I thought I’d only be making cups of coffee or buying lunch for the office staff just like the stereotypical figures you see on television or even happens in real life but I was wrong; completely wrong because what I did was truly more than that.

Throughout the week, I’ve experienced cleaning the storage room, answering the phone at the reception desk, operating the Xerox machine, sending a document through fax, filing hundreds of working drawings of the firm’s previous developments, encoding the tags we would later stuck up on scrolls of tracing papers for easy access and convenience in the future, sorting out brochures of various building products and calling over the phone suppliers of door hardware and accessories for a quotation. 

Putting it simply, the first week of my internship has been centred upon nothing but pure office activity goodness which may sound menial at first but I never thought I’d truly enjoy a lot. In fact, I see it almost as my very initiation in the office life and as well as a call to be a witness and a player to the real-world process and goings-about of an architectural office. I’d be more than grateful and happy to be a part of this industry or even just lend a helping hand to a firm who has just settled in on a new working environment. 

Going back to initiation, I think familiarization and getting used to this newly introduced environment is one of the highlight of my first week as well. Part of that process is about knowing the ‘who’s who’ inside the office and the role each member of the staff correspondingly take part in, and the wits-and-what’s-about of the organization. As much as I wanted to go on about asking all sorts of questions to almost everybody in the office, I have to be sensitive enough to make out whether I’m already causing disturbance in their line of work. So I opted instead on simple observing and the occasional mumblings you’d typically hear from a curious little intern.

Hopefully on the next weeks to come, I’ll be able to conquer that inhibition to open my mouth and bug them without shyness when a query suddenly pop after taking the trip on the storage room brimming with swatches and sample materials or the next time I come over something I don’t know while reading details of working drawings from previous projects.

I am truly looking forward to being exposed more on works regarding assisting my mentor whether it be on the creative side or the administrative aspect of the process. Whatever it is, I’ll take it all in as an opportunity to learn.

Internship Day 1

My first day at the architecture studio was fine. We sorted product brochures, arranged the storage room, met our mentors, had a crash course on how to read working drawings and had a peek on some of the food franchise projects that the firm had ventured in. The highlight, of course, was our little open forum with the senior partner architect who encouraged us to open our mouths and be not afraid to ask. He shared about the harsh facts of the profession in the real world and bits of intangibles that really meant a lot to me as an aspirant in the field. We were nervous at first but all that melted when he started answering our questions firmly and full of honesty.

Well, I'm sure glad that we had that small chat with Architect G. It has sure opened up a different point of view on my perspective regarding architecture. I have so much to learn and lots to think about what he all said.

Some ideas I took a mental note of:

• Architecture is not about “what you know,” rather it is all about “who you know”. The more you talk and put yourself out into the world, the more people will get to know what you do, and the more opportunities you'll have from getting in more work. 
• What the school teaches us about architecture are mere fairy tales. Our ideals about the profession were far from reality.
• Always ask and don't assume so as not to make an ass out of myself.
• Architecture = Process Management

Forgiven

I finally got all that off my chest. I'm looking forward to a brighter tomorrow. :)