The Design of the World

My passion is my frustration.

I have accepted the curse of the designer. I will forever be able to see what is wrong, know how it could be better, and not have the power (the time, the ability, the money, the cooperation) to make a change. Even if I could, it is too much. There is too much that needs to be done, to many things that need to change. It is overwhelming to think about, to imagine. Yet I see it everywhere. It's not about the environment we live in. Though our environment influences every aspect of our lives. It's not about making things "look pretty", and never should. It's about making a difference. About making things better.

I have been blessed. I have been given more than I will ever deserve. It's humbling, and staggering, to think of all that I have. Now I feel a responsibility to give back. With everything that I know, and everything that I've experienced, it feels immoral for me not to do everything in my power to help others. I'm not trying to make people happy. It's not possible, and it's not right. Sometimes the thing you need is the thing you don't want, or the thing you fear. Change is hard. Change is agony and exhilaration. And change is a constant. You either move forward or you move back. Nothing stays the same.

Life is a choice and I have decisions to make. I pray that they will be wise ones. I will use this blog to raise questions as I continue to explore the world of design and my place in it.

Labyrinth

I've been a big Sting fan for as long as I can remember. I still think the early Police songs are some of the best pop songs ever written. What I love most about Sting is that he has consistently pushed the boundaries of what pop music is, and should be. He blurs boundaries between genres and the results are always beautiful.

The current bandwagon for aging rock stars is to release an album of standards. Sting isn't immune to this trend. He's been playing with the classics for the past 10 years. His cover of "My One and Only Love" is one of my favorites. But his new album has taken this concept to extremes. Songs From the Labyrinth is a selection of Elizabethan songs accompanied by lute. It's an intriguing concept and the results are surprisingly poignant. "Come Again" doesn't sound that different than a few of the songs on his 1987 release ". . . Nothing Like the Sun."

Four of the "new" songs are available to listen to online. Whether you like it or not, you'll be surprised.

Schmap!!

I was notified today that two of my photographs have been chosen for the Schmap Guide to London. They are pictures I took this summer while on study abroad. These weren't my best pictures, but here's a sneak peek.



This is the South Kensington Tube Station that was home for the three weeks I spent there.



Here are the beautiful gardens of Hampton Court. The day we were there was hot and the ongoing drought left everything yellow and wilting, but it was still stunning.

These pictures join the two pictures from my trip to South Carolina that were inculded in Schmap Myrtle Beach.



This is a mall parking lot during Bike Week.



And this is Ripley's Aquarium on the same day.

Does this mean I'm a published photographer? I need to keep traveling so they can use more of my pictures! I have trips to Denver and Chicago planned already . . .

Week in Review (a little late)

To hold myself accountable I will give you a report of the progress I made on the goals I set for myself last week. No organizing or cleaning got done, correspondence was partially written and I only averaged seven hours of sleep every two days, but I accomplished more than I expected. I said no twice, I saw the premiere of Lost, I relaxed for one entire night on Friday, I read the first chapter if Bruce Mau's Massive Change, and my plans for saving the world are firmly in place. Not bad results for such a crazy week. I should set short-term goals more often.

Progress

I am so proud of myself. I am well on my way to accomplishing my goals for the week. In spite of a deadline in the morning and a general proclivity towards being a workaholic, I took some time off this evening and watched the premier of Lost. And it was worth it! I've never seen a show as well written or executed as this.

I have also said no twice this week to things I was asked to help with but really don't have the time for. I'm still not doing well on getting enough sleep and have done no cleaning or organizing, but I'm making progress. I even have some plans for saving the world. I may not be able to do it by Monday, but I will do it.

My 10 Things

When I check in on three of the blogs I read regularly, and they all have the following lists, I guess that means I should do it too.

10 Things I Did This Week:

1. Received the LEED-NC 2.2 Reference Guide and began studying for the LEED AP exam.
2. Worked ridiculously hard on a class project and completed a mock up of the finished brochure.
3. Began work on another class project, which will be even harder.
4. Solved the mystery of the History of Architecture test scores.
5. Faxed in all the paperwork to organize USU's first Campus Center of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA).
6. Put together my Honors Thesis Committee, composed of two architects and a commercial designer.
7. Found a bunch of design competitions, compiled a list, and passed it out to the junior and senior studios.
8. Watched "The Lake House", the THIRD movie I've seen this year! It was about architects. Even when I try to take a break I can't!
9. Watched General Conference.
10. Drove to Clinton to visit my brother and his family, and to get some help on #2.

10 Things I Wanted to do This Week, But Didn't:

1. Send out thank you notes.
2. Get enough sleep.
3. Relax.
4. Clean my house.
5. Watch just a little bit of TV to know what's going on in the world.
6. Read.
7. Email a few people I need to keep in touch with.
8. Finish #2 on the first list, so I can get on to #3 on the first list without distraction.
9. Help with a wedding.
10. Back up my computer files.

10 Things That Made Me Smile:

1. My six year old niece who sounds out my name and spells it H-O-L-E.
2. My five month old nephew who just learned to roll over.
3. My four year old nephew who is obsessed with chocolate and Star Wars.
4. My four year old nephew (they're twins) who named his fish Murdock.
5. Winning the IDSA weekly photo contest and getting a candy bar.
6. International hits on my little blog.
7. Knowing that I'm making a contribution.
8. Fall leaves in the canyon.
9. Fresh salmon.
10. Getting a lot accomplished.

10 Things I WILL Accomplish Next Week:

1. Get my studio space organized.
2. Get IIDA records organized.
3. Say No to something.
   
4. Write all outstanding thank you notes and emails.
5. Take one evening to relax.
6. Get the equivalent of seven hours of sleep each night.
7. Read something I enjoy (whether it's design realted or not).
8. Clean my bedroom.
9. Watch the premier of Lost (harder to do with my schedule than you might think).
10. Save the world.