525,600 seconds

I spent some time reading through my past posts. I do tend to be obnoxiously self-reflective, don't I? I'm afraid that's not going to change. It seems I only make time to write when I'm in a reflective mood. Studying design forces me to live in a world of abstractions. I have a million ideas but none of them will become reality. It's very frustrating. Sometimes it's hard to find concrete things in my life to guage my progress by. So I'm stealing this idea from Karen as a chronicle of my past year, to prove that it wasn't all in my head.

January: For good or ill school has defined my life the past three years and January was a month of transition. A new semester began with one professor leaving Utah State for an international position, and I began studying under another one. I also began my search for an internship.

February: Event producer Scott Corridan came as a visiting designer. I made him cry. I spent the rest of the month preparing for our next visiting designer. The lack of sleep made me cry.

March: Jamie Drake came as our second visiting designer. He said I was daring. I found out I won honorable mention in the International Design Guild/ASID rug design competition. I applied to GSBS for an internship, and went to Las Vegas and Los Angeles on a design trip. At NeoCon West I met Karim Rashid.

April: I had an interview and got my internship. The semester wound down, leaving me in utter exhaustion. My nephew Aiden was born. I began blogging.

May: I found out I won honorable mention in the IIDA Sustainable Design competition. I saw Sigor Ros in concert and moved to Salt Lake to begin my internship.

June: I worked at GSBS and loved every minute of it. The month ended with the Theresa Bradly Spirit Award at Design Awareness.

July: I sadly left my internship, but not before applying for another one at G. I flew to London and spent most of the month there. It was hot. Very, very hot.

August: I moved on to Paris before flying home to crash for two weeks after a summer as a nomad. I was offered the G internship and school began again.

September: I'm finally a senior and won 1st place commercial and 2nd place residential in an ASID competition. I begin working as an undergraduate teaching fellow. I also started an IIDA Campus Center at school and was put on the IDSA board.

October: I worked. I worked on projects, on my job, and on my honors thesis.

November: I organized an IIDA campaign to donate stockings to children with cancer. I started working part time at GSBS and volunteered at Greenbuild in Denver, flying home in time to see my brother get married. On the 28th my grandmother died.

December: I went to my grandmother's funeral and two days later my sister-in-law's father died. After two funerals in a week I finished three projects and travelled to Salt Lake seven times. Thankfully the last week has been very quiet.

The year is ending and a new one beginning. I hope 2007 will be a little more peaceful, but no less eventful.

What a Difference a Year Makes

It's amazing the perspective a little rest can give you. The past month has been hard. It's been intense and exhausting, but it's been no harder than any other month. Life has a way of evening itself out. For every trial there is a blessing.

This last year I've lost people who were important to me, but I've met incredible new people. I've travelled and had the chance to learn in ways I could never anticipate. I've learned to relax, to let go, and to trust that everything that is meant to happen will - in the right way and right time. I know what is important to me and what doesn't matter at all.

We've lost two members of the family this year, but we've gained two as well. I have a new nephew and a new sister-in-law. I got two internships - one at GSBS and a second next summer at G. I also got a job.

I've travelled, and made up for lost time doing it. In 2006 I spent time in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Denver, London and Paris. I moved to Salt Lake City for two months, and drive back there every week to work. I've gained confidence while I wasn't looking. I've won a few competitions that have opened doors. I've filled sketchbooks. I've written and blogged and taken thousands of pictures. I've done more than I could have planned for, or hoped for, or conceived of. It's amazing what a year brings. I wonder what will happen in the next one.

I was recently told by an architect that the definition of luck is proper preparation combined with an attitude of openness to the possibilities. The work is hard and taking risks is frightening, but the rewards are rich and worth the effort. There are a lot of things I wish for, even more I hope for. All I can do now is be open and trust. That is the definition of faith.

Breathe Out

In less than three weeks I've had a wedding and two funerals take place in my family. Throw into that mix finals week with multiple projects due, the latest in a succession of crappy birthdays (yea for December, everyone is too busy to notice), and weekly trips to Salt Lake to work, and I am exhausted. Overwhelmed and utterly exhausted. All I have to do is make it to graduation, but that doesn't feel like it will ever happen. It's the middle of the night and I'm even too tired to sleep.

So for you, and mostly for me, I present a bit of visual bliss. Next semester my senior thesis will involve research on the work of Santiago Calatrava. Just looking at these images helps me relax. They feel like modern cathedrals.

When it rains . . .

Today I went to my second funeral in less than a week. This time it was for my sister-in-law's father. I feel so bad for her and her family. And I'm sad for my little nephews who will never know their grandfather. The past few weeks have been overwhelming.

Myron Dee Bigler

August 21st, 1948 - December 4th, 2006

Obituary:

HYRUM, UTAH: Myron Dee Bigler of Hyrum Utah, died suddenly on Monday, December 4, 2006. Myron was born in Basin, Wyoming on August 21, 1948 to Orville Bigler and Elvira Dobson Bigler. Myron married Georgia Fay Thomas in the Salt Lake Temple on June 1, 1972. They are the parents of two sons and two daughters: Jason (Mindy) Bigler of St. Helens, Oregon; Rachell (Bron) Murdock of Hyde Park; Amber (Todd) Smith of Nibley, and Dedrick Bigler of Hyrum. Myron was raised on a small farm in Basin, the ninth child in a large family of eleven children. He attended Basin High School where he played on the basketball team. Later, he attended Ricks College where he received an associate degree. He was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and throughout his life served in various capacities and callings. In 1967-69, he served a mission in the Colombia/Venezuela Mission. He had a strong love and unwavering faith in his Savior. Myron had a deep love for people and his friendly and open manner drew people to him He was strong and steadfast and accomplished things without fanfare or self adulation. He was loved by all who knew him. He was a man generous with his time and talents and always put others before himself. For many years Myron was a technician for Thiokol, working on the Minute Man missile and Space Shuttle rocket booster projects. He also worked for Logan City and did various part time jobs. Myron was a hard worker and did all he could to provide a comfortable living for his family. For twenty years he served his country in the U.S. Naval Reserve, retiring in June of 2006 with the rank of E-6. He is survived by his wife Georgia of 34 years, 4 children and 7 grandchildren. He is also survived by four brothers: Edwin (Clara) of Layton, UT; Dale (Joan) of Elkridge, UT, Perie (Floie) of Clean Creek, AZ, Bill (Julie) of Vernal, UT and four sisters: Charmayne (Tom) Kasperian of Taylorsville, UT; Edith (Bill) Johnson of Nacogdoches, TX; Donna (Dawan) Cecil of Cypress, CA; and Roseann (Randy) Bishop of Westchester, PA. Myron was preceded in death by his mother and father, Ruth Bigler a step-mother, infant sister Alice and a brother Dean (Wendy) Bigler. The funeral will be held at 12:00 PM on Friday, December 8, 2006 at the Hyrum Stake Center, 595 S. 200 E., Hyrum. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Allen-Hall Mortuary, located at 34 E. Center in Logan. Friends and family may call at the mortuary from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, and at the church on Friday from 10:30 - 11:45 am. Interment will be at the Hyrum City Cemetery with a military gravesite tribute.