Hello

alright well, i am going to post a few things that are old, and maybe i will continue posting.
we'll see


June 12, 2006

I am about to begin the second week of work. 8am-5pm with a lunch break.
I work with some really great people. Clifton and Jay continue to excite me on new things to think about.

Finding booty with a metal detector: Jay lost his keys one day playing Frisbee golf. The next day, we went to the rental store and rented a metal detector. We returned to the site of his loss, and played more Frisbee golf, a first for me. Jay walked the entire course with the metal detector. He was unable to find the keys and at the last hole, he was telling us that he thought he lost them right about where he was standing. He looked down and found them. Then we played with the metal detector, and found many metallic treasures, including pipe, barbed wire, a sardine can, a metal tip for an arrow, a old bolt, and a few pop top things. It was exciting, but we learned why so many people do it on the beach. It is probably much easier to dig in the sand.

Mice Races: Dave’s Dark Horse, every Monday night!!!! My mouse, Jerry, won, and I got a free beer. Yippy!!!

Mule day and Glenn House: On my way out here I heard about this letter press printer, sculptor, and book maker, Glenn House, in Gordo, AL. I drove through Gordo on my way out here. It is only 45 minutes away from my house. I decided to go try to find Mr. House. When I arrived in Gordo, my car was called to a complete halt by a parade of Mules pulling fancy carts. It was awesome. I have never seen so many mules and never seen them pulling such fancy carts. It was magical. I then made it into the center of Gordo, and found Mr. House. He was eating lunch, and invited me to sit down and eat with him. I had just eaten, so I looked around while he finished his lunch.
Since it was Mule day, he was giving demonstrations on how to use his presses, score!!!!
I got to go watch, and he let me help. I got one of his prints. It was really neat, because all of his presses were really really old ones. They were so time consuming to do. It was awesome.
Thank you Mr. House. I had a wonderful day.

Rural Studio: From Gordo, I headed down to Greensboro, Alabama, to visit my friends at the Rural Studio. I met up with folks at the red barn in Newbern, and Julie and I headed back to Greensboro, and made ourselves some fancy beers. I made a Michalado, and she made red beer. We sat on the steps to her place drinking and watching passers by. She decided she wanted me to cut her hair, so I did. She seemed happy with it. I saved her hair in a jar. Part of my collection from this weekend. We went to eat at the Mexican restraint, then went to Blair and Jeff’s. We waited there for a little while, and drank a little more beer, then we headed out to club 28 to play some pool.
I returned back to Starkville early the next day.

Show and Tell: Clifton, Kate, Jay and I had pizza and beer, and showed each other things that we were interested in. I will post a link to that stuff soon.

Wishes for a happy life for Ben and Shalis: Ben Collins and Shalis Worthy were married May 31st, I think. But we celebrated their union this past Saturday, in Athens Alabama. It was a wonderful day. Their families really must have cooked their hearts out because there was a spread of food that would turn anyone into a glutton. They had 2 vegan cakes, which sounds kind of inherently wrong, but they were amazing. I had the German Chocolate cake. It was awesome. I think I liked that cake more than regular cake. It was a bit lighter, not like sponge cake, but just perfect. Ben and his friend Steven decided they were going to make Mimosas using fresh fruit to make the juice. Not only did they use orange juice, but also juice from peaches and cantaloupes. I helped Steven juice these fruits for a while. It was a magical drink.
The beer was broken out after most of their extended family left. We went out side and drank, and I watched the boys play basket ball. Dan got one in using his head. It was amazing.
We stayed up really late, sitting outside drinking, and talking, and jumping on the trampoline. I saw someone light his fart on fire, which I had always believed was just a urban myth.
I ended up sleeping on the trampoline that night with a few other people and it was pretty comfortable.
I returned to Starkville the next morning by way of the Natchez Trace. It was beautiful.



May 28, 2006
On May 11, 2006, I graduated from the Auburn University School of Architecture. And then I had nothing to do. I had to find something to do. But everything I came across was not right. And Mom was not going to accept me just sitting around the house making junk, or just drinking beer for that matter. I also kind of wanted to get out there and try something new too. That’s a lie. I really wanted to get out there and explore the world, and try new thing, and meet people, and yes, even work a real job. I wanted to start making money for doing things that I like, and supporting my self (I know my mom and dad are glad to hear that).
So here is my history of my ‘future plan’ searches this year:
I had visited firms in Portland, Oregon, and although I liked the city alright, it just wasn’t for me. Actually, I think it was too perfect. The music scene was good, the art scene was healthy. The craft scene was amazing. They had an abundance of taquerias which made me believe I was in heaven. And the things that were happening in their architecture world were pretty impressive. The city was really open to change. There it is. It is pretty perfect. So, why didn’t I move there?
Portland was too easy. I don’t think there would have been any challenge for me to find things to do. And that sounds wonderful I guess, but not too me. I want to hunt high and low to find things to do. That way I will get to know where I am. I will get to learn about the place. I want to meet people I would never normally have the opportunity to, and visit places that I have never even heard of before. I want an adventure.
Once I made to decision not to move to Portland, I was in a fretting state. I had no clue what I wanted to do. I was talking to someone about my jobless state, and she mentioned that one of my old professors was leaving his job at Mississippi State University, and he was trying to find a replacement.

I have officially spent my first night in Starkville, Mississippi. I haven’t accomplished much, besides getting my plethora of boxes moved inside, stocking my fridge with beer and stuff for breakfast, trying to find the neighborhood pool, and finding four bars within close walking distance from my house instead.
My apartment is small but good. I just don’t know where I am going to stick all of my stuff. It has a downstairs room that has a stove and hardwood floors. I am probably going to sleep there too because my bed is a fold up couch, and my dad doesn’t want to haul that thing upstairs. I also have plans for the loft that is meant to be the bedroom. I am going to turn it into my spread out area. I am going to be honest. Most people call these studios, but ultimately what I want to do up there is spread out and make a mess. This will really be the first time I have room to spread my stuff out, and see everything I am working on at once. I can’t really imagine anything more exciting.
Actually I can. I am starting a real job on Thursday, one that I have been trained for. I am actually not really sure exactly what I will be doing, but I will be doing something. And that is all that really matters. It is only a three month appointment, and it could maybe be extended for a year. So, I can handle just about anything for three months, but I have a feeling that this is going to be enjoyable. I am on a new, big adventure.

Other than my big job, and my small apartment in my new normal size town, there are a few other things:My arm is sunburned from driving here. There is a weekly auction in Gordo, Alabama.
I can’t find the pool here, but I know it exists.
They have a really cute over priced grocery store in my neighborhood called GorMae.
There is some good local beer here.
Yes this is a college town, just like auburn, except the students are starting until next week.
I can’t connect to any of my neighbor’s wireless.
My friend Lucas is a really nice person.

Links:www.thecottondistrict.net
www.msstate.edu
www.caad.msstate.edu