YOU GOT A MIGHTY BIG HACK THERE, SON

HOUSTON. I think I have seen more episodes of cops in Houston than I can shake a stick at. Or perhaps, it just seems that way. Yes sir-ree, Bob. I flew down to Texas for a full day of fun in the sun. It was 4o-some degrees, which now seems cold to me even though I come from the land of Dakota (North) and can remember standing at a bus stop in minus two degree weather one day. Oh well, I am wussified now, I guess. Anywho, pard', I went down Houston way to meet the guy that sells our products and ended up sick. Actually, that is not true. I have always been sick. I was not well bef0re I left for Houston and ended up feeling even less well once I arrived. For some reason, US Airways seems to think that a big jet from Raleigh to Charlotte makes sense and a small monkey-humping puddle jumper from Charlotte to Houston makes even more sense. I can tell you that whoever was sitting in seat 12D needs to buy some Head and Shoulders. Whoa, buddy! Next time I will try one of US Airways competitors... even though I love the US Airways miles program.
Anyway, being "not well" limited my snap taking ability... much as the Phoenix trip was hindered by other things outside of my power.

The first photo is of a construction site -more on this in a moment. The next is the Houston Airport Terminal A. Nice cant, brother. The third is of the project we refer to as RFF. The media called it other things. The construction photo is right across the street from RFF. (RFF has the blue boom lift in the photo.) Google "Texas Med Center Burns Houston" or some combo of that and check it out. Two days after I was there, the thing was on the news on fire. Crazy.

The final three photos are of a project by the firm BNIM. We call it IMM... short for Institute of Molecular Medicine. BNIM's people have a great eye for details. If you have the time, and the opportunity, I highly recommend it. We were running short on time so I didn't get to see too much of it. I plan on going back if the opportunity presents itself.

I also had planned on driving over to Austin, but the not well gig put the kybosh on that idea. I would like to go see some of the work of Lake and Flato. I will be back in TX for the AIA show... or so I plan now. I will try to hit up some of the better projects then. But, as you know, Texas is a mighty big place, hos. A guy could run his body silly looking for architectural masterpieces. That wouldn't be good. He might end up not well.

Y'all take care now, ya here?

Disclaimer: Being sick is not always a bad thing. If you are sick and you know it and your office peers, family, friends and relatives tell you often that you are indeed, SICK, my sympathy and empathy is extended towards you. I, too am often SICK.

winter rising 2

Here are the Phoenix snaps from the second leg of the STAN FRAN + PHOENIX trip. Can you guess where the majority of the snaps were taken at? Sorry. I didn't take these. The other office employee on this journey took these... the camera on the phone was confused because night was not dark (due to the signs) and day was not light (due to the dark). The coworker has a good eye ...usually. But before I hammer him too badly, check out the first three photos by yours truly. A little shy of the old camera-phone mastercraftsman quality some may see on flicker or other sights.

It really is a pitty that the Bruder project did not turn out better on the old phone. This project rocks! From what I have heard from those who have met the man, he is a great person to talk to and get to know. Unlike a famous Tucson architect that I visited a couple of years ago... "May I take your picture?" "Um... nice try, but no." Speaking of EGO, read the first day on the job story of one Danny L in the office of one Petey E. in the book BREAKING GROUND. That story jives one hundred and ten percent of my recollection of Pete in PDX back in the late 80's or early 90's. He came to the Rose City to give a lecture at Portland State on his work including the Wexner. I found the lecture interesting and visually a blast... some of my friends couldn't enjoy the show at all because the man seemed to be a gynormous __________. You know you may have a problem with the old ego if people can't even look at your slides without calling you names because of the drivel spouting out of your pie hole. (Although I have been there to, so...)

Speaking of names; the photo at the top is called "Tuscon: Cars, Poles and Mountains" I was visiting my mother after the Phoenix leg of the trip. I almost killed her in the rented Infinity FX on a lonely Tucson road. Needless to say, I am stocked up on guilt for the next six months. A little word of advice for you: if your madre is talking non-stop about any subject you can think of, and you have a fast car, and you are looking at the colors coming alive in the mountains due to the morning sun, you may want to keep your eyes on the road and not on the mountains. AND you may want to zip your lip instead of saying to your mother, "You were talking non-stop. Of course I didn't see the small red car." Just a heads up for all of you with mommies.

Disclaimer: I love my mother. No, really, mom, I do. This blog is intended to entertain as well as satisfy my desire to have people look at me and listen to me. Maybe if you would have spent more time affirming my worth as a child... just kidding. Mom, your sense of humor is what I love the most about you. And no, this is not a Cover Your _____ statement.

continuing winter + winter sun rising

Here are a few more snaps from the sights in San Francisco and then the second leg of the trip... PHOENIX.

This first group of photos is mostly of the de young museum in SF. I found the back side of the museum with it's loading docks and retaining walls to be extremely interesting. The sculpture on top of the building is near the SFMOMA. Being a guy now intimately involved in metals, I also appreciated the perf patterns that are in play on de young. But check out the sculpture close up...

Also are some misc SFMOMA shots for you. ENJOY

DISCLAIMER: You can use these photos at will. Please be advised that using camera phone images says something about either the quality of other photos out there for the picking, or your work ethic.

.