Ahhhh, Quebec City, perhaps the closest one can get to Paris in North America. At least le vieux Quebec. Been a great two days here, much fine food, great atmosphere, lots of history, and, of course, staying at the Chateau Frontnac.
Had been some 20 odd years since my last visit here. And now the last leg of the rail journey, on the way to Halifax. Another excellent sleeper car night. And sure to be another different landscape when we awake… happy halloween!
Planning Permit for Addition: Check!
I was expecting it to take a couple of weeks, going through a staff review. However the guy behind the counter said “D’you want to do this now?” went ahead and gave me permit right then and there. Having a complete and clear planning package helps, I think!
First Use of Own Stamp: Check!
Very very exciting for me.
House Warming Party: Check!
Held the party last Wednesday, and it was a blast, thanks to everyone who came out and made it a fabulous event. I was really touched by how many people from my life were in my new house at once, cross-pollinating. The house was packed, the conversation flowing, the tours ongoing, the discussions engaging the possibilities opening and the recommendations appreciated. Thanks especially to Melissa for her catering and cooking expertise!
Start Teaching at New House: Check!
The studio’s not yet built, but the classes have begun, and with my first students the kung fu and tai chi is now underway at Lakewood (not to mention my own practices). I’m very excited, this is exactly what the house was intended for: to forward what we (the inhabitants) are up to in our lives.
Third Ascent of Half Dome: Check!
Trucked up to Yosemite this past weekend and had a great time hiking up Half Dome, my third visit to its peak (wow, been nine years already). There was some threatening clouds on the horizon and overhead as we hiked up, but by the time we reached the cables they had blown away. Always a fun and great hike. Seemed a bit more strenuous than in previous years, though I attribute that to the fact I’ve not been working out hard lately due to some odd stomach issues (follows the old Chinese maxim: Train one day, gain one day. Miss a day, lose three days). Took a whack of photographs and got some nice ones, I’ll edit them and try to get them up soon (more likely mostly the more artistic ones, I think my Yosemite page already has enough of the ‘regulars’). Met some new folks, geeked out on some fun stuff while driving (making us miss a turn off while driving, oops!), and made some squirrel friends (including one who nibbled on my finger). And also met on the trail two people I knew from the Bay Area (with no prior plans or knowledge they’d be up there), very amusing.
First Rain of the Season: Check!
Er, oops. Wasn’t expecting that one. We have things about that while not fully exposed weren’t exactly 100% protected. Thought we had a bit longer to go at least…
Composting Begun: Check!
Yay! The composter is going. Food is going in. Soon compost coming out. Hooray!
Next Issue of Aurora Out: Check!
Issue 3.5 – still going strong.
District 9 Seen: Check!
Enjoyed it muchly.
Much Coming Up: Check!
As always… woo!
Did a site visit last thursday into a space once used for manufacturing. 600′ long space (this is a very large building!), with 4×4 white tube steel columns every 12′ or so to create one massive grid. Very interesting to look down the long line of columns, then walk to shift everything, the columns gliding past each other before snapping into place with rythmic perspective. Trippy and cool…
In the string of initials after one’s name ™, I may now be referred to as:
Kannik, B.Arch, MCP, AIA, LEED AP
Yes! I am now an Architect, duly licensed and fully enabled to practice architecture in the State of California. And after crushing (196 out of 200) my LEED exam a few weeks ago, I am also a LEED Accredited Professional.
I can now, legally, say to people when describing what I do for a living: “I am an architect.”
Mmm… feels real nice. Woo! Now to order my stamp…
It’s about architecture and food!
Now this is what I’m talking about, an example of a house typology I’ve been envisioning for a while. Simple, passive design for a place, not divorced from its milieu:
To paraphrase an article I read on it: “The steel shading and concrete foundation help keep the home’s temperature a comfortable 23~C, even with outside temperatures hitting in the 40s; the air conditioning unit required by county codes still hasn’t been turned on.”
This is more of what we need.
Food wise, I caught a lecture by Michael Pollan on “It’s your World” (on NPR), great little lecture with those again simple three rules he’s researched:
He also says much other interesting stuff to sum up his research and writing.
That the “western diet” is proving disastrous to health is one of those things that seems to fall in the “We don’t want to believe what we know” category. His illumination of the focus on nutritionism is spot-on, and interesting how it has not only altered eating and allowed huge profits and marketing, but also provided a cover for not confronting our actual food choices and consumption and their impact.
Good stuff.
Now this is an idea who’s time has come! If I say “Old skhool Transformers” and “Ravage” you’ll probably get the mental image of the good ol’ Jaguar that transforms into the even more good ol’ cassette tape. Here’s the genius marketing: update him to today’s portable media, and you have this beaut, with full working USB storage action, and looking pretty good to boot. Shame it’s only 2GB…
Today I also visited the finished Breezehouse owned by one of the principals of our firm (the one being lifted into position here). First time I’d seen it finished, and I have to say holy f!k that is one amazingly gorgeous house! MKD did a fabulous job on this thing, spatially the house is excellent, the details are excellent, the lines are excellent, the proportions are excellent and the breeze space is just brilliant. Damn. His own additions to the base design (including a nice simple yet elegant fountain) tie it nicely into the site. I was very impresed (if you can’t tell yet).
Yes, I certainly want!
A former co worker of mine (who used to do some kung fu with me too) just finished building a new house for himself and his family, and it’s a green beaut. It’s an awesome example of how design can make a huge difference in not only creating a house that is one kick-ass awesome space inside (the spatial quality is very nice) but also operates in a very efficient manner. His house has no air conditioning, and the only mechanical system he has is a whole house fan for exhausting air. During the mini heat wave we had here on Monday and Tuesday, when temps hit 32+~C (90+~F) his house inside never went above 23~C (70~F).
The house looks great, operates great, and it cost nothing extra to build vs a so called standard house. Pure savings right here and now, from the get go, and he’s not damaging the world for his daughter to inherit.
And what’s nifty is he was interviewed by the San Jose Mercury News for one of their Earth Day reports… he’s Hari.
On a different note, I finally got the photos of me up from FC 2009 earlier this year, and put them on my Fur page. Lynx, benches and spears!
And this is just too cool… veritcal wind turbine that’s also solar-enhanced. Love the idea of putting those things to power ships. Wind and sun are two things often available out at sea, and when one’s low the other is often up. Brillliiiiaaannnt. Super cut down on emissions not to mention super profit from super low fuel costs.
Ah, another catch-up post.
Went climbing last Saturday with Dave at the Belmont PG, had a great time, did some footwork I haven’t done in many years, and just played around the whole time. Good Kung Fu practice on Sunday, we’ve now learned Dragon, Tiger, Monkey, Horse, Turtle, Rooster, Hawk and Swallow (what, African or European?). Also practiced much Hung Gar with Rev. The evening saw a very fun DnD session, with evil ethereal calls to watery doom, locked doors, tapestries with hidden images, crazed fanatics attacking and a rain that would not cease. Not necessarily in that order…
Monday I awoke to my legs feeling as though someone had dung several xacto blades into them. Very weird, a sharp-ish pain that was close to the surface, rather than the more usual deep-down muscle pain. Lasted all the way until and through class on Tuesday, then went away overnight as suddenly as it came. Hmm. Also did my first Iron Palm practice of the year (yay!) and had a great practice today with Evan.
Much of my other time has been filled with studying, studying and more studying. The date fast approaches! Prep, prep, prep!
With great fanfare I have released my first 4e game material/rules/stuff! I also got interviewed! Woo for Aurora!
For a break, I present for you two videos, the first very nifty (sheep + LEDs + time = amusing), the second is guaranteed to asplode your head if you have a low tolerance for ky00teness, and guaranteed to get stuck in your head. Which is precisely why I share it… so that I’m not the only one with it going on, and on, and on, and on…. enjoy!
I’ve linked to this video probably a few times, it’s William McDonough’s TED talk that is great, fun, illustrative, creates something and is plain cool. I’ve watched it dozens of times. There’s one part in it though that didn’t sit well with me and I couldn’t really take. It’s the part when he talks about growth. In this finite world that is already pretty darn stressed I couldn’t wrap my head around ‘growth is good’. Or at least I didn’t want to.
But, hooray, I finally got it. “The question is not whether growth is good, but what do you want to grow?” Those last words are it… what do you want to grow? And I heard the answer: fulfillment, passion, self expression, listening, happiness and harmony for all beings. Now THAT’s something worth growing… and points to a new way of doing things that actually accomplishes those things.
Actually, you know, that’s not a bad question for all of us. In our lives, and for those around us, what do we want to grow?
