Boy this week has been soo busy. Turns out, spending time to get the 'ol portfolio finished set me behind in my architecture studio class. So I spent this week working even more so (consecutive all nighters with 3 hours sleep every other night) to get caught up for today's guest critique. I think I've been pissing those damn 5 hour energies for the past 24 hours.
On topic: I keep forgetting to come back to these threads, agh, I make sure to read everything, but never make sure to reply. I need to set up some kind of reminder system for myself on this front. I don't mean to leave these kind of conversations hanging. Plus I thought I'd be able to publish some more interviews this past weekend, but that turned out to be a pipe dream. May happen this coming Sunday if all goes well.
Ya, now about Seattle... This has been a bad week all-around for me, so I'll take this moment to blog, errr... vent out by just typing... Here we go; a quick story about the portfolio...
Ended up working that week leading up to my last comment in this thread by contributing as much as my time as I could, (minus eating, and other requirements) committed to finishing it ASAP. The thing was due on January 15, but that's a
Saturday, so I figured it should be in their hands by that Friday (the 14). In order to do that, I thought I needed to get it shipped out on Wednesday to get it rushed over-night to their box. Yes, I could have shipped it on Thursday, but I didn't realize "next day" really meant next day with the USPS (unlike UPS). Anyhow, I stayed up for the third night in a row to get this thing done. All that was left was to print it, bind it and write the letter of intent. I'm pretty good with writing (or so I've been reinforced to think) so I wasn't worried, because I knew what I wanted to say.
The troubling factor here was the day before I spent four hours researching paper type, weight, density, whiteness factor, and everything else I could find out, about looking for nice enough paper I could afford. Finally I found some and had it overnight shipped (read: overnight=1 day shipping with UPS). Paid a bit extra for that, but I thought it was worth it. I've written about it before on here, but man without the right pressure, I procrastinate out the wazoo...
O.K. Regardless. That Wednesday I was counting on the paper getting in before noon, as I had class from 1:00 to 5:00 (architecture studio) and needed to be able to get this portfolio printed and hand bound (perfect bind) and shipped before 4:00 pm when the post office would close for the day. So I had the paper shipped to a street address my friends live at, because UPS wouldn't ship to a P.O. box. My friends tend to be slackers, but the friend who was supposed to call me when it got in had just gotten fired that week, so he didn't have any other engagements except to play video games to the wee hours of the morning and sleep late. He agreed to help, and I had given him fair warning about the repercussions of not seeing it through. I called him throughout the morning to make sure he was awake, and remind him he couldn't miss it for anything. Without the paper means no portfolio, and with no portfolio, means no chance at Seattle next year. Anyhow....
The paper came in and he called and I grabbed my car to go pick it up. well, it's 10:00 am on campus, and every parking spot is full, I had to come back with the paper and spend a good 30 minutes looking for a new spot, because low and behold the literal 3 minutes I was gone from my original spot, a new car found and took it. So basically the only spot I found nearest to where I needed to be would be a good 15 minute hike to the architecture hall, where I would be doing the book printing and assembling. Needless to say, I ran once I parked.
I got in, and my guy who owned the photo printer was no where to be seen, despite the reminders I made sure to post with him. It was an hour wait, and I spent the time starting my letter of intent. The printer guy eventually arrive and I spent the next 4 hours while having to skip the lunch altogether to get this book printed and cut and bound appropriately. It went flawlessly, and I didn't have to redo anything. But time was quickly approaching, and this letter of intent still hadn't been written; the last piece of the puzzle.
So I typed with the little time I had left. It was 3:00 and I still had half a page to go (Letter of Intent=1 page single spaced). I finished up at 3:30, and ran to anyone I could to get a quick proofreading from some new eyes. A few 1 minute revisions, and it was printed and stuffed into my bubble wrapped envelope. I ran down the stairs, I had 20 minutes to get to the post office to get this thing shipped in time. I had to sprint across campus to get to my car (of course skipping part of class to do so). I hit ever red light on the way there. and walked in through the doors at 3:50. I handed the package, asked for the fastest shipping possible and filled with relief calmly walked out the doors. That was a good feeling. I made it back to class, and later hibernated.
Now I play the waiting game...
Beyond that though, after spending a lot of time catching up with studio this week, and dealing with family issues. When I return this Sunday, maybe things could get back to order. But probably not since I will still be playing catch-up with Studio... Oh well; whatever it takes I guess.
What have you guys been doing? or where or what do you plan on doing in the next year or two?
Blog:
www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn:
Eric Lancon
Twitter:
@Riven202