It seems that all of my entries now start with the word sorry. I can’t even begin to explain to you how busy I have become. I spent the weekend at studiofriend Danny’s cabin in Big Bear. It was great and refreshing after 3 weeks of hard work on a project, but it really set me behind on project number two. The cabin has wifi so we were able to get a little work done, but we were up for 48 hours on Monday building a site model and a 3D Model. It is 3:17AM and I just finished two concept models, a programmatic collage and a 40 page reading and written response. And I worked in the woodshop for 6 hours and helped a lot of first years with their projects. And I spent a few hours working on a model in Rhino which will be milled next week. Yesterday when I was driving back from the Sci-arc supply store I saw some people my age-ish sitting in Elysian Park. It seemed like such a nice thing to do, but all I could think was “Who in the world has time to sit in a park?” I truly wish I did, but whenever I do anything that is un-architecture school, I just end up thinking about how much time I am wasting.

Which leads me to this: Sailing has, well, sailed. I cannot justify yacht club dues while I am in school. I was going to try to put aside one weekday evening and one weekend morning to sail, but there is no way that it can happen. Driving to the marina+gearing up a sailboat+sailing+gearing down a sailboat+driving from the marina x twice a week= way too much time away from school. So, sailing has to wait a few years.

But I always need an extracurricular hobby. I have one already in motion and one that I intend to begin this winter. The first one is Wall Street. I have been toying with investment simulators for years (remember the portfauxlio) and I am always up several hundred percent. I think I am a pretty decent trend forecaster and I want to put it to use. I started with a fairly small initial investment that I am going to try to aggressively grow into a larger and larger investment. I don’t plan to reap any profits for awhile, I am just trying to grow the investment.

Extracurricular activity number 2. Did I ever tell you about the time I got smashed on my Vespa by a mini-van? Anyway, I eBayed it the next day. I really want another Vespa. And I really want to learn about engines, a total weakness of mine, and a blemish on my otherwise beautiful masculinity. So, I am going to try to find a salvaged (and straight) Vespa body and build my own from the ground up. Studiomate Danny is going to partake in this activity with me and we are going to buy all of the parts on eBAy (etc..) and even 3D Scan and CNC some for ourselves. I have some autobody and mechanic friends who can help me with the stuff I don’t understand.

The greatest thing about both of these activities is that I can do them from studio. I can lock the Vespa at school and work on it outside the metal shop. I can research and trade stocks form my computer in studio. Life is good. I am not going to divulge my portfolio, but I will say I am watching/buying ADBE, F, GV, SIRI, WFMI, NTGR, GOOG. Word.

(To all those concerned, I am not engulfed in flames. They are in the valley. I am in Hollywood. The only threats to us are North Korean Madmen, Earthquakes, and a slow summer at the Box Office. I did smell smoke at my school today. I’ll let you all know if that catches on fire. One love.)