Wow, I walked out this morning to a chilly mist. I guess since we are nearing the end of October I should be expecting this sort of weather, but I was happily gliding on my 70 & 80 degree weather for the past month. With the cool weather comes the reminder that our next jury along with the holidays are soon approaching.
For this jury I have decided to focus on the curriculum aspect of the Small Town Studio. I have been throwing around several ideas such as student makeup, should it be targeted at graduate students, undergraduate students, or both? Should these students only be from the college or architecture or will it be open as an elective course for any student who is interested? This biggest question/issue I want to approach is how should the students interact and travel to these communities? Would it be best to bus students to and fro, house them with area residents, put them up in a hotel, create a mobile learning unit? As for these questions I will be putting them into scenario form and will be looking for feedback, as to narrow and focus my project a little more. So much to consider and so much to complete.
Along with the professional project I am knee deep in Incorporated Tulsa County's Impediments to Fair Housing. This is a very inclusive document which is taking a large amount of work, documenting, and especially time.
As for Halloween I hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday, I myself will be celebrating at my grandparents-in-laws' 50th wedding anniversary party. A happy reminder of the good things still worth celebrating.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Jury #1
As most of you know, Saturday was our first professional project jury here at the studio. I am very pleased with how things went and was also very proud of my fellow classmates. This may sound odd, but I was surprised at how fun it was to actually present the project to my peers. Through the jury I now have several different paths to explore and research for the next jury in December. I'm trying to figure out if I can possibly upload the PowerPoint on here, I guess we'll see.
I catch myself often drifting off into the what-ifs of small town planning and curriculum for the Small Town Studio, I think this is a good sign. When choosing projects over the summer I was determined to find something I wanted to work on for an entire year, something I could be passionate about, but most importantly something with meaning. I have always wanted to make a difference in this world, my first path was the medical field and then I remembered blood makes me queasy. It seems like my training in the field of art and design really has the possibility to take me places, opportunities are everywhere, and I can't wait to get started! (or maybe keep the ball rolling)
I catch myself often drifting off into the what-ifs of small town planning and curriculum for the Small Town Studio, I think this is a good sign. When choosing projects over the summer I was determined to find something I wanted to work on for an entire year, something I could be passionate about, but most importantly something with meaning. I have always wanted to make a difference in this world, my first path was the medical field and then I remembered blood makes me queasy. It seems like my training in the field of art and design really has the possibility to take me places, opportunities are everywhere, and I can't wait to get started! (or maybe keep the ball rolling)
Monday, October 10, 2011
Steering Committee Meeting
This weekend was big step for my project, and myself as well. Saturday morning was my first steering committee meeting for the Town of Depew. Seven people attended, not a bad number for only inviting about ten. Of course I had to reward people for showing up to the high school at 8 AM on Saturday, so we snacked on some donuts and introduced ourselves from there. Committee members, as I hoped, brought many issues to the table that I had not considered. We also worked together to create a SWOT Analysis. The committee as a whole came up with more strengths and opportunities thanweaknesses and threats which is a good start in my opinion. Members of this committee have high hopes for Depew and are willing to work together in order to start great things in the town. Sadly I have left all of my boards at home today, but will upload pictures and the results of the SWOT Analysis soon.
Next on the agenda is Professional Project Juries, Saturday at 9:00. Wish me luck!
Next on the agenda is Professional Project Juries, Saturday at 9:00. Wish me luck!
Friday, October 7, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
OU Tulsa
I've entitled this post OU Tulsa as I have no other ideas for a title and spent most of my day there, an enjoyable day at that. I started out my day at INCOG after the lovely little traffic incident, mentioned in my previous post. After completing a phone survey on CDBG grants and rummaging through my OU email account I ran across an event at the Schusterman Library, 20x20 Slide Presentations. I then headed to OU. The interesting and fun thing about this event is that anyone could present a PowerPoint on a topic of choice, but were limited to 20 slides and each slide would only be displayed for 20 seconds. The topics were fantastic, this may be the nerdy side in me coming out, but I thoroughly enjoyed the event. The event was started with how to make lemon pasta and proceeded on including presentations on Mexican food, comics, opera, guns, what a PA does, Pinterest, fair foods, and my personal favorite disc golf (possibly because my director, Shawn, presented it and referred to the studio as The Clubhouse) hopefully I didn't forget any. Not only were the presentations interesting, but I also won a door prize, a 16 inch cookie cake from American Cookies in the Promenade Mall! I've decided the cookie will not be redeemed until my first community meeting. There is no way I will bring home a 16 inch cookie, my husband and I just might eat it all!
After the presentation I chatted with Shawn and Mthabisi for a little bit and then arrived at the studio for an afternoon of work. Soon my blog will be linked to the OU Institute for Quality Communities web page and I worked up and introduction and a few photos for the link, I'm very excited about this! I also created my agenda for my first steering committee meeting which is this weekend. After a little paper jam drama (thank you Laura) I successfully printed the agenda and also the sign-in-sheets. I will be returning to the studio later in the week to print some large maps for the event as well.
Tonight was also the first OUTSA (OU Tulsa Student Association) meeting. Being the president of the Society of Urban Design Students, or SUDS this year I will be attending all OUTSA meetings along with our OUTSA representative Rebecca. They fed us Chick-Fil-A for dinner and the meeting went pretty quickly. SUDS has several exciting events planned for the year, several of which will depend on OUTSA funding. I promise to update as we further develop these plans.
As for now, I am home and neglecting my already neglected house (and husband)
Until tomorrow...
After the presentation I chatted with Shawn and Mthabisi for a little bit and then arrived at the studio for an afternoon of work. Soon my blog will be linked to the OU Institute for Quality Communities web page and I worked up and introduction and a few photos for the link, I'm very excited about this! I also created my agenda for my first steering committee meeting which is this weekend. After a little paper jam drama (thank you Laura) I successfully printed the agenda and also the sign-in-sheets. I will be returning to the studio later in the week to print some large maps for the event as well.
Tonight was also the first OUTSA (OU Tulsa Student Association) meeting. Being the president of the Society of Urban Design Students, or SUDS this year I will be attending all OUTSA meetings along with our OUTSA representative Rebecca. They fed us Chick-Fil-A for dinner and the meeting went pretty quickly. SUDS has several exciting events planned for the year, several of which will depend on OUTSA funding. I promise to update as we further develop these plans.
As for now, I am home and neglecting my already neglected house (and husband)
Until tomorrow...
Traffic and Happiness
There is nothing more I hate than traffic. As I live in rural Creek County commuting to work (or anywhere else for that matter) is not an option. This morning my usual hour commute transformed into over an hour and a half, thanks to a traffic accident about a mile outside of downtown Tulsa. Yesterday I traveled to Norman for a meeting with the director of the Small Town Studio at OU's Institute for Quality Communities. What should have been about an hour and a half commute turned into nearly two hours thanks to at least three traffic accidents. All of this commuting, traffic, and accidents makes me wonder what it is about driving a vehicle Oklahomans find so attractive. Anywhere else in the US, especially out of the country, so many options of public transportation are available. Yet in Tulsa we fight these ideas because we demand to have the freedom of personal transportation. I'll tell you right now if boarding transit such as commuter rail and traveling to Tulsa or Oklahoma City (as my home is located centrally between the two) were possible I would buy a boarding pass tomorrow. Think about how much time we waste idling in traffic, not to even mention the damage we're doing to the environment and our own health. I have to say from experience there is nothing more stressful than dodging traffic at speeds well over 75 mph on the Creek/Turner Turnpike on my way to and from Tulsa daily. At the same time I choose not to live in Tulsa, because it is not something I desire. Yet the opportunities for employment are limited in Depew, and much of Creek County for that matter.
Yes, all of this ranting comes to a point. Am I the only one who misses small town life? The ability to live, work, play, raise a family, all in one place. To be able to get of work and be home in ten minutes arriving to eager faces. It seems we as a nation are losing track of what is important. Leisure and family time are pushed aside while we focus on the hustle and bustle of the workday, this workday which often extends until late hours at night and even the weekend at times. Why do we spend 50+ hours per week away from home doing things which lead to bad health, stress, and often a shortened lifespan? What happened to family dinners, playing catch with your kids, game night, and true quality family time? It's been replaced with video games, DVD players everywhere imaginable, endless soccer/baseball/basketball/cheerleading/academic leagues, often which have children out every night of the week past bedtime. Can we say exhaustion? I remember as a child eating dinner together every night as a family, going on a Saturday drive and playing I Spy, being so dirty after playing outside all day having to be hosed off before being allowed in the house.
We as a nation/state/city/town/neighborhood/individual need to take some time to look at what we value in life. Is that 60 hours a week we put in worth the time away from family? Is making 60 grand a year (more/less) worth depriving ourselves from our true passions? When are we going to stop and smell the roses, after they've completely wilted from our neglect? Maybe as a 24 year-old I have an unrealistic view of life, some may even say I've never lived in the real world. I can tell you now I am in my sixth straight year of college and that in May I will graduate with my master's degree. I have been married over a year and my husband and I pay bills (including tuition) on a regular basis. I also know that I have worked hard for the past few years in order to do something I enjoy, but have no plans of dedicating my life to my career. I'm going to work hard, do something I love, and then come home every night to my true passion, my family. I may not leave a legacy in the business world, but that is not my desire, the true legacy is the people you touch in life, the difference you make in someones life, and the values and character you instill in your children and people you come to know over a lifetime.
Executive Summary:
Yes, all of this ranting comes to a point. Am I the only one who misses small town life? The ability to live, work, play, raise a family, all in one place. To be able to get of work and be home in ten minutes arriving to eager faces. It seems we as a nation are losing track of what is important. Leisure and family time are pushed aside while we focus on the hustle and bustle of the workday, this workday which often extends until late hours at night and even the weekend at times. Why do we spend 50+ hours per week away from home doing things which lead to bad health, stress, and often a shortened lifespan? What happened to family dinners, playing catch with your kids, game night, and true quality family time? It's been replaced with video games, DVD players everywhere imaginable, endless soccer/baseball/basketball/cheerleading/academic leagues, often which have children out every night of the week past bedtime. Can we say exhaustion? I remember as a child eating dinner together every night as a family, going on a Saturday drive and playing I Spy, being so dirty after playing outside all day having to be hosed off before being allowed in the house.
We as a nation/state/city/town/neighborhood/individual need to take some time to look at what we value in life. Is that 60 hours a week we put in worth the time away from family? Is making 60 grand a year (more/less) worth depriving ourselves from our true passions? When are we going to stop and smell the roses, after they've completely wilted from our neglect? Maybe as a 24 year-old I have an unrealistic view of life, some may even say I've never lived in the real world. I can tell you now I am in my sixth straight year of college and that in May I will graduate with my master's degree. I have been married over a year and my husband and I pay bills (including tuition) on a regular basis. I also know that I have worked hard for the past few years in order to do something I enjoy, but have no plans of dedicating my life to my career. I'm going to work hard, do something I love, and then come home every night to my true passion, my family. I may not leave a legacy in the business world, but that is not my desire, the true legacy is the people you touch in life, the difference you make in someones life, and the values and character you instill in your children and people you come to know over a lifetime.
Executive Summary:
- Commuting = waste of time
- Money does not buy happiness
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