Friday, April 27, 2007

The time has come. I have a made a decision.

I am moving to Baltimore at the end of July and will most likely begin work sometime at the beginning of August.

This was the most difficult decision I think that I have ever made. I spent so much time going over and over pros and cons, needs and wants, the future and the best opportunities for a well rounded experience.

I think I have chosen a great firm for my first post graduation architectural internship. They have nice variety of building types that they work on in their office. And even though they are a whole lot bigger than i wanted to work for, they have a real small community feeling of architects. I have a feeling that i will be thrown right in, busy straight from the get go.

I never thought about Baltimore before I got a phone call from one of the architects at this firm. But I am glad that I got that call and that I had the opportunity to swing by on my way home from Boston.

Monday, April 09, 2007

Driving back after easter is probably one of the most beautiful drives I have had through Missouri and Kansas yet. This time of year the grass is turning green and farmers begin to burn the ground to revitalize it for the new growth. This seasonal turn of events creates an interesting texture on the rolling hills. Part of the land is green with new growth but soon it is only to be charred by the line of smoldering flames that seem to roll over the hills like a blanket. A thin orange and red line with billowing smoke separates the future from the past, and some times can be a little daunting to drive past at 75 miles per hour when it is creeping to closely to the highway.

My favorite time to drive through is just before sunset when the light begins to change and drastic shadows are cast on the land. It is unexplainable how the landscape looks with bright deep greens and flowering trees dotting the landscape. I can't imagine life without the spring. It inspires everyone who is normally tied to their drafting tables and computers to break way and go as far as to sit on the steps in front of Seaton to soak up as much sun and warmth as possible.

Spring was not made for seniors or anybody graduating from school, it pretty much forces you to drop anything academic and pick up anything that isn't.

33 more days


last spring...was great
I don't know what it is about the East Coast that makes it feel like home, but it does.

As I told you last time I visited a firm and Baltimore last week. And even from the little time that I spent there I really enjoyed the city. You can see the beginning of some new development happing right on the bay. And the start of something new in the downtown area. I am hoping that my friend Julia..yeah that is you, will reconsider Rohde Isalnd and give Baltimore a second thought. You were the only one I knew there and well now you are the only person I really know in RI.


The firm that I spoke with on Friday was great. I got the opportunity not only to hear from the principal and other leaders in the firm but also some of the younger set, which made the interview a unique experience. This firm does a wide variety of outstanding work, it is obvious that this set works hard to create projects that exceed standards. I think that I could learn a lot from this firm and have no problems getting enough IDP hours to sit for my ARE within 3 years... which is a huge goal for me.

Which makes this even harder.

There are three firms that I am currently struggling between. They all offer wonderful things and do exceptional work. I think that in the end up at any of these three firms I would experience wonderful opportunities and develop my skills even further. These firms are competitive, and it makes my decision even harder. This choice that I am going to make come may 1 is going to be difficult. But I am sure that where ever I end up it will be the start of wonderful things. As I wait for two more firms to tell me what they are interested in I will try and concentrate on my studio project which has unfortunately been on the back burner since, well, before spring break.

It's time to get to work.

Friday, April 06, 2007

I feel like I am living in the Twilight Zone. This whole graduation thing doesn’t seem to be real and this whole job hunt is really just and out of body experience that I am seeing from far beyond my own self. As of lately have received two offers, both being generous and overall wonderful to have. This week I pretty much took off from school, and headed out to Boston, err excuse me I mean my love Baaaston, with a short stop in Baltimore.

It is kinda funny because Baltimore wasn’t on list until last week, when an architect gave me a ring to see if I could come out. I couldn’t resist, this firm is amazing! They do some really great work and I would be surprised if got anything with them even custodial job. That would pretty much be the equivalent of any of any of the three stooges getting into Harvard.

So my interviews in Boston:
The first firm I visited was the one interview that I had initially set up before hand and to be honest the only ones who would call me back. These guys could virtually offer me nothing, as little as a toothbrush and a dollar and I would be theirs for sure! However at there was no reaching in the pockets and grabbing hold of either of those objects and placing them on the table as bargaining chips. Instead I was told that they were unable to even think about hiring until August, and even then they would need me to come out again.

A little deflated I accepted the news and hoped that if I made the gamble to wait it out for them, it would pay off…thankfully this decision is a bit off in the future.

The man I interviewed with was quite nice and even a K-State Alumni. Having him do the interview was nice and decreased the pressure a little. I think that I did a pretty good job of explaining my portfolio and answering all the questions that he asked. So who knows, he could have seen potential. After our interview he asked who else I was seeing while I was in town. Regrettably I told him the truth. No one, or at least that is who returned my phone calls.

I joking said “It must be the Kansas thing; I know it must be pretty daunting.” After a short chuckle he told me of his experience of his post graduation woes and moving to this delightful city. He had said that he received similar response while he was living in Manhattan. So he packed up his stuff and just moved, just moved to Boston, without a job or a clue. However he spent the next few weeks knocking on doors and bugging the heck out of every HR person in the city. He then told me to sit tight while he had to make a phone call.

I sat there awkwardly in the conference room, unsure of what I was to be doing or even if this was going well. He soon came back with a map, phone number, and a name of another alumnus who made the jump from the little apple to the big city. It was so nice of the one guy to set up another interview with the second guy, I couldn’t believe it.

I trekked across town and met with the other 1985 K-State grad. I expressed my thanks for meeting with me on such short and random notice. I think he was glad to see a K-Stater with the same goals as he had when he was in my position.

I went through the spiel and showed him my portfolio and talked about my experiences on internships and study abroad. In my portfolio I have a few pieces of photography that I took while I was in Berlin, and turned out to be a the subject of good conversation, seeing how he had recently gotten back from a short trip from there. During the tour of the office I was able to see many of the projects they were currently working on and designing. It was a relief to see that not only did they work with the computer (which was expected) but they also did a lot of hand sketches, which I would say is probably my strength.

I also got the opportunity to meet the “important” people if the firm, including the CEO and also the principal. They seemed like a great bunch and did phenomenal work. The man that did my interview said that he would send my name to the HR person and really push for another Kansas State grad to be the next hire to make. Living in Boston would be so exciting and the culmination of any goal that I have had in the past four years.

So keep your fingers crossed! I hope that things will work out in the end. And even if they don't I hear that everything happens for a reason.