Ladder

Well, I have started to prep things to get back up to the cabin again and try to finish the thing off. One of the things my Dad and I have been working on is the ladder going up to the loft. I looked at quite few products offered that may work but none of them were really right. Not to mention all of them were in between 200 and 1200 dollars.

With a little extra time on my hands I decided to build one instead. I used redwood because it was cheap and still had a nice quality to it. I think it will contrast nicely with the wide-plank pine flooring. Overall, the whole thing cost me less than 100 bucks and is turning out nicer than anything I would have purchased off the shelf.
I still have to cut the top to size but we will do that in place once the finished floors are in. Below is a close up of the back. The channels are pretty noticeable in this picture but from the front its not too noticeable. On the front the treads are beveled and flushed with the face of the side rails. By the way, the organ in the background is for sale for FREE if your interested. A little dusty but warbles like a dream.

Kind Of

Fighting

I feel like it takes a lot for the average person to resort to having their fist connect with another person's face. Last night I couldn't sleep and somehow I was thinking if there was ever a time that I came to that very point. I thought of one time. You'd think it was a time as a child trying to be tough, sticking up for myself or for my friends. It wasn't.

I was hanging out with a friend and somehow we discovered a bird's nest that had a number of eggs. in it. My friend decided it would be a good idea to destroy the eggs and the nest altogether. I got really mad. First it was yelling, then pushing, then the punches came. he got a busted lip and a bloody nose. It doesn't get much tougher than that...standing up for unborn birds. I don't even like birds.

Beach Time

Last weekend we went out to Santa Barbara. I figured, early spring....its going to be foggy and cool. I didn't even bring a swimsuit. Not the case. It was amazing out and we actually spent quite a bit of time at the beach. I wish I would have had my bike out there to get a couple rides in too but time was filled just fine.

We talked a lot about the house the in-laws are prepping to replace their past one with. When I say it that way it sounds like they had a mobile home.;) Honey...time to replace the single whad, with a double whad. Anyway, I looked at and talked about a lot of drawings which I could really do all day. The lady loves that. ;)The in-laws are also renting a pretty cool place part way up the mountain until their place is built. Quite a workout running to and from it.....especially since I can't figure out that city for the life of me and get lost all the time. I ran up and down the mountain three times before I got the right street. The above picture is from that place.

Twenty-Nine

I had a birthday a few weeks back. Twenty-nine is kind a weird age. I guess it also comes at kind of a weird time too. In less than a year I will be 30. I think 30 is one of those milestones where you look at where you are at and sort of guage things. I mean, I am just guessing because I am not there yet but I always envision myself on that day. Kind of silly, probably especially to folks quite a bit older than myself.

That's not my point though. My point is that I got Giant Chewy Wonka Nerds for my birthday and I was ecstatic. Kind of an obscure offering from the good ole Wonka factory but I am definitely a fan. I got six bags and the supply is dwindling. Hopefully I will be able to find them again locally.

Resume Building

If you know me, unemployment has been a bit of a downer. I mean, I guess it would be for anyone but I typically like to pack my days with so many tasks that inevitably some of them spill over into the next day and the cycle continues. I guess this could be healthy though. Sooo, how am I spending my time. Let's see, I spend way more time on my classes which is good, but, when I do bad on something now I have nothing to blame but my stupidity...because I put the adequate time in. I have also been applying for non-existent architecture jobs. Lastly, I have seen quite a bit of this view below. This part has been lovely.

Oh I almost forgot. I have also been packing. As perfect timing always works out, our landlord has decided to sell our house so we have to move by the middle of march. More on that later.

Shhtatistics Happen

So it happened. I am now one of the 7.2%...probably even higher for the month of January. I am sitting at home right now being way more productive than I have been for the past month but no part of that production equates to revenue. It does make me feel good that the entire office shut down temporarily rather than the sights zeroing in on me as the weakest link...but good feelings don't generate revenue in this case either.

The situation sucks but there are good parts about it. It has given me a chance to start the process of slowing down and regrouping. I all of a sudden have a little more time to do my school work, so that's a plus. I think I will be ready to work again next week though. That's not looking promising for the architecture world....we'll see!