From the Sketchbook (6)

Here’s a real oldie from one of the older sketchbooks, I don’t see a date but I bet it’s the early 90’s

Putting stone and wood together

From the sketchbook (sorta’)

This was from the sketchbook(moleskine), and was done on-site so I could show the contractor what I was thinking about in reference to the space.

The idea for the space was to add a waterfall and a small body of water right up near the pool’s edge. The drawing in black and white was good for me but it did not show enough detail for the contractor.

What to do

The drawing needed to show some separation of stone . . . what’s in the water, what’s out of the water(liner). Plus what I was thinking when it came to “drops” in the stream, and how to show all that in a drawing.

So I went to my favorite way of adding quick color AND text in a program called paint(dot)net. Nothing more than a few suggestions and some detail ideas based on the stone he had for the project.

Very simple and pretty fast, even for an old geezer like me.

A how to build a waterfall drawing

Sad people

It just occured to me those folks look “sad”, or is it my imagination?

I have not seen photo’s of the finished work, and I am curious if the contractor followed my suggestions closely or in a more general matter.

I would happily post images but “J” is not a great photo taker. So we’ll just have to wait

Gas, I don’t get it.

No not that kind of gas . . . the other kind of gas, as in gas prices.

Makes no sense

Last Tuesday while running errands around the area I noticed all stations with prices at $3.83 or $3.84. this was during the morning and mid-day. Later, around 4:00 I went back out to look at a job and every gas station I drove by had a listed price of $4.09.

Every station. Chains, small guys, independents all had the exact same price . . . $4.09.

Yesterday I had to drive about 60 miles to look at a project for a contractor and all the gas prices were between $4.09 and $4.15. Today I get up to run errands(passing 7 or 8 stations) and all the gas was $3.94-$3.97.

Last week prices jump $.26 or .27 cents and everyone, everyone has the exact same price. This week everyone drops $.16-$.22 cents to this mornings low. A Tuesday morning low.

Tuesday

So at 4:00 today will the gas prices all go up to $4.09 at all stations???

I don’t know, What I do know is that I find all of this back and forth around the $4.00 mark baffling. I don’t get it. What I don’t really get is the way it all seems so synchronized.

Black Helicopters

No I am not one of those guys who believes in the silent helicopters flying overhead at night, or the guys in the black suits, who show up and make problems disappear. That’s not me. No way.

It’s really puzzling that all those stations went up, same time of the day to the exact same price. It sure looked co-ordinated. That’s not even what’s bothering me the most.

Politicians

That’s what bothers me the most . . . Politicians. I don’t care what flavor they come in, those folks do nothing for me, nothing.

One side wants to drill, the other doesn’t. They want to build windmills and solar panels(still haven’t figured out how that makes my vehicle run better, improve the gas mileage, or lower cost.

Drilling is years away, but isn’t electrical cars for everyone also years away? What about Nuclear to ease the electrical power situation?

What I am saying is lets go get it all, let’s use it all. Every last bit of it. Use the oil and coal, and nuclear while pouring money into the development of other sustainable choices.

But do something . . . heck do anything!

They sit up there in D.C., work less than 3 days a week and are getting ready to go on Summer recess, as far as I am concerned Congress has been on recess for years.

Where are the leaders? the Visionaries?

Why will no one stand up and say

In 10years(12-15 whatever) we will no longer use foreign oil. Today America starts the greatest mobilization in it’s history in a war to rid itself of foreign oil. We will become free and we will all work to solve the problem and do whatever it take to make it happen.

I really believe if a President(or candidate) would do something along these lines . . . we would all get involved. We would all do whatever we needed to do. But let’s do something.

The inaction by that gutless bunch in D.C. is really irritating.

The Presidency

Obviously we look to the person in charge, “our leader”. We need someone who is willing to do it all, to make that clarion call to action. Similar to JFK’s “In 10 years we will have a man on the Moon” kind of action.

I do not see this in either Obama or McCain, both these men lean to their sides wishes. They too do not have the vision, the leadership, the will of force to go against the political millstone Washingon D.C. has become.

The Future

What’s going to happen?

When will it happen? Will it? Or will we continue this slow slide into mediocrity?

I only see change when we vote them all out. All of them. It seems to me everyone hates the US Congress(look at the polls) and wants to throw everybody out but their guy. Well that’s how everyone feels so they keep their guy in . . . so all those guys stay in. The grind continues anew.

Vote out your guy. Lets all vote out our guys. Put in a new batch. If they set around, show no will, no vision, no leadership . . . vote them out.

Sooner or later we’ll get someone in there with some cajones. Heck it’s like a law of averages sort of thing!

Cost

The increase from last year to this has affected my bottom line as a free-lance designer. I go where the work is, and for me that constitutes some going. I will keep going because that’s what I have to do, as I am sure that’s what we all have to do . . . we keep going.

If our political leaders had some will, some backbone, some grit, some gumption, some sand, some anything it would help us feel like we weren’t always going uphill. I wouldn’t mind going on a flat stretch for awhile, let alone downhill.

How are you faring? Are you passing along costs? How about a surcharge for using markers(like the airlines)?

Nice pretty elaborate drawings now have an extra fee because of the additional materials we’re using . . . sounds silly doesn’t it.

When it comes to out political leaders it would also be silly if it weren’t so damn sad.

Still here?

If this version of Congress goes on recess before doing anything(which I expect) my ranting then will be way beyond what my ranting is now . . . hold on.

It will not just be gas. I expect a lot of folks are going to be in for a rough winter with their home heating bills, the office/shop heating bills. It won’t be pretty.

It would be a lot easier to take it it looked like we were trying something-a grand plan, a master scheme. A visionary hope to free this country from this silliness of depending on others.

The Final Question

So do we just hope someone or a bunch of someone’s come along and start the charge, or is their actually something that we( the common folks ) can actually do?

We’re Alive

Spring in July

"The knowledge is Given to the Crane from Above"

I have actually had a bigger July than May this year from some odd reason. Maybe folks are realizing that things are not as dab as the media would like us to believe.

Or maybe folks just want to spend money, make their place look great. Commercial building work is also hopping along at what seems to be the normal pace-frantic . . . got to have it now.

Having it now

Speaking of which I am about to go look at one of those type of jobs right now. Literally up from the computer desk and out the door(after collecting drawing tools). A 10,000sq. ft. house out in the middle of nowhere Ohio where we are going to come up with most of the plan today.

It’s a draw, stake and paint kind of job.

Now that’s wanting it now. Sort of like driving up for a hmaburger, except in this case it’s quite the whopper!

I’m curious fellow Designers do you get into these kind of jobs, and if you do . . . do you like to do them?

Paid by the hour or flat rate for this type of work? E-mail me and let me know how you work this kind of job where you are

Look at the time, gotta go!