In procrastination of memorizing still MORE LEED points...

     So basically, I do not feel like doing any more practice quizzes for a bit so I'm here to update. Things have been...well...going. My final review was great (one of the best I've had, got some really helpful feedback, and actually enjoyed presenting). We had prize money with our studio, I did not win, but I am super proud of those who did. They really did have great projects and deserve the credit. I did, however, get the runner-up prize of being nominated to present at the Design Excellence Awards. It was exciting for me, even though I was going up against the first place people from other studios. Again, I didn't win, but I didn't really mind, it was great to see everyone's projects, have a beer, catch up with old professors, hang out with friends, and help my friend C cater the event (she's a killer cook). I've been beyond busy with finals and other things no one really cares about so I won't bore you with the details. My last exam is tomorrow and it's the LEED AP BD+C exam. I've been studying...lots. You basically need an 85% to pass and it's one of those scary computer based exams you have to drive far away to and go through some crazy security screening to enter the testing room. Ugh. However, by 4:30pm tomorrow I will be done with my second year of graduate school.

     Enough with the school stuff, I leave in 5 days. Yesterday I spoke with my contact at Veritas, Z, who gave me my housing information. I'll be living in an area that is a good mix of locals and expats alike, so I won't be in some compound where expats live extremely sheltered lives (if you don't want to change and learn from others, why leave? Seriously people, you're missing out). I will have 2 roommates and I'm really excited to meet them. They are both women around my age and one of them (who shows up in June) is going to be working with me so I'll have a buddy for my daily commute. It will be me, a local (not sure if she's originally from MY or not), and a girl from South Africa. I think I'm going to like this worldly set up. The apartment is on the 19th floor and apparently has a killer view of the city. I'll be outside the city center, where most people live, and close to the commuter rail. There is a pool and the facilities look really nice. Rent is also, in comparison to what I'm used to, dirt cheap for such a place. If I choose to tell my roommates what I pay at home it will be laughable. Then again, I'm making local wages so the lower rent costs are very helpful (just makes me feel like I'm being ripped off a bit here in Denver). The only downside is I have to wait until the 26th (I arrive in KL on the 20th) to move in. I'll be doing a home stay though (either with a friend of a friend from CS-see below- or someone from the office). I'm not upset about the home stay aspect. I actually think I could gain a LOT from living in someone's home for a week. Plus, it will be a great opportunity to try out my language skills and maybe even learn to cook. It's just the fact that me and my big 'ol suitcases will be in someone's way for a while and I won't be settled in as soon as I would like. However, I see this as a great opportunity to experience real Malaysian life and it definitely beats sharing a bunk with 20 ppl in a hostel.

     I recently joined the CouchSurfing network (CS from here on out). I figure it will be a great way to meet people from all over the world and make a few friends outside of work. Plus it is a great way to find travel buddies and engage in a cultural learning experience when I travel. I doubt I will be able to host people, but I plan on going to events and such in KL (I joined the local group), as well as surf when I leave town for weekend trips. I have a friend who has been CSing all over SEA and her experiences led me to join. It's a great network that allows you to take part in cultural exchanges with people from all over the world, as well as gain valuable local knowledge and insight to a place, something that is hard to come by if you don't know where to find it.

    Anyways, it's back to the books for me. I hope everyone enduring finals is surviving! We're almost there!

Until next time...

-M

     So basically, I do not feel like doing any more practice quizzes for a bit so I'm here to update. Things have been...well...going. My final review was great (one of the best I've had, got some really helpful feedback, and actually enjoyed presenting). We had prize money with our studio, I did not win, but I am super proud of those who did. They really did have great projects and deserve the credit. I did, however, get the runner-up prize of being nominated to present at the Design Excellence Awards. It was exciting for me, even though I was going up against the first place people from other studios. Again, I didn't win, but I didn't really mind, it was great to see everyone's projects, have a beer, catch up with old professors, hang out with friends, and help my friend C cater the event (she's a killer cook). I've been beyond busy with finals and other things no one really cares about so I won't bore you with the details. My last exam is tomorrow and it's the LEED AP BD+C exam. I've been studying...lots. You basically need an 85% to pass and it's one of those scary computer based exams you have to drive far away to and go through some crazy security screening to enter the testing room. Ugh. However, by 4:30pm tomorrow I will be done with my second year of graduate school.

     Enough with the school stuff, I leave in 5 days. Yesterday I spoke with my contact at Veritas, Z, who gave me my housing information. I'll be living in an area that is a good mix of locals and expats alike, so I won't be in some compound where expats live extremely sheltered lives (if you don't want to change and learn from others, why leave? Seriously people, you're missing out). I will have 2 roommates and I'm really excited to meet them. They are both women around my age and one of them (who shows up in June) is going to be working with me so I'll have a buddy for my daily commute. It will be me, a local (not sure if she's originally from MY or not), and a girl from South Africa. I think I'm going to like this worldly set up. The apartment is on the 19th floor and apparently has a killer view of the city. I'll be outside the city center, where most people live, and close to the commuter rail. There is a pool and the facilities look really nice. Rent is also, in comparison to what I'm used to, dirt cheap for such a place. If I choose to tell my roommates what I pay at home it will be laughable. Then again, I'm making local wages so the lower rent costs are very helpful (just makes me feel like I'm being ripped off a bit here in Denver). The only downside is I have to wait until the 26th (I arrive in KL on the 20th) to move in. I'll be doing a home stay though (either with a friend of a friend from CS-see below- or someone from the office). I'm not upset about the home stay aspect. I actually think I could gain a LOT from living in someone's home for a week. Plus, it will be a great opportunity to try out my language skills and maybe even learn to cook. It's just the fact that me and my big 'ol suitcases will be in someone's way for a while and I won't be settled in as soon as I would like. However, I see this as a great opportunity to experience real Malaysian life and it definitely beats sharing a bunk with 20 ppl in a hostel.

     I recently joined the CouchSurfing network (CS from here on out). I figure it will be a great way to meet people from all over the world and make a few friends outside of work. Plus it is a great way to find travel buddies and engage in a cultural learning experience when I travel. I doubt I will be able to host people, but I plan on going to events and such in KL (I joined the local group), as well as surf when I leave town for weekend trips. I have a friend who has been CSing all over SEA and her experiences led me to join. It's a great network that allows you to take part in cultural exchanges with people from all over the world, as well as gain valuable local knowledge and insight to a place, something that is hard to come by if you don't know where to find it.

    Anyways, it's back to the books for me. I hope everyone enduring finals is surviving! We're almost there!

Until next time...

-M

     So basically, I do not feel like doing any more practice quizzes for a bit so I'm here to update. Things have been...well...going. My final review was great (one of the best I've had, got some really helpful feedback, and actually enjoyed presenting). We had prize money with our studio, I did not win, but I am super proud of those who did. They really did have great projects and deserve the credit. I did, however, get the runner-up prize of being nominated to present at the Design Excellence Awards. It was exciting for me, even though I was going up against the first place people from other studios. Again, I didn't win, but I didn't really mind, it was great to see everyone's projects, have a beer, catch up with old professors, hang out with friends, and help my friend C cater the event (she's a killer cook). I've been beyond busy with finals and other things no one really cares about so I won't bore you with the details. My last exam is tomorrow and it's the LEED AP BD+C exam. I've been studying...lots. You basically need an 85% to pass and it's one of those scary computer based exams you have to drive far away to and go through some crazy security screening to enter the testing room. Ugh. However, by 4:30pm tomorrow I will be done with my second year of graduate school.

     Enough with the school stuff, I leave in 5 days. Yesterday I spoke with my contact at Veritas, Z, who gave me my housing information. I'll be living in an area that is a good mix of locals and expats alike, so I won't be in some compound where expats live extremely sheltered lives (if you don't want to change and learn from others, why leave? Seriously people, you're missing out). I will have 2 roommates and I'm really excited to meet them. They are both women around my age and one of them (who shows up in June) is going to be working with me so I'll have a buddy for my daily commute. It will be me, a local (not sure if she's originally from MY or not), and a girl from South Africa. I think I'm going to like this worldly set up. The apartment is on the 19th floor and apparently has a killer view of the city. I'll be outside the city center, where most people live, and close to the commuter rail. There is a pool and the facilities look really nice. Rent is also, in comparison to what I'm used to, dirt cheap for such a place. If I choose to tell my roommates what I pay at home it will be laughable. Then again, I'm making local wages so the lower rent costs are very helpful (just makes me feel like I'm being ripped off a bit here in Denver). The only downside is I have to wait until the 26th (I arrive in KL on the 20th) to move in. I'll be doing a home stay though (either with a friend of a friend from CS-see below- or someone from the office). I'm not upset about the home stay aspect. I actually think I could gain a LOT from living in someone's home for a week. Plus, it will be a great opportunity to try out my language skills and maybe even learn to cook. It's just the fact that me and my big 'ol suitcases will be in someone's way for a while and I won't be settled in as soon as I would like. However, I see this as a great opportunity to experience real Malaysian life and it definitely beats sharing a bunk with 20 ppl in a hostel.

     I recently joined the CouchSurfing network (CS from here on out). I figure it will be a great way to meet people from all over the world and make a few friends outside of work. Plus it is a great way to find travel buddies and engage in a cultural learning experience when I travel. I doubt I will be able to host people, but I plan on going to events and such in KL (I joined the local group), as well as surf when I leave town for weekend trips. I have a friend who has been CSing all over SEA and her experiences led me to join. It's a great network that allows you to take part in cultural exchanges with people from all over the world, as well as gain valuable local knowledge and insight to a place, something that is hard to come by if you don't know where to find it.

    Anyways, it's back to the books for me. I hope everyone enduring finals is surviving! We're almost there!

Until next time...

-M

     So basically, I do not feel like doing any more practice quizzes for a bit so I'm here to update. Things have been...well...going. My final review was great (one of the best I've had, got some really helpful feedback, and actually enjoyed presenting). We had prize money with our studio, I did not win, but I am super proud of those who did. They really did have great projects and deserve the credit. I did, however, get the runner-up prize of being nominated to present at the Design Excellence Awards. It was exciting for me, even though I was going up against the first place people from other studios. Again, I didn't win, but I didn't really mind, it was great to see everyone's projects, have a beer, catch up with old professors, hang out with friends, and help my friend C cater the event (she's a killer cook). I've been beyond busy with finals and other things no one really cares about so I won't bore you with the details. My last exam is tomorrow and it's the LEED AP BD+C exam. I've been studying...lots. You basically need an 85% to pass and it's one of those scary computer based exams you have to drive far away to and go through some crazy security screening to enter the testing room. Ugh. However, by 4:30pm tomorrow I will be done with my second year of graduate school.

     Enough with the school stuff, I leave in 5 days. Yesterday I spoke with my contact at Veritas, Z, who gave me my housing information. I'll be living in an area that is a good mix of locals and expats alike, so I won't be in some compound where expats live extremely sheltered lives (if you don't want to change and learn from others, why leave? Seriously people, you're missing out). I will have 2 roommates and I'm really excited to meet them. They are both women around my age and one of them (who shows up in June) is going to be working with me so I'll have a buddy for my daily commute. It will be me, a local (not sure if she's originally from MY or not), and a girl from South Africa. I think I'm going to like this worldly set up. The apartment is on the 19th floor and apparently has a killer view of the city. I'll be outside the city center, where most people live, and close to the commuter rail. There is a pool and the facilities look really nice. Rent is also, in comparison to what I'm used to, dirt cheap for such a place. If I choose to tell my roommates what I pay at home it will be laughable. Then again, I'm making local wages so the lower rent costs are very helpful (just makes me feel like I'm being ripped off a bit here in Denver). The only downside is I have to wait until the 26th (I arrive in KL on the 20th) to move in. I'll be doing a home stay though (either with a friend of a friend from CS-see below- or someone from the office). I'm not upset about the home stay aspect. I actually think I could gain a LOT from living in someone's home for a week. Plus, it will be a great opportunity to try out my language skills and maybe even learn to cook. It's just the fact that me and my big 'ol suitcases will be in someone's way for a while and I won't be settled in as soon as I would like. However, I see this as a great opportunity to experience real Malaysian life and it definitely beats sharing a bunk with 20 ppl in a hostel.

     I recently joined the CouchSurfing network (CS from here on out). I figure it will be a great way to meet people from all over the world and make a few friends outside of work. Plus it is a great way to find travel buddies and engage in a cultural learning experience when I travel. I doubt I will be able to host people, but I plan on going to events and such in KL (I joined the local group), as well as surf when I leave town for weekend trips. I have a friend who has been CSing all over SEA and her experiences led me to join. It's a great network that allows you to take part in cultural exchanges with people from all over the world, as well as gain valuable local knowledge and insight to a place, something that is hard to come by if you don't know where to find it.

    Anyways, it's back to the books for me. I hope everyone enduring finals is surviving! We're almost there!

Until next time...

-M

I dislike titles

     Well there are, as one could imagine, lots of things going on right now. The school year is winding down (finally...this one really felt long for some reason), It's a little more than 2 weeks before I leave, and then last night happened.

     My interest in global/cultural issues cannot help me from commenting on Osama's death. I, like most Americans alive today, know exactly where I was and what I was doing on the morning of 9/11. I watched the second plane smash into the towers live on TV...unable to really put any thoughts together. I remember watching 'ruin porn' (which, since then, I have actively avoided); I remember what it felt like to see riots of people burning my country's flag. I remember my dad coming home from work early. He was on the phone with someone who was in one of the towers. The phone cut out. He did not survive. It's one of those things I'll never forget. Everyone has a story about that day.

     America has been going through a rough patch. We needed some 'good' news. I struggle using the word 'good' because last night doesn't change anything. In fact, it's probably going to cause Pakistan a whole slew of problems that it doesn't need right now. Terror will still exist. Violence will still exist. All of the poverty that drives people to turn to such measures and keeps the vicious circle going, guess what? It still exists.

     However, at least the family and friends of those who lost someone because of Osama can finally feel some closure. I'm not just talking about Americans, he killed his own people and those from other countries as well. We are celebrating closure, in our own individual ways. To some that's prayer, to others that's thought, and to most college aged kids that's waving flags, chanting, screaming, and pounding Natty's (or substitute your cheap American beer of choice). That's what you see on the TV and whatever, they've got the right to do it. Although, it's funny how much this reminded me of my college campus the night Obama was elected, but that's besides the point.

     Hopefully, America isn't ignorant about what happened. Hopefully we tread carefully. I thought they had this one pretty well thought out. Ocean burial was done with the proper Islamic burial (it's pathetic I should have to even give this credit, but perhaps we are actually learning a bit about cultural sensitivity). Ocean insures no one will deface or idolize. It also puts a quick end to the 'show the body' debate. No other country was willing to take him. It was, in my opinion, a pretty neutral (and although we may never know what really happened) respectable way to dispose of the body. I kind of like the Islamic way of doing it; quick, easy, and no hassle. It leaves time for personal reflection instead of having it loom over your head.

     The almost overly-thought out procedure lead me to raise my eyebrow. I was also intrigued as to why we haven't heard about the raid, why Pakistan and much of the Islamic world seemed so quite. This lead me to believe that we weren't getting the whole story. Maybe he was dead days or even years ago, I'm not really interested in conspiracy theories in this situation. I am willing to admit that I inherently don't trust American media sources. So I did a little research and found this:


http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/5/2/worldupdates/2011-05-02T170009Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-567092-2&sec=Worldupdates

     It's long but it gives an interesting insight into what happened. It's a Malaysian (surprise!) newspaper printed in English. There was actually a military operation (battle just sounds weird) at the compound. A US chopper went down. So yes, it probably did actually happen. You can argue it was fake, but seriously guys? Don't be so paranoid.

    This post is becoming much longer than I had anticipated. I finished up my studio project this afternoon. Presentation is this Wednesday. Without boring you with programatic and design details and in fear that I'll turn this blog into a storage space for portfolio pieces; I'll just give a short blurb. The project is an Environmental Tourism Center for Colorado. These are a few of the more interesting drawings (pencil and paper woohoo!) from my presentation. PS...I was too lazy to touch them up so these are hot off the scanner.

I think it should go without saying, but this and anything else (posts, pictures, videos, some crazy thing that isn't even out yet, ect.) on this blog is intellectual property and cannot be reproduced without strict written consent by me. Give credit where credit is due my friends.

View from Speer Blvd

Amphitheater that opens up to the underground lecture hall. Or visa versa.

Green machine that cleans all the storm water runoff from the site.

I'll save my housing updates until I figure out where I am going to live.

-M

     Well there are, as one could imagine, lots of things going on right now. The school year is winding down (finally...this one really felt long for some reason), It's a little more than 2 weeks before I leave, and then last night happened.

     My interest in global/cultural issues cannot help me from commenting on Osama's death. I, like most Americans alive today, know exactly where I was and what I was doing on the morning of 9/11. I watched the second plane smash into the towers live on TV...unable to really put any thoughts together. I remember watching 'ruin porn' (which, since then, I have actively avoided); I remember what it felt like to see riots of people burning my country's flag. I remember my dad coming home from work early. He was on the phone with someone who was in one of the towers. The phone cut out. He did not survive. It's one of those things I'll never forget. Everyone has a story about that day.

     America has been going through a rough patch. We needed some 'good' news. I struggle using the word 'good' because last night doesn't change anything. In fact, it's probably going to cause Pakistan a whole slew of problems that it doesn't need right now. Terror will still exist. Violence will still exist. All of the poverty that drives people to turn to such measures and keeps the vicious circle going, guess what? It still exists.

     However, at least the family and friends of those who lost someone because of Osama can finally feel some closure. I'm not just talking about Americans, he killed his own people and those from other countries as well. We are celebrating closure, in our own individual ways. To some that's prayer, to others that's thought, and to most college aged kids that's waving flags, chanting, screaming, and pounding Natty's (or substitute your cheap American beer of choice). That's what you see on the TV and whatever, they've got the right to do it. Although, it's funny how much this reminded me of my college campus the night Obama was elected, but that's besides the point.

     Hopefully, America isn't ignorant about what happened. Hopefully we tread carefully. I thought they had this one pretty well thought out. Ocean burial was done with the proper Islamic burial (it's pathetic I should have to even give this credit, but perhaps we are actually learning a bit about cultural sensitivity). Ocean insures no one will deface or idolize. It also puts a quick end to the 'show the body' debate. No other country was willing to take him. It was, in my opinion, a pretty neutral (and although we may never know what really happened) respectable way to dispose of the body. I kind of like the Islamic way of doing it; quick, easy, and no hassle. It leaves time for personal reflection instead of having it loom over your head.

     The almost overly-thought out procedure lead me to raise my eyebrow. I was also intrigued as to why we haven't heard about the raid, why Pakistan and much of the Islamic world seemed so quite. This lead me to believe that we weren't getting the whole story. Maybe he was dead days or even years ago, I'm not really interested in conspiracy theories in this situation. I am willing to admit that I inherently don't trust American media sources. So I did a little research and found this:


http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/5/2/worldupdates/2011-05-02T170009Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-567092-2&sec=Worldupdates

     It's long but it gives an interesting insight into what happened. It's a Malaysian (surprise!) newspaper printed in English. There was actually a military operation (battle just sounds weird) at the compound. A US chopper went down. So yes, it probably did actually happen. You can argue it was fake, but seriously guys? Don't be so paranoid.

    This post is becoming much longer than I had anticipated. I finished up my studio project this afternoon. Presentation is this Wednesday. Without boring you with programatic and design details and in fear that I'll turn this blog into a storage space for portfolio pieces; I'll just give a short blurb. The project is an Environmental Tourism Center for Colorado. These are a few of the more interesting drawings (pencil and paper woohoo!) from my presentation. PS...I was too lazy to touch them up so these are hot off the scanner.

I think it should go without saying, but this and anything else (posts, pictures, videos, some crazy thing that isn't even out yet, ect.) on this blog is intellectual property and cannot be reproduced without strict written consent by me. Give credit where credit is due my friends.

View from Speer Blvd

Amphitheater that opens up to the underground lecture hall. Or visa versa.

Green machine that cleans all the storm water runoff from the site.

I'll save my housing updates until I figure out where I am going to live.

-M

     Well there are, as one could imagine, lots of things going on right now. The school year is winding down (finally...this one really felt long for some reason), It's a little more than 2 weeks before I leave, and then last night happened.

     My interest in global/cultural issues cannot help me from commenting on Osama's death. I, like most Americans alive today, know exactly where I was and what I was doing on the morning of 9/11. I watched the second plane smash into the towers live on TV...unable to really put any thoughts together. I remember watching 'ruin porn' (which, since then, I have actively avoided); I remember what it felt like to see riots of people burning my country's flag. I remember my dad coming home from work early. He was on the phone with someone who was in one of the towers. The phone cut out. He did not survive. It's one of those things I'll never forget. Everyone has a story about that day.

     America has been going through a rough patch. We needed some 'good' news. I struggle using the word 'good' because last night doesn't change anything. In fact, it's probably going to cause Pakistan a whole slew of problems that it doesn't need right now. Terror will still exist. Violence will still exist. All of the poverty that drives people to turn to such measures and keeps the vicious circle going, guess what? It still exists.

     However, at least the family and friends of those who lost someone because of Osama can finally feel some closure. I'm not just talking about Americans, he killed his own people and those from other countries as well. We are celebrating closure, in our own individual ways. To some that's prayer, to others that's thought, and to most college aged kids that's waving flags, chanting, screaming, and pounding Natty's (or substitute your cheap American beer of choice). That's what you see on the TV and whatever, they've got the right to do it. Although, it's funny how much this reminded me of my college campus the night Obama was elected, but that's besides the point.

     Hopefully, America isn't ignorant about what happened. Hopefully we tread carefully. I thought they had this one pretty well thought out. Ocean burial was done with the proper Islamic burial (it's pathetic I should have to even give this credit, but perhaps we are actually learning a bit about cultural sensitivity). Ocean insures no one will deface or idolize. It also puts a quick end to the 'show the body' debate. No other country was willing to take him. It was, in my opinion, a pretty neutral (and although we may never know what really happened) respectable way to dispose of the body. I kind of like the Islamic way of doing it; quick, easy, and no hassle. It leaves time for personal reflection instead of having it loom over your head.

     The almost overly-thought out procedure lead me to raise my eyebrow. I was also intrigued as to why we haven't heard about the raid, why Pakistan and much of the Islamic world seemed so quite. This lead me to believe that we weren't getting the whole story. Maybe he was dead days or even years ago, I'm not really interested in conspiracy theories in this situation. I am willing to admit that I inherently don't trust American media sources. So I did a little research and found this:


http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/5/2/worldupdates/2011-05-02T170009Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-567092-2&sec=Worldupdates

     It's long but it gives an interesting insight into what happened. It's a Malaysian (surprise!) newspaper printed in English. There was actually a military operation (battle just sounds weird) at the compound. A US chopper went down. So yes, it probably did actually happen. You can argue it was fake, but seriously guys? Don't be so paranoid.

    This post is becoming much longer than I had anticipated. I finished up my studio project this afternoon. Presentation is this Wednesday. Without boring you with programatic and design details and in fear that I'll turn this blog into a storage space for portfolio pieces; I'll just give a short blurb. The project is an Environmental Tourism Center for Colorado. These are a few of the more interesting drawings (pencil and paper woohoo!) from my presentation. PS...I was too lazy to touch them up so these are hot off the scanner.

I think it should go without saying, but this and anything else (posts, pictures, videos, some crazy thing that isn't even out yet, ect.) on this blog is intellectual property and cannot be reproduced without strict written consent by me. Give credit where credit is due my friends.

View from Speer Blvd

Amphitheater that opens up to the underground lecture hall. Or visa versa.

Green machine that cleans all the storm water runoff from the site.

I'll save my housing updates until I figure out where I am going to live.

-M

     Well there are, as one could imagine, lots of things going on right now. The school year is winding down (finally...this one really felt long for some reason), It's a little more than 2 weeks before I leave, and then last night happened.

     My interest in global/cultural issues cannot help me from commenting on Osama's death. I, like most Americans alive today, know exactly where I was and what I was doing on the morning of 9/11. I watched the second plane smash into the towers live on TV...unable to really put any thoughts together. I remember watching 'ruin porn' (which, since then, I have actively avoided); I remember what it felt like to see riots of people burning my country's flag. I remember my dad coming home from work early. He was on the phone with someone who was in one of the towers. The phone cut out. He did not survive. It's one of those things I'll never forget. Everyone has a story about that day.

     America has been going through a rough patch. We needed some 'good' news. I struggle using the word 'good' because last night doesn't change anything. In fact, it's probably going to cause Pakistan a whole slew of problems that it doesn't need right now. Terror will still exist. Violence will still exist. All of the poverty that drives people to turn to such measures and keeps the vicious circle going, guess what? It still exists.

     However, at least the family and friends of those who lost someone because of Osama can finally feel some closure. I'm not just talking about Americans, he killed his own people and those from other countries as well. We are celebrating closure, in our own individual ways. To some that's prayer, to others that's thought, and to most college aged kids that's waving flags, chanting, screaming, and pounding Natty's (or substitute your cheap American beer of choice). That's what you see on the TV and whatever, they've got the right to do it. Although, it's funny how much this reminded me of my college campus the night Obama was elected, but that's besides the point.

     Hopefully, America isn't ignorant about what happened. Hopefully we tread carefully. I thought they had this one pretty well thought out. Ocean burial was done with the proper Islamic burial (it's pathetic I should have to even give this credit, but perhaps we are actually learning a bit about cultural sensitivity). Ocean insures no one will deface or idolize. It also puts a quick end to the 'show the body' debate. No other country was willing to take him. It was, in my opinion, a pretty neutral (and although we may never know what really happened) respectable way to dispose of the body. I kind of like the Islamic way of doing it; quick, easy, and no hassle. It leaves time for personal reflection instead of having it loom over your head.

     The almost overly-thought out procedure lead me to raise my eyebrow. I was also intrigued as to why we haven't heard about the raid, why Pakistan and much of the Islamic world seemed so quite. This lead me to believe that we weren't getting the whole story. Maybe he was dead days or even years ago, I'm not really interested in conspiracy theories in this situation. I am willing to admit that I inherently don't trust American media sources. So I did a little research and found this:


http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/5/2/worldupdates/2011-05-02T170009Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-567092-2&sec=Worldupdates

     It's long but it gives an interesting insight into what happened. It's a Malaysian (surprise!) newspaper printed in English. There was actually a military operation (battle just sounds weird) at the compound. A US chopper went down. So yes, it probably did actually happen. You can argue it was fake, but seriously guys? Don't be so paranoid.

    This post is becoming much longer than I had anticipated. I finished up my studio project this afternoon. Presentation is this Wednesday. Without boring you with programatic and design details and in fear that I'll turn this blog into a storage space for portfolio pieces; I'll just give a short blurb. The project is an Environmental Tourism Center for Colorado. These are a few of the more interesting drawings (pencil and paper woohoo!) from my presentation. PS...I was too lazy to touch them up so these are hot off the scanner.

I think it should go without saying, but this and anything else (posts, pictures, videos, some crazy thing that isn't even out yet, ect.) on this blog is intellectual property and cannot be reproduced without strict written consent by me. Give credit where credit is due my friends.

View from Speer Blvd

Amphitheater that opens up to the underground lecture hall. Or visa versa.

Green machine that cleans all the storm water runoff from the site.

I'll save my housing updates until I figure out where I am going to live.

-M