#but the anime is def easier to understand where the ball is at and whats going on 😭

[kxmikomrade]

I FORGOT TO TELL YOU THAT I STARTED WATCHING BLUE LOCK

me and some friends might actually watch episode nagi in theaters together DTYXFYXUGXUG

but I just got to the part where we meet rin and his team i think? i cannot take this anime seriously (I'm going to watch all of it tho hsdsdhhfs)

OMG??? YIPPEEEE BROO I MISS BLUE LOCK SM 😭😭 (what's with me and sports anime LMAO) the fandom was so nice and fun to be in back then, I met alot of my friends now and I rlly like it :DD

OMG? I HOPE U GUYS HAVE FUN THEN :DDD I didn't know its coming out so soon :00

OHHHH then I hope u enjoy the rest of it, personally my fav arc is still pretty far from where ur at but I hope u enjoy it aswell since I was on the EDGE of my seat and actually crying during the arc lost my mind LMAOO 😭😭

[angeltrapz]

helo beloved mutual connor, im sorry ur goin thru it rn but i come bearing asks n a heart emoji (💗): bcuz i have had this thought floatin around for a lil bit, wld love 2 hear ur takes on an Adam/Eric/Mallick (+ Art too if u want!) road trip vacation! how long wld they go, do they get motels or camp or just sleep in th car? whats everyone's favorite road trip snack? what sorta shit do they like 2 stop for? (weird tourist traps like giant balls of yarn etc, small town main street stores, cool looking restaurants, nature sites, Actual Destinations, so on n so forth!)

fjkdsd thank u beloved mutual adam,,, <3

ohhh I love tht idea!! road trip fics/hcs are one of my weaknesses,,

but um!! I rly like the idea of th four of them going camping a few hours up north!! (we... don't rly know where. SAW is set so just. imagine a vaguely rural campground lmao. I'm used to camping in th upper peninsula of MI so) it's smth tht Art did a lot w his family when he was growing up, so he's th most familiar w it - Eric went a few times as a kid too, Mallick went Once, n Adam has never rly been camping, w his family or otherwise (he's slept on a trampoline at one of his friends' houses once tho). Art is p excited abt it tbh, it's not exactly smth he gets 2 do often so he's got this whole list planned of things he wants 2 show them!!

it's easiest 2 just take a week in late August, bc they can head back home on a Friday n have the weekend to settle n readjust b4 th coming week + they have to go back 2 work. so they head out around ten on a Monday morning 2 kind of get ahead of th traffic (or at least try to). Art drives both bc he insists and bc he knows they can switch if he needs to, which he does later w Eric. it's a good couple hours (at least 3) b4 they get 2 th campground Art wants to take them to, so clearly it is Music Time + Adam made sure 2 bring CDs! a lot of that time is just spent vibing 2 th music and singing very, very loudly (ESP on Adam + Mallick's end). Art's up front like u three are so fucking goofy (affectionate), but eventually he starts singing too lmao.

Mallick starts th Colour Game, where they try 2 find a car fr every colour of th rainbow. it's smth Eric is familiar w as well bc he used 2 play it w Daniel sometimes, and it's good until they come to purple bc how often do u see purple cars??? so Adam's just like "we're not gonna find pink either" n tht's when this fucking pink pickup truck (noticeably spray-painted, + not done well) passes them n Adam just groans n thumps his head against th window. Mallick is like, trying rly hard not to laugh by pressing a hand over his mouth + Art is biting his lip, but Eric is very openly cackling bc "u see what happens when u assume???" (he gets a very light slap 2 th shoulder but it's still very gentle)

ANYWAY. favourite snacks!! Adam can eat Way Too Many Sour Patch Kids. sour anything, actually, as long as it's candy. yes his tongue hurts and no he doesn't regret it. Eric just gets goldfish bc he tends 2 get a lil carsick + bc it's a food tht's familiar n comforting, n he doesn't rly want 2 be eating anything Too heavy (he's up front w Art, so he can sit by a window in case he needs some fresh air at any point). Mallick likes m&m's, but he switches fr cheez-its every once in a while bc he can only eat so much chocolate. Art likes those peanut-butter filled pretzel bites! he's also partial 2 animal crackers tho. they also bring a good amount of snacks/things they can b sure th four of them like, bc yeah there's a lil store abt a half hour away frm their campsite + they can go there to pick up things if they need 2, but it's easier 2 bring things they like, too. (there's also a mcdonald's in tht town n. they do go there at LEAST twice.)

th campsite they stay at has a lake + a beach, n one of Art + Adam's fave things 2 do is walk along it to see if they can find anything interesting! Mallick goes sometimes too, but mostly he stays w Eric bc Eric can't do tht fr as long as Adam + Art can (not tht he's resentful of it tho). he n Mallick chill on th beach w a blanket (it's kind of like. not necessarily sandy?) n just kinda sit against/lay on each other n read sometimes. Adam + Art come back 2 where they're set up to find them sleeping n Adam has never been more thankful he thought 2 bring his camera!!

on th second day Art + Mallick want 2 go swimming, so th four of them come back out to th beach, but Adam stays out of th water + Eric stays w him. they both know th water will be cold, even if it's late summer, n Adam rly doesn't like being in cold water ESP if it's over his head/he can't touch th bottom. fr Eric th cold can b kind of painful, so they chill n walk along th beach fr a little bit n just talk. Adam gets some good pictures n even gets some of Eric! he also does take a selfie of them, he can't help it. he gets a couple of Mallick + Art too. it's honestly such a nice thing fr them n it just feels like they can breathe easy, not having 2 worry abt looking over their shoulders constantly (tho they're all getting better abt that).

th third day they spend around th campsite to kind of unwind n relax. they might walk th beach a little bit again, but mostly they just sorta chill n walk some of th trails around the campground itself. when night falls they light a small bonfire (Mallick is still iffy around fire, understandably) n they sit around it in their folding chairs w th cupholders (Adam gets red, Eric has green, Art gets blue, + Mallick gets dark green) n make s'mores. they talk abt anything n everything until they're barely able 2 keep their eyes open, n then after making sure th fire is pretty much out they kinda just stumble into th tent n none of them r awake for very long after (they specifically got one tht cld comfortably hold th four of them).

fourth day!! they pack up n head into another little town about 45 minutes away; it's bigger than th one around th campgrounds. after they get situated in a motel room w two beds, they do some window shopping + going into lil stores that interest them! Adam def buys some niche graphic tees tht aren't going 2 make sense to anyone other than th four of them n he's delighted abt it. I like 2 think Eric gets a worry stone, specifically made out of rose quartz. Mallick too, but his is made of amethyst! he also gets a rly cool multicoloured jacket in a thrift store they duck into. Art gets a hoodie w th town's name on it n he's pretty happy w that. they get a few more lil things, just little knick-knacks while they're there, n then they have dinner in this lil diner they'd walked past earlier bc it's inexpensive + the atmosphere is very lowkey n honestly just Nice. there's not a bunch of ppl, the servers r rly kind n the lights aren't too bright, which Eric rly appreciates. it's such a tender moment bc they're squeezed into a booth, Adam + Mallick on one side n Art + Eric on th other, n they're talking n laughing n stealing bites of each other's food n it's Comfortable.

then they head back to th motel n channel surf while unpacking enough 2 get to their sleep clothes. Adam + Eric r sharing a bed n Art + Mallick r sharing th other one, tho Adam is very tempted 2 just push them together so they're all close by (th distance btwn th beds isn't tht big to begin with, but it's the principle of th thing). mostly tho, until they go to bed, they're pretty much just all stretched out Everywhere. Adam is only discouraged frm jumping across th divide btwn th beds bc Art breaks out his Lawyer Voice, despite trying rly hard not to laugh, to say Yr Going To Hurt Yrself, Don't Do That. he grumbles n whines abt it but Adam knows he's right jdhjks (th way he sees it is like. he can b silly sometimes. he's Earned It, but he also trusts Art + wasn't super serious abt tht idea). eventually tho Eric can hardly keep his eyes open n Mallick is just straight up asleep while he's still sitting up so tht's when they all go to bed after making sure every1 is comfortable. they leave a lamp on.

fifth day they pack everything up again n stop 2 walk th trails of this lil park b4 they head home! there's a lil shop near th parking lot so they spend a lil bit of time looking around in there first. they probably pick up a few lil things, souvenirs, n Adam walks around 2 get some pictures. he gets this rly cool one while they're on a bridge, th sun peeking thru the clouds a lil bit n shining down on th water. he's super excited to develop tht one (but he's excited to develop All of them, bc this is his family!!!) + he n Art discuss whether or not they're gonna need another cork board lol. eventually tho they round back to th parking lot n on th way home, they stop at another lil hole-in-th-wall kind of place, but it's just as nice as the first one they'd been to. after tht Eric switches spots w Art n he drives them home!!

they're all exhausted when they get back but they have room to crash w each other while they nap so tht's what they do. they fall asleep all tangled together, Art stretched out w Eric's head on his chest, Adam curled against Eric's back, n Mallick w his head on Art's stomach. there r arms n legs everywhere n tht is okay. they're happy. they love each other. they had a lot of fun on their trip n they're tired, but they're comfortable!! tht's what it's all abt!!! it's just such a good n relaxing experience fr them after all th shit they've been thru.

[the-ravens-wings]

i love you too

(this is something very self indulgent and written on a whim. jeanne is def ooc but W/E. it’s not like nasu will ever give us any character development.)

I was blackout tired. It had been one long, seemingly never ending day in the jungles around Eridu. I was aching all over, and my ears were still ringing from Merlin’s constant babble all day long. Who knew one wizard could be so irritating? Jeanne and I were sent to Babylonia alongside Ritsuka and Mashu considering the levity and importance of the mission. Our goals were nearly separate, and we almost never worked together, but Roman felt it would be appropriate for at least one singularity, especially the most important one.

Jeanne mostly kept her distance from the other servants around. There was too much baggage after Orleans, especially considering her welcome was less than thrilling. She wasn’t the Jeanne everyone knew and trusted, and that showed. Most servants preferred to ignore her existence, leaving her to fend for herself in most battles, but others would go so far as to purposely injure her when fighting alongside her. She wasn’t needed in this war, they would tell her. It always broke my heart to hear that. Therefore, I knew a deep seed of discord lied between her and the other servants, and that she would prefer to keep her distance to allow this mission to run as smoothly as possible. As her master, I was obliged to stay by her side. Not that I minded, of course. Her side is where I preferred to be. She was my only friend, especially after being thrust into this master’s role, and we spent a majority of our time together. One could say the fondness we had for each other was deeper than most.

I could usually tell when something was bothering her, but she seemed distant recently. She was quiet whenever we walked, and would respond to commands with a less than enthusiastic response. We usually blended so well together in battle, forming one tight unit. I wouldn’t be lying if I said I was scared she was slipping away from me. The “avenger” class is so fickle, and so lost in it’s own hatred that she could have easily killed me whenever she wanted. It was an extremely dangerous, yet essential love we had for each other.

Despite the exhaustion begging me to collapse onto the grass, I went to find my servant, no, my lover. I wasn’t quite sure where she was hiding, but she disappeared after we ate dinner. I assumed it was because the others began to socialize and that was too much for her. None of them would so much look in her direction when conversation began, and the servants we had with us would go out of their way to avoid engaging her in conversation. The more Merlin and Ana talked, the more visibly uncomfortable Jeanne became. She eventually got up and left quietly, without so much as a word to me. Pride, I assumed, would not let her show the hurt she had. I should have followed her sooner, but I could barely move from the spot I was sitting in.

Fortunately, she wasn’t too far away. I found her cooped up, alone, by a large tree. She appeared to be curled up into a ball, at least from what I could see. That worried me immediately.

“Jeanne?” I whispered into the dark, even though I was sure she could have already sensed me coming. She turned her head at the sound, but didn’t make a noise in response. All I could hear was the sound of the animals restless at night. “Um… I’m really sorry about all of that... I should have gotten up sooner…” My voice trailed off. I was terribly unsure of myself still, and it felt like everything I said and did for her was a mistake. She was so complex and beautiful, delicate and fragile all at once. “You’re babbling again, Master… Didn’t I tell you you talk more than you think?” I swore I saw a small smile grace her features. “I’m sorry… It’s been such a long day.” I flopped down beside her. I was unable to stand up any longer. “I know, Master. I’m surprised you made it all the way over here to me without collapsing.” “Give me some credit, I’m not TOTALLY weak. Just… mostly.” I laughed, but she didn’t respond. Was there something rigid in her voice or was I imagining things? She didn’t seem to move from her tightly held position either. She seemed to be staring into space… “Anyway, Jeanne. I was worried about you…” I began, but she tensed up when I said it. “Why?” It was such a quick response I was shocked by how curt it was. What do you mean “why?” I love you! Of course I was worried! “B-Because… you know… we work together and…” I was shaken, and tried to get my thoughts together, but they just stumbled out of my mouth. “I’m fine! Absolutely, totally fine! Nothing to worry about!” She turned her head sharply away from me. I had seen this response in her before, especially when we first started working together. Before we would fall asleep for the night, she would pull the covers tightly over her head and insist nothing was bothering her, that she wasn’t afraid to sleep, and that I should just stay where I was. Whenever she dreamt though, I did too, and I knew the truth. Her tough facade had so many cracks, but I also knew she kept it up to try and keep me “safe” from whatever she was hiding. “Jeanne… I know that isn’t true…” The tone of my voice dropped to more of a gentle whisper. The urge to pull her into my arms and never let go was overwhelming. I’ve never wanted to protect someone more in my life than I did in this instant. She sighed hard, but her arms relaxed just a little bit. I would have to slowly chink away at whatever was bothering her. “I’m just tired, that’s all.” She tried to control the wavering in her voice, and failed miserably at it. That was more than enough reason for me to move my unwilling body closer to hers. “You know you don’t have to lie to me… not ever.” I whispered again, gently brushing some dirt away from her armor. “You’ve been through enough, Master. You don’t need me burdening you more. I am your servant, and I take care of myself to make sure you don’t have to worry.” She wouldn’t look at me, so I turned her face towards me as much as she would allow. Her eyes were still focused on the floor, but they were more in my direction now. “Are you worried you’re going to bother me…?” She seemed so shocked by my response, and looked at me like I was some sort of imbecile. “Of course I’m WORRIED! What sort of servant would I be if I j-j-j-j-j-just projected all my problems onto you! If I just decided you were the one who needed to take care of me and all of my suffering and hurt! This war would never end!” She was focused intensely on me now, and I knew she was staring at the deep bags under my eyes. Those flames in her eyes were burning bright, but bright for a different reason than normal. “You don’t have to push me away… your problems ARE my problems, just as my problems are yours. That’s what it means to be master and servant… and more importantly, to be lovers, right?” Words weren’t going to fix everything, I knew that, but what else could I say? “What do you know?! How can you EVER understand what it’s like to protect the one person in your life that matters?! Especially when we’re surrounded with danger and are facing the end of the world?! Why does the world have to end right when I’M happy?!” I couldn’t quite make out the expression she was making, but her eyes clouded up with more hatred than I had ever seen her have before. The harsh coldness of her eyes could have frozen any hot, summer day over. But even I knew hurt was hiding just beneath the surface.I was taken back by her response, but she was right. I didn’t know what sort of stressors she was under, what sorts of burdens she was carrying, or why she was hiding it from me, but I understood that it was for me, and that it was my duty to make sure she didn’t burn out fantastically like a moth in a flame.

“You’re right… I don’t understand. I’m sorry.” She turned back to me harshly, and I was intensely worried I said the wrong thing. I felt like I was walking on eggshells, but what is a half baked, self righteous lecture going to do when someone is truly hurting? Easier said than done!

“Don’t... “ She seemed breathless, her face twisting into some cruel agony she didn’t want to face. “Don’t apologize to me! What do you have to apologize for?!” I saw her fists rapidly curling and uncurling into unnaturally tight balls, so I knew she was holding back. I knew so much of her wanted to kill me, right in that instant.

“I’m apologizing… for ignoring your needs considering how much you take care of mine.”

“My needs are irrelevant!”

“No they’re not!” I finally snapped back. “They’re not, Jeanne! You’re a person with feelings outside of whatever your stupid class affinity tells you and they have to be tended to too! You’re not just full of hate, Jeanne! I know you’re full of hurt and sadness and I want to help heal that!” I took a deep breath. Hot tears were stinging at the corners of my eyes, a bitter reminder of the frustrations this relationship was going to put me through, but I wasn’t deterred. She was worth every tear I could shed, every heartbreak I could bear, and so much more. “I want to help you… but only if you let me…”

“Master… I can-!” She held her hands close to her own body, squeezing them tightly. The pain in her eyes shone brighter than the flames that ignited her passions, and for a brief moment, I knew I was looking directly at the real Jeanne. MY Jeanne.  I took her fidgeting hands away from her, and gently placed them around my throat.

“Would killing me here help…?” I asked earnestly. Even if it meant the end of us both, I was willing to give her just a brief moment of relief. Guess I was that stupid in love. I watched her focus on her hands around my throat, frustration and anger pooling up like hot puddle of mercury in her eyes.. She pulled them away, with a harsh yank, after what felt like an eternity.

“No… my hands were meant to destroy, Master… but you’re the one thing I can’t destroy!” There was a mixture of hurt and anger in her voice, as if destroying me in this moment would bring her a permanent solution to something she viewed as a temporary problem. She fought her own nature to brings those words to her lips.

“Jeanne…” I took her hands once again, but softer this time, into my own. She was shaking like a leaf, and I knew that facade of hers was crumbling and she hated it more than anything. I steadied her hands as best as I could, and pressed them gently to my cheeks.

“You’re safe with me, you have nothing to be afraid of anymore…” I whispered. A soft smile graced my lips, and while the tears still fell, they weren’t hot. A few stray tears fell gently onto her gauntlets and sparkled off them. We made this promise to each other so long ago, and it was still our mantra. Something that kept us both going, even when it looked like nothing would come to fruition.

“And you’re safe with me, Master…” She finally looked up at me, and I could see how weary her face was in the moonlight. She was fighting so hard for my sake, and I had been so ignorant of it. It was only right to repay her.

“You’re fighting so well, and so hard… no one deserves a break more than you.” I caressed each of her fingers, despite the roadblocks her gauntlets imposed.

“I… deserve a break…” She admitted, her eyes dropping to the ground, as if ashamed for running herself ragged.

“You deserve a break…” I said softly, and started to unlace the string holding her gauntlets tight to her hands. She stopped me quicky, holding my hand in place.

“Master… no… You don’t want to see those… please…” She had a pathetic, pleading look in her eyes. I had never seen this before.

“Jeanne… no matter what your hands look like, I know they’re beautiful…” I kept my eyes focused on hers, trying to be as brave and unwavering as I could be, as she returned my gaze. I gently pulled her other hand off of mine, and slid the loose gauntlet off her fingers one at a time. She looked scared, terrified this gauntlet held a world ending secret within it, and I wasn’t sure why.

“Master… please… no more…” I couldn’t bare to look Master in the eyes, let alone at those ugly things I call hands. I had memorized every scar, every scaly, uneven patch of skin, every intricate line left by those damned, cursed ropes on my wrists. Those hands… they should never hold hers the way she holds mine. They aren’t worthy of that.

“They’re beautiful… so unique and slender. I’ve never seen hands more gorgeous than yours.” I watched as Master eyed my hands like a fine piece of art hanging in a museum. So much of me didn’t want to believe she was sincere, but my heart, my STUPID heart, knew she was. I wished, even if just for a second, that that small part of me could ooze through and show Master the kindness she deserved. Why did I have to be so damn… hateful?

“...thank you, Master…” It was all I could manage to mumble, especially as she pressed her soft lips to each of my ugly, ragged digits. I don’t deserve this, I don’t deserve this, I don’t deserve this! That’s all I could think in that moment. But Master, in her seemingly ever wise ways, cupped my exposed hand in hers.

“I love you, Jeanne.” She smiled, with her tired eyes and sleep deprived face. God damnit…

“Master, I…” All I could do was throw myself on her, and hold her tightly. I gripped her clothes so hard I heard them rip in the back, but it was all I could do to make sure this wasn’t a dream. I didn’t want this moment to end, and I was afraid that the moment I would let go, Master would drift away and I would wake up again, in my bedroom on the battlefront, waiting to be burned at the stake.

“It’s alright, Jeanne… everything is going to be OK.” She held me so gently, but her hands, her body up against mine, was so warm. For once, I was happy feeling like I was on fire. Perhaps hell wouldn’t be so bad if I could hold this warmth in my heart when I get there.

Every gentle touch, every soft breath on my neck, soothed my aching body back down to reality. I wasn’t drifting alone in the abyss anymore, I had someone to keep me anchored to this stupid world destined for destruction.

“Master, I wi-” But my words were silenced with a gentle kiss. A kiss, a gesture of affection I never thought I would know or understand. It’s the only thing in the world that ever made me melt.

“Yes, Jeanne…?” She looked at me with such tender and loving eyes.

“Master, I… I love you too.”

[ilovemyarchitect]

This week we have a great interview with Tim Witzig.  I had the pleasure of meeting Tim this year and we had a lengthy conversation.  I think you will be impressed with his take on the world of architecture and design.

About Tim Witzig

Tim Witzig, AIA, Principal at PKSB Architects, is known for his breadth of understanding.  He has played an instrumental role in the success of PKSB for almost two decades.

Mr. Witzig has overseen teams for numerous projects. His experience includes, public and private schools, religious spaces, residential interiors, personalized homes, commercial interiors and a history of projects with civic importance. He served as a designer and Project Manager for the interior renovations of the AIA award-winning Franklin, Mansfield and Shoreham Hotels in New York City.

He was responsible for directing fabrication for guest area upgrades, interior elements and furnishings for all three hotels. Mr. Witzig has also participated in the design and construction administration of the Physics Building Addition and Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Research Building at the University of Virginia, refurbishments for the Joseph E. Seagram Company in New York, and customized hotel resort interiors for the Walt Disney World Company. Prior to joining PKSB in 1990, Mr. Witzig was a designer at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill with a team developing the first designs for Worldwide Plaza at Columbus Circle. His participation in designing and managing projects with various scales, local code requirements, and unique technical requirements has brought Mr. Witzig a broad understanding of the challenges our client’s face in realizing a project.

About the Firm

PKSB Architects was established in 1964 by Giovanni Pasanella. Celebrating over 50 years in practice, PKSB is recognized as an award-winning full-service firm with a long history of completing projects of every scale and scope. Our practice areas include academic, preservation, institutional, residential, hospitality, public housing, infrastructure, public art, civic memorials, and houses of worship. PKSB’s efforts have been recognized with numerous design awards, including the prestigious P/A Award and AIA honors on the local, state and national levels.

While PKSB’s practice has evolved since its first years as Pasanella + Klein Stolzman + Berg, a commitment to architecture that blends artistry, craft, and pragmatism has always defined its work. The firm has a modernist foundation, but does not rely on a set “PKSB style.” Rather, the needs of the client come first, and PKSB’s strength lies in its ability to create solutions that respond to the unique aspects of each client, program, and location.

“Since its founding in 1964, PKSB has distinguished itself as an innovative practice whose projects combine artistry, craft and pragmatism. A spirit of collaboration and a willingness to explore have been the hallmarks of the firm since its inception.”

When and why did you decide to become an Architect?     

High School age. Seemed to encompass all my interests when I listed them. Before those years I wanted to be a Disney Imagineer.

What were some of the challenges of achieving your dream?  

Math. Undergraduate math, calculus, trig were such failures. Cost of school, lived in a marginal neighborhood in St. Louis to keep my living costs low for a couple of undergraduate years. During grad school working during breaks, working in the library for a little cash in my pocket when I should have been in studio probably. The library that I worked in up at Columbia was the library devoted to library sciences…only… could not have been more boring.

Any memorable clients or project highlights?    

Bess Myerson, Miss America 1945. She made me laugh… not right away. You got the joke on the way home in the re-telling. She wanted a beautiful new modern sculptural stair in her NY apartment renovation. I did not get to design the stair but I watched the process and helped do the drawings for the shell of the apartment. I learned a lot working with her, and helping make presentations and seeing how all talented  people involved worked.

How does your family support what you do?   

They listen to my ranting. Patiently.

How do Architects measure success?  

I think, gladly, that measure is made on very large field. I think if one helps, no matter how small, to make a piece of the world a more beautiful or usable place with our buildings, cities, infrastructure… one is a success. If you enjoy it as well? Huge success.

What matters most to you in design? 

Constructability, utility, timelessness, passing on inspiration to the users in some way.

What do you hope to achieve over the next 2 years? 5 years? 

Focus and allow others to run with the balls.

Who is your favorite Architect? Why? 

I do not really have a favorite, but if pressed on just the Architect part and not the human being part, then Frank Lloyd Wright. He achieved a very warm and approachable transcendence with his own style. If you look up Architect in the dictionary, it would not be wrong to see his picture there I think.

Do you have a coach or mentor? 

A few. The founders of the Architecture firm I am a part of now, Henry Stolzman, and Wayne Berg would go day-by-day explaining the practice and business of Architecture. My current business partner Sherida Paulsen brings reality to my day dreams. Going way back to school days there was William B. Bricken and Leslie Laskey. The latter should me how you could live like a designer and get interested in everything.

What is your favorite historic and modern (contemporary) project? Why? 

That’s so hard there are so many on both ends. Villa Malaparte in Capri. and almost anything Louis Kahn did, Yale British Art, currently I keep looking at Tod Williams and Billie Tsien and their Kim & Tritton Residence Hall. Over and over I stare at that simple building. 2 story residential dorm building with no stairs or elevators inside. Genius.

Where do you see the profession going over the next few decades?  

I think it’s very exciting, and I think Architects or folks who know a thing or two about making buildings will be in high demand. I think the firms will get larger and folks within the firms will be specialized a bit more. I think Architecture as a defined terms will blur and blend into other things we use.

What type of technology do you see in the design and construction industries? 

The 3D modeling and Building Information Modeling and ability to bring that up zoom in to look at all of the “guts” anytime and anywhere,, well it is already happening now and it should just get better and more fun. I would like to see a dose of A.I. in some of the mundane and complex tasks we do, like crosschecking current rules, zoning, codes, that come into play. I would like a computer programmer take a crack at developing a “ArchAI” program that will compile a basic building envelope and create a set of drawings just off say 10 basic inputs or dimensions you give it.

Who / what has been your greatest influence in design? 

Failure.

Which building or project type would you like to work on that you haven’t been part of yet? 

I would love to work on a large community center or cultural icon like the 92Y (92nd Street Y)

How do you hope to inspire / mentor the next generation of Architects?  

You sit with them see what they are doing and ask questions? If there is something good there, progress or talent in a particular direction you help develop that and point them to something that they might find helpful or interesting based on the direction they are already heading in. You might point them in a direction where they might get un-stuck (if they share their sticking point). Then they come back and ask again.  Then the mentoring kind of begins.

What advice would you give aspiring architects (K-12)? College students? Graduates? 

Just keep swimming. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Do not be afraid to fail.

What does Architecture mean to you? 

  Every time I get mad at it and curse it for being hard, or impossible it comes back, I see a beautiful building and I just think it’s great and there are so many talented people to watch and buildings to visit. I guess it’s just ingrained in there and I hope I can enjoy it as long as possible.

What is your design process? 

That is a hard question. It really depends. But Testing and Tossing is such a big part. I used to say do not draw more in the first half of the day that you cannot erase in the second half. Of course we don’t have to spend time erasing anymore, so we have more time for flipping stuff on its head and seeing what can be gained. One tries to list, develop or articulate the restraints, constraints and guiderails first so you can get to the design phase. Then the Testing and Tossing begins. I still believe in the old fashioned pin-up in a room and let the criticism flow.

If you could not be an Architect, what would you be? 

The animation thing I guess. It’s never too late to go to Hollywood. Yes it is I think.

What is your dream project?  

The Museum of the Tour de France. It must have views and a fantastic café. And banks of Zwifting set-up’s with a huge High Def screens floating in front of real glazed views.

What advice do you have for a future Executive leader? 

Help others succeed and then encourage and praise, daily if you can. Sit right across or next to someone at their desk for bit, avoid constant big meetings. Smaller ones. You do the leg work the big meeting might have made easier.

What are three key challenges you face as a leader in business today and one trend you see in your industry? 

Technology costs, Marketing. Managing cash flow. I see a trend in larger firms as an umbrella with smaller brands below     

What one thing must an executive leader be able to do to be successful in the next 3 years? 

Listen, stay positive, learn how people do what they do.

What are some executive insights you have gained since you have been sitting in the executive leadership seat – or what is one surprise you have encountered as the world of business continues to morph as we speak?  

Younger people are very creative in the way they work and use software. I think it’s important to “give in” and “give up” the ways one might have done something in the past. Even if those ways worked well before. Be willing to re-prioritize what you thought was important in how projects are realized and mananged.

Final Thoughts on How to Be Successful?   

Keep a sense of humor, laugh and value irony along the way. Take some time to enjoy the journey and not just the finish line. Realize everyone one else is trying to do the same thing, and help whenever you can. Each client is a chance to learn something new.

We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!

Sincerely, FRANK CUNHA III I Love My Architect – Facebook

Gift Ideas from ILMA

Our Exclusive ILMA Interview with Tim Witzig of @PKSBArchitects This week we have a great interview with Tim Witzig.  I had the pleasure of meeting Tim this year and we had a lengthy conversation.  

[sillyfudgemonkeys]

Oh! I wanna hear your hyper critical opinions towards p3 (and p4 if youre up to it). I am genuinely curious as to what it is!

pDSOAPFADFJIOA;FJIA;JF;DA Ahhhhhhh if only I wrote down everything I said (I did this over a year ago). under the cut cause long:

It was easier cause I was ripping it as we played and I had some nitpicks in the dialogue (more so with like “WAIT THAT MAKES NO SENSE!” or “WHY ARE YOU JUMPING TO THAT CONCLUSION?!” kinda thing rather than a translation error). But I can’t really specify what it was cause it was so long ago. The only one that comes to mind is when they’re jerks to Naoto, it must be how she’s talking in Japan cause like.......they’re really, REALLY rude to her. Like, they do realize she has a right to be suspicious of them right? Like, don’t get me wrong, I loooooooove the animosity in some way (great foe-yay/rival shipping yay fodder for me to ship her with the MC ahuhuhu 8U) but dang I wish they made more tension (and made it even). That’s actually the one thing I thought the P4 anime did right (and trust me I don’t think that anime did a lot of things right, esp concerning Naoto...ironically XD), they really built the tension between her and the group very well. Anyway I want to go into more detail some other time, maybe when I replay the two games, but for now I’ll give you a general overview). 

Ok so all and all I think P3 and P4 are fine the way they are. They did a good job with them. P3 for being Hashino’s first hoorah into the series (also didn’t have enough time or money to include everything and had to cut stuff, LIKE THE FEMC! ;W;), and P4 for.....having such....a small.....budget....and....not a lot of time....and.....the company was struggling.....Like dang man I’m surprised we got P4. So like, compared to P5, I’m a lot easier on these two cause in one case Hashino was trying to find his style, and the other he was struggling with working with almost nothing (P5, however, didn’t have any of these issues).

Ok so like.....My biggest issue with P3 is mostly it’s characters and character relationships. P4.....I wish we could’ve hung out with Naoto earlier (even before she joined the team, that would’ve been interesting if the MC and her met up and attempted to draw more info out of each other about the case), and I wouldn’t have minded if they added more to the murder plot. 

P3....ngl the first act until Aigis show’s up is.....so....slow.....and boring....and no one is really likeable imo. I hated Yukari, I hated Junpei. Mitsuru seemed interesting but she wouldn’t hang out. Akihiko....didn’t really care for him, but I couldn’t  hang out with him. I couldn’t hang out with Yukari or Junpei if I wanted to (Yukari won’t hang out till around Aigis joins anyway, I remember from my last playthrough we tried, it was an NG+ and she snubbed us). Kenji is a moron (don’t hate him, feel bad for him, but god so boring), Kaz is a moron, didn’t do Yuko the first time (should’ve I did like her, hate I only got the first rank the first time I ever played through P3), I didn’t like Chihiro (she started off fine but was kinda creepy later on), can’t hang with Fuuka unless you have maxed courage cause eff me (not like I can ever remember her gd link anyways that’s how forgettable it is, I don’t even like Yukari but at least I remember her’s). Basically......the SL sucked balls. Major balls (I liked Maiko, the Star dude, the old couple, the Hermit, and the Devil......I guess the Tower too he was ok, and....that’s it....for outside teammate links aka Aigis and Mitsuru). Silly was not a happy camper when she popped P3 in after having fun with P4 (and esp after being told P3 was a GAZZILLION TIMES BETTER!!!!1!), tbh I took like a 4 month break from P3 and replayed P4 before I picked P3 back up (after Aigis showed up I def enjoyed it a heck of a lot more after that). Now, P3′s plot is really good and very solid, it’s P3′s strong point. My issue is that.....everything P3 does is for the sake of the plot. It does it well, don’t get me wrong, but everything about the characters is only happening cause “plot demands it.” They never felt super fleshed out, and it’s probably why they feel a little odd (maybe even flat-ish) in the spinoff games (even more so than the P4 team), cause the spinoff games aren’t relying on their (P3′s) plot. I also don’t buy a lot of their friendships (esp the males teammates with the Male MC), Yukari and Mitsuru’s is....ok (I don’t like how the game makes it feel like “oh you have a dead dad? me too! let’s be friends” as a thing, I know she’s just trying to relate and sympathize but.....I’ve seen that as a complaint come up by a lot of people, for someone so popular Yukari isn’t much of a people person in this regard, from how the game frames it that is). Also the fact you can’t friend girls. There’s not a lot of bonding moments in the game, there’s more than P5, but I still don’t feel as close to the team as I should even by the end. And gawd, Ryoji? Wut I’m friends with him now? How? When? I like the guy but I don’t think he likes me. You’d think he’d want to hang out with me cause.....PHAROS! ;W;

There’s more but I don’t want to leave you hanging, but anyway it’s just....I have a lot of issues with how the characters are handled. They’re good characters, I wish there just....more to them. But the thing is.....THIS IS AN EASY FIX! You’ve probably heard me say about the P5 manga/anime “a change in medium can do wonders” or something like that. That’s cause I have P3 to look at. The manga and movies do wonders for P3 my problems with P3. There’s more bonding, character relationships are improved yadda yadda. Yes there are issues within the manga and movies themselves...... but they do a lot of good things too. One of the things the movies did was actually......influenced by it’s P3P remake (aka establish a relationship with Ryoji, yay!). Oh man, P3P/the FeMC fixed sooooooooooooo many problems (it also added some even more awesome duality to a game that already had a lot of duality going on with it), I can talk to Yukari and Junpei from the get go (and they treat me different, and more pleasantly than when I played as the dude), I can actually hang out with the guys (and I DON’T automatically have to date them, in fact I have to work to date them, every single one), the stats for character requirements are laid out more fairly like in P4 so by the time someone is available I can probably talk to them (without having to kill myself trying to manage my social stats).But man, the first act just flows so much better when you’re able to bond with your teammates (also Rio and Saori are great SLs!). Even tho they don’t change the female SLs pretty much at all (making it veeeery gay XD), it does feel like it is at least a friendship by the end (even tho I’m literally dating everyone and you can’t tell me otherwise! 8U). I also love her personality comes across more clearing (and varied) than the males, there’s a more clear progression of her psyche than her male counterpart (it’s still there, just not as obvious, and I love how they’re inverted to each other~! :D). It’s just, with P3, the really minor changes go a LOOOOOOOOOOONG way. The only thing I would change with P3 is the minor stuff. Just add more scenes (that don’t take up time) to the game, on both sides. Gameplay wise add more SLs, alternative SLs even. Heck, if they remade the game, I think being able to go to new places would be cool (and it’d be where you’d meet your new SLs) cause man you’re in a city, you deserve to do more stuff! It’s just the little things man, the little things can make a big impact! It says something that probably my fav Persona fanfic and fav Strain42 Persona parody comicis the P3(P) ones, even tho P4 is my fav game. You change a few things around, even the medium, and it makes a difference. 

Ok onto P4. Now P4 is the opposite of P3, with P4 it’s strong point is it’s characters. The characters drive P4. P4 is character based, P3 is plot based. P4 the plot takes a back seat. This is fine, it works in P4′s favor, like how the plot worked in P3′s favor. P4′s plot is ok, it does a great job with supporting the characters. Sadly I understand if you wanted more murder mystery (or just mystery) in a murder mystery game. And in P4′s defense, again, it had a barebones budget and not a lot of time and the company was doing pretty bad and P4 still came out pretty great (was the most popular before P5 came out, lord knows if it may even come out on top again if it gets an updated graphics/gameplay remake). And it’s also really hard to keep a murder mystery going for about 70-100ish hours (and only finally solving it in the last 1/5 of the game). Also P4, like P3 (forgot to mention that above), sticks to it’s theme really well. Even making it solving it/obtaining the good ending routes semi-difficult. Sure you can deduce Adachi, but tbh it’s also difficult. They do a pretty decent job building the guy up as a friend (even more so in P4G due to the SL). Izanami is also well hidden. The game makes you work and it rewards you.

Now if I were to change stuff.....it’d range from minor to major depending on what we’re talking about. Minor would be adding more scenes of Naoto bonding (she needs it cause the late game doesn’t do her justice), and like I mentioned above, I think have a deduction off would be interesting (Naoto’s SL was one of my favs cause of how we solved a gd mystery, god I’m so mad that never made it into the anime, even as an ova, it could’ve been a great team-building filler one too). Another thing I’d add would maybe be.....something similar to quests, but instead you have to solve a mystery (which means talking to people, and investigating areas), it can range from finding a cat in a tree or finding a bully or whatever. Just something minor that can give the mystery lovers something fun to do. I’d also have Izanami/gas station attendant be an SL (she originally was the Empress before giving that to Margret). Oh I’d also like to take Margret out on “dates” (c’mon gimme dem fun shenanigans).  And.....now this can be minor or major (depending on what they do, but it’s probably more major), add another red herring. I don’t care how.....but....it would help draw attention away from Adachi. Maybe they’re added from some of the mini mysteries you solved, maybe they squeeze an extra dungeon into the game some how-some way (doubt it for the later, that’d be a major change), but another red herring would be good. 

For a Major change it’d be restructuring the plot a looooooot, adding more dungeons for more red herrings. I would actually make Dojima a red herring. He originally was suppose to be the killer (but they thought that was too dark, understandable), with Adachi as the red herring instead. Other than that I’m not exactly sure how they’d overhaul that. I mean, if they made a P4 game based off of P3P’s route (aka different route/game, different killer), I’d like to see their prototype stuff play out. Short-haired ice queen Yukiko, delinquent/bully Rise, Pretty boy Naoto (actual boy this time, also make him dateable.....what? I like Naoto 8U), 1st year MC, Female Teddie, Adult(?) Kanji, Dojima as the killer, Adachi as the red herring (Chie and Yosuke are actually pretty much the same). I’d really like to see that. 

But tbh, I don’t really know where to start in giving P4 a major overhaul (except to go with the prototype set up), possibly cause it’d mean introducing/creating new characters. But P5? I do, oh man I know where I would start (P5 is where I’d make my major changes left and right, no minor changes here...except maybe dungeon 1), I’d make soooooo many changes to P5. But that’s for another time (not now, it’d take too long). 8U

[helium45-blog1]

5AM REM 02/04/17

used voice to speech and don't rly care so bare w me----. have a beautiful day Okay so just woke up Woke up with intense closed eye visuals Pairs of different sized fractal boxes Colors similar to a one of those generic PowerPoint presentation slides Dream was fast and it was a dance Just so happens that I took ballroom dancing lessons last night, not of my own will of course The furthest part back I can remember this young kid I decided to take a beanie from me Blonde, long hair, 90s kid I noticed when my head brushed the top of a doorway we were both passing through - More like running down Anyways I said Hey man , say the top of that beanie had puzzle pieces, they were perforated and you knew they were acid! After some wrestling I got it back from him with my left hand semicolon although, none of the five pieces were left So at this point I want up somewhere else going through one of those Rubbermaid boxes, one of which Kevin as a very many of And I pulled out this on file of what I thought to be LSD 25 Upon inspecting it I was instantly worried about the quality of the container it seemed brittle Also there was an unusual label, initially it here to the inside, that was peeling off and molding Then I ask myself the question, is it still viable is it still safe Switch scenes disregarded that must have transferred into a glass vial hundreds of drops hundreds of hits But this time I've realized, wasn't LSD - 25 it was in fact Al- lad - a seemingly aggressive version more versatile more visual unless heavy on the introspection - easier to handle Remember offering it to the kids first that I was hanging out with we're in some type of dilapidated College house - one of those they don't check mold for keep the rent Spike High, could collapse at any moment yeah one of those types of houses Some younger teenager kids coming from work I said to myself no they're too old I can't be held responsible they are under 18 I move on I just tell people it's acid, I had being no need to really tell them that's a similar lysergi mide derivative I-dos many people Many people from my past and present Most of those people, as the scene shifted I kept returning to they are in a dark disco lit Amphitheater with high black seats seem to be totally ignorant caretaker or security Some of the girls writhing with pleasure but all of them were disconnected and separate from each other I thought to myself certainly can't just happen what if I poison them what do I do One of the scene shifted and I was it in the foot of an apartment where there was an old Spanish man can uncertain look in his eye I walked in dosed one of his kids He nodded in approval I moved on to his sick and ailing mother he again nodded in approval I actually spoke Spanish in this dream At least I did on the way out, but of course not before offering him a dose I held the dropper from the vile quivering over his mouth pursed his lips and gave me the expression of now he was old and from what I can gather mute I left a doorway said something intelligible in Spanish, at least I remember that's what I thought to myself time as I was leaving the doorway Scene shifted again Friend reminded me deer that this was going to draw a lot of attention to me I was quick to tell em just acid man and rationalize and justify the fact was tripping balls Seems shifted again to a lab same there with black walls disco multi-colored lights crochet looking back I was running and it seemed like an upward spiral it seemed like a dance I was sweating a girl came up behind me in a Black Dress slip underneath and small pink flowers rap with green centers She had curly hair now remember to be juliet part of this girl that I met Melissa while I was in Riverside I can't remember if she was stirring with me or not they're not sure just passing through I do remember her saying she has to do now is dance does it need the psychedelics Remember this made me sad happy I hadn't even noticed yet Scene shift it again after noticing in an auditorium the people where writhing on the floor, I remember looking at the clock and noticing it was 3 a.m. Thanking is the peak there's still at least three more hours people come out of whatever is going on with them - I've never had this reaction before Regardless, in this scene switching in hiding labels under books material to darryl dish trying to find a more suitable container is worried about losing quality of the material he'll hold it so sacred There's books everywhere my hands are soaked in this material there seem to be in it been at least 250 milliliters of it When I looked to my left my heart dropped two pieces of paper towel had fallen into the dish I was keeping the material temporarily in At that same moment kevin Kevin asking what's going on I noticed that I had all the labels hidden place to just right, staged Scene shifted and I was in a different part of the room still talking to him cuttin Up piece of foam that looks like a whale 5 or 10 feet long, it was thin and recycled patel underneath it had that multi-colored look - seems to be the theme of the dream Lady unadulterated came out of the apartment next door and said Hey Kevin you know that package, referring to what I was just cutting up and what doom the material I was using Cayman, was waiting outside my door all day I'm glad someone finally got it The scene continued kevin and the woman engaged in conversation I thought I was off the hook Inevitably something to bring about the dreaded question - so what was in that package that you're so desperately cutting up I told him it was a book about then I stalled - then my solution was to say, one of my thumb and picture your interests food of the gods by Terence McKenna Before I finished saying the full title and author his hands on his hips and laughed - I convinced them he knew what it was Scene shift it again and I was back at the table trying to recover what material I could all the different contaminants falling into it I squeeze the paper towels out with my hand threw them away safely so no one else will touch them tried to change them into another container that's on the scene shifted for the final time I was back in the auditorium went up to the tallest seat on the left hand side and saw Kyle writhing most but serene and peaceful understanding - the way I perceive myself to act under that type of influence I remember his eyes looking like large multicolored def saucers like animals of the night Then I started to feel the effects come on, instead of being a lated I looked at the clock realized it was 3 a.m. And if I had any way taken a dose larger then one I've given anyone else unable to manage the situation The choice was the runner to stay so I stayed in danced Once I made that decision I woke up