Mmmmm.. Mombar

Astoria's favorite Egyptian restaurant

Architectural Real Politik

Since you asked... here's how I actually spend my time. One of our jobs is a new retail bank branch in NJ, where demolition has just begun. The space is a former sports store and mold factory in downtown W, New Jersey. The moldy aspect was only discovered after the lease was signed and the former occupants dismantled their display shelves that had been concealing black, powdery, smelly expanses of toxic-looking stuff. Here, the contractor has removed the sheetrock at the exterior walls and look, there's a waterfall!

Hideous January

This picture was taken just before I said, "Okay, enough! I'm going back indoors until April." Can you see that my pants are tucked into my socks? That was on Sunday, and today the air temperature is far closer to tolerable, thank goodness. There are new nuisances, such as the puddles of slush on every street corner that can't drain due to the snow piles blocking their access to the storm sewers. Fantastic leaps are required to save the cuffs of our pants from ruination. And then there's this. Ughhh, I'll try to document the white fingers I'm experiencing for your entertainment. It's a sight.

On a cheerier note, welcome, GrandMartha! Your alias is wonderful!

Still snowed in?

May I assume that the dearth of recent posts is due to the fact that everyone over there on the east coast is frozen into stillness? Out here we are having temperatures in the 60s, so be of good cheer, it will all move your way shortly.

Here's a welcome to GrandMartha, who has posted once and we hope will soon do so again.

Meanwhile, the family needs some architectural education. I've encouraged our two practitioners of this great art to put some photos of their projects on the site. Any seconds?

And we still need photos of the well-dressed fund-raiser in his finery.

He's connected

It's a big step for us who tend toward running our lives as a three-legged race, but J is now owning and operating his own personal phone number. If you want to give it a whirl, you should try to persuade him to memorize those ten digits. He claims his 2005 to-do list is way too full for this item of business.

On "Dean Country"

The state chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party (Jay Parmley, good friend of John Maxwell and the Tharps) has just gotten himself into trouble by endorsing the candidacy of Howard Dean for the national chairmanship. The locals are complaining he's not the right sort of Democrat.

On the agenda for the weekend: "Sideways" is in OKC. Has anyone seen it?

Croquets and Roquets

Little bro finally made it across the city to pick up some stuff I brought home from PA for him, and we took the opportunity to play some croquet, at least until Andrew complained it was hurting his back. As you can see, it doesn't quite look the same as previous games we have played at Grandma's or home, but since I still trounced him, it can be considered a good winter alternative.

The End

The "End" means the end of the Christmas break. I realize that it was over a long time ago, and most of us have been back to work, including me (Advanced Programs class in Las Vegas, an arduous assignment in a place that seems chiefly devoted to play -- but not for the Air Force). But it's not really and truly over until the next semester begins, and that grim moment is today.

Meanwhile, thanks to Elizabeth for removing the amorphous blob from my picture. I feel much less anonymous.

There are nothing but kudos for "Obrigado Brazil" so far, but we have not yet heard Andrew's judgment.

Merci mon vieux

There's nothing like a sumptuous piece of citrus in darkest January and thanks to Brer Ch, we've been supplied with a boxful of the pink beauties, mixed up with some oranges juicies.



It's just what I need right now (note the wintry pallor, chapped hands, evil glower.

Dean Country

increasing my personal record for posts in one week (now 3), I have attached some photos from the recent trip to Vermont.

Promotion

I am writing to inform everyone that it is now official. I have recieved my promotion and I will be working with a higher donor group. This job will involve more people contact and requires good salesmanship. I have already started working with my new region, the South. It does not include OK or TX or VA for that matter. Any contribution that I recieve over the phone or personally initiate and then they send in money, I recieve 1% commission. Now that may not sound like much, but we will have a budget of 9 - 12 million for this cycle. My freind Alex will be my new director so that will be a lot of fun. Well, back to work.

PS My phone is messed up so I am heading out this weekend to get it taken care of once and for all.

The New Year

Everyone should try out the Astronomy Picture of the Day today: it's a magnificent photo of the Pleiades.

Also worth seeing: Phantom of the Opera, which we saw at the fine new theater in Bricktown yesterday. Really a splendid production, and the work itself is, in my opinion, a masterpiece. It shows opera can be written today, and be both accessible and stirring on many levels.

Scrumptious

My first picture, and a delicious one, indeed. This camera certainly captures the inherent beauty of a freshly made turkey sandwich. Yum, yum.

i splurged on a digital camera yesterday. with skilled bargaining and tons of information from the internet, i was able to get the thing for $50 cheaper than circuit city had originally wanted to sell it. Originally $349, I purchased a little Sony for about 300. Obviously, the extra memory added some more, but all in all, I am delighted with my camera. Since Hills and I are going skiing tomorrow, hopefully I will be able to post some pictures, although you probably won't get any from the slopes, because I don't trust myself enough not to fall.