today i turned 25 years old. currently,
> it is 52 degrees outside and cloudy,
> i probably ought to shave,
> i slept approxomately 7.25 hours last night, which pleases me,
> my favorite album of 2007, based purely on number of listens, is of montreal's hissing fauna, are you the destroyer? however, i don't think this is the best album of the year,
> i drink porters more than stouts, but will take a bridgeport esp over most porters,
> i buy soymilk half the time, and regular milk the other half. my almond milk phase has since passed. i still haven't tried rice milk, and do not plan on it anytime soon,
> i haven't bought skim milk in months. now i'm up to 1%,
> my wallet currently contains four coffee cards {one is full}, a debit card and no cash,
> surprise! the sun came out and my nagging headaches went away. SAD must be real,
> predictably, the dismemberment plan's emergency & i is playing on my computer,
> i am disappointed in myself for spending so much energy caring about the chiefs when i swore off them in week 2,
> i typically drink coffee when i know it makes me feel worse,
> i sometimes think i have things figured out,
> i am reading three books, al gore's the assault on reason, jr tolkien's the hobbit, and rem koolhaas' delirious new york. i probably won't finish any of them for at least five more months.
> i am encouraged by the royals' recent roster moves,
> my parents are currently driving from the oregon coast to portland,
> i am extremely hungry,
> it never occured to me that the men are called horsemen there,
> miller's crossing, my latest netflix acquisition is sitting peacefully in my dvd player. i watched half of it two nights ago. i've had it for nine days.
> i found some cash on my desk ... change, actually. 72 cents. two quarters, two dimes, two penniesm
> i cannot remember the last original idea i had,
> i'm supposed to host a halloween/birth-party at my boy nolan's cavernous soutwest portland apartment on saturday. i'm supposed to cook for everyone, and i haven't invited one person so far,
> two cyclists have died in portland in the past two weeks. they were in bike lanes when they were struck,
> i am hoping this post is going somewhere,
> the kansas city star is still my homepage. this includes both my pc at home and my work computer,
> i have watched three full episodes of this season's america's next top model,
> it's been nearly a year since i was struck by a car on my bike. i was in a bike lane,
> i stand by my earlier rant regarding barry bonds' home run ball, but i have been exposed to some new perspective,
> i still have trouble remembering which printers are color at my office,
> radiohead's new album is on constant rotation at work, but i think i'm listening mostly out of principle. the album is pretty good, but i have heard more enjoyable albums this year. bring it on, sam.
> i guess anti-marketing is the new marketing?
> are women the new men?
> is green the new black?
> you are a waterfall, waiting inside a well. you are a wrecking ball before the building fell. and every lightning rod has got to watch the storm cloud come.
factually,
corbin.
The clouds are growing thicker, the days obviously shorter, mass-brooding is eminent.
i love the asterisk and use it quite frequently, as many of my readers {is it up to six now? seven? I know my parents are afraid to read this} have seen. Whether it is this blog, the over-thought and over-designed myspace comment, or the occasional office email, it is without question the perfect disarmament; a miniature, whimsical, perhaps childish conversational enhancer, and hardly more …
… and here comes heroic fashion designer/asshole marc ecko to throw a stick in my spokes.
Speaking in an interview with the AP about his recent purchase, prostitution, and promotion of Barry Bonds’ record setting home run ball, "This is obviously something that struck a chord with fans," Ecko arrogantly proclaimed. How was the decision made to let the fans decide what happens to the ball? The guy literally got drunk with his friends, started an argument with his boys debating the home run record & its validity, and proceeded to blurt out, “we’ll let America settle the debate.” My fucking hero. First I was speechless. Then incensed. Now color me horrified. Did I mention I’m buying stock in Zoo York right this moment?
But before all you libertarian-slanted readers spit your coffee all over the screen, let me explain why am I so opposed to the public deciding the fate of what used to be the most sought after artifact in baseball.
It is major league baseball’s responsibility to maintain the purity … hell, the integrity of the game {at least what is left of it} by exercising some control in a situation like this. While I understand that Bud Selig and his staff of autistic toddlers haven’t authored the book of ‘good professional sports management’ {see: the mlb collective bargaining agreement, a borderline apathetic and lenient steroid/drug testing, a Schwarzenegger-like players’ union, etc.} I would hope that at some point, the commissioner would grow a pair and at least attempt to preserve history. It’s irresponsible. It’s reprehensible. It makes me disgusted to be a sports fan.
Yes, the hall of fame’s job is to chronicle the game of baseball and how it has unfolded and developed. Yes, ten million people have ‘spoken.’ Yes, the media has convinced the public that it’s okay to hypocritically cheer Bonds towards the inevitable demolition of Aaron’s record and curse him simultaneously while he rounds the bases {and for that matter, when he fails to do so.} But while I have not visited Cooperstown myself {I obviously plan to} I’m going to assume every jersey, catcher’s mitt and jock strap contained in those walls was not doctored or altered in such a way. Autographing a ball just isn’t as foreign as a branded mark.
Morever, Ecko sounds like a delusional prick. He probably drives a Boxter, dogmatically compliments most meals ranch dressing, thinks ‘Mind of Mencia’ is hilarious and summers in Cancun. Further underscoring how hilariously unqualified he is to make this decision is the fact that he owns a fashion company. Of course he’s a sports fan. Of course he has the ‘answer.’
This is the sort of self-aggrandizing, maniacal, narcissism that pushes me past fury – now I’m just plain confused. Am I the only one who thinks he’s just stroking his ego? Self-promoting? Scraping the earth for publicity? Desperate for attention?
What’s worse is that he thinks he’s doing the right thing by putting the ball in the fan’s court. Bullshit. If you’re going to claim you’re doing the right thing by giving people three votes {1. placed untouched in the hall of fame, 2. branded with an asterisk, or 3. SHOT INTO OUTER SPACE!? Are you kidding me??} at least give them some reasonable, mature options. Don't insult us, please.
Ecko is simply perpetuating a truth that he’s probably too stupid to even understand in the first place; the average person will simply accept things as they are. Questioning is out, acceptance is in. ignorance is bliss and a virtue. So while my fellow ksu bloggers are finding form, waxing poetic on everything positive Wichita, and crushing Tolstoy’s left and right, I’m complaining about pop culture’s impact on baseball. Needless to say, Corbin’s stock hasn’t been much lower.
+++++++++++
words I continue to have difficulty spelling correctly >
occasional.
spatial.
ridiculous.
architecture {I swear this isn’t a joke.}
succeed.
across.
+++++++++++
I recently came across a new band {at least they’re new to me} from Portland called Pseudosix. It’s beautiful, wonderful, soothing; all things my mind needs right now. I’m probably just hyper-aware, and will most likely discontinue spinning this record by the time I finish this blog, but for now I’m feeling better. I also listened to Tom Waits as I typed, and will attribute this post’s abrasive nature to it.
... but i don't have the time right now.
however, i did have the time to spend the last seven minutes of my life reading this article here.
the ideals discussed are most certainly applicable to the field of architecture, if not anything 'design.' this encourages/energizes me more than anything else since i had the pleasure of watching the webcast of this thom mayne lecture here.
on this sunny friday afternoon at 5.15, my goal was to pin down a blog-worthy article, filled to the brim with profundity, pithy observations and ... well, positivity.** needless to say, i couldn't have possibly found a better piece of reading material.
**this is apparently something i am completely devoid of.
let me start off by saying that i'm struggling with my propensity for fighting losing battles. all it takes is five days sweating in kansas city and one computer rendering to find myself up to my armpits in something new to rant about; context.
thanks to one of my reliable sources, this morning i had the privilege of viewing the latest rendering of a new parking garage at kansas state, designed by architect ken ebert of manhattan, kansas. as one would expect, the building is utterly forgettable, a missed opportunity, a good reason to annul my annual donation, etc.
i sent the image to my dad, who replied that while the building isn't anything new, {which is obviously the point} it will 'match' the buildings surrounding it. whatever.
i only slightly agree. yes, the building is borrowing from the pre-existing aesthetic, but it’s pretty apparent the amount of thought pretty much ended there.
i’m sure the older buildings were built on different principles; stability, strength, and a regionalist sensibility in terms of their materials. this new parking garage proudly mimics those principles. i use mimic because of it’s inherent negativity.
moreover, while i am aware this is occurring in rural kansas, i still don't feel as though this is a reasonable justification for giving people what they 'think' they need. ksu students and staff have been bitching for years that the campus does not provide adequate parking. RIDICULOUS. everyone wants to drive to class when manhattan is a terribly small town. it's safe to assume that this university, like most universities, is full of forward-minded professors, designers and other staff. these highly educated, new york times-reading, espresso-drinking, op-ed-writing intellectuals should have seen this as an opportunity to do something great for the school, if not the community. this could have been something that represented a little foresight; perhaps even something just slightly unconventional. instead, they’ve created a structure that is prison-like, imposing, and dangerous {I can’t wait to hear about the first reported rape occurring inside that thing.}
lastly, while back home i took advantage of the FIFTY CENT bus fare {reduced 'ozone' rate, i know} and rode the bus the entire time in kansas city. i had the pleasure of riding in an air-conditioned vehicle, complete with cushioned seats and convenient and frequent stops wherever i needed. i parlayed this experience into a host of awkward conversations with family members and a few old friends, therefore constructing my own personal island built on principle and thrift.
in the end, it's clear that i've been infected by portland. all the things this town eccentrically prides itself on aren't necessarily applicable in other big cities, for good, better, or indifferent. however, ignoring the problems that we have created for ourselves in terms of waste and limited resources is the most harmful thing we can do to ourselves. the tired notion that "it's just kansas city" or "i can't live without a car" need to run their course.
rant over.
at last, i feel compelled to write about something besides music. i've addressed this habit before; my unwillingness to discuss anything related to 'work.' at this point, i'm considering this my version of 'not bringing work home with me.' more proof that i'm becoming more like my dad more and more every day. but i digress ...
two days ago {august first} was a special day for myself and a few of my co-workers. we took it upon ourselves to jump on the light rail {the 'max' if you're cool} and rode it to portland's hollywood district. hollywood is a strange part of town, not because it features a strange amalgamate of chinese, italianate, mid-century modern, and hilariously mediocre 21st century buildings similar to southern california's Hollywood, but mainly because of it's perplexing inability to reach it's full potential as a powerful, self-sustaining district. where cafes and restaurants should be wrought with activity, there are copy centers with oversized parking lots. where low to mid-rise residences should be proudly bordering Sandy Boulevard, predictable, reliable small-box-chains like starbucks and whole foods shops are posting up.
sandy boulevard cuts diagonally through the east side, much like new york city's broadway. as a result, wonderful triangular blocks are created. intuitively, these are attractive parcels, and seem conducive for an active street life and remarkable urban design. portland has a strange ability to create these incredible visual corridors, on both the west and east side. in terms of sandy's uniqueness, the views into the street from the peripheral, residential areas are abundant and dynamic. on the flip-side, these angles do create a significant amount of confusion in terms of driving, but i'm of the opinion this is a simple function of unfamiliarity and the construction occuring on the street itself.
in the end, we collectively postulated that much like Portland's thriving districts {the pearl, hawthorne, the 23rd/21st street corridors, st. johns, etc.} convincing the general public, as well as property owners and developers, that while investing in the enrichment of Sandy Boulevard is a a difficult and risky task, the upside is limitless. every new 'district' faces that obstacle. my boy nolan and i stand by entirely different standpoints about portland's rising {literally} south waterfront. it's a textbook example of a seemingly asinine development move, but is also one that will one day be considered 'necessary' and a 'visionary' move. i disagreed with him at first, but i think my argument is slowly crumbling. nolan did get his undergrad at colgate and a masters from penn in urban design. i went to a state school in eastern kansas.
the point is, this was an evening of ideals. everyone present still believes in all that is good and positive about really providing for the public. it is our responsibility in every sense of the word to be thoughtful, considerate, and calculated about what we do.
strangely enough, this 'walking analysis' was thrilling. we looked at hidden opportunities, missed opportunities, little mistakes, and outright criminal developer moves. in other words, i felt fucking alive. lucky, i work with a group of people who are so terribly in love with their work that their energy is undeniably infectious and addictive.
++++++++
i leave in fifteen minutes for eugene to see the completed project i have been so consumed by over the past several months. a reflection piece via blogger? probably not. probably. who knows. right now, i'm too focused on my trip home next wednesday, preceded by a trip to crater lake and the official opening of the treatment center and celebratory tailgate party {i'm not kidding} with the oregon community. in howard slusher's words, "if you didn't like oregon before this project, you sure as hell will hate us now."
++++++++
okay, i obviously can't help myself ...
albums currently rotating >
The National > Boxer.
Archie Bronson Outfit > Derdang Derdang.
White Rabbits > Fort Nightly.
Lucky Soul > The Great Unwanted.
The Fiery Furnaces > Bitter Tea.
Fugazi > Red Medicine.
Girl Talk > Night Ripper. **
What Made Milwaukee Famous > Trying Never to Catch Up. ***
Wilco > A.M.
Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton > Knives Don't Have Your Back. ****
Handsome Furs > Plague Park.
Clipse > Hell Hath no Fury. **
* question overheard by a co-worker {principal} while typing this. yes. i'm at work.
** again?? yes!! again.
*** this album is average, but i keep on listening.
**** this album is LEGIT.
interesting what a whole week's worth of twelve hour work-days does to you.
actually, it's really not that interesting at all. {there's that momentary belief that what you're doing is highly unorthodox, interesting, and perhaps even noble. this is me just getting past that point.} these days, i've just been able to sit on some interesting lectures by some fascinating people that i work with, i get a few extra free meals, and i get to spend about fifteen minutes at 11 pm poking around myspace, stylus & pitchfork for something to distract me.
so the funny part; tendencies. in everything.
take music videos for instance. a while back i came across the knife's video for 'heartbeats.' simply stated, it was old footage taken from a handful of various sources that is looped|mashed|whatever. this is not a profound observation by any means.
tonight, i came across a similar band, crystal castles {fondly recalling the epic game on atari} and saw the following video.
i think when i first saw the knife's video, i took it's influence for granted. i naively assumed it was something fresh; a 'new' form of art that obviously drew from what was fashionable twenty to thirty years ago, but at the same time was contextually accurate. more specifically, everything is deliberately underproduced {sometimes to the point of deliberate shitty-ness}, raw, ugly, ironic! and mismatched. sloppiness is a means to an end. it's only a matter of time before i'm doing the same thing with how i present myself and my own personal taste, but that's neither here nor there.
the main conclusion i can draw from this is that 'heartbeats' is by no means an aberration. in other words, the video for 'heartbeats' wasn't that cutting edge after all. it merely represents what a host of people have been doing for some time now, but people like me are finally getting in touch with it. at least that's how i see it.
i suppose this sort of logic applies to everything. the kansas city star just recently featured a story about green roofs on a residential scale for the first time. two sundays ago the evening news {shut up} ran a story about the glycemic index, steroid use is being discussed outside locker rooms, and wal-mart has organic produce. but sure as shit, everyone will know the minute paris hilton is let out of jail.
stopping the cynicism before it starts,
CGK.
commonly misunderstood words and phrases noticed lately >
coincidence.
irony.**
pun.
paradox.
irony.**
shoe-gazing.
navel-gazing.
sustainable.
moot.
design.
pop.
fairly-traded.
+++
it's clearly too soon for a 'best albums of 2007' list, but i just recently made a '2oo7's BEST' mix on itunes here at work {blogging at work, SON!!!} so reads as follows;
honey honey > feist
you are my face > wilco
phantom > JUSTICE
sum > Au
see a penny {pick it up} > YACHT
i used to complain now i don't > white rabbits
faberge falls for shuggie > of montreal
slow show > the national
on call > kings of leon
lake somerset > deerhunter
fluorescent grey > deerhunter
!!! > break in case of anything
pom pom > matthew dear
kinfe > grizzly bear {girl talk remix}
+81 > deerhoof
atlas > battles
it's all true > tracey thorn
black wave/bad vibrations > arcade fire
and you lied to me > the besnard lakes
sparta #2 > the fall
tall trees > lost in the trees
+++
spoon, the new pornographers and interpol, three bands that at one point represented the three-headed beast otherwise known as 'corbin's favorite bands,' are all releasing albums over the course of the summer. there's a good chance i will no longer be a fan of at least two of these bands once each respective album hits the shelves.
critically,
CGK.
**forgive me for beating a dead horse here, i just don't understand any of this, nor does anyone else.
i had planned to 'not plan' this post.
i didn't want to 'search' for a provocative means of summarization, for fear it would come off as forced and unauthentic. one might say this is essentially an open statement of my personal laziness; my avoidance of publicly addressing the topic my first year out of school in another city, assimilating*** into adulthood.
i was hoping one year away from the calm and comfort of the killer city would amount to something a little more than an unstructured, sporatic, stream-of-consciousness brain-fart of a blog-post, but i guess that is what happens when you spent your formative years playing video games and attending sporting events instead of playing the violin or reading The Silmarillion.
in short,
i can't believe how naive i was when i chose to live here.
i figured the climate would be moderate, rainy, and more or less comfortable.
i knew the mountains and the ocean were equally close to the city.
i wasn't fully aware of portland's status as the 'model' for all other cities in terms of urban planning and walkability.
i didn't know i'd be able to take my lunch break at the farmer's market {just seven or eight blocks away from my office} and have access to the freshest and most colorful produce i'd ever seen.
i secretly wasn't sure i would be able to survive without a car, even though i offered my enthusiasm with regards to having no means of transportation other than my feet, my bike and public transit.
i didn't know portland was one of the premeire 'creative class' cities in the country.
i knew the music scene was good, but not this good. yes, new york is probably the best {there you have it, sammy} but this city genuinely values it's artists.
did i expect to have met so quickly such an assortment of creative, interesting, and ambivalent people so quickly?
did i expect to be a personal crossroads in terms of my career?
it seems to me as if we can choose two paths; the path of the well-rounded person, or the well-rounded professional. each path is capable of bringing the highest degree of personal joy and satisfaction. both open themselves up to criticism, both have their inherent rewards and pitfalls. both are completely within our respective grasps. i just can't decide which one is right. right now, i am faced with a difficult choice.
the problem is, when we were in manhattan, we didn't have many distractions. it was easy to focus on school and our projects. suddenly, life doesn't seem so simple anymore {statement of obvious, dipshit-profoundity for the day, right there.} i've been out of school for a year, and i still am not even sure what excites me. the daily thrills are too sporatic; too unpredictable. it would be much easier if i just woke up one day and said, "forget music. forget the outdoors. forget excessive socialization. i've decided design is the most thrilling thing life could offer" and from that moment on i would have no distractions; everything outside of my primary focus was peripheral and unnecessary.
i would do one thing and do it supremely well.
i would probably live very long.
i would probably gain some recogniction, and then i would die ...
... now that i've written this, i think the answer is self-evident.
so, we're not all rockstars; we're actually just an assortment of middle-class kids who will probably do fairly well for ourselves {maybe?} accomplish a few things professionally here or there {or more?} travel to some interesting places {perhaps?} and have our respective 15-20 minutes of fame {25?}
one of the first conversations i had with sam when we arrived in san francisco dealt with to this very topic. depending on how one 'spins' such a sentiment, it can either come off as one large resignation of mediocrity, or just the honest musings of a realist.
***i couldn't help myself.
here's a shocker: fox news is a skewed media empire that deliberately lies to their viewers. also, i'll bet you didn't know that walmart is a selfish corporate entity with no honest concern for the struggling worker it employs. enlightenment is a poweful thing, huh?
transparent sarcasm aside, if you haven't figured it out by now my netflix subscription has clearly allowed me to get a taste of the dangerously informative underbelly of the documentary world. needless to say, i've felt compelled to at least respond to what i've seen, and then promptly get distracted elsewhere. but that's neither here nor there. so while my mind is racing, i'll continue ...my response is simple: i don't get my news from television and i don't shop at walmart. besides being the obvious and logical choice, i am also aware of how 'fasionable' it is to be childishly outspoken about such truths.
so am i taking the easiest route available? of course. hell, i can't even watch foxnews in the first place since i don't pay for cable, and i can't even tell you where the nearest walmart is. essentially, i am fully aware my saying this is really just a pathetic expression of self-indulgent nobility.
but the facts speak for themselves in terms of walmart's purposeful and debiliatating presence; hefty doses of subsidization have provided the billions of dollars necessary to build new stores, their employees were forced to extract even more billions of tax dollars in health care from the government, they're consistantly fined by the EPA, and they have even had construction halted in states such as pennsylvania because of environmental violations. this is in addition to the obvious; walmart's destruction of the delicate commercial system of small american towns and the quiet exploitation of migrant workers overseas. their workers, especially in countries like china and bangladesh, supposedly have no rights whatsover. in another vein, reinventing the wheel in terms of criticism for foxnews is a waste of my time. everyone already knows how pathetic it is that a large portion of americans are getting their daily news from a biased source and don't even know it.
the point is, in the end this all leaves me with a paralyzing feeling of helplessness. obviously, i will continue to go along my daily life providing absolutely no support for either one of these organizations, which in the grand scheme of things has about the same impact as a mosquito colliding with a bowling ball ... but what can i do really? it is well documented that hundreds of american communites have stood up to companies such as these and won, but in those situations most of the people joining forces were either directly affected or bored retirees tired of soduku and re-runs of the golden girls. until i am one of these 'victims,' i find it hard to see myself doing anything more than pissing, moaning, handing out empty gestures and taking the moral high road.
additionally, i think i need a rug for my apartment.
oh, and in two weeks i will have lived in portland a year. an event this monumentous at the very least deeserves a horrifically reflective blog post. hold on to your butts. that is all.
obviously, i've reached the point where i'm just posting images just to fill up space ... it's what i'd like to do at the moment, however blogger doesn't seem to appreciate me attempting to upload images, so i'm left you {anyone? anyone?} to use your imagination.
first off, i'm going to jump ahead a few steps and put the words in your mouth; yes, my attention to this manifesto that is a 'blog' has waned. however, this does not mean that my life has just been less interesting. quite the contrary, actually.
obviously, my time has been occupied by the usual suspects; musical performances, mission theater hangs, new resturant hangs, etc. however, there has been a increased amount of 'movement' taking place over the past few weeks. 'movement' is without question a relative concept, given past travels in europe, my lack of activity because of a debilitating {again, relative concept} sickness and so forth, but that's neither here nor there.
anyhow, two weekends ago i took the train up to seattle to catch the royals and mariners battle it out, not to mention catch up with some notable chillers from colorado, gretchen & emily. watching baseball, especially in person is a therapeutic experience for me, and i was happy to share this with two of my friends who were otherwise indifferent to the sport. needless to say, i had a fantastic time. following the royals while living in portland is difficult for a variety of reasons, but i've tried my damndest to keep up with the latest, even when most of it involves a sickening amount of negative publicity that transcends the kansas city metropolitan area clear to each coast. somehow, i maintain a shred of hope that stereotypes and cliches will finally be defied this year.
making things even more interesting was this past weekend which was spent in fort collins, colorado. my younger brother was finally graduating from college, and it was mother's day. in mrs. keech's words this weekend was going to be a "special treat."
i was able to distract myself off from the to-be-expected-self-referential-contemption that comes with witnessing your younger brother graduate from college until i had my parents drive me to the airport sunday night. the stretch of interstate between denver and fort collins is somewhat desolate, somewhat hilly, and somehow being filled in with an impressive display of typical suburban development. beyond all of that is ubiquitous and depressing, the viewer has one linear and unobstructed view looking west at the foothills of the rockies and beyond. basically, it's gorgeous. moreover, on this particular evening the skies seemed especially imposing; clouds were dark to light, rain seemed to intermittantly fall from the sky in plumes of purple and blue as lightning peppered in between. so, right on queue, memories of our last days in manhattan peppered my thoughts. i could only hope my brother was experiencing that overwhelming coctail of emotions that comes standard with receiving a diploma.
segway to a memorial day weekend spent with a group of individuals who helped create the aforementioned good times; san francisco kansas state architecture graduation invasion 2007 ... it's gonna straight up pop off, baby!
oh, what's that you say? another masterbatory post? what can i say? it just ... happened.
***
oh, and work? much like a freight train, things are moving ahead quickly. after visiting the site last week {no camera this time ... it's ... ehm ... misplaced} i have a better understanding of two things;
1) why large corporate architectural machines that veil themselves as a non-corporate architectural machines cannot successfull or painlessly orchestrate a 'design-build' project,
2) why architects, both male and female, lose their hair,
3) why our boy brad kingsley was dead-on when he postulated about the relevance of 'leverage' in the architect/contractor/client dynamic.
i hope to have more photos soon.
***
concerts i hope to attend before i die*>
> the flaming lips.
> tool.
> radiohead.
> madonna.
> fountains of wayne.
> modest mouse.
*one of these is a lie. i'll leave it up to interpretation and/or fate.
