back to the grind

school has started once again and i am back at it. it was nice to get a break from the daily commute…but also nice to start up school again believe it or not.

i got a new teacher for studio, who seems pretty nice. hopefully she won’t screw me over like the last one did. i am in a sustainable design class and yesterday we watched Al Gore’s pride and joy “An Inconvenient Truth”…kinda interesting. i am interested i suppose in how to design better and conserve, but i am definitely not interested in Gore’s personal life on the tobacco farm, or how close his presidential race was between W.

so here’s to a new beginning, new challenges and triumphs for the next 10 weeks.pray for my soul.

the birfday boy

just wanted to thank everyone for all the birthday wishes. my boss got pretty annoyed that my phone rang off the hook all day long…i secretly enjoyed this little irritation…and i loved all the conversations we had. i am truly blessed to know such loyal, fun, hilarious and giving people. my support runs pretty deep and i am grateful for all of you! thanks for the cards, gifts, texts, facebook wall posts, voicemails and emails. you guys rock my world.

tryin out a new interface. i like the aesthetics of this so we’ll see how it goes

so i can’t believe i haven’t posted about this at all…guess life is nuts and i often focus on whats bringin a man down. BUT, Erika got a new car!!! Thank you a million times over to daddy-o…up and surprised his favorite daughter one day at the Mini dealership. “Kevin Arnold” (her friend ashley also has a mini and named hers Winnie the Mini…thus Kevin Arnold had to be Erika’s ride) is a huge step up from the buggy. Etrain is a mad woman when she drives it…only one speed for her- TOP SPEED! check out the beaute:

Erika challenges anyone to a race! bring it suckahs.

humble soup

so i just wanted to post something to thank everyone for all you have done for me. i feel like i have a huge fan base- not just fans of my blog- but my life and my happiness. i appreciate so much those of you in my life that have been there for me always, and most of you don’t know how much you have impacted me. i consider myself lucky to have a huge support system filled with amazing people who are selfless and true friends. i know that i have a lot on my plate, and i can count on so many people if i ever need to. if i have come to you in the recent weeks in frustration and or looking for someone to listen, THANK YOU!! you know who you are, but you may never know how much you help and effect me. i appreciate so much the concern of all of you, and the sound advice that i have received. with all these things i am trying to juggle, i am glad i can count on so many people to help me along the way!

enlightenment

You do not start to become who you want to be until you are honest with yourself about who you are right now.

Sometimes you need to be honest with yourself about even the stuff that “sucks” about you. From time to time I feel like I am trying to force myself to be a certain way or to think a certain way, for whatever reason. But in forcing myself, I can never fully assume what it is that I think I should assume. It isn’t until I have let go – or rather honestly assessed that I am being stupid or forceful or dishonest with myself – that I am able to truly see what it is that I want to become, that I should become, and how to get there.

i ran across this entry by an old friend of mine and it hit me… i have noticed that i have been complaining and whining a lot lately like a little girl. i haven’t been satisfied with anything in my life right now- school, work and personal relationships- and i feel like a zombie. going from day to day, barely making it by in all areas, or not making it in some. i suppose i haven’t been honest with myself and who i am, what i am and what i do with my life. sometimes i feel like i am being pulled in all sorts of directions like this dude:it is hard to juggle all these things on my plate, but i feel like i can definitely be better. i am sick of excuses and feeling like a tird, quite frankly. i am sick of not being “all there” in the situations i face daily. i am sick of responding to the question : “how is it going?” by saying “fine.” or “what are you up to?” with “same old, same old.” its time to be honest with myself and here goes.

i need to quit envisioning what my life will be like in 5 yrs and make it that way now.
i am an intelligent man, who makes unintelligent decisions daily.
i have an amazing wife, who for some reason sticks around.
i have dreams to be a successful and prominent architect. now is the time to put those dreams on the table while they are still accepted in Architecture school.
i am a baby.
i am a freakin riot.
i have amazing style and people would pay thousands for locks like mine.
i am terrible with money and time management…but am trying to be better. honest
i can jam on the guitar
i have mad drawing skills
i make the same mistakes over and over…i am a slow learner
i am stubborn and passively aggressive
i am a “nice guy”

ok. i am starting to feel like a cheesy dove soap commercial. but i am open to any other things that anyone else can contribute about who, how or what i am.

lokestroke is now aerodynamic

what do you think? i was sick of taming the mighty fro. plus etrain was was sick of seeing my hair everywhere. so fresh and so clean, clean!!

she aint no pigeon

so i have to throw out a disclaimer to all my fans, friends and family out there. most of your who read up on the blog are people who i speak with and or communicate with in some form or another regularly. if you are not in my phone, and you read this…maybe you should leave your number and we can chat it up. back to the point…today was a very exciting day for us. for those of you who really known erika, you know that at one point in her life she wanted to be a doctor.

she just had one little set back of reaching her dream- in her own words, she hates “blood and guts.” kinda hard to be a doc without that, right? i think she may have realized that she couldn’t become a doctor when she first had to dissect an earthworm in middle school and couldn’t handle it. even today at the ripe age of 23, she is squeamish at the sight of her own blood, as minimal as it may be- like a stubbed pinky toe.

but today she got one step closer to realizing her childhood dream. she just got a job working for a doctor in a medi-spa. working in aesthetics has landed her a job working side by side with an experienced doctor who performs all sorts of cosmetic miracles. laser hair removal, laser facials, weight-loss, juviderm, and many other high tech medi-spa treatments that i can’t name. (nor should i even know being a man and all.) she is so excited to be able to work in this type of environment. i am so proud of her and excited to watch her grow, and progress farther into her line of work. she will be doing massage, microderms, facials and a whole slew of other tasty treatments.

back to the disclaimer…today i sent out a mass text to all our friends, letting them know about erika’s new gig. it wasn’t until i spoke with someone later tonight that made me realize that my text might have seemed a little pushy or guilt-trippy. if you were offended, taken back, or felt pressured or rubbed the wrong way..i apologize. thats the problem with text messaging. no tone involved. i would never try to force anyone or guilt trip any of you. i was just really excited for my lady. so 1000 apologies, and nothing but love. YEAH E-TRAIN!!!

california dreamin

reason number 1,217 why i am stoked i live in san diego:
a california winter-

vs. this-

ROUND II
so school started back up again- its gunna be a lil more intense than
the last quarter. the first day was a shock, but i know i can handle
it. new professors and new classmates to get to know are always good.
the break was a sweet escape from the academic life that i lead…no
hanging stress or late nights. i just got to enjoy hanging out with the
wifey and the family. we got to hang out with our wolverine friends- U
of Michigan, not x-men – the francis- tayebi dynamic duo. love those
kids. saw one of the funniest movies i have seen in a long time. if you
haven’t seen Juno- go. its hillarious. here is a nugget to enjoy from
the film.