Takle mamo

ta grša stran londona

2011-09-10T23:06:00.000+01:00

London je z lahkoto najbolj kul, žurersko, zabavno in fletno mesto na svetu.... Ampak na žalost pa z lahkoto zdrsne v največjo tugo na tem planetu. Ko sem degustiral ta okus nisem našel pravih besed, čeprav sem poskušal. Je pa zato Rosi uspelo točno to.

Držim pesti.

Hoxton - Adlešiči EXPRESS

2011-08-27T20:05:00.000+01:00

Akt potovanja mi je pri srcu. Premik od A do B skozi C. Premikanje skozi prostor; opazovanje; speganje; veter v laseh; cakanje na wc. Vse to mi je ful žur. Ne bom sicer nakladal naprej kako vcasih fizicnosti prostora primerjam med seboj (pa ceprav so teksture in genius loci pac blazno zanimive), mi pa je blazno zanimivo kako lahko se v roku parih ur tako popolnoma zamenja okolje - v tem primeru iz malce razpadajocega bloka v ne-najbolj-ugledni cetrti Hoxton v Londonu (in to celo na dan izgredov), pa do idilicnega, sproscenega in izjemno zelenega kampa na Kolpi, cevapcicev, odlicne druzbe in seveda Uniona (pa ceprav takisto zelenega?).

Tako da - Hoxton - Adlešiči EXPRESS:

Pricetek na Hoxton Streetu, pozno dopoldne

Kot iz pravljice.

Genteel.

Manj genteel

Krizisce na Old Streetu nekako nikoli ne zgleda niti pol tako zivahen kot je v resnici..

Tube.

Ampak ne. Mi gremo z busom (ker je lepsi razgled, med drugim)

Na primer na cesto..

Ali pa druge buse..

No, pa obcasno tudi na kaksno grascino

In tiste, ki dejansko poganjajo to mesto

In obcasne ~~boginje~~ amazonke

Tak prijeten, domac obcutek.

Nic hudega sluteca amersika druzina, ki si je jutranjo prometno konico in eno bolj prometnih cest izbrala za eksperimentiranje boris bajki..

In se en bus. Ni konca.

Mimo Finsbury parka

Mimo parkiranega g.Finsburyija

Do Stansteda, kjer je bil koncno WC. :S

Tam zivijo prav posebni pajki.. Boljse da ne vidite kaksne pajcevine pletejo

Exciting.

Aja pa domorodske rastline imajo tudi. Yo yo!

Inu domorodke

Pa vlakec. Skorajda popolnoma drugace kot v npr. Postonjski jami

Se pa tut folk pojavlja iz podzemlja.

In otroci pravijo cigav fotr bi boljs letel letalo ce bi bil letalec.

My ride.. Sem jim pustil nalimat une oranzne nalepke cez.

Sej je cist na easy vse skup..

Pa taka vrocina da nas je voznik s spuscenim oknom pa odprimi vrati vozil

Njah. Napacen sedez. (Ali pa napacno telo, jbg)

Ah, tropska vrocina in Adria Airways

Yeah. Cisto drugace.

In smo ze za volanom. Po skoraj pol leta... Miliiiiina

Kratek pitstop in menjava voznika in vozila, ter razgled iz trnovskih neboticnikov..

Pedal to the metal.

Joj, taka idila... Clovek kar mal pozabi.

Pa se novi (asimetricni!) mostovi

Ni-da-ni.

blurrr

flaree

gridd

Njah.. Lustno, ni kaj..

(see above)

Lustno se naprej

Pa se naprej... Z lokalno prostorsko dominanto.

Kar milina ko ni nobenega na cesti. Sploh.

Ze skor ne mors leps.

Se makadam, tko da je pred ocmi malo skrito

In ze smo tu.

No, jedaca se pride.

Ampak ta glavno je tle.

In tako to nekako to gre, v roku parih ur.. Potem naprej so bili se colni, pa jame, pa izleti, pa trdnjave, pa nevemkajsevse... In potem spet povratek in druge dogodivscine. Ampak ta sama tranzicija je kr... fletna.

junijska razglednica

2011-07-08T17:04:00.001+01:00

januarski boks / bodoče stranke / digitalni lasje

izlet na morje

2011-07-05T00:01:00.000+01:00

Eastbourne (kot nam etimologija pove gre za vas pri vzhodnem potoku, bojda) je prijetno obmorsko anglesko mestece s svojim pomolom, plazami, kopico pubov, nekaj sportnih institucij, kup zaprtih trgovin, eno fantasticno kavarno kjer so preizkuseno fanaticno nastrojeni glede kave, ter v svoji neposredni blizini (tadadadam) klife!

Ta vikend je usoda hotela da ga ponovno obiscem, in ker sem zadnje case popolnoma navdusen nad kao-polaroid app_likacijo za zepni racunalnik, se mi zdi edino fer to deliti s svetom:

Dobrodosli v Eastbourne! Sploh poleti super destinacija za dnevni izlet.

Vsak se lahko zabava, vsaj to nam zelijo sporociti na vsakem koraku. In pravzaprav imajo precej zabavljasko vzdusje tam, podobno kot Brighton.

Glavna atrakcija mesta je pomol iz viktorijanskih casov (ce se ne motim), kjer lahko iz zavetja kavarne okrancljane z ornamentalnimi litozeleznimi okvirji opazujete morje, mesto in pecine.

Ali pa, po zelji, pitate galebe... Pogumni celo direkt iz roke.

Sprehod ob plazi je kar posut z najbolj kicastimi lepimi koscki turisticne navlake...

Res, idila za dol pasti.. Ni-da-ni.

Sprosceno vzdusje se pozna v zraku, v pubih in v slovnici, kot tudi pravopisju.

Seveda pa ne bi bilo pristne angleske izkusnje brez zasebnih plaz.

Pa tudi kaksna javna se najde vmes.

Ampak naj imajo svoje koscke, glavni biser tega konca otoka je seveda Beachy Head, precej spektakularni klifi, ki ponosno strlijo proti Franciji in ze stoletja sluzijo kot ponos angleski samostojnosti, ko tako upornisko zrejo na morje.

Klifi so delno do pretezno spektakularni.

Kot pa da klifi se ne bi bili zadosti, je pa tukaj se najbolj pocukran mozen svetilnicek, ki se bohoti poleg plaze...

Po koncu obiska je seveda treba se poravnati racune, potem pa spet na vlak in novim dogodivscinam naproti. Juhej!

Do naslednjic pa se ena razglednica:

F**k me, I'm famous!

2011-06-23T03:59:00.002+01:00

Ta teden je bil v časniku Finance članek na temo izseljencev, gastarbajterjev in začasnih tujcev. Oz. kot sami pravijo, "ekonomski begunci iz raja na sončni strani Alp". Po spletu okoliščin so kontatirali tudi mene da delim svoje misli in doprinesem svoje prgišče izkušenj:

V Sloveniji za nas ni prihodnosti - Velika Britanija
(iz Financ 118/2011, pa še povezava do celega članka)

Fotka je torej ista kot sem jo že na tem istem blogu koristil že prej, avtor je pa seveda Andraž Blaznik - kar so tako na spletu kot v tiskani ediciji "pozabili" dopisati. Pa še porezali so jo. :(

Tekst pa je takisto skrajšan in je bil v originalu sledeč:

Finance: Zakaj ste odšli oziroma odhajate v tujino?
B: Doseg. Od svoje Erasmus izmenjave pred nekaj leti, ko sem prvic za dlje casa zapustil domace okolje in predvsem Slovenijo, sem dobil precej koristno znanje. Nisem spoznal tega, koliko vec priloznosti se skriva v tujini, temvec kaksno skromno prgisce moznosti je sploh na voljo doma. Kot arhitekt se po izkusnji ustvarjanja stolpnic, naselij in novih mest nisem mogel sprijazniti z delanjem prizidkov, nadzidkov ali v najboljsem primeru podzidkov.

Finance: Kam ste se odselili in kdo vam je pomagal pri tem?
B: Trenutno zivim v Londonu, kamor sem se vrnil na magistrski studij iz teorije arhitekture. Raziskoval sem vpliv digitalnih oblikovalskih orodij na arhitekturo. Studij mi je bil popolnoma pisan na kozo in mi je na siroko razgrnil zavese cisto novim tematikam. Dileme glede izbire "destinacije" ni bilo, saj sem okolje poznal ze od prej, ima neustavljivo privlacen karakter in je bil najblizje zares globalno mesto. Najvec mi je pomagala druzina, predvsem izjemno potrpezljivi starsi. (Njim ponovno hvala!)

Finance: Kaj delate oziroma boste počeli v tujini?
B: Delam pravzaprav to, kar bi na celem svetu najrajse. Poleg svojih zasebnih projektov delam v studiu za marketing nepremicnin, kjer sem odgovoren za vso digitalno produkcijo. To mi omogoca neprestano ustvarjanje in pa raziskovanje digitalnih tehnologij in arhitekture. Projekti se nahajajo vsepovsod po Veliki Britaniji in svetu, trenutno od Karibov do Kitajske, in vkljucujejo tako razkosne vile kot spletne aplikacije, pogosto z roko v roki.

Finance: Ali se nameravate vrniti v Slovenijo in kdaj?
B: V Ljubljani imam druzino in prijatelje. Oboje pogresam in jih z najvecjim veseljem obiskujem. Ampak trenutno razen njih ne vidim motivacije za daljse obiske, kaj sele vrnitev. Sem pa pred nekaj meseci London skorajda zamenjal za Peking in kasneje za Berlin. V obeh primerih so nacrti na koncu sicer padli v vodo, vendar je bila motivacija enaka: zanimivi projekti z vecji doseg.

Novi razgledi

2011-06-04T01:04:00.000+01:00

Ja te dni je čist štala pa gužva, pft*!

Tako da je že material za novo razglednico:

problemi sodobnih ustvarjalcev so generični vzorci. še sreča. ;) /

pet project, že od zdavnaj v mislih, sedaj komaj čakam da jih naprintam /

kot riba V vodi, vsaj enkrat.. ne slika, ne sajt, temveč cela strategija :O

(*-Pa Take Fore ;) )

Razglednice

2011-05-22T22:27:00.000+01:00

Yellow!

Ko sem zadnjic srecal svoj blog iz 3delavnice sem videl koliko so mi dejansko vsecni tisti obcasni izseki iz takorekoc delavne mize - triptihi trenutnih projektov.. Pa sem se odlocil da bom to nadaljeval, tako da tukajle je trenutni/majski/danasnji/tatedenski:

ze vnaprej izgubljen timeline /

najnovejsa in najlepsa stran na internetu /

kontejnersko naselje (s slastnimi burgerji)

Takle mamo pred Takle mamo

2011-05-08T21:38:00.001+01:00

Saj res...

Preden je obstajal tale blog, je obstajal že njegov predhodnik, katerega sem po naključju spet srečal... Te povabim da z menoj obujaš spomine:

dnevnik benjamin @ 3delavnica

Ko takole že skorajda zares stare stvari (vsaj v svetu spletnega zapisovanja) gledam me prav motivira da bi malce bolj pridno tole sestavljal... Zase, zate, za vse.... (No, in pa zase (blush) :) )

Barcelonske ladje

2011-05-06T14:59:00.000+01:00

Cisto na kratko - ko sem bil na morju, sem videl da se iz trdnjave na Montjuicu zelo lepo vidi v barcelonsko pristanisce, ki je za razliko od ostalih urbanih pristanisc se zelo zivahna zadeva, se je priloznost za time lapse ponudila kar sama od sebe.. Poizkusiti kako se pa umetni tilt shift dodaja je bil pa naslednji korak:

... je pa res da je imel fotic nastavitev za najvec 10 zaporednih fotk, in pa da je veter pihal kot za stavo in je majal stativ, fotic, frizure in kape...

awkward london

2011-03-25T21:30:00.005Z

awkward london... i just launched a more specialised blog focusing on the peculiarities of London.. (to take the strain off this one ;) )

Hit in the head by a soccer ball.

2011-01-12T23:34:00.001Z

While there's nothing overly interesting to report, might as well share a work-in-progress:

Shot with a 7D, on rails, with some lights & a pinch of movie magic.. :) more to come soon.

Him and His Doll

2010-12-05T14:59:00.002Z

You can skip down to the bottom of this post for a film clip from the session, or enjoy some behind-the-scenes photos & stories below..

It all started, as a lot of these thing seem to do, in front of a Tube station. Whitechapel, in fact, and the occasion was another photoshoot with Andraz Blaznik. The plan was to get a short film & story together about an overly self-conscious young lad and his early xmas present - a more-than-just-lifelike doll.

Other than Andy & myself, the crew consisted of Barbara for makeup, Kelly & Mikael as models, Linda as the coproducer and Katja as the indespensible assistant. Following the makeup process (I am sometimes just so thankful for not being a girl), we dove right in. Although winter was just stepping in, the first set was an outdoors one, which was too cold for comfort even for the ones of us that were wearing gloves & actual clothes.. Can't even begin to imagine what it was like for the models..

The set followed the makebelieve world of the guy character and his adventures with his new companion, including a bath, a rooftop, and of course the bedroom...

Alas, the relentless stare of the doll did eventually prove to be too much for the guy to bare, but at least we did get to enjoy a fireworks display from the terrace over the 2012 site..

But a picture tells a thousand words, the film is bound to tell so much more:

Me and My Doll

Venesia

2010-10-31T21:29:00.007Z

I spent this October 1st at the architectural biennale in Venice (or Venesia, as the place is called in venetian). The trip was loads of fun, we went with some friends, made a day of it, went on a boat (hell yeah!), and saw a bunch of stuff.. These biennales (biennali?) seem to be getting softer every year (or every other year, rather). They used to be a full-day test of endurance & stamina, as there was waaaay more stuff to do than could possibly be done in a single day. And yet, they seem to be getting more comfortable every time? Last time we briskly skimmed over everything, after attending Piran days the day before. And yet survived to tell the tale without even so much as a blister...

The team.. a bit of sitting down sure feels good after a full day of Architecture.
Actually there were 6 of us there that day, but that's another story...

This year we even managed to explore some never-before-seen pavillions (and, to be honest it doesn't look like I've been missing too much up to now...), and the Cypriot exhibition next door was nothing if not fun. After that we even managed to take a stroll through some of the less-visited islands in the lagoon. We found a couple of dead-ends we weren't looking for, and what we were actually looking for remains to be found. But we even managed to squeeze in an majestic afternoon pint with a delicious view (or was it the other way around?).

The Belgian carpet and Ito's Taichung opera house

As for the exhibitions themselves... The lack of exhaustion doesn't correlate to the lack of inspiration. For one, the Belgian (I think?) exhibition was downright hilarious. They touched up on a subject that has been passively entertaining me for some time now - actual lives of architectural elements. By taking used carpets, wall panels and such and displaying them in their soiled true form. Along with the grime, footsteps, sweat and all the rest that accumulates in architectures. But somehow makes it nicer than the swankiest rendering. Like a good, worn-in Chesterfield in the corner of a dimly-lit bar can't really ever be replaced by a plasticky shell (okay, to be honest, if they made ones that actually fit taller people properly, the choice wouldn't be quite as easy).

On the other hand, projections of future carpets were quite nicely summed up with Ito's opera house. It will ~~probably~~ hopefully become an excellent (not to forget mammoth) proof-of-concept. Although the magic of generated / naturesque(!) geometries is surely lost at this scale, the architectural endeavour is not not-praiseworthy. Keywords such as self-supporting, permeating, featherlight, optimized, etc... just don't work at this scale. Very much like a wing just won't carry a plane once it hits a certain size. Despite looking like a sponge from a fictional helicopter three football fields away, it really is just another building. At it will be having soiled carpets at some point. (But they will have been soiled by glossy shoes! :) )

Scandinavia's best and an architectural oasis

Going back to basics, I'm blown away by the Scandinavian pavilion every single time. The volume, the light, the proportions... the ceiling.. the ludicrous windows.. the not-irrelevant-but-still-fun (this time with free beer, apparently!) exhibitions.. the tree... And, at another part of the whole affair, a slice of pure architecture. A constructed oasis, of course.. Not without predecessors, the oasis could be read in one of many ways. Of course, such architecture is not without political and sociological implications, but who wouldn't want an exodus and become a voluntary prisoner therein? ;-)

However alongside the architectural bewilderment, there was an experiment underway. Having been recently tainted with film making, I've decided to switch my camera settings to 30 fps rather than the usual 0.01, and look around for nice stuff. I still find the ratio of time spent compared to final product length fascinating. In the past I've spent weeks trying to get a single rendering together, but that somehow made sense.. But tying frames, time, synchronisation, colours, motion, a story and random events together is just something else...
But you only get better by trying, so here it is...

Venesia

:)

A tale of Pimps and Bananas

2010-10-13T12:34:00.000+01:00

You can skip down to the bottom of this post for a film clip from the session, or enjoy some behind-the-scenes photos & stories below..

A title that warrants some puzzlement and, hopefully, intrigue, I know... But it makes all the sense in the world. The tale goes that photographer Andraz Blaznik had an idea for a project. It was to include pimps, cigars, bling, high heels and stockings. Needless to say, I was interested. :)

It all started off innocently enough. Getting to the location in Hackney in East London, setting up the equipment, a quick strategic plan, a couple of biscuits, and we started!

There were quite a few people involved, actually. From left, there's Sašo (whose involvement (or lack thereof) I'll be getting back to in some detail later on), yours truly and Tomas Bohinc.

Barbara Mensah was our makeup artist, who brought along a suitcase or two of equipment. One might think that's a bit over the top, but then again what she was asked to do wasn't just put on a bit of lipstick.

She was to transform Noelle Woosley for her role, which included a rather larger-than-usual makeup scheme.

Once the costume & makeup came together (if the odd bits still sticking out are neglected) Noelle ended up being a rather lovely (and entertaining) banana.

Following the process closely, of course were the boys - Andraz the photographer and Tomas the pimp. Guess which is which.

Eventually we got off to some photography. This included portraits, group shots and, most importantly, the storyline shots. Those are covered in the film at the end of this post.

Them pimps.. Got all the love of the bananas, and this is how they repay them.. Tsk, tsk..

Which is perhaps why eventually the banana decided to take thing into her own hands. Or, under her own heels, rather. She even threatened to use her cane if people kept taking her biscuits.

Of course, being at the Regent's Canal, all this commotion did attract quite a crowd. Strange, that...

We did manage to calm our banana down eventually and she became as adorable as before.

Of course this story looks quite different through Andraz's camera.. But that one doesn't show the lovely hoodie that Noelle is sporting in some of the pictures, namely of UK's 2010 TJF/Jujitsu National Randori champions ;)

Of course I had to pitch in my five cents, or pence, rather, bossing the people around (and airplanes by the looks of it). But don't be fooled by Sašo to the left in red, looking like he's working...

The thing is, Sašo dropped in. Apparently there wasn't anything on TV at the time. (Or there was no TV? Or Internet? Or neighbours? :D)

But he was hired on the spot (for lack of a better word) as an assistant. Not a really tough job, one would think. And not really that much to do, to be honest. Yet still, he decided he'd rather have a beer than hold up a flash or two. He even held one of the cameras for a while to make himself look like he was busy...

He then decided to have a spot of lunch, seeing as he's had a hard day so far... And tried on the banana costume as well...

He even took on the job of entertaining (well, I say entertaining.. It was actually hugging) some of our other guests/spontaneous helpers. But even Harpreet eventually saw through his feeble attempts at not working ...

Eventually he was given a task that he and Noelle would enjoy. (Although perhaps not for the same reasons ;) )

But to be honest, he did play his part in the end (though not straining himself) and it wouldn't have been quite as entertaining without him on the set...

Although that's not the end of the story quite yet. Seeing as I've taken quite a few photos (as you can see.. otherwise these comments wouldn't have been very sensible) and film clips as well, the idea was to combine them all and share them with you fine people of the Internets.

Now, to be honest, there were quite a few clips. More than list above, and that was after a bit of cleanup. And, unfortunately, they don't lend themselves to showing quite as effortlessly as photos do..

So I've decided to complicate my life a bit by making a title scene. But what would fit the topic, the place and the style best? Well, graffiti of course. But, strangely enough, I didn't spot any graffiti to do with pimps or bananas when we were there.. So I did a bespoke piece of digital graffiti.

Of course going out with a couple of spray cans just wouldn't do (one is far too civilized for that). Or using just a standard typeface... No, instead I opted for a massive, heavy, 3d sign with ludicrously exaggerated perspective, a pinch of gloss and a cup of depth.

And as I was doing it,I though I might have some fun with it at least. This is probably the only place where the detail of the sign is visible.. Down to the faux splatter (fitting each colour used, mind you), a background grille, as well as the aforementioned 3d sign, with some added bling, shine & sparkle. Of course with an added glossy arc (so web 2.0, I know), some drips, and to finish it all of, a scent of the original (ha-ha) structure of the brick to show the texture of the wall. And it all comes together in the film clip below:

Pimp my banana (behind the scenes)

(mind the HD option...)

And they all lived happily ever after, as in any good tale.

jobs?

2010-09-17T13:31:00.001+01:00

Per chance the odd reader of this humble blog is looking to recruit any gleaming & promising part II assistants in london - I'm your man! Seeing as I'm done with the dissertation and only working on a few digital/video projects that are about to end, I'm looking for a job.

So... In case you're doubtful of my many, many talents, check out ben.si/architecture, where I'm sure you'll see I can handle basically anything that is handed my way.

And then, at a leisurely pace, no rush, if you will... hire me!

Crux of the Fold

2010-09-06T11:25:00.008+01:00

edit: This post has since been expanded into its very own blog - visit Crux of the fold, the blog

Yay, I have finished my architectural dissertation. And it is called (drum roll, please) Crux of the Fold. It is basically all about what architecture is becoming, what is bringing this change about, and some other things as well.. In other words:

In this dissertation we are going to explore the identity of contemporary architecture. As most everything regarding architecture is beginning to be conducted in a virtual digital environment, the result is more than a change of tools, but a different architecture altogether. This is to be done through a series of observations focusing on key aspects of emerging architecture’s many facets.

To appropriately explore the character of this new architecture, the nature of virtual is explored, as is the identity of digital. The aim is to discover what this architecture is all about and where the current stream of exploration is leading. And most importantly, what is on the other side of cutting edge.

And in its entirety:
Benjamin Rancic: Crux of the Fold
London Metropolitan University: MA Architecture History, Theory and Interpretation - Final Thesis

bridges

2010-08-04T11:14:00.000+01:00

i'm a great fan of occasionally burning bridges, its great fun. the problem is that they tend to stay burnt. regardless, there is a bunch of bridges that caught my eye for various reasons...

I was trying to find Musmeci's bridge in Potenza:

its a lovely design, much unlike traditional bridges. whereas the shape of a regular bridge (more or less loosely) approaches an ideal distribution through the use of simplified geometry, this one is a tour de force in catenaries. through the use of double-curved surfaces it support the road more like caterpillar than a pillar. and that is to say nothing of its aesthetics or uniqueness.

it is covered further on this blog dedicated to concrete

anyways, along the way i stumbled on another couple of things as well.. an impressive bridge a well, however much more geometrized:

this is what a regular bridge is like (obviously, i hear you say). anyways, the supporting curve works in much the same way as the one in Potenza, however considerably dematerialized and abstracted. the catenarily curved surfaces are here reduced to one main arch, supported by point supports spread along the length of the road. what rescues this particular bridge form banality is the split and/or tilted supports - notice how they're not vertical and how they join in together.

but returning to canteraies, a more recent example is the puente cascara by west 8 in Madrid:

the support and supported (or object and subject, as it were) are flipped around in this case. as the usable surface is hung from the support rather than leaning onto it, the support begins to act as a dome. a considerably elongated dome, but still. the forces within the supports are those of compression in either case, with the load coming from under as opposed to above - and the pedestrians get a roof, yay!
and more pictures on this other blog.

but when mentally meandering around bridges, trnovo bridge in ljubljana by plecnik is worth mentioning as well:

other than its sculptural additions, rustic treatment and a very echoy underside, its party trick are trees. some 8 birches grace the bridge as a contiuation of a treelined street that leads up to it. apparently it is one of the oldest tree-populated bridges in the world

but then again, what's all the fuss about birdges, anyway?

(as seen on creativecriminals.com)

typologization of non-places

2010-07-23T17:49:00.001+01:00

Dissertation WIP [= Work In Progress ya'll!]

[...]

The first type of these built undifferentiated entities are generic spaces, which function as a beacon of anonymity in an otherwise fully diversified world. It is spearheaded by petrol stations and characterized by generic spaces which are inserted into populated places. By creating a series of identical and instantly recognizable spaces, the experience of inhabiting one is made to be as similar as possible to inhabiting another. This is achieved by utilizing identical floor plans, equipment, uniforms and serving identical products within a standardized environment of fixed temperature and musical/vocal background. Although generally small in terms of architectural size, they are nothing if not compact.

The second are non-places. They achieve a curious trick, where through creating a unique object for a specific place, they create an fundamentally anonymous environment. Whereas they are there, they might as well be anywhere else. The champion of this phenomenon is the international airport, but examples such as shopping malls, parking garages or large medical institutions could be used in its place. Through its own vastness creates a world in itself, frequently with the spatial qualities of a Moebius strip. Limited, but never ending. Unique, yet self-similar. Bland, because of being too spicy. With the most important element being the “You are here” sign, presented in an appropriate language, along with a sufficiently large arrow pointing at itself. The architectural qualities of such spaces can also be described as Big in Koolhaasian terms, where even if they choose a style or concept, it becomes overwhelmed by it’s own Bigness. There is no definite style for Bigness, and yet they are unmistakable, not least through their bigness.

The third step of this un-place evolutionary scale are conceptual places. Although firmly rooted into a specific place, they are there only in passing. By folding the Cartesian grid from the proto-example around the user, they become inhabitable manifestations of abstract terms such as geometry, body, nation, etc. The pure-bred example is the Expo pavilion - an encapsulated cultural embassy, without the paperwork or border controls. It is essentially a displaced slice of land or an idea given corporeal form, striving to instantly consume the visitor and conjure up an immersive virtual world.

The fourth and final step is the wholly virtual spaces. By achieving material disconnectedness that is only aspired to (intentionally or otherwise) in previous types, it offers a truly endless plateau of digital virtuality. By shaping this endless incorporeal, yet malleable space according to our needs, an inhabitable virtual space is created. The current proliferation of blogs/personal pages can be likened to the past population of the Wild West, bar the natives. Every participant can potentially establish a virtual outpost in a seemingly endless space.

[...]

Drops

2010-07-16T11:32:00.002+01:00

New short film released - Drops:

Fashion by Nika Urbas,
photography by Matjaz Tancic,
production by ben.si

PS: mind the HD option (!)

list

2010-07-10T21:37:00.001+01:00

Upcoming dissertation reading list (authors only):

A. Ballantyne (G. Bataille, P.B. Shelley, R.W. Emerson, G. Bachelard, M. Tournier, W. James, J. Dewey, C.S. Peirce, G. Bateson, W. Benjamin, L. Aragon, K. Marx, S. Freud, J. Kristeva, S. Žižek, S. Butler, D. Haraway, H.D. Thoreau, P. Ricoeur, N. Goodman, M. Serres, E.A. Poe, M.O. Wilson, Le Corbusier, G. Deleuze, B. Massumi, P. Healey, I. Buchanan, F. Jameson, H. von Kleist), J. Beckmann (S. Allen, P. Anders, Asymptote, E. Baum, G. Branwyn, B. Cache, C. Davies, M. de Landa, F. Dyson, M. heim, Knowbiotic Research, B. Massumi, W.J. Mitchell, H. Moravec, S. Perrella, F. Röetzer, A. Ruby, V. Sobchack, M. Speaks, C. Springer, L. Spuybroek, Stelarc, S. Stenslie, A. Svenson, M.C. Taylor, M.A. Taylor, B. van Berkel, C. Bos, P. Virilio, M. Wertheim), D. Sudjic, E. Tsui, G. Gans + Z. Kuz (G. Benisch, Z. Kuz, E. Pelkonen, A. Omurtag, V. Giencke, W. Katavolos, J. Johansen, T. Bringham, H. Lalvani, T. Dalland, M. Raman, J. Johansen, K. Frampton), L. Hellman, P. Noever (C. Himmelblau, Z. Hadid, S. Holl, T. Mayne, E.O. Moss, C. Pinos, L. Woods), Vitruvius, C. Jencks..... ... emm.. and that's just the first set...

Who needs the sun, anyway...

L'Année dernière à Bregna

2010-07-09T10:48:00.002+01:00

I found myself watching Æon Flux (as one would on a friday morning). Although far from any cinematic masterpiece in terms of story, it is nevertheless a jewel of (architectural) cinematography.. Going through various noteworthy buildings (ranging from Park Sanssouci to Zumthor) it most definitely gives architecture a show for its money. (Or is it the other way around?) Set in the fictional city of Bregna, we follow the protagonist while she tries to save the world (by ruining it, in a way).

Something apart from the buildings did strike me, though. The cinematography itself. I saw many similarities with L'Année dernière à Marienbad. Which, to be completely honest, pays a big tribute to architecture as well, however I found the number of similar scenes disturbing. This is not to say they were in any way copied, but is this just simply all the possible compositions of characters & buildings that one can make on film?

To illustrate my point:

To start off, let's start with a standard run-of-the-mill couple shot. Being all proud, and ignore the puppet-like silhouettes in the background

A couple lovingly juxtaposed in a comfortable corner, in relation to the building

Puppets sprinkled along the scene, interplaying with the (architectural) background

The glory shot (slightly off-centre of course, let's not be crude)

Legendary. The firing squad. Aeon surprisingly less puppet-y (but do note the glipse of Architecture in the background!)

The detailed glory-shot (just in case you missed it, this film is about buildings)

Centered couple walking down a corridor (note how the genders are positioned the same)

Character posing in the foreground, with a glorious (constructed) background

I was doubly surprised to find this in both films, but surprised further still when I realized I found it in both films

The chairs & table as turning point of the story, encased in a heavy layering of House

Of course, this list wouldn't be complete with the surrealist scene from Marienbad. Unfortunately there isn't any adequate imagery in Aeon, but this is the closest I could find

And, of course. The couple and the House. Centered.

the imagery is probably © Alain Resnais for Marienbad and © Paramount Pictures for Aeon

footie

2010-06-03T11:55:00.001+01:00

ah yes.. i found out about after effects..

How to pin down a cloud?

2010-05-22T00:31:00.000+01:00

A key part of contemporary society is information and its distribution. Most people are exposed to a continuous stream of data, usually intentionally but sometimes involuntarily. This informationalization takes place online, on TV and through other almost antiquated forms such as daily newspapers, billboards and printed adverts.

(as illustrated by Domestic Robocop)

Online content has “spilled over” from its web-browser container. What was a docile pool of information is now permeating all forms of media. Originally bound to desktops, it can now be found radiating on every street, from mobile phones, digital displays and other devices. As its volume has reached a critical point of proliferation it has become self-perpetuating. This growth is more like a bacterial colony than an avalanche, with web 2.0 supporting this explosion of growth.

Definitions of web 2.0 vary from “web applications that facilitate interactive information sharing” to “A mix of technology and business processes”. The concept of “sharing” is common to all, creating an unstable cloud of information, accessible and continuously edited by all users.

And yet, this is only one enclave of a much wider attitude that has been steadily developing. Similar principles can be found in fields from agriculture to quantum physics. Autonomous elements with fixed roles are giving way to flexible fields, where meanings are established through relationships within their current context. This difference is best described by Reiser, who compares chess to Go. The figures in chess have their differentiated roles and behaviours which are stable regardless of the context they are put in. Contrarily, the pieces in Go are all uniform. The role of each individual piece is defined by its context. Multiple pieces assume new roles as they are grouped in certain ways and draw power from their neighbours.

It is a transition from black-and-white relationships to shades-of-gray. While this shift might be logical and in some cases inevitable, it is less so for the computing world, where bits of information are either 1s or 0s. However as bits are bound together in bigger packages, they can be more malleable and adaptable. Regardless, they remained essentially rigid until the emergence of web 2.0 with its informal organizational logic.

The essential shift is not so much in the separation of content and container. The same slice of information, either the original piece or a copy of it, was always potentially present simultaneously in different environments. The added value is added with its association with other similar slices of data, as commonly illustrated with tag clouds. It is through these affiliations that the actual power of the network grows. With continuous adjustments by scores of users the cloud gains in size and diversity. In effect, it is a transition from an array of unconnected elements to a continuous field with various differentiations. The inherent rigidness of computer operation has been “softened” and made to work in “human” way.

It is only natural for architecture to echo these fluid concepts. Stylistically it could be described as a shift from modernism to blobism, but that would be an oversimplification. Essentially, the shift is from a top-down approach to bottom-up growth. In modernism the leading idea was systematically implemented in all scales of a project, working from larger to smaller scales. This generated a coherent result, yet lacked adaptability. Contrarily, web 2.0 promotes an upside-down approach. A leading idea is used as general guidance, but work starts at the smallest scale, which gains momentum through numbers and associations, steering the development of the entire project.

The result should be adapted to any given situation. And yet that is not the case most times. This is because of over-simplified starting points, as they create circumstances which fail to reflect the complexity of the actual environment. Additionally, any static solution in a dynamic environment is bound to become outdated at some point or another.

Modernism’s rigidity is perhaps best embodied in Rietveld’s Red and Blue Chair. Although very systematic in the choice of shapes, materials and colours, it is less than perfectly adapted to the user. Grcic took a step further with Chair One, which is an in-between point in development. Although its optimized shape it is both efficient and comfortable, it’s still constructed in a rigid way, not exploiting its own full potential. Laarman has taken this a step further still with Bone Chair, which is metaphorically chiselled from a solid mass, making the best possible use of the material available, while offering optimum support for the user.

The only element missing is adaptability. This is achieved in R&Sie n’s project “I’ve heard about”, which is essentially scale-less, adaptable for growing into anything from chairs, rooms or entire buildings. It embodies a separation from any dogmatic preconceptions. Similarly to web 2.0, there is a rough idea of what the end result should be, however each step towards it depends wholly on its own unique conditions. The result is less a chair or a house, but the built form of the conceptual cloud, continuously adapting to itself, becoming bigger, more diversified and specialized at the same time.

Unleashed

2010-05-05T02:04:00.000+01:00

Berlin Alexanderplatz I: Die Strafe beginnt

As Franz Biberkopf is released from prison in Fassbinder’s Berlin Alexanderplatz (part 1) the sight is not one of a (reformed?) murderer being unleashed unto society, but rather of the Metropolis unleashed upon the individual who was removed from it for a time.

The functioning Metropolis, along with its sounds, bustle, characters and colours immediately proves overwhelming for the fragile individual. As Simmel puts it, the “intensification of nervous stimulation” is too great to be taken in and ultimately leads to the crumbling of the character. The influence of the Metropolis is omnipresent and the protagonist is exposed to it even in his supposedly safe, private residence. The Metropolis looms through incessant blinking lights or sounds, never leaving Franz at peace.

Relationships and feelings suppressed by the Metropolis eventually “break into hatred and fight at the moment of closer contact, however caused” and in Franz’s case, murder.

The film finishes on a positive note with Franz’s decision to be good and to strive to make a better society. With that he starts his doomed fight against the mighty Metropolis, which ultimately leads to his own destruction as an individual.

a picture tells a thousand words..

2010-04-27T21:09:00.000+01:00

teaser for a work-in-progress... movie clips with various depths / focal lenghts

flights above me at this moment... see where the crowd is? (flight radar)

my perrrrrty new desktop (gilles et dada)

Flowers on the coast

2010-04-26T15:42:00.000+01:00

misli o nekem določenem prostoru

Modern travel is usually associated with spending long hours in uncomfortable seats, occasionally even sprinkled with dust. The sparkling destination at the other end makes it all worthwhile, where a few short days or perhaps even weeks will be spent. Miles seem to trudge along and the whole ordeal will most likely have to be repeated on the way back.

Only rarely does travel on its own become a destination in itself. An endless train journey across Siberian plains is perhaps one such endeavour, and a cruising the tropics in a ship could be another. Yet these are both passive experiences, where the aim is simply to enjoy the scenery and sample the cuisine. The more adventurous sort will try to make their way through the heart of Spain on foot or perhaps attempt to swim across one channel or another.

There is, however, a third option. Replacing blisters with glamour. Powering through mountains instead of climbing them. Speeding across a ragged landscape... A rare stretch of road partly buried under mountain ranges and occasionally leaning precariously above the Mediterranean embodies the spirit of travel more than any romantic railroad ever will.

The Autostrada dei Fiori (Motorway of the Flowers) is a stretch of motorway connecting Nice in France to Genoa in Italy. It traverses more than countries and valleys. It exists where a road, under any other circumstances, cannot exist. It is as natural as an ice-cream van in the Sahara and yet it fits perfectly.

It connects two great cities along a stretch of coast that has only recently decided to rise out of the sea and is unwilling to let anyone cross its innumerable ridges and precipices. This arrogant nature is subdued by countless tunnels, viaducts and barriers, and an endless flow of cars and lorries perched over the sea.

In its soul the Autostrada is as much an engineering undertaking as the Eiffel tower – effortlessly satisfying all practical demands – and yet adding flair in spades. Its spatial qualities are made to be appreciated exclusively through motion – partly because there is no place to stop. Exhibiting true Italian roadway design heritage, it is more akin to a bobsled track than a traffic thoroughfare. And to complicate it further, this track is both hung across deep valleys and drilled through solid cliffs. The lack of solid ground has even pushed the border crossing between France and Italy some 5 kilometres from its actual spot.

Due to its character, the Autostrada offers the gratifying experience of travelling for the sake of travel. Even after a winning game in a casino in Nice, the drive will prove to be an astonishing experience, as it fuses landscape, cities and travel into one continuous experience. Roaring motors are balanced with the calmness of the sea throughout the journey.

Along the way there are almost too many sights to be seen, but not touched. Glimpses of scattered private villas can be caught over the wheel, as well as compact villages grown onto the ridges. And spread amongst them innumerable tomato greenhouses. And yet they can’t be looked at! The speed demands attention and the asphalt mixes danger with delight. The drive itself is gambling with life as it is with chips in Nice.

This automotive bliss takes some adapting to. As this is the natural habitat of sporty V8 coupés and such beasts, it is worlds apart from any daily commute. And as a red 1952 Alfa Romeo Disco Volante zips past, the whole experience becomes very similar to riding a roller coaster; with the added benefit of having control of the throttle.

In short, the Autostrada dei Fiori is a destination in itself, being part of a group of great Mediterranean roads that snugly hug the coast and were made to be enjoyed. In a convertible.

scale

2010-04-23T10:40:00.000+01:00

apparently

The Neanderthal's brain was bigger than yours is.

It took Leo Tolstoy six years to write "War & Peace".

7.5 million toothpicks can be created from a cord of wood.

Every year about 98% of the atoms in your body are replaced.

The highest point in Pennsylvania is lower than the lowest point in Colorado.

A car that shifts manually gets 2 miles more per gallon of gas than a car with automatic shift.

etc...

Nuts & bolts

2010-04-21T17:34:00.032+01:00

tokrat so na sporedu razmišljanja o vlogi tehnologije v arhitekturi in na svetu nasploh....

The sheer cheek and explicitness of the Cité des Sciences et Industrie in Paris is impressive. It courageously shows off its raison-d’être: being a temple to scientific endeavour. Unlike the Beaubourg, Cité’s colourful cultural cousin or Lloyd’s, the monument to money, who both wear their insides out like fashionable overcoats, the Cité is in its essence dedicated to exploring these insides. The result is not so much a building as the world’s biggest didactic tool.

Embodied within the Cité is the idea of technology itself. Although nuts and bolts as well as rivets and welds hold buildings together and keep ships dry (or at least afloat), they take on almost religious significance in the Cité. Here technological know-how is used to display technological know-how itself. Although the result of this incest could easily have become vulgar, it in fact comes through as a well composed tribute to science. The appearance seems wholly fitting to the content, unlike some other sheds which were needlessly decorated with beams, pipes and cables, courtesy of high-tech architects.

The birth of technology itself is perhaps best represented in 2001: A Space Odyssey, where an ape starts to understand what could be done with a bone and later uses this new knowledge to intimidate its rivals. Even though the scene is fictional and obviously isn’t based on any historical record, it is very successful at portraying what the first ever realization of the sheer potential of technology might have looked like. From that moment onwards technology has become a faithful companion of man and was in some way or another involved in or responsible for all of mankind’s future aspirations. Some sort of technological appliance has been used in the conception and construction of everything from Stonehenge to Spring house.

And yet, the essence of technology is difficult to pin down. Combining concepts of quantum mechanics and windscreen wipers under a single roof and not leave any components out in the rain is a daunting task. One such attempt was by Heidegger who developed the concept of ‘standing-reserve’. He argues that willingness to be used is intrinsic to any technological device. Any tool is then essentially a potential extension of the user, waiting to be put into practice. The acceleration pedal will (albeit indirectly) take the driver to speeds that would otherwise be out of reach.

Because the idea of technology itself is so fundamental to the human psyche it is often difficult to be aware of its presence. It is often only noticeable when wholly absent (or hidden from view) or, contrarily, its presence is greatly emphasised.

One of the most successful cases of invisible technology is the wall-mounted Muji CD player. Unlike similar devices it is perversely blank, its purpose legible only to those familiar with inner workings of CD players. Devoid of any obvious controls, it only comes alive when coupled with a CD and its cord is gently tugged.

Alternatively, there is fetishisation of technology. Steampunk thrives on the romantic aspects of bolts and rivets, re-enacting a glorified industrial revolution. Here the elements enabling the standing reserve are grossly exaggerated and openly indulge in exhibitionism. Each tiny rivet is brushed until gleaming and every knob put on a pedestal.

It is worth noting that every single artefact ever created fits in at some point between these two poles. As Aristotle points out, anything not given to us by nature is created by man and as such inherently technological. And as the world is so thoroughly soaked in technology it is difficult, if not impossible, to find a dry spot. It is only natural then for architecture to echo this state.

layerji

2010-04-18T23:11:00.000+01:00

ena stvar, ki me zadnje case drži okupiranega je koncept soobstoja, layerjev, resnične narave sveta, aksiomov in drugih absolutnih resnic... kar sem tudi že ubesedil pri celebration weeku. sicer me okupira bolj kot bi bilo to nujno potrebno ali celo koristno. ampak nič zato, sploh ker jo lahko brez večjih težav vpletem v študijski korikulum (uf, beseda).. imam v planu sicer eno bolj pogumno zadevo izvesti (baje nekaj materiala že imam nabranega), ampak do takrat en dosti švohnat koprodukt raziskovanja te tematike..

Camden Layers:

spet rezanje

2010-04-16T00:37:00.003+01:00

me je prijelo da malo bolj aktivno pristopim k temu blogiranju... povod za tokratno pisanje je pa to, da sem spet dobil izgovor za igranje z laserskim rezalnikom... sicer je bil zaenkrat samo test run, ampak sem ga tudi malo izkoristil za lastno izživljanje..

tole je en košček, ki je ostal od ta glavnega kosa... moram rečti da je nivo detajlov res zakon! takšnele tim-burton-esque spirale dela kot za šalo. in če imaš moč žarka pravilno nastavljeno (kar je nisem imel.. ampak sedaj vem da mora biti 12,2% namesto 8%) potem se še perfektno izreže.

vse pa izhaja iz takšnihle risb. rdeče so za rezanje, črne za graviranje. sploh to graviranje je prav opolzek koncept, glede na to da je debelina papirja tisto del milimetra. čeprav, roko na srce, gre bolj za selektivno zažiganje, tako nekako kot če bi z lečo in soncem žgal v papir..

kot že omenjeno se laser drži načrta kot... no, pijanec plota. če pa koga zanima je dashed line v ilustratorju samo vizalna fora in v resnici ne naredi črtkane črte. tisto je treba narediti na roke.. stranski produkt tokratne ekskurzije v svet rezanja je bil 45minut prostega časa za poljubno rezarijo.. in sem si spravil narediti par vizitk.

mala domača manufaktura. oz. pigalnica, če smo natančni.. posamezne narezane trakove je potrebno zložiti

moja mala osebna armija in njeni detajli

povzetek? kupček najjačih vizitk, ever. :)

povsem nepričakovan je bil pa tale cukrček. najden kos lesa, ki je bil najverjetneje uporabljan za podlogo drugim rezalcem. vzorec niti ni povsem drugačen od tistih, vzporednih črt ki jih na mizi pusti olfa nož, le da so tukaj oblike malenkost bolj komplicirane.. in celotna kompozicija ima skorajda malo odmeva kubizma

no, kakorkoli že.. laserski rezalniki so fajn.

-----

addendum: po nesreci sem med sprehajanjem po faxu srecal cemu tocno je sluzila prejsnja kubisticna deska:

na tej tocki se je smiselno vprasati cemu tocno sluzi taksna klinicno natancna izvedba makete, ki ubistvu (by proxy) prikazuje nek stihijski, inherently nenatancen vzorec spontane gradnje na nekem arbitrarno dolocenem obmocju na drugem koncu planeta (razen ego-bildanja in arhitekturnih konvencij o 'lepih' maketah)...

moram recti da mi je moja deska (sedaj pravzaprav stenski ornament) veliko bolj vsec od koncnega rezultata..

da ne bodo samo besede

2010-04-15T00:52:00.006+01:00

dodajam še par fotk z arhitekturnimi ambicijami... nastale so tekom zadnjih parih mesecev, na različnih lokacijah in z različnimi tematikami... no lažem - različnimi programskimi zasnovami; tematika je več ali manj ista..

sistematično neenako (Paris residential complex near BnF)

Alvar in še Aalto zapovrh! (Residential, Berlin)

je lepše če nihče ne pomete... (Academy of Arts, Berlin)

a sem že omenil, da mi je Hansa Viertl eden najjačih placov, ever?
(Kaiser-Friedrich-Gedächtniskirche)

a je fajn ko se modernizem izide (Hansa Viertl Library)

taradadamdadam! transparentna demokracija, al kako že..
(Foster @ Reichstag)

ampak lepše kot to skor da že ne gre (Einsteinturm @ Potsdam)

in ko že misliš da so stopnice samo stopnice
(Diss st / Pelter st, London)

malce abstrakcije... sicer pa National Theatre, London
+ Francis the Pigeon

a splash of colour, if you will...

reciklaža je ključna za ta svet.. na primer reciklaža kina v pub..
(The Coronet, Holloway rd, London)

colourful @ Chinese new year @ Soho

zih je polyprix iz barvastih lego kock sestavljen
(Monoprix @ Avenue d'Italie, Paris)

to je fajn ko se sosedi razumejo in se imajo radi
(Centre Pierre Mendès, Paris)

evo, če bi bil Bond villain pol bi bil tole vhod v mojo rezidenco...
(Cite des Sciences, Paris)

eh.. sistematičnih štiristo let vpliva na Arhitekturo, kaj pa je to..
(Place des Vosges, Paris)

ma sej sem vedu da je kao kul.. samo da je pa tolk kul, to pa ni fer...
(BnF, Paris)

moje ime je ta-al. Mon-u-men-ta-al. (Notre Dame cathedral, Paris)

in, kaj je povzetek? malo več moram pofotkati londona... ali pa vsaj vzeti fotkič kdaj s sabo ko grem hiše šlatat...

possibilities of film

2010-04-12T23:28:00.003+01:00

še eno razmišljanje o potencialnih močeh filma in njegovih neskončnih planjavah za kreativno ustvarjanje..

Films are moving pictures. That is, pictures shown one after another. Sometimes, if we’re lucky, there is sound to go with the pictures, as well. Then pictures cease being pictures and soundtracks stop being disconnected sounds. Our minds trick us into perceiving a connection between the individual pictures and even make us believe the sound is in some way relevant or even intrinsic to the experience.

Only rarely, however, is this fundamental characteristic of film taken fully into consideration. What we are commonly faced with is a parade of arbitrary images created as a result of haphazardly available filming locations. This is a great loss, as the essence of film-making enables limitless possibilities, not necessarily bound to the realities of the given world.

Only when film is considered as a fluid canvas in its entirety can film-making realize its true potential. It is perhaps due to the relative youth of film-making itself that such that the possibilities of creative reinterpretation, allegory and compositional order have not been explored as much as in other artistic strands, where they have created wondrous worlds for us to explore.

It is when the City succumbs to the lens and space itself is bent to fit the frame that films come into their own.

(still from Mamma Roma)

film, mesto in meta-prezenca

2010-04-02T18:01:00.002+01:00

ker ze dolgo nisem nic spisal in ker ravno delam na enem sestavku... je tukajle en work-in-progress kos:

Contrary to other artistic strands, film-making and photography rely heavily on found imagery (especially in the form of found spaces) for its content to be set in. A painting is inherently wholly artificial as the painter creates the backdrop and all the fictional space for the content to be set in, including the characters.

Hence, compositional principles can effortlessly be included in the set-up of the conceived work. On the other hand, found objects only began to be considered as artistic when they were endowed by an added layer of meaning. This is either by some sort of rationale (as with the case of Duchamp’s Fountain) or through consequential ordering (as shown by the Qatsi film trilogy).

In films individual shots are occasionally framed so as to accentuate a specific point or relation. Very rarely, however, sequences (and entire backdrops/sets) will be crafted with compositional balance in mind, so as to coincide with the storytelling. When such a union occurs the results can be impressive and used effectively as a tool for enriched storytelling, as pointed out by the case studies.

Hero: the solitude of the Individual and the might of the Emperor

Marble? Touchscreens? Gold leaf?! Onyx?!? Seriously now!

2010-03-16T00:20:00.001Z

A visit to the V&A Medieval rooms left me with a profound sense of futility. Not unlike Marie Antoniette’s private faux village in Versailles, it goes about overdoing the simplest of things by such a gargantuan margin it almost seems grotesque.

What can only be summed up as a quantity surveyor’s wet dream goes on to acquire an air of a Dubai developer’s showroom. Undoubtedly, the artworks presented are breathtaking; however with the pedestals being near‐priceless themselves, it is hard to focus on what is being exhibited. Not to be outdone by the centuries‐old filigree bits and pieces, the rooms’ centrepiece is a ludicrously gorgeous staircase ‐ complete with metal handles glued to structural glass walls.

The exhibition hopelessly lacks any sort of spirit ‐ the (almost soulless, yet notionally infallible) presentation completely overpowers the (now seemingly insignificant) exquisite artworks. Unfortunately what the visitor is left with is a parade of marvellous pieces – hopelessly entombed.

The most genuinely interesting objects were the scaffolding and cases still being prepared. They cried out as a dying man amid a barren (yet blindingly sparkly) landscape.

PS: Perhaps I am not seeing the picture properly. It may be in itself a monumental legacy of a time now past, as the invested £31.7 million were raised well before the current financial mishap...

Celebration week

2010-03-09T23:28:00.001Z

Torej... na faxu imamo Celebration week, ki je hkrati dan odprtih vrat in hkrati korekture od gostujocih modrecev (in modric).. Poleg nekih drugih funkcij sem tudi imel za pripraviti nekaj poljubnega na temo studijskega programa do sedaj.
Tararararamtatidam:

I would like to share with you an epiphany that I’ve experienced during the course. Unlike the one Homer Simpson experienced, it doesn’t involve saving a town from some evil force. It can, however, be illustrated by quote of Fernand Braudel:”All history must be mobilized if one would understand the present.”

Today we live in a fairly complex world of meanings and designations; incorporeal ideas that dictate what we do and where we go. An email reminded us all of this event, a simplified tube map guided our way here and now we are communicating through a designated set of sounds and gestures.

In that we have become detached from a great deal of the actual world that we live in. We tend to ignore the age of the rock that makes up the concrete holding the room up and the fact that a wooden table did indeed first have to grow up in a forest somewhere. And that it was an acorn before that. And that it most likely formed some part or another of some dinosaur at some point in time. And yet it is all here.

In a similar way ideas and motifs have been handed down through time. Along the way they were undoubtedly enriched (and occasionally adjusted), but made it to our hands all the same. Their development can be tracked through the gentle traces they have left along their way. If explored closely enough they can be picked out and contrasted with their predecessors and successors. Together they eventually formed layers upon layers of fragments, and hardly in any place more so than London.

While exploring them through the course, I have started seeing these reference points as lighthouses and began sailing gently amongst them. Each expedition proved more fruitful than the last, uncovering numerous curiosities and hidden gems.

And yet it was not the individual adventures that took my breath away, exciting as they were. Instead, I was overwhelmed when I suddenly realised I had circumnavigated the ocean and that all the wonders I had encountered along the way are inherently of the same, all-encompassing and un-escapable. That it was, indeed, one single interconnected and continuous story from Neolithic caves to Parametric design.

What I had comprehended is that there is no such thing as history, or future for that matter. Because, if I borrow another quote, “History is like Janus; it has two faces. Whether it looks at the past, or at the future, it sees the same things.” We are all, for better or worse, a part of the present. And that present has been going on for quite some time now.

Therme Vals is to spas what the Eiffel tower is to Meccano sets

2010-03-04T16:09:00.001Z

Vals is a small village deep in the Swiss Alps, at the very end of a long, narrow valley. It is no more picturesque than any other and it is quite unlikely to find yourself there accidentally. The roads are narrow, shepherd’s huts are arranged along the steep slopes and if, by chance, you walk through a parking garage up to a caged neon sign saying Therme, that is where you will turn around if you don’t have a reservation.

That is why going to the Therme feels more like a pilgrimage than a daytrip. Spas are considered places of well-being and praised for their medical effects on the Continent. Vals takes this sentiment and takes it to a whole new level. It truly feels like a temple to the Body.

Arriving at the underground entrance and passing the sign that wouldn’t look out of place in Manhattan back alley, one does think whether or not this is the fabled place. Because only a certain number of visitors are allowed at any one time, reservations are checked at the reception. The changing rooms are the first sign of what is to follow as we change behind red leather curtains and prepare ourselves on black sofas. Next, a stone ramp gently takes us down to the glittery pool enclosed by a stone wall cut with almost perverse precision.

As we explore the Therme further, a succession of caverns, waterfalls, cauldrons and nooks unfold themselves, with the grand outdoor lake topping the procession. All these spaces seem as if they were hewn out of living rock, all with the same exact and uncompromising chisel. Tying this magnificent materiality together is a set of impressive proportions which appear throughout, creating airy as well as enclosed spaces and occasionally even conjuring an air of sanctity.

Sunbathing by the outside pool, looking through the framed views into the surroundings with their pastures, huts and cows, it even seems as though it is the mountains that were created to complement this place and not the other way around.

dež

2010-02-22T03:33:00.000Z

torej, dežuje. pa še bo. pa še mraz je. ceu žur.

ampak to ni kr tko, ta dez.. pa tudi odpreti marelo in iti naprej je cisto prevec enostavna resitev.. geografija, politika, klima in nenazadnje tudi vreme soustvarjajo tako sestavljanko ki je nacionalna identiteta. in ker gre pac za london (ki je, paradoksalno, po wikipedii definiran kot "relatively dry city with regular but generally light precipitation throughout the year") gre za zelo mokro identiteto. pa tudi cisto, sprano, itd. pac vse, kar pride z dezjem.

ampak ce pustimo kontempliranje o metafizicnih implikacijah meteoroloskih fenomenov na sestavo individuumov (5 tock zame z velike besede), je navigiranje preko vseh luz, otokov, jezer, tokov in rek preko plocnikov, prehodov in ograj cel adrenalinski sport. vkljucuje namrec skok v daljino, troskok, stratesko izogibanje avtomobilskim naplavninam katerega se ne bi branil šah, plavalni sprint (ko ze zahodis v vodo) in pa seveda trosmerna rokoborba z marelo in vetrom.

no seveda bi se dalo recti da so za vse te zlodeje krivi arhitekti (ali pa vsaj gradbeniki (ce ne drugega pa vsaj vzdrzevalci kanalizacij)). ampak zanimivo je opazovati kako se pod vplivom taksnih dejavnikov spremeni uporaba skupnih javnih prostorov - predvsem (izpostavljenih) plocnikov in (zascitenih) nadstreskov. jasno se vsi zacnejo izogibati luzam, kar pogosto cisto spremeni tokove uporabnikov in ustvari nove zgostitve. hkrati vsi nadstreski (avtobusi, tende, izveski, vhodi...) pridobijo na vrednosti. kot so v MASHu rekli da 'as in a new york storm, people get all chummy in entrances and overhangs' - s tem da se je tam nadaljevalo 'well, here they then start to shoot at each other' (precej sproscen citat, no..)

poleg vseh ocitnih jezerckov je pa se ena kategorija v katero moras vsaj 5x stopiti preden sploh pogruntas iz kje se je vzela. vecina plocnikov (vsaj tukaj naokoli) je tlakovana z taksnimi ali drugacnimi tlakovci, ki so super za zamenjevanje odsluzenih cevi, postavljanje novih in vsesplosno kopanje (primer kako lahko se lahko drazji tlak izkaze za cenejsega v dolgem roku). no, nekateri izmed teh tlakovcev se jasno ne prilegajo tocno mestu kjer so bili preden ga je kaksen nadobuden delavec pretavil. voda si najde pot v te odprtinice in precej hitro nastane podtlacna (?) luza. ki naceloma ne obstaja in je ne vidis. razen, seveda, ce na tocno dolocen nacin ne stopis na tlakovec, ko pa skoci ven iz stranskih rez okoli tlakovca. kar tudi samo po sebi ni prevelik problem, ker noga s katero stopis naceloma ostane suha. problem se pa zacne, ko z drugo nadaljujes korak (aka gait) in presekas ta obrnjeni vodomet. praviloma z zgornjim delom cevlja, kar po defaultu pomeni da je vsa vodoodpornost v trenutku iznicena.

skratka zur.

no, kakorkoli ze. vremenski, politicni in geografski vplivi in pa arhitektura - tele mini poplavice na zelo majhen nacin ustvarijo distanco do ustaljenih uporab grajenega prostora in arhitekture. kaksen potres in spektakularno odprtje prelomnice bi bil naslednji korak. nuklearna katastrofa je pa seved resetira vse skupaj.

a o tem kdaj drugic.

najboljsa karta na svetu

2010-01-13T01:11:00.000Z

He had bought a large map representing the sea,
Without the least vestige of land:
And the crew were much pleased when they found it to be
A map they could all understand.

“What’s the good of Mercator’s North Poles and Equators,
Tropics, Zones, and Meridian Lines?”
So the Bellman would cry: and the crew would reply
“They are merely conventional signs!

“Other maps are such shapes, with their islands and capes!
But we’ve got our brave Captain to thank:
(So the crew would protest) “that he’s bought us the best—
A perfect and absolute blank!”

(from Lewis Carroll: The Hunting of the Snark)
(most interesting useless fact: SM-62 Snark pre-ICBM nuclear missiles were named after the non-existant creature the poem is about)

povezave

2010-01-12T02:18:00.003Z

Očarljiv občutek je spoznavati posamezne koščke neznanega mesta. Za razliko od prostranih naravnih polj, gozdickov in nasadov je vse dogajanje izjemno zgosceno. To se verjetno najbolj obcuti v vojnih filmih (no, verjetno se bolj v vojnim, ali pa vsaj urbanih scenarijih airsofta). Za vsakim vogalom je nekaj novega, cisto banalne stene locujejo popolnoma nasprotujoce realnosti, ograje in reke povzrocajo "heterotropias of crisis" (moj novi najljubsi koncept). In vse skupaj bolj ali manj rigidno diktirajo in povezujejo razlicni layerji (oz. ne, layerji kot koncept so precej outdated, bolj primerna bi bila polja).

But that's old news. Ocarljiv del je, ko raziskujes en del, in se spotaknes ob drugi predel, ki ga ze bolj ali manj poznas. Tak super Eureka moment, kot ko pogruntas da sta dva dela napol sestavljene setavljanke ubistvu soseda in ju povezes v en mega velik del. In v svoji mentalni mapi zdruzis dva bolj ali manj obsirna predela in ju povezes z nevidnimi sivi (no, ulicami).

Although slightly less old news, still not ringing the bell of innovation just yet. Ampak, zadnje case (z poglobljenim raziskovanjem fjordov kot je npr. Chronologie des styles architecturaux je se vecji bliss ko naenkrat pogruntas kako si razlicni layerji podajajo roke. Naj se popravim: ko začutiš to prepletenost..

Aahhhhh...

sneg.

2010-01-08T14:12:00.002Z

v angliji je konec sveta. sneg, mraz, ledene svece, karamboli, zlomljeni kolki in prehladi mehurjev.

(dost bedno ce se zaletis v luc in potem se vate zaleti se resilc ;) )

(zimska sluzba. plug/sol tovornjak v ozadju je postrani zato ker se je prekucnil in ga poskusajo dvigniti)

(globalno segrevanje, globalno ohlajanje, konec sveta tako ali drugace)

v nekaterih krajih (bogu za hrbtom v hribih ob morju par sto km bolj severno) do -20'C, do pol metra snega, ljudje se prestraseni zbirajo v pubih in ob hladnih pintih govorijo horror storyje.

pa tudi bolj lokalno (beri: pod blokom) je zares padal sneg.

(it ~~rains~~ snows on the just and the unjust alike, except in california)

(deset točk za flurescentno ninđo!)

(ajde, res je snezilo)

or is it. a je res taksen konec sveta? ... catch je v tem da tukej pac nimajo zimske sluzbe v taksnem obsegu kot kaksne alpske drzave... in je tole kr ornk problem.. ker ko ne morejo zagotovit vseh uciteljev v osnovnih solah ali gretja ali malice ali dostopa do sole zaprejo sole. posledicno ostanejo starsi doma. posledicno so zaprte trgovine, prevozniki in knjiznice (!), obcasno celo banke. busi in vlaki so ze tkoaltko do roba polni, v tem casu jih je manj in se pocasneje vozijo in so tudi absolutno bolj obremenjeni.
ergo - drzava se ustavi in so na porocilih storije kako 'this day of snow has cost this country 60 badzillion pounds'

resitev? ... ravnam po priporocilih - do not travel unless neccessary, etc. zunaj zmrzuje in piha, jaz sem pa v svoji topli sobici na soncku, pridno prebiram knjigurine in zivim odtujen od realne okolice :) ... mislim da je pocasi na vrsti caj.

knjige

2009-12-24T17:38:00.003Z

No, miklavzevo-bozicno-novoletni prazniki so. In o tem ne bom napisal skoraj besede vec.

Pac pa bom o knjigah. Plan je (bil?, no je se vedno!) da preko teh pocitnic pripravim vse stvari za izpite - spisem moja raziskovanja, razmisljanja in razlabljanja o razlicnih temah v zvezi z arhitekturo. Pri teoriji bom pisal o sodobnem statusu mesta (in zakaj je do tega prislo), pri zgodovini o ciklicnosti umetniskih stilov, pri interpertacijah pa o tem kako se nisem obiskal parka la vilette v parizu (in kaj ta park pomeni v razvoju druzbe nasploh).

Blazno zanimivo, sej vem. Ampak ne bom utrujal s tem, predvsem zaradi tega ker imam od skupno 12.000 besed spisanih ene 60. Pet tock zame. Ampak pocitnic se ni konec, tako da se ni vse izgubljeno.

Pac pa bom napisal kaj o knjigah. Zaradi prej omenjenih esejev imam doma knjig tocno toliko kot se mi jih knjiznica dovoli naenkrat sposoditi. (Rahlo hecna situacija ko ti recejo "Well the reason you can't check the book out, sir, is that you have too many books checked out already".) Ampak brat te knjige je fejst. Ceprav ni sans da bom vse predelal pravocasno, bom pa verjetno uspel vse kljucne stvari ~~prepisat~~ citirat.

Pravzaprav je tale nasa knjiznica fejst. Ali so mi pa KOZ, CTK, FA ipd. bedne, kaj pa vem. V nasi mrezi je 5 knjiznic. Ena mi je cez cesto, ostale so raztresene naokoli po Londonu. Ta cez cesto mislim da je najvecja (in, roko na srce, dalec najgrsa), ampak nima pa vsega (ceprav ima dve knjigi o Plecniku, opala! ... Ravnikarja zaenkrat se ne ;) ). Ampak sistem izposoje, rezervacij in vsega drugega mi je vsec. Razen tega, da dobim 2 dni pred iztekom knjig opozorilo po mailu in da sem takisto po mailu obvescen o prispelih rezerviranih knjigah, mi je predvsem fajn da menknjiznicna izposoja ni bavbav ampak je osnova.

Kot prvo niti ne vem kje so vse knjiznice v mrezi. Kot drugo se mi ne da iti za eno posamezno knjigo na drug konec mesta. Ampak to ni problem, ker lahko na netu preko kataloga (poleg podaljsanja in !pogledanja! v knjigo preko linka na amazon/gbooks) narocim katerokoli knjigo iz mreze in jo avtomaticno dostavijo v recepcijo meni najblizje knjiznice kjer me caka 1 teden. In ko knjige vracam (preko avtomatiziranega sistema ali vrzene v skatlo ob vhodu) se potem carobno vrnejo v svojo maticno knjiznico. Se clovek kar razvadi.

Aja pa sistem oznacevanja knjig. Ne vem zakaj, ampak omenjeni Plecnik nosi na UL FA oznako 72(497.12), kar ti verjetno pove ful ce si nasa plavolasa knjiznicarka ki v knjiznici dela in bolj ali manj na pamet pozna vsako knjigo. Ostali smo se pa morali prebijati mimo oddelka 72 in potem iskati po naslovih in platnicah - kjer je bila vsaka druga obratno orientirana. Superca! (Zakaj ni napisanega pravila da morajo biti na hrbtenici knjige vsi napisi orientirani v isto smer?)

No, kakorkoli ze, isti Plecnik ima tukaj osebno stevilko 720.92 PRE PLE. Razlika med oznako in osebno stevilko je to, da je v knjiznici samo ena knjiga, na kateri pise 720.92 PRE PLE in ima to z vidno oznako oznacno na hrbtenici. Pravzaprav ni velika razlika med klasifikacijami, razen tega da lahko slednjo knjigo vsak dokaj hitro najde brez pomoci profesionalnega osebja. Ce bi bila facebook grupa za fane uporabnega oznacevanja knjig v knjiznici bi zdejle postal fan.

Ko sem ze ravno pri knjiznicah in knjigah - ubistvu se mi zdi kupovanje knjig ful arhaicna poteza. Knjige, ki bi jih dejansko imel lahko prestejem na obe roki storastega mizarskega vajenca. Prakticno vse ostale so mi pa cisto prevec utilitarne, tranzitorne, nerelevantne, zastarele ali pac nezanimive. Nevidna mesta od Calvina se mi zdijo ena od prvih na spisku nepogresljivih (ampak jih se nimam, hint, hint). Pa se par drugih.

No, kakorkoli ze, razlog da sem se spravil tole pisati so pa oznake v knjigah, ki jih berem. Poleg tega da precej neizbrisljivo(?) belezijo razvoj identitete sole, imajo super odtise prejsnjih uporabnikov, sledi branja in koscke informacij o prejsnjih znanja zeljnih bralcev. Verjetno se skozi osmozo pocasi navajam na lokalne navade in internaliziram zelje in obcutja, ali sem se pa pac navadil neke naivne nostalgije na stvari v zvezi z zgodovino.

No, kakorkoli ze, kot se iz slikic vidi se je svojega casa dni sola (ne univerza, to pride kasneje) imenovala Polytechnic of North London. Kasneje se je spremenila v University of North London. Danes pa s svojimi partnerji skupaj predstavlja London Metropolitan University.

Za platnico je vedno nalepljen listek prejsnjih izposoj. In pri vsaki izposoji (preden so iznasli racunalnike ;) ) si dobil notri stampiljko do kdaj se mora knjiga vrniti v knjiznico. Tukaj se da opazovati trende kdaj je bila knjiga bolj ali manj zazeljenja, kdaj so menjavali stampiljke v knjiznici, kdaj so z roko pisali ker se je stampiljka pokvarila ali zgubila, itd. Vedno ko gledam tele datume se mi zdi malo perverzno, ker si knjige sposojam praviloma preko avtomata, ki pa samo prebere spodnjo crtno kodo in ne pusti datuma. Ampak to je ze druga storija.

Super so mi pa te oznake, ki jih folk rise pa pise po knjigah. Podcrtavanja, zvezdice, opombe, itd. Skoda da v temle setu ni nobenih tako ekstremnih, ampak sem tudi ze vec razlicnih barv markerjev videl, pa manjkajoce strani, itd.

Vse to nekako poveze vse storije, ki so jih dozivele knjige, roke ki so jih listale, sobe v katerih so lezale, nahrbtnike, kjer so se stiskale, itd... Nostalgicno..

Sedaj je pa ze cas za bozicno vecerjo pri sosolki...

smrekice

2009-12-22T08:00:00.001Z

No, malo sem si nalozil dela in se spravil ustvarit novoletne kartice. Pogruntal sem tudi da imamo v soli na uporabo tudi laserski rezalnik sem se spravil to dvoje skombinirat skupaj. Ta pridni so te dni dobili rezultate po posti.
Ampak meni je bil glavni motiv (poleg seveda prinasanja veselja in topline v razlicne domove :) ) raziskovanje tega laseriranja. Ker je to pac prevec trekijevska zadeva da bi pustil pri miru.

No, pa si poglejmo celoten proces. (Slikice se ob kliku seveda voljno povecajo, tako da nic bat da so premajhne)

1: ideja!

No, ta del z idejo je bil ze opisan. Ampak ilustracija se mi je zdela na mestu :) ... Je bila pa v osnovi ~~ukradena~~ sposojena, nic skrbeti, kot pac danes svet deluje.

2: skice

Variant je bilo precej. Sicer je bila prva ideja vec ali manj celotna 3D smrekica, ki bi se z vec prepogibi odprla do svoje celotne telesnosti. Ampak sem kmalu pogruntal da morajo biti pri pop-up in prepogibih stiki najrajsi ravni, sicer se svet zakomplicira samo se bolj. Tako da bi bila celotna poanta v delikatnem prepogibanju in ne rezljanju. Tako da je prva druzina idej odpadla. Druga druzina idej je bila pa osnovana na razlicnih rezljanjih.

3: prepogibi

No, ze omenjeno, najrajsi se prepogibi delajo ko so sticne tocke linearne in pravokotne z prepogibno crto. (beri: takole, in nic drugace).
Potem pa se dilema kateri papir izbrati? In a sploh izbrati papir? In ali bo kuverta iz istega papirja? Ce bo, bo tudi kuverta izrezljana? Kaj tam izrezati?

4: v0.1

No, prvi prototip, ki je suvereno osvojil srca mnozic poskusnih zajckov (obeh). Zgoraj se skica zvezdice na vrhu, ki bi razdvojila podporo in se preko prepogiba dvignila naprej. Fletno, samo kdaj drugic, se IMO zaradi konveksnosti nekako ni skladala z vsemi ostalimi prijetno-zaobljenimi linijami. Ostali prototipi pa so bili zavrzeni (ceprav mi je bil meni en drug bolj pri srcu. Ampak je bil zgleda prevec ~~dolgocasen~~ zadrzan za zahteve potencialnih prejemnikov).

5: risanje

Risanje kot proces je seveda opustilo umazani, rocni, svincnikast nacin dela. Laser namrec bolj tezko razume krace grafita na papirju in ima rajsi vertexe, vektorje in bezierjeve krivulje. Informativno, visina podpore (torej podaljska nad smrekicami) mora biti enaka razliki med najnizjo tocko smrekice in linijo prepogiba.

6: v0.2

Torej zaresni prototip, z grafiko, dimenzijami, a brez teksta. Seveda karseda natancno izrezan :)

7: Tekst

No, kot prvo kaj sploh napisati na kartico? Kar bo po moznosti cimvec ljudem polepsalo praznike (ali pa vsaj dan), kar bo enostavno, razumljivo, primerno za vse starosti in prijetno pozgeckalo po dusi? Pravzaprav nic. Ampak se mi zdi da je 'fletn pa fajn 2010' zadost simple in prebavljivo in nevtralno. Sicer je tukaj zgubljena super priloznost da bi bila vsaka kartica popolnoma unikatna, posebej in za vsakega spisana, ampak ~~se mi ni dalo~~ sem zoptimiziral proizvodni proces.
With hindsight, making versions in English would have been a great addition :-/

8: Tekst

No, kot ze omenjeno laser ne prebavlja prevec dobro krac, zato je treba vse prekracati v pathe, vertexe in ostalo. Lahko bi sicer vzel kaksen navaden font, ali pa celo handwritten font, ampak ker sem se lih spravil delat, se mi je zdelo fletno (opa, opa! :) ) ce bi pac vektoriziral na roko spisan tekst. (Kar je tudi bonus, ker ima vecina fontov debelino, in bi laser sel po outlineu, kar pomeni da ne bi pisal crk po debelini ampak samo po obrisu - kar bi na koncu pomenilo 2x vec casa za vsako crko)

9: cut datoteke

Jasno se zabava s tem se ne konca, ker je potrebno lepe ilustratorjeve file razstavit in spet sestavit skupaj na tak nacin, da jih bo laser prepoznal kot se spodobi. Ce je kaksen vertex kje prevec ali kaksna crta (sicer nevidna ali konstrukcijska) kjer ne bi smela biti to njega nic kaj prevec ne zanima in bo suvereno razrezal vse kar mu pride pod... no, leco. Na tej tocki je tudi dosti pametno se spomniti da se pop-up mora nekje drzati osnove, sicer bo bolj fall-through. zato so spodnje linije vedno zbrisane.
Ah da, barva tudi doloci rezkanje in rezanje (engrave/cut).

10: Laser!

Jes! Moment resnice! Bo vse delalo? Se bo papir zazgal namesto razpadel? Bodo linije pretanke za brat? Bodo povrsine pretovornjak za sestra? Bo hrabri misek usel pasti na koncu?
Je kr hecno gledat kako laser razstavi vse podatke po svoje in avtomaticno optimizira potek rezanja.

11: MWAhahwhahahaaaha!

It lives! Ideje, skice, prototipi, popravki, risbe, vektorji, ful mocna svetloba in na koncu - produkt! :D Ubistvu brez ene same napake, po domace top šit! Cela šiturina! :D

12: Podpora

No, kot je treba, ko se razstavi in prepogne na pravem mestu, podpora dvigne smrekico in jo drzi na pravem mestu.

13: Darilce

Uf, kaksne so bile dileme kako narisati darila da bodo v istem stilu, da se ne bodo ponavljala (kot smrekice) ampak bodo sorodna. In koliko jih postaviti, in kam? ... Dileme, travme, problemi, težave...

14: C'est finis!

Ampak, na koncu koncev zadeva pride ven cist fletno pa fajn!

15: Gravura

No, konceptualno mi je fino na neenotno 0.2mm debelem papirju izvajat gravuro. Tako da nekje pokuka skozi svetloba, drugje je pa samo napol vzgan. Moram rect da mi je tale papir precej vsec, z teksturo in debelino, prepogljivostjo in drzanjem forme. (Kar je se sreca, ker ta glavne trgovine z papirjem nisem nasel, v drugi pa, roko na srce, izbira ni bila neskoncna.)

16: To bo to

No, in s tem se na koncu ta storija tudi konca. Delno do pretezno uspesno, se mi zdi. :)

Me pa resno zanima koliko prejemnikov bo spregledalo pop-up lastnosti kartice in jo pogledalo in obesilo kam in koliko jo bo prepognilo in postavilo kam. (oz. koliko jih bo pac vrglo stran?)

No, na faxu je to najbolj eksoticno orodje kar ga premoremo. (No vsaj meni, in to ne upostevsi varjenja, za katerega se se vedno nisem prijavil.) V sklopu univerze imam pa na drugi lokaciji dostop tudi do Metropolitan Works, kjer imajo baje se boljse igracke, za katere imam 'reduced cost' delam kaj za fax. Tako da moram sedaj dobiti se kaksen fax-related izgovor da grem probat se kej od nabora 3D printa, 3D scana, se enega laserja, vodnega rezanja (za debelejse in reflektivne materiale, ki jim laser pac ni kos) ter 3 ali 5 osnega CNC rezanja. Ufff, the possibilities are endless :)

Hehe.. in vse to skupaj je cisto legitimno studij. :)

Bom pa se na koncu omenil da so vsi komentarji vec kot dobrodosli. Sem karseda olajsal komentiranje pa ga tukaj direktno reklamiram in indirektno z prikazem najnovejsih na strani. Z veseljem delim tele razne dogodivscine, ampak brez feedbacka se bom tezje osredotocil na stvari ki niso zanimive samo meni, pa tudi rajsi bom pisal in vedel za koga priblizno pisem. (yeah, fishing for compliments) Tako da kar spisat kaj spodaj, bitte.. ("Blogging, like democracy, is not a spectator sport" jst, zdej)

No, razen ce je to simptom tega da je tako dolgocasen blog da ga nihce ne bere, kaj sele nanj reagira... :-/

skoraj novo leto

2009-12-17T23:41:00.002Z

moja mala namizna smrekica & za kulisami

Vceraj smo imeli se zadnja predavanja (debatni krozek, govorilne ure, razsirjanje obzorij, zapravljanje casa, skupno odkrivanje tople vode, kakorkoli ze) in sedaj se zacenja xmas break (beri: novoletne pocitnice). Zadnje dni sem si (poleg pridnega studiranja, seveda! :) ) dal opravka z pripravljanjem novoletnih kartic, ki so bodo sle na posto koj ko zberem vse naslove. Ampak ob tem sem opazil da ceprav bom poslal za manjsi gozdicek dreves po posti, meni ubistvu ne bo ostala nobena.

Ampak kaksne so pa novoletne pocitnice brez smrekce? Ampak v Icelandu in Morrisonsu ne prodajajo nobene namizne smrekce pod en funt, tako da, ne bodi len, sem se odlocil jo pripravit sam. Kaksno uro kasneje, par zrtvovanih listov in skorajda brez nepotrebne krvi kasneje se je pred menoj pojavila moja osebna, cisto moja, mala, namizna, lustna smrekica. Seveda z darili :)

Poleg tega sem se oborozil z knjigami za prvi esej:

knjige o razvoju urbanizma & holloway road tube station (v snezenju)

Madona, ce pa iz vsega tega ne zadobim zadosti citatov, referenc in drugega materiala za plonkat, pol pa tut nc ne recem. Najbolj zabavno je bilo to potem prinesti domov - do roba napolnjen nahrbtnik. Kdo bi si mislil da je lahko papir tako tezek. Dejstvo, da je na poti nazaj tudi snezilo (! z malo domisljije (in zooma) se lahko na drugi slikici najde nickoliko snezink) vsega skupaj ni ravno poenostavilo.

barbican - subjekti in objekt (ali je obratno?)

Poleg tega sem bil pa dans na enem arts bazarju, ki me je opomnil, da mi je Barbican ena najljubsih in najbolj zanimivih his v Londonu. Tak Cankarjev Dom na steroidih, pa v rdece-roza preobleki. Na drugo razstavo sem prisel pa fashionably late - 45 minut po zaprtju. 5 tock zame.

No, ce sem se pa ze razpisal, pa se tole za zakljucek:

holloway road: nag's head avtobusna postja zjutraj in coronet cinema/pub zvecer

Dolgi dnevi na faxu so predvsem fletni, ker vidis sonca zjutraj 10 minut, ko te oslepi ko kolesaris proti njemu. In potem naslednji dan, ker ko se vracas je ze noc.

Poleg vsega skupaj se mi je pa zacela dogajati ena prav zanimiva (skorajda arhaicna) zadeva - ne jemljem vec telefona povsod s seboj. V trgovino hodim kar brez mobitela. :O V kuhinji sem nedosegljiv. :OO Pod tusem takisto - ampak roko na srce(!) to sem bil tudi prej. V zadnjem tednu sem namrec prejel dva klica. Nic vec, nic manj. To verjetno pomeni padec klicev za vec sto odstotkov glede na prejsnje case. Njah, to pa to ce se clovek preseli in vrze v smeti prejsnjo stevilko...

lonljana

2009-12-15T17:47:00.004Z

heyhu,

danes sem spet prezivel dan po opravkih (beri: fax, knjiznica in par trgovin). vsak je bil na svojem koncu, med njimi sem se itak prevazal z mojim najboljsim prijateljem Nigelom.

potem sem pa razmisljal ce se mi da iti nazaj ven do enega kluba gledat ce imajo kaksne ekstra karte za koncert la roux in preveril na karti koliko je do tja. pa se mi je zdelo sumljivo dalec, sej je sam mal ven iz centra, ceprav resda v drugo smer. in potem preveril kilometrino in poskusil najti kaj podobnega - in preverjeno je genau natancno toliko kot ce bi sel iz preserca do medvod.

bom to za vsak slucaj se enkrat napisal. Od Presernovega trga do MEDVOD!

no, to me je malo sokiralo. (no, precej)

in sem se spravil skombinirati par gmap kart v istem merilu, tko, za lastno orientacijo.

1: karti centrirani na trnow v lj ali pa holloway (nag's head) v london z pokazanim radijem 1km. prikazane so ljubljanske mestne vpadnice in obvoznica na istem merilu severnega londona. se pravi finsbury park je toliko dalec kot preserc. kenwood house v hampstead heathu toliko kot koseski bajer. commercial road knjiznica (kjer sem bil danes) kot razcep malence. greenwich kot Turjak...itd.

2: danasnja pot, kao cez ljubljano. iz severnega zacetka celovske cez zeleznisko do vrh golovca (commercial rd. knjiznica), potem do interspara vic v trgovino (oxford st.) in potem mimo hale tivoli nazaj do obvoznice. ... ni cudn da se mi pol ne da se do vrhnike pogledat ce lahk grem na koncert ;)

..omg

200, v3 : The White Ribbon

2009-12-09T02:04:00.004Z

I’m not sure if the story I want to tell you is entirely true. Some of it I only recognize from camera phones. And after so many months a lot of it is still foggy and some answers I don’t even want to know.

It all began, I think, with the Lawyer’s cycling accident. As he was coming to meet us down at the beach, he quite thoroughly devastated his bike, and his wrist along with it. There were no trip wires, evil leprechauns or divine interventions involved, merely a hangover and some sunrays.

Later on, we went on a tour of the island’s clubs: Lust, Kinky and Scandall. Amidst the sweat of dancers, throb of lights and relentless basses I vaguely remember all of them interconnected by our host’s white ribbon (and by ribbon I mean garter).

The days passed in blissful oblivion, relishing in nature’s gifts both on and under our skin, doing our best to take in the best of summer, laziness and hedonism. No-one owed anyone anything, but we still exchanged fluids generously.

In the end we all happily returned, brandishing slight tans and distinct bitemarks, into the dreary, black-and-white, guilt-ridden everyday life that we broke away from. The Lawyer’s new cast included.

200, v2: Museum of Everything

2009-12-01T01:00:00.000Z

I’ve been entertaining a couple of friends over the weekend on their trip to London, suggesting things to see and do in a couple of days and get the best experience. And I found myself in a curious position of advising them to go see the Museum of Everything instead of their planned trip to the British Museum.

I’m not sure if my advice was good or appropriate, but it was definitely sincere. I don’t think the Parthenon marbles are going anywhere anytime soon, or any of the other cultural treasures of immense value, that are safely locked up in that somber institution. But what we get in this museum is a slice of today through eyes of some peculiar people.

But what were my friends going to say on their return? “We went to see some random stuff in a makeshift gallery that we could have seen anywhere else”? But that is exactly the point. It does exactly what it says on the box, and swoops up items from backyards of eccentrics from around the globe. And what you get in return is a conceptual frolic across the meadows of Silly.

I’m not sure that outweighs the Marbles, but it sure is fun!

200, v1: Anish Kapoor

2009-11-10T00:57:00.000Z

As the tension builds up, a quiet and expectant air fills the room. The Cannon is warming up and a host of onlookers hold their breath at the sound of buzzing. As gas is being pumped through pipes, valves and tanks, one can dissect what is going on.

Throughout the works, there is no author, as there is no desired form. What we are witnessing are merely transient stages in haphazard physical processes. They would be best described as briefly embodied “What if...” sentences, conceptually floating around us. Almost like the gallery has tried to trap a passing cloud within its walls.

But somehow this apparent absence of author or tool somehow manages to capture a part of nature, that is too primeval to be created rationally. The pure brutality and persuasiveness of carving a square peg to fit through a round-ish hole or the wall that has been blasted repeatedly only to create an image more powerful than Guernica or chilling than Scream. The Cannon and its exhibited cousins speak a language of their own that instinctively connects with us.

And then BOOM! Wax is sent flying through the gallery and a gratifying thud lets us know we’ve just witnessed art being made.

kaj, komu, kako, kdaj, zakaj in čemu?

2009-10-31T23:00:00.000Z

prijelo me je, da spet obudim tale blog. kaj tocno bo v njemu pisalo, v katerem jeziku in kako pogosto bom v tej reziji kaj vpisoval ne vem. bom pa zacel z domacimi nalogami (predvsem ker jih imam ze spisane :) ) iz serije 200, ki so kratki sestavki na razlicne teme. skupna lastnost je dolzina, ki je (skoraj cisto natancno) 200 besed.

gremo naprej

2009-09-30T23:00:00.002+01:00

amerika je mrtva.
naj zivi anglija.

Leto in ščepec ni kasneje se štorija nadaljuje, tokrat v Londonu. Amerika zbogom, in hvala za vse ribe. Čauči Anglija, greva ga mal hengat skup!

temelji amerike

2008-09-10T00:12:00.003+01:00

torej.. te dni nekako posvecam osamosvajanju amerike, prvim predsednikom, zgodovini demokracije, samoodlocanja, itd, itd, blah, blah, etc, itd.

prvo je bil greenville - super zadnji pozdrav mestu (beri: zares dobri burgerji v eni od taproomov) in sladoled v spill the beans (DIY sladolednica, kjer ti namesajo kar si zberes), potem pa 12urna avtobusijada do williamsburga (z obveznim prestopanjem ob 2h zjutraj preko obskurnih postaj, ki povsod rolajo CNN in si brez deviskega pasu sam niti ne upam na wc).. in potem sok. (presenecenje, ne jabolka ;p )

williamsburg. kot prvo najbolj ljubka avtobusno/zelezniska postaja do sedaj. ampak to je sekundarnega pomena. celo mesto je pac muzej na prostem... z restavriranim celim distriktom, kup raznih rokodelcev povsod (od pohistva, orozja pa do konjskih sedal), z par stvarmi po mestu, itd... to je bila sicer lokacija prve prave kolonije na ameriskih tleh in je bil prvo glavno mesto (kasneje richmond, in philadelphia, itd..).
skratka lustno.

potem pa washington. O-M-G. prihod fino pa fajn (amtrak je pac kul. pa ceprav moras 3 dni vnaprej vzet karto da se ti steje ISIC popust!). ampak od postaje do hostla pa druga storija. v clemsonu sem si namrec v zadnji minuti rezerviral hostel. od 4ih na voljo so bili trije ze zasedeni, tako da sem se s tezkim srcem odlocil za tistega z najslabsimi ocenami in z opozorili da je res katastrofa. no, najprej mi seveda niso znali na postaji povedati kako sploh priti do avtobusa, ki bi me naj pripeljal v blizino.. in potem namignili da naj si raje taxi vzamem, ker da pac se noces okol sprehajat ob 9ih zvecer tako otovorjen (btw torba ima 30kg+, ta druga malo manj. potem so pa se 2 zgornja dela in jakna v rokah)..
taxi me je pripeljal - mimo treh policijskih patrulj na delu, mimo vseh zaprtih trgovin, mimo vseh temacnih ulic, mimo vseh shady characterjev, mimo dretja na ulici... in se potem sred vsega tega ustavil in mi namignil da naj le pohitim ker je to res dizaster od okolice in pa da ce sem preprican ce je imam ta prav naslov. omg.
no, iz taksija sem se prekotalil preko betonske pregrade na strani ceste, sel do hise z 15x20cm znakom capitol city (ime hostla) in probal priti notri. seveda neuspesno. na sreco je ravno ena decva sla ven, in sem upadel. lastnik me je nazjal ker se hostel itak zapre ob 9pm, da je moja rezervacija brezveze ker naj bi ob 11pm prisel kar je takoalitako prepozno in pa... da ce ne bi neki drugi odpovedal bi verjetno ostal v teh nebesih pred vrati.
no, hostel je verjetno najbolj nabit od vseh, kjer sem bil - cist prevec ljudi za cist premal prsotoroa. plus, eni spijo na kavcih, armafleksih, itd. dizaster, resno. aja pa hostel je razdeljen na dve hisi in itak je treba od ene do drugie po ulici hodit. jupidijajej.

no, danes zjutraj sem se po pocasnem zajtrku (peanut butter + toast + tea) odpravil v center. 20 minut voznje kasneje (ubistvu takoj ko se na ta pravo stran zeleznice prestavis) cist drug svet.. geta so zakon. center pa... kot iz filma. dobesedno. the mall je pac odlagalisce vseh moznih historicnih spomenikov, obelezij, vladnih stavb in vsega drugega.. tako da sem danes predelal vzhodni del, z washington in lincoln memorialom, natural history museom (zanimivo, kako je tukaj vsaka razstava napol disneyland...), national archivesi, par sculpture gardenov, itd. aja pa itak tudi mimo bele hise (in vseh barikad, betonskih blokov, avtomobilov, paznikov in vsega..)

jutri je pa na vrsti air & space museum pa se druge stvari.. kul stvar washingtona (vsaj malla) je to, da je vse zastonj. ni vstopnin, sploh. pac, v cast in slavo narodu.

pojutrisnjem bom pa podaljsal spanje in si (zelo izjemoma) narocil taksi do milimetra pred vhodom in se pol z torbami vrgel v taxi in se odpeljal na postajo in naprej proti philadelphii, kjer naj bi se srecal (in, upajmo da tudi spal pri) with a friend of a friend - chris, prjatu od kelly, k je bla tanova v taboru.. skratka, nimam pojma kdo, kje, ampak popoldne imam vecerno vodstvo philadelphie pod njegovo taktirko.
popojutrisnjem pa verjetno daytrip v atlantic city. bom probal cim manj hazardirat. ;)
popopotem pa new york
popopopol pa dunaj
popopopopocasi pa tudi ljubljana.

takle mamo. ;)

gori, doli, naokoli

2008-09-07T00:39:00.002+01:00

torej. tabora uradno konec. sedaj poteka dejanski potovalni del potovanja. zaenkrat sem se odpravil iz tabora skupaj z mattom in sel z njim v columbio, kjer sem bil dva dni.. na sporedu je bil Risk in margerite. :) columbia, SC je najbolj dolgocasna prestolnica za turista na svetu. res, super prostor za zivet in studirat, samo za par dni obiska je pa groza.
za tem je bila na vrsti savannah - or so i thought. spotoma se nam je pokvaril avtobus in smo dve uri in pol presedeli na otoku avtobusnih postaj in prodajalcev hitre hrane, dokler niso pripeljali novega avtobusa. fascinantno!
no, ko sem koncno prisel v savannah sem se hotel okol sprehodit, dobit s chrisom, itd, itd... ampak se je vse skupaj sesulo zarad zamude in on je nekaj drugega pocel, tako da sem se na koncu odlocil da sem sel samo skozi in direktno naprej na avtobus za atlanto.

atlanta je bila 14x bolj zabavna kot sem pricakoval.. vzel sem si citypass in posledicno sel pogledat vse zabavne zadeve - akvarij, coca cola world, zoo, botanicni vrt, muzej (btw, by maier in dodelan by piano), pa se martin luther king memorial pa se kup drugih stvari. bil sem pa v enem bolj kuljskih hostlov, ever. bivsi bordel, spremenjen v res blazno fajn hostel. en izmed vecerov sem sel tudi z kup anglezi naokoli zvecer, kar je bila smeha polna skleda, ki se je na koncu koncala v mcdonalds driveinu - brez avta. :) . in potem sprehod domov.

potem pa vlak (!) v clemson. amtrak me je totalno fasciniral. kolikor je greyhound katastrofa od varnosti in pocutja in drugih stvari je amtrak totalna zmaga. res, zakon. verjetno najboljsi vlak takoj za virgini v angliji. se kr veselim potovanj po severu, ko naj bi se z njimi okol vozil. (med durgim tudi zato ker imam z ISICom na vlakih popust, ne pa na avtobusih)...

clemson je mesto, ki je zrastlo okoli clemson university, kjer se nas je sedaj dobilo kup bivsih in sedajsnjih vodicev iz tabora pri enem od teh doma (davis). in danes sem bil na svoji prvi tekmi amersikega nogometa. super vzdusje, fajn scena vse skupaj. skupaj v kompletu z tailgatingom (pikniki iz avtov) in celotnim vzdusjem v celem mestu. res zakon!

jutri pa naprej skozi greenville (spet) in potem v williamsburg, eno prvih pravih kolonij v ZDA..

no, takle mamo. :)

podaljski

2008-08-23T17:30:00.004+01:00

torej.. prvi teden podaljsanega tabora je skorajda mimo. kot sem ze rekel se je tale podaljsek zdel boljsa ideja ko sem se prijavil in trenutno malo manj.. se bo pa te dni verjetno spremenilo.

skratka. pocasi se skoraj vsi preostali iz stafa kapljajo iz tabora.. srce-parajoce, zalostno in grozno. tako da tabor pocasi postaja totalno prazen, razen novega jesenskega stafa (ki ima uvajanja 24/7) in par manjsih grup tabornikov..

tako da med tednom tu pa tam mal pomagam pakirat, kej popravljat pa tko.. med drugim sem v nasem malem zooju prestrihal vse fake sledi zivali po tleh pa kup nekih napisov naredil.. ampak vecinoma pac pomagal pakirat. ampak ta vikend se zacne zaresno delo, je skupina 4. letnikov iz neke srednje sole tukaj cez vikend, tako da imam popoldne cez vodenje njih doli do slapov (kaksno uro dolga srednje tezka tura) pa do nase naravne stene, kjer bojo imeli plezanje.. s tem da je ena pot totalno zarascena tko da bom verjetno uporaviceno vzel s seboj maceto. :>

zvecer pa z rachael vodim vecerni program, jutri pa spet podobno.. pohodniske/plezalne ture, vodenje dodatnega programa, itd.. bomo videli.

hkrati pa delam malo plane naslednji teden.. verjetno bom spet imel kaksne 3 dni frej in bom probal pobegniti iz tabora in iti na obisk od prijateljev od prijateljev v charlotte za par dni. mrbit, ce bo slo, pa se spotoma se ustavil v spartanburgu pri ivinih prijateljih.. predej odvisno od tega kako mi bo ratal prevoze zrihtat, ali pa, kdo bi vedel, mrbit celo dobim kaksen avto na uporabo in se grem rusko ruleto z policijskimi avtomobili... ;) (ampak ssssh, ne nobenmu povedat)

potem pa naslednji vikend spet family camp (z kup novimi/starimi stafusi) in na roadtrip proti NYC.. jupidijajej! ... komi cakam, tole brezdelje in poslavljanje na obroke je morece :

aja, pa zgleda sem telefon poslal z enim avtom na roadtrip v texas. upam da se se pravocasno vrne ;) car, kaj naj recem.

no ja, takle mamo.

in gremo naprej!

2008-08-17T15:12:00.003+01:00

takle mamo in tkole stoji:

mimo je teden family campa.. vecina staffa je odsla domov, ostali smo skoraj iz kljucno internationalci in par domorodcev - pac, ker je kul tabor in imamo mi malo bolj komplicirane potovalne nacrte..

family camp je bil zame razdeljen na dva dela - v prvi polovici tedna sem bil dejansko z familijami.. in nonstop se mi kazejo primerjave z 5. skupino v premanturi. ubistvu precej podobno, s to razliko da ni naokoli nobene tasalere, premanture, medulina ali cesarkoli drugega. kar pomeni da mora biti pac v taboru toliko vec za poceti. tako da sem dneve prezivljal kot vodja na streliscu in lokostrelstvu pa par drugih stvari zraven.. dosti kul, starejse mularije ni treba toliko cuvati ker so itak na family campu, mlajsi pa itak pridejo v paketu s starsi.. pa vse skupaj je bilo obcutno bolj sprosceno. tranzicijo med poletnim in jesenskim delom v taboru se najbolje opise kelly: its like running at 100mph and hitting a brick wall. iz bolj ali manj totalnega kaosa v sprosceno lenarjenje.. ubistvu se je kr tezko privaditi, ker je kr naenkrat od nekje kup prostega casa, ni 400 mulcev v taboru, ki vsak nekaj hoce, itd.

no, zapovrh so pa to familije ki ze tudi vec generacij hodi v ta tabor, ali pa vsaj par let.. tako da so vsi domaci med seboj, majo svoja tekmovanja, itd. pa vecinoma so tut uberkul za pogovarjat - z eno od mam sem si zrihtal alternativni program za NY, ker njena sestricna dela kot svetovalka za urbanizem pri zupanu NY, hkrati je pa diplomirala na columbii. a je sploh lahko se boljse nakljucje? ;) .. tako da ce se vse zrihta bom ne samo pri njih na obisku, ampak bom dobil tudi up-close-and-personal-down-and-dirty vodenje po NY. :D

no, drugi del tedna sem pa prezivel s springbrookom. dom za mularijo z problemi z obnasanjem - vse od pretepov, mucenja zivali, skoda samim sebi, in druge motnje. nisem mogel verjeti - v treh dneh so bili to eni najbolj zagretih mulcev in najbolj kul skupin celega poletja (no, seveda, monk's ultimate tukaj ne steje ;) ). super skupina, smo imeli polne urnike - npr sreda: prihod, spoznavne igre, teambuilding igre, lokostrelstvo/kajaki, kosilo, 2urna tura do rainbow fallsov, zivalski center in hill skills (beri: rocne spretnosti) in zakljucek v pretty placeu (beri: kapeli od tabora z megafantasticnim razgledom). pestri dnevi. to sva vodila z celio.
o njej ne bi zgubljal prevec besed, ker bi moral posvetiti kaksna dva cela vpisa v blogu - ampak na zalost ze v ponedeljek gre novim zmagam naproti :'-(

konec tabora smo imeli pa tudi malo izleta v greenville, kjer mi je uspelo poslati prvi set kartic, odpreti bancni racun (da dodam se eno kartico osebni zbirki svetovnih bancnih kartic, jupidijajej), nazreti v all-you-can-eat-pizzerii po 6 dolarjev, se sprehoditi po centru, imeti zakljucek v enem od pubov v centru. in, ko naj bi sli domov, je nas avto naredil se en ovinek okoli pubov in na koncu smo ob 2h zjutraj sli v dupont state forest na nocno kopanje k enem izmed jezer/slapov. fun times.

uh, glede plavanja - sem dobil tudi ultraslabe novice iz Podalpja :-( . ampak lahko samo drzim pesti in upam na najbolje. :-( ......

no ja. poleg tega se tudi par novic iz tabora.. koncno mi je uspelo priti na nas indoor plezalni center - mislim dobesedno - preplezati celo zadevo od tal do vrha z vseh strani. mi je bil plan ze skor cel zadnji mesec, pa ni bilo nikoli pravega trenutka. spotoma sem bil pa se certificiran za vodenje plezalnih skupin. sproti, za bonus, sem se pa se naucil (no, res blazen learning curve : ) z avtomatskimi avtomobili vozit, ker so mi dali zadnje par dni za vozit enega od kombijev od tabora goridolinaokoli po taboru.

no, najnovejse pa danasnja ekskurzija, ko smo andresa iz kolumbije odpeljali do zelezniske postaje v greenville. ob 3h zjutraj iz postelje, ura voznje do g-villa. spotoma seveda se BLAAZNA nevihta z par cm vode po cesti, groznimi strelami in vse skupaj v nadvse neudobnem paketu. se dobro da sem tjagrede vecinoma prespal. :) ... no, moj pogoj da grem zraven je, da se bi nazaj grede ustavili v waffle housu (beri: hisa palacink, veriga obvestnih pajzlov odprtih 24h dnevno). uspelo nama je najti huddle house (beri: veriga se vecjih pajzlov ;) ) in imeti zajtrk palacink ob 5ih zjutraj. poleg slastnega sirupa in nekih orehov v palacnikah mi je bila najbolj zabavna kava. itak da pride v 2dcl skodelici, ki jo nonstop spotoma dopolnjujejo.. tako da preden sem skapiral da je ubistvu nonstop polna je bila naokrog ze kaksna ura in pa kaksnih 5 skodelic. nazajgrede nisem spal. ;) sicer pa mega debata z kelly celo pot, potem pa ob 7ih zaspal za eno uro in ob 8ih sel pomagat v kuhinji, pocistit za zajtrkom s stephenom.

in sedaj... spet ura pavze in potem bo gremo pripravljat sceno za zakljucni koncert ene skupine glasbenikov, ki je zdej dva dni v taboru.

jupidijajej!

tabora je konec. naj traja tabor!

2008-08-09T21:25:00.002+01:00

torej, mimo je se ena enotedenska dogodivscina. s stephenom (katerega vsaki peti stavek se zacne z "now, in england, things are like this:" in potem primerjava cesarkoli ze. po dveh tednih v istem cabinu postane maaalce nadlezno. ampak smo prezivel.

mulci so bili do sedaj najmlajsi (13-15 let), spet malo mesano in dva iz mladinskih centrov. razlika v letih je bila vec kot opazna... so pozabljali brisace, cevlje, nogavice, ure, datume.. skratka vse. in najbolj komicno je bilo to, da je bil najbolj odgovoren ravno 13 letnik. kaksnih blaznih dogodivscin ni bilo, sem pa ta teden pomagal pri kajakih in vodil lokostrelstvo in izjemoma enkrat streljanje (puske).

najbolj zabavno je bilo pa ko smo sli kot cabin skupaj na water zip ( kar zgleda nekako takole: http://www.travelrm.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/foto_081.jpg ). in je poleg high ropes coursa (beri: plezalna pot razpeta med krosanjmi dreves) definitivno najbolj zabavna (legalna ;) ) stvar v taboru. jaz sem pomagal, stephen se je pa ta teden spustil... kar je zanimivo, ker stephen ne plava, pristane se pa v vodi... je imel kar bitko sam s seboj ce mu bo uspelo ali ne.. na koncu se je spustil in bil blazno navdusen :D .. a personal triumph..

presenecenje ta teden je bilo tudi snemanje CDja. en vecer se je cel tabor zbral v ta glavni koci in smo skupaj prepevali ta najbolj popularne pesmi - tisto kar itak vsak otvoritveni in zakljucni tabor prepevamo.. blazno fajn izkusnja, komi cakam da bodo postimali vse skupaj in bojo dosegljive (verjetno za novo leto, doh).

no, najbolj markantna zadeva ta teden je bil pa vcerajsnji zakljucek tabora. uradni poletni tabor se je vceraj koncal, k cemur je sodilo detajlno ciscenje celotnega tabora, slavnostna vecerja, govori, fotografije, solze, objemi, obljube, itd... prevec vsega za spisati skupaj. kot bonus smo pa internationali dobili svoje zastave (koncno).. tako da se bodo (ko jih bodo utegnili obesiti) vsem ze visecim zastavam v jedilnici sedaj pridruzile se zimbabvejska, turska in, you've guessed it, slovenska! jupidijajej!
in potem afterparty pri enem od councelorjev ob jezeru... na poti tja smo sicer skoraj ostali brez bencina, se dejansko zgubili, ampak vseeno na koncu prisli in zazurali do konca in zaspali na plazi.

zrihtal sem tudi vse glede podaljsanja. sedaj bom v taboru ostal uradno do 31.8. , ta prvi teden zdej bom z family campom, naslednja dva pa ne vem tocno kaj, verjetno vodil razne solske skupine, ki prihajajo sem gor na izlet - http://www.campgreenville.org/fallspring.htm ...

hkrati se pa ubadam z potovalnimi plani. letalo je se vedno fiksno 14.9. ... do takrat je pa se veliko moznosti. prvi teden se bom verjetno sprehajal okoli od enega do drugega bivsega conucelorja tukej, drugi teden pa turistiral proti severu. treuntni itinerar se glasi od 1. do 14.9.: columbia SC, savannah, GA, atlanta GA, asheville NC, boone NC, williamsburg VA, washington DC, philadelphia NJ, atlantic city NJ, new york NY. kako se bo se vse razpletlo se ne vem tocno, ker je v ameriki javni prevoz malce eksoticen in ker je par teh prostorov mal odrocnih in ker bom imel blazno neudobno ogromno tezko torbo za nosit s seboj. ampak kakor zdejle gledam bi bilo res koristno imeti avto ker drugace ne vem tocno kako bom tole vse izpeljal.. bo pa verjetno tut malce pricey, ampak bo ze nekak.

no ja, takle mamo.

strasljivo.

2008-08-02T20:11:00.003+01:00

zanimiv teden:

resil zivljenje.
sodeloval v pretepu.
odsel na morje.
podaljsal tabor.
dobil ljubljano
in cmok v grlu.

torej.. ta teden sem imel prvic tradicionalni tabor, za povrh se enotedenskega. drugacen ritem in drugi cocouncellor. tokrat z stephenom iz anglije, ki je prisel takisto z CCUSA. skupina je bila malo drugacna, eden, ki je bil ze prej v service coru, drugi ki je bil v drugi trailblazer skupini, ki je bila na AT (appalachian trail), en navaden kamper ter dva seta bratov iz razlicnih skrbniskih domov...

zanimivo je bilo ze prvi dan, ko je eden izmed mulcev na preizkusu plavanja med plavanjem izgubil hlace. ... MED plavanjem. smeha polna skleda za cel waterfront staff. ... med tem ko sem se v vodi se vedno krohotal manjkajocim hlacam, pa sta njegovega brata zgrabila dva krca hkrati.. in se mi je dobesedno pred nosom zacel kremziti. sekundo za tem je pa ze bil pod gladino jezera. potegnil sem ga gor, mu dal floating aid in ga odvlekel na obalo.
strasljivo.

predzadnji dan sta se pa dva iz nasega cabina pretepla pred celim taborom. oba so poslali domov, enega z resilcem, drugega pa z osebnim spremstvom.. seveda sem bil jaz tisti, ki se je znasel med drugima dvema councellorjema, ki smo jih vlekli narazen.
strasljivo.

vikend smo izkoristili (KONCNO!) za malo potepanja. odpravili smo se v charleston, turisticno mestece na obali juzne karloline... pot je bila smeha polna skleda, predvsem ker je do tja 5 urna voznja, tam smo pa cofotali v morju, se sprehajali po centru in jedli sladoled, posedali na obali, se nazrli tajske hrane, prespali pri eni od councellork in se ob 8ih zjutraj po zajtrku v waffle housu odpravili nazaj v tabor. aja pa cofotanje je bilo med nevihto, pihanjem in strelami (v daljavi).
strasljivo.

vmes sem se tudi do konca odlocil da bom podaljsal tale tabor in se to tudi zmenil z sefi tukaj.. tako da bom zdej tukaj se 2 dodatna tedna po koncanem family campu, torej do tam nekje 1.9.
strasljivo.

po posti sem tudi dobil tatijevo kartico od ljubljane, ki je zdej pribita nad mojo postlo tukaj. me je blazno razveselila, mojo mularijo pa navdusila z lepoto :) "it looks royal" kaj moramo, preserc je pac kraljevski ;) ... ampak relativno na mojo trenutno situacijo je postavljen vec ali manj na glavo.
strasljivo.

pravkar sem pa tudi videl jutjub video od jernejeve in majine poroke na gradu... sem dobil najvecji cmok v grlu na svetu.. mi je blazno zal da nisem mogel biti tam, je zgledalo fantasticno.
fantasticno!

it's okay, i'm from espana!

2008-07-26T05:38:00.003+01:00

ekola, takle mamo!

koncana je tretja serija adventure tabora zame. jupidijada. preziveli smo. v cabinu sem bil s co-councellerjem cameronom. odlicen zacetek!

od mularije sem imel spance ignacia, victorja, juana, alejandra in potem francoza baptista in americane gabea, matta, iana in andrewa. vsi so se izkazali za fletne decke.. dobrsen del njih je bil ze pred zacetkom tabora ze prej v taboru bodisi kot pridni pomagaci (beri: service corps), bodisi kot pridni sodelavci (beri CIT) ali drugace (beri: na monk's ultimate adventure).

in pa catchphrase celega cabina je bil "it's okay, i'm from espana", kar je bilo nadaljevanje istega izgovora od ignacia od monk'sa...

kakorkoli ze, spet smo se imeli odlicno, z cameronom sva odlicno shajala eden z drugim in si olajsevala delo, mularija je pa (spet) komentirala da "in the three years i've been coming to camp you two are the best councellors ever!" in podobno..

skratka.. prva adventure eskapada je bila backpacking po jones gapu z 6 stafusa, v drugi sem pa pocival zaradi zobarja. to smo uredili, ampak zaenrkat se ne vem tocno koliko je ta spas stal.. bomo videli.. anywayz, drugi teden je bil klasicen, ukvarjali smo se z obnavljanjem inspirajocih poti po taboru (beri: lepe misli nabite na drevesa ob posameznih drevesih), potem tudi zip line (50m zajla razpotegnjena preko jezera, kjer se s plezalno opremo spustis iz krosenj dreves direktno v jezero), spet streljanje (tokrat sem streljal kovance.. 3/4 zadel. jure: prejsnjic si dobil spestan penny iz new yorka, tokrat dobis ustreljen quarter iz juzne karoline ;) .. ampak sssh, to je presenecenje), itd, itd, itd.

skratka super teden.

pravkar na 24 hour Time Off, sli smo v Asheville na nek festival, potem pa nazaj v greenville, tokrat v hiso od ene od councellork z ene 35 sobami in zdej ko sem se navelical posedanja ob bazenu je prisel na vrsto tudi cas za blog. ;) ... ja, vem, stereotipi. doh.

anywayz. trenutni update. letalska karta je se kr vedno veljavna za 14.9... za naslednje dva tedna bom cisto sigurno bil v taboru, pol naprej pa res nimam pojma. maticov tabor se konca jutri (no, danes verjetno?), jst pa ne vidim nobene prakticne variante da bi se mu pridruzil... bomo videli. pravzaprav velika dilema.

no ja. zaenkrat bo to vse. veliko manj zanmivo kot nazadnje, ampak vseeno fletno.

PS: monk's ultimate je bil neverjeten.. ampak to sem verjetno ze omenil. :|

PS2: ampak takle mamo. ;)

Monk´s Ultimate Adventure

2008-07-16T23:42:00.006+01:00

Evo. Vrhunec poletja. Bil in sel. preostanek kampa (in verjetno poletja) nepovratno unicen. razlog? pretekla dva tedna; s saro sva vodila monk´s ultimate adventure.
za nepoucene: nas tabor (YCG skrajsano) ima 2 osnovna paketa in par obstranskih programov. prvi je klasicni, kjer so taborniki ves cas v taboru, v svojih kocah (cabinih) imajo vsako dopoldne razne kratke aktivnosti (od lokostrelstva, rocnih spretnosti, kanunarjenja, jahanja konjev, itd, itd.. svasta.), ki jih vodijo vodniki (beri: councellorji). popoldne je namenjeno specializiranim aktivnostim, kjer sodeluje samo posamezna koca in njihov vodnik. te so podobne dopoldanskim, le da trajajo dlje in so bolj poglobljene.
Druga vrsta tabora je adventure, kjer se en teden prezivi na raznih ekstremnih dogodivscinah (rafting, plazenje po jamah, celodnevni kanuji, plezanja po naravnih skalah, bivakiranje, itd..), drugi teden pa ¨klasicno¨, v taboru.

tabor ima pa tudi druge variante - outback, ki je bolj zestoka varianta tabora, kjer so taborniki cela dva tedna izven dejanskega tabora, vendar takisto v kocah v sredi gozda, imajo drugacen urnik, bolj zahteven (za starejse), kot tudi prezivetje v naravi, itd.
potem so se druge alternative, kot npr. CIT - councellor in training, kar je napol vodic, potem se service corps, kjer pomagajo pri vseh opravkih po taboru in se par drugih.

creme de la creme so pa trailblazers programi. to so pa loceni programi, ki potekajo v casu tabora, vendar nimajo direktnega stika. eden je AT (appalachian trail, http://www.appalachiantrail.org/ ), kjer se skupina tabornikov in dva vodica za 2 tedna odpravijo na AT in prehodijo par deset milj, hkrati grejo pa se na kaksen adventure, letos na rafting.
drugi je pa monk´s ultimate adventure. gre za najbolj extremni paket, ki ga ponuja nas tabor, imenovan po ustanovitelju tabora, monk (skrajsano od monkey, bojda) mulliganu. poenostavljeno receno gre za adventure camp na steroidih. ziveli smo dva tedna na avtobusu in raznih kampih, vsak dan na drugem koncu, drug adventure, druge scene. in en poln avtobus najvecjih fac na svetu.
torej, nasa pot je bila: (SC-south carolina, NC-north carolina, VI-virginia, TN-tennessee)
zaceli smo v nasem taboru, na SC-NC meji, nad greenvillom. potem brevard, NC in mimo ashevilla, NC v boone, NC, preko mountain cityja, TN v damascus, VI. potem pa mimo bristola, TN, skoraj do knoxvilla TN v pigeon forge (lol), TN in na koncu v gatlinburg, TN.
potem pa domov skozi bryson city NC, waynesville, NC, brevard NC in spet domov.

dobrsen del casa smo se peljali po blue ridge highwayu - http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/ .. gre za najbolj fotogenicno turisticno cesto na vzhodni obali. ob njej je kup raznih atrakcij, kot tudi maljavznt raznih piknik in kamping prostorov.. vsi super vzdrzevani in klinicno cisti (ceprav nacelno nihce ne skrbi za vecino od njih).
spotoma smo se ustavili v linville caverns http://www.linvillecaverns.com/ - manjsa ampak ljubka jama, kjer smo se cudili raznim rock formationom in drugim podzemnim cukrckom, sli plezati po naravni skali z vso plezalno opremo (tudi midva oba vodica, ceprav nacelnoma naj ne bi sla ker je kamp sparal, sam ssssh! nobemnu povedat! ;) )
naslednja zabava je bil virginia creeper trail http://www.vacreepertrail.com/ .. gre za staro zeleznisko progo, ki je bila zdavnaj odstranjena in zamenjana za ¨multi use¨pot, za kolesa, konje, pohodnike (AT tukaj seka pot), itd. zal nisem imel s sabo fotoja, ampak celotna izkusnja je sledeca: kombi pelje tebe in kolesa (dejansko KUL kolesa, z amortizerji, primernim okvirjem, itd.. smo jih preizkusali na vsaki manjsi skakalnici spotoma) na vrh, potem imas pa 2-3 ure voznje izkljucno navzdol, z raznimi info tablami, kafici, naravnimi razgledi, mostovi, itd. v dolino. bliss.
vmes smo se pesacili po mount mitchell state parku http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Mitchell_State_Park ... povsod spotoma (tudi v najvecji divjini) sem bil blazno fasciniran nad... urejenostjo raznih zanimivosti.. vsi kampi z dejansko funkcionalnimi, cistimi, delujocimi wc+tusi, klopmi in vgrajeno grill za vsak kamping prostor (slednji tudi vsred rainforesta!), urejenimi razglednimi tockami ob parkwayu, itd. ampak v tem parku je bilo pa ze prov kicasto. postavljene so bile tudi ¨koce¨ za piknike v primeru dezja, vse okoli res prav kicasto lepo urejeno in prepusceno uporabi, elementom in.. medvedom.
vmes smo imeli tudi na tone ¨roadside¨ amerike - sterotipne, klasicne, genericne in... meni zabavne, pa ceprav vsem ostalim na avtobusu dolgocasne in ignorirane. predvsem milje in milje in milje genericnih sprawlov, ponavljajocih bencinskih postaj, motelov, hitrih prehran, 4 pasovnic, itd, kot tudi seveda obvezne rumene crte na sredini in bele ob strani..
vmes je bila seveda se tona dogodivscin v raznih kampih - poleg tega, da sem se na koncu ze navadil zbujati vsredi luze v sotoru (ceprav je bil edini z dejansko streho) in imeti budnico strel in groma ob 2h zjutraj, je bilo tudi vedno delanje lastnih kosil, zajtrkov in vecerij, obvezno iskanje rek in tolmunov za kopanje (enkrat so mulci nardil dva taborna ognja vsred reke in si privoscili nocno kopanje v njihovem sijaju), prepiranje o pomivanju posode in preklinjanje ta druge sare, ki nam je dala premalo hrane... in se tisoc drugih cukrckov.
potem je bil tukaj se 4th of july v abindonu - verjetno najbolj pathetih fireworks show, ki ga je kdorkoli od nas kadarkoli videl... ampak se nismo prevec sekirali, ker smo bili bozjastno prenazrti hotdogov, chillija in lubenic od vecerne pozrtije :D
super sta bila pigeon forge (nekako holcersko-gorska razlicica las vegasa - maljavznt raznih resortov, zabavisc, motelov nanizanih na stripu) in za njim gatlinburg (gorski gardaland, razpotegnjen cez celo mesto). v slednjem smo sli na hillbilly minigolf, super zabaven minigolf nastiman na 30´ naklonu - gor gres z gondolo, potem pa skoraj po nadstropjih igras navzdol.
v Great Smoky National Parku - http://www.nps.gov/grsm/ ... tretji najvecji park v usa, za yellowstone in yosemite parkom. dejansko pragozd, z unikatnimi rastlinami in zivalmi... in, ironicno dasiravno stereotipno, prijazen obiskovalcu z avtomobilom. pardon, suv-om. tako imas lahko ogled starih lesenih koc (super arhi-lekcija) in cerkva vsred divjine iz udobnega sedeza svojega napol dzipa (oz. v nasem primeru, avtobusa - http://lonestartimes.com/images/2007/04/short-bus.jpg ... taksen, ampak bel, in cisto, cisto nov.. kar je smesno, so taksni ta kratki avtobusi (navadna, solska, razlicica je 3x daljsa) ponavadi uporabljani za mladino z posebnimi potrebami). kot tudi opazovanje razlicnih zivali - vmes smo prisli srni na 10 footov (beri:3 metre). mi in kolona drugih avtomobilov... res, kot kaksen alpski safari. :D
v smokieih (huh? sklanjatve?) smo sli tudi na dvodnevni backpackerski podvig.. vmes sem bil ene 5x picen s strani raznih os, cebel, yellowjacketov, srsenov in podobnih nebodijihtreba. res kul potep po najbolj amazonskem gozdu kar sem kdaj bil... vroce, vlazno, vse zarasceno, prebijajoc se skozi podrast, super reke, slapovi, mosticki, itd... izjemno! ... kot tudi prvi kampsite (z obvezno vso opremo) z obvestilom, da je ta kampsite zaprt "due to recent bear activity in the area".
za tem je sledil tubing http://www.basscanoeresort.com/images/tubing.jpg po eni izmed rek na izhodu smokies parka.
ta pa se je izkazal zgolj za predigro za meni najbolj zabavno dogodivscino na brzicah, ever - rafting v duckiejih http://www.dosomethingdifferent.com/images/store/experience/landscape_image/470/Duckies9.jpg na na nantahali z http://www.noc.com/ . ubistvu gre za rafting colnicke za eno osebo. in ce bi sli z pravim raftom po teh "brzicah" bi verjetno umrl od dolgega casa. v duckiejih je bila pa to dejansko najbolj zabavna scena ever... na brzicah nas je ravno prav premetavalo, na ravnicah smo se prevracali in tunkali, itd, itd... ampak dalec najbolj impresivno je bilo pa vreme. itak smo imeli nonstop malo dezevno, ampak samo za to sceno na nantahali se je splacalo. voda je bila ledeno mrzla - kaksnih 15 stopinj, kajpavemkolk. zrak je bil topel in nonstop je pihala topla sapa, tudi ko je dezevalo (in v 3urni eskapadi je dezevalo vsaj 5x). nebo je bilo kricece modro, okoliske gore, hribi in vse ostalo pa nasiceno zeleno. nad reko je bila pa 3m visoka meglica... to so bili pogledi, ki bi jih se national geographic placal z zlatom.. ce bi vedel bi si na mestu kupil vodoodporni fotic. ob razmisljanju o pomanjkanju fotk sem se spomnil da so nas na reki tudi fotkal.. z malo iskanja sem nas tudi nasel in z malo tehnicne carovnije je moja fotka sedaj tudi *sposojena* in na ogled v galeriji.
aja. pa trem od mulcev sem se dal ostrict. sicer je vse neki postrani, malo prevec in malo premalo, ampak bilo je zabavno in zastonj. :D

vse skupaj je trajalo 2 tedna in je bil neizpodbitno najboljsih 2 tedna teh pocitnic. zaenkrat ;)
najvecji cukr je pa bil seveda to, da sem bil za vse to dejansko placan. celo vec kot ce bi bil v taboru. :D
skratka. navaden tabor bo od zdej naprej neizbezno bedenj.

glede tabora pa.. na brzicah nekje se je ena od plomb odlocila, da se odcepi od mene (decided it was time to break up with me.. pun.).. tako imam jutri zobarja (katerega, oh, ohohoh, moja zavarovalnica NE krije). bomo videli kako se bo to izslo. zadnje dva dni se je zacel nov adventure session z novo koco, cabinom, tokrat arrington 1. skupino vodim z cameronom, katerega sem srecal ze na zacetku na urjenju, vmes je pa odsel v californio opravljati izpit za tehnicnega resevalca v naravi/gorah. sedaj se je vrnil in skupaj imava najstarejse decke in sicer 9, od tega 5 spancev, eden izmed njih tudi isti, ki sem ga imel tudi na monk´s ultimatu.
bo se zabavno. vceraj smo sli na prvo dogodivscino, backpacking po jones gapu in ker smo trenutno na 110% zasedenosti tabora (mi imamo extra posteljo vsred koce) in nas je ogromno, celo malo veliko councellorjev, nas je slo na izlet 6 councellorjiev in 5 mulcev. za razliko od standardnih 2-3 concellorjev. kar je pomenilo da smo imeli pravzaprav dopust pred dopustom, saj smo se uglavnem zabavli sami s sabo, zraven pa po5tegnili se mulce.
ce me ne bi spet neka osa picila ravno na nivoju gojzerja (in posledicno z vsakim korakom praskal to ta piceno mesto dokler mi ni cela noga otekla in se razbolela) bi bilo naravnost briljanntno.
vmes sem na poti nazaj pri rainbow fallsih (kjer se se vedno hocem enkrat stusirati) napravil se novo zapestnico, ki je zamenjala strgani pascek na uri (tako da imam sedaj digitalno plasticno uro privezano na rocno izvezenemu pascku iz konopljine vrvi.. the coolest kid in camp :) ), kot tudi na blazno zadovoljstvo, zabavo in obcudovanje tudi vodni mlincek, ki je super delal direktno pod eno brzico.

ah da, vmes sem se pogovoril se o zivalih. bolje bi bilo, ce se ne bi. ko nas ni bilo, so namrec v taboru videli medveda. kar niti ni tako presenetljivo, ker jih je tukaj baje polno in jih sploh outback stalo srecuje. ampak redko pride kateri prav v tabor. no, itak panicarim skos zarad copperheadov http://scienceblogs.com/clock/upload/2007/02/copperhead.jpg in rattlesnakov, ki so bile tudi opazene ko sem bil tu. oboje seveda strupene. ampak to bi se vse nekako prezivel. danes sem pa cisto po nepotrebnem izvedel tudi to, da imamo v taboru ubistvu veliko nekih rjavih oz. napol prozornih strupenih pajkov.. ce te pici zacnes dobivati neke kroge (podobno kot klop, kateri so takisto tukaj), potem pa zacne tkivo pocasi odmirati od pika navzven. ah da, pa tudi crne vdove imamo, predvsem okoli njihovega gnezda pri konjskih hlevih.
AARGH!
(to so seveda samo nevarne oz. strupene zivali. ostalih je na tone. zadnjic sem na primer z ¡mobitelom! fotkal neke srne, ki sem jih srecal na poti do pretty placea, ki je edini prostor kjer mobitel lovi. vseh veveric, chipmunkov, vesc, metuljev (npr eden, ki se ni in ni hotel posloviti od mojih prstov na nogi na backpackin tripu par dni nazaj), kojotov, bambijev, ptic, os, srsenov, cebel, cmrljev in svasta drugega niti ne bi nasteval)

skratka, nazaj na ta tabor. na danasnjo 3dnevno adventuro pa nisem sel, saj imam jutri zobarja. juhuhu. kar je bittersweet, ker ne samo da mi bo nekdo spet vrtal po zobovju, bom zato se standardno placal (beri predvidoma okoli 200$). sweet pa zato, ker imam posledicno nepricakovane trodnevne pocitnice v taboru. brez obveznosti, with all the time in the world. tako da sem samo danes prebral ze ene 4 poglavja duna (katerega sem kupil v giant book saleu za 6$), napravil 3 tiedye majce http://dannyseo.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/09/12/tie_dye.jpg .. ceprav se ne vem tocno kako bodo izgledale in se ze skoraj profesionalno ukvarjal z vsemi moznimi izvezenimi zapestnicami in ogrlicami in spotoma naucil kaksnih 10 mulk v hill skillsu, nasemu DIY umetniskem koticku / hali v taboru. kot pa da to vse skupaj se ne bi bilo super, sem si zrihtal se polnilec za baterije za foto, kot tudi svoj laptop za te tri dni. tko da... ah ja, pa na poti do tegale bloga sem dobil se en chocolate-nut cake, da se mi noga cimprej pozdravi. jupidijajejuhuhuhu :D

vmes sem imel pa se najbolj sproscujoc vikend. najprej je bil itak standardni pohod po haywood mallu v greenvillu, ki mi postaja ze malo tecen, pa ceprav je eden bolj fancy in lustnih mallov ever.. potem debate o tem kaj kam kako in kdo... na koncu smo sli mimo neke knjigarne (dune, juhuhu) mimo dejansko kul gyrosa k eni od vodick domov debatirat in lenarit. najbolsa stvar ever je bila to, da sem po mesecu in pol spal v pravi postelji. ne jogiju v taboru. niti napihljivem armaflexu ali navadnem armicu. ampak v pravi pravi postelji. s povstri. odejami. 10cm+ jogijem... zaaAAAAAAAAAkoN!

ah da, spotoma sem se zvedel da se bo bratec porocil. jupidijajej :D

Takle mamo.

torej. s tem bom zakljucil. zares epski zapis, upam da bo zadnjih par ur investiranih v pisanje le-tega komu popestrilo dan. :D

smo kjer smo in od tukaj gremo naprej

2008-06-28T16:32:00.002+01:00

heyhu!

zanimivo! zgleda da zarad "tehnicnih tezav" (beri: fantomska cenzura na intranetu.. bom moral mal povprasat naokol) ne morem lastnega bloga gledat. to pa se ne pomeni, da ne morem pisati. :D mwahaha. on that note, par fotk iz tabora http://galerija.ben.si/albums/misc/amerika08/

anywayz. kakorkoli ze, prvi pravi tabor se je uspesno zakljucil, mularija je sla domov, mi smo imeli en dan frej. preostanek tabora je sel mimo dosti udobno, z dopoldanskimi aktivnostmi (prvo sem imel frej, drugo sem statiral zraven pri kajakih, tretjo pa vodil lokostrelstvo) in razlicnimi popoldanskimi aktivnostmi (med drugim tudi streljanje in plezanja preko jezera - long story).

ta teden bom pa zgleda vodil "Monk's ultimate adventure", kar pomeni da bom naslednja dva tedna prezivel izkljucno po terenu z "ultimativno" skupino, sprehajajoc od raftinga in pohodov in pa do drugih aktivnosti. (beri: tudi brez racunalnika in posledicno bloga).

no ja, pocasi bo cas za danasnji sestanek..

tschus

se vedno tu

2008-06-22T15:41:00.004+01:00

Juhej!

po dveh tednih spet pred racunalnikom! do sedaj je bilo precej zasedeno vse skupaj - mom&me + dad&me camp sta prisla in uspesno sla, vsi starsi zadovoljni in vsi mulci navduseni. sedaj se je zacel bolj resni kamp, kjer imava z co-councellorjem ericom iz north caroline skupaj 9 mulcev, 14-15.5 let, in skupaj zivimo v cabin batson 2.

ker sem v "adventure" paketu, je situacija taksna da je en teden prezivet po raznih vecdnevnih izletih, drugi teden pa v taboru. in tako sem cel prejsjni teden prezivel po okoliskih gozdovih, potokih in slapovih, ker sem sel zraven za varusko pri dveh pohodniskih izletih v naravi - enkrat na mount pisgah in drugod po parkway trail ( http://www.nps.gov/archive/blri/ncmap.htm ), drugic pa gori doli naokoli po jones gapu, dolini pod taborom ( http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park/962.aspx ).

sedaj mi je uspelo najti celo "staff lounge", kjer imamo na voljo vse od kavcev, televizije, racunalnika (na katerem trenutno ne dela net, lahko se pa kopirajo fotke \o/), sobnega kolesa in knjiznice. .... ko se bo se tisti internet zrihtal (ce?) bom lahk se kksno fotko dodal zraven.

mulci v vodu so super, vsi polni energije in moram rect da se precej dobro razumemo - celo danes, ko je bilo treba pocistiti naso koco in pomesti so to napravili z nasmeskom.

mi je pa hecno, ker je uradni pristop tabora usmerjen k preprecevanju kakrsnih koli premocnih stikov med fanti in puncami med camperji (torej blue+red=purple) sem jih moral ze parkrat dobesedno odvleci stran od koc od punc :)

sicer se pa svasta dogaja po taboru (poleg splosnih aktivnosti, ki se jih kot adventurerji nismo udelezevali ta teden), smo imeli square dance (mesanica med cetvorko in polko, le da so vsi obleceni v kavboje), en kaoticen vsesplosni obracun z 30 kilami moke in par 10 litri vode, kjer so vsi v taboru prisli ven lepljivi in pobeljeni, itd. danes je pa tudi nedeljska masa v nasem pretty placeu ( http://www.staceysstudio.com/pb/wp_302f2bb8/images/img13092471e487c93dcc.jpg in tako nekako tudi zares zgleda ob soncnem zahodu - RES impresivno), ki pa sem se jo spretno izognil z tem, da imam ravno danes svoj dopust :)

naslednji teden bomo imeli pa - svasta. od konjev, streljanja, vrvnatega poligona, plavanja pa vse do ... kaj pa vem, vse, skratka.

PS: aljaz je tudi zacel s svojim taborom, njegove vzporedne dogodivscine si lahko ogledate na http://diariosdetren.blogspot.com/

maticovo internetno linijo pa glodajo aligatorji in strupeni pajki, tako da ni poblogan. :D

jupidijajej!

Gremo zares delat

2008-06-09T03:21:00.003+01:00

yeah (btw slika ni iz nasega tabora, je pa zelo podobna tem nasim hiskam, pa se iz sosednje zvezne drzave je)

danes smo koncno zakljucili z orientacijami in pripravami (beri: ze petnajstic so nam povedali kako se lahko mulci ful hitro utopijo v jezeru in kako moramo ful paziti na taksne in drugacne zlorabe mulcev tako med njimi kot tudi od nas. zaobjeto v enem stavku "care like crazy").

ampak razen tega imam skoraj obcutek da (kako stereotipicno, ane?) da samo jem. poanta je namrec da karkoli pocnemo vmes med obroki (ki so, roko na srce, DOOOOObri!) vedno pac na polno delam (danes sem vseljeval eno skupino "mom+me camp" kjer so mamice z otroki, drugi del tedna bojo pa "dad+me camp".. pol popoldne sem pa vodil lokostrelstvo). in kadarkoli pac kej delam gre celo do/popoldne v sekundi mimo. potem je pa spet zbor in hrana. :)

skratka - tale mom+me je superca. 4 vodici + 1 ubervodic imamo cez vod 39ih mamic z otroki 5-6let starimi (torej ~20 parov). superca je pa zato, ker smo mi zadolzeni za vse ta fajn stvari (jst danes za lokostrelstvo, pol kanuji, jutri pa konji cel popoldne) in zato da se ne zgubijo, vse ostale stvari (beri: jok, neposlusnost, vodenje na wc, sramezljivost) pa urejajo mamice. hkrati tudi ne spim z njimi v hisi, tako da imam popolnoma atipicno in nepricakovano zdej freeeeej vecer(in lahko pisem v prazno, upajoc da bo to sploh kdo bral. ;) ).

sproti vse fotka nas fotograf in.. ko bodo te fotke kje dosegljive bom probal kej polinkat. do takrat pa tisoc besed pac opise eno fotko.

sem pa danes tudi prvic zares sel skozi prvi pravi bavbav - "vespers" .. skratka tisti vecerni ritual z mularijo, ko naj bi delil modrosti in storije. ni neki blazni problem, zaenkrat smo samo mal debatirali in analizirali kaj dobrega in slabega se nam je zgodilo skozi dan.

aja pa moj uradni nick tukaj je "Tiny". doh. ;)

aja, se to - stereotipi. dejstvu navkljub, da imam obcutek da samo jem tukaj, ker se pac samo takrat usedem in se umirim, je hrana dejansko super. ful se trudijo da se grejo tako eko kot tudi bio tabor - tako z izbiro jedilnika (corn flakes galore + salad bar included) kot tudi s splosnim sortiranjem odpadkov in kompostiranjem. pravzaprav tele mamice, za katere skrbim sedaj imajo tudi praviloma doma vse razne vrticke in podobno. res pa je da so taboru (skoraj) sami zdravi, nedebeli, sportni in - beli. je pa bila situacija na avtobusu sem grede diametralno nasprotna.

ah, da. "placi hotel pa bos dobil hotel", fraza meni znana iz drugih taborov. ampak se mi je spet pojavila, ko sem pri sebi malo primerjal med tem in drugimi tabori, kjer sem bil. tole pac je hotel, ki se ze od leta 1912 razvija v to, kar je danes. in to vkljucuje: ~25 his (no, bolj ali manj vegastih brunaric, ceprav nekatere z ventilatorji ali celo AC), svoj adrenalinski park, dve jezeri, plavalni center (na jezeru), kanuje & kajake, strelisce za puske (doh), strelisce za loke, malo strelisce za splosna orozja za otroke (super fraza, ane? ;) ), teniska igrisa & odbojka, plezalna stena, 2 indoor kosarkaski/splosni igrisci, pa verjetno se par drugih stvari ki se mi jih zdejle ne da vec nastevat.

skratka - ornk!

po drugi strani imajo pa par stvari fuuul strogo nastimanih - varnost na vodi (3 resevalci vsakic ko je kdo v vodi), varnost mulcev nasploh, starosti, droge na taboru, itd, itd.

vec al manj res taksen tabor kot sem si ga zelel. jupidijajej! :) ne gre drugace, takle mamo. :)

Tabor!

2008-06-05T04:04:00.003+01:00

Jeah, koncno zares na taboru. Ze takoj po prihodu na tabor takoj akcija 120%, takoj prijave na aktivnosti in potem ze razne predstavitve, kosilo, ogled shrambe in odhod na bivakiaranje. Tale tabor je precej velik (za poznavalce za ene 3 premanture, ce ne stejem okolisskih parcel) in ga zaenkrat se nisem precej videl. Gre se tabor tudi precej resno, ker imajo vsi ostali v stafu za sabo ze en teden priprav in spoznavanja procedur in okolice (in med seboj).

No skratka, na bivakiranje, kjer smo si kuhali, postavili bivake, naredili bear-bag in sli skozi celotno proceduro bivakiranja. Danes ob 5ih zjutraj domov, in potem po zajtrku koncno klic domov in potem spet paket predavanj. Popoldne paket prakticnega spoznavanja (v mojem rimeru lokostrelstvo in kajaki), po vecerji pa SPET predavanja.

omg. najbol pripravljena ekipa, ever. :) ... kaj moramo, takle mamo. Vec pa prihodnjic.

New York

2008-06-02T02:40:00.001+01:00

Yeah! Brez vecjih problemov prispel v New York, opravil vse obveznosti, uzival v vecernem sprehodu po Broadwayu, zdej pa.. spat, jutri pa 18 ur busa do tabora.

Takle mamo. ;)

Takle mamo!

2008-05-31T12:36:00.001+01:00

takle mamo in po tolkle je.

odlasal sem z messengerjem, z skypom, facebookom in blogom. a sedaj je nabor popoln \o/

na tem blogu se bodo od danes naprej nizali vtisi moji iz tabora v greenvillu.

trenutno stanje: skoraj cisto spakiran, skoraj cisto vsi opravki urejeni.
jutri ob 8ih pa na letalo. jupidijada!