Architect In Training

I've found myself sitting back reflecting today on my college experience (Star-Date 05/03 till 06/09).  SIX years of my life flashed as if warp 7 was engaged.  I was talking to one of my architecture friends about school and how much I loved (yes, loved) it.  Maybe not all the work was appreciated, but the experience is something that I think everyone should have.  Where else on Earth could you have almost every life experience without having to leave your campus? 

Some people just don't get it.  And they never will.

I find it hard to believe sometimes that my friends treat me worse than people that I don't know.  Very perplexing to me. 

I love the You Suck At Photoshop Series.  Here a little sample:

Not only do you get a laugh from it, you learn something too and that's the gift that keeps on giving.  You don't know how many times I've been doing some Architecture rendering and forgotten how to do some photoshop trick and referred to these things.  Truth be told, some of you have asked me how to do certain things to photos and when I reply with "hold on a sec" I usually refer to YSAP.

Real life is fun and hard all at the same time.  But it's the fun times that make the hard ones easier. 

For the past five months I have been so concerned with doing this whole architecture career track in a certain way that I became a little bit stubborn and dead set to do things in the way that I wanted them done.  Now I can see that; A.  It's not going to happen like I planned it [big surprise huh?] B. There's nothing I can do about it and C. Flexibility is the key.  I had a very helpful conversation with someone a couple days ago and I now realize that even though things aren't going how I had planned them, everything is falling into place like it should.

One day at a time.  Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift.  That is why it's called The Present.

Thomas Bowman Out.

I don't know if I am able to post this, but with a little trepidation I'm still going to post this information Nate Berg hipped me to. I found this on Architect Magazine and thought this was pretty cool. I know of a couple firms that are trying out this technology and seem to like what it presents. Now I don't know if this will ever replace an old fashion model [seeing that it costs about 3,000 to print one of these] but it definitely is something to pay attention to. Now if we could just find a way to make it three dimensional even more ie the super computer that was in Ironman. Take a look at the video and tell me what you think.

I honestly think this technology is on a level that all clients will appreciate but the use of real physical models will still be necessary. Nothing will ever replace it no matter how hard we try. I think making models allows for people to use their creativity in ways they never knew.

Watch the video. Comment on it.

Thomas Bowman Out.

Story of my life.  I'll be good once I get it too.


Thomas Bowman Out.

So my boy cliff skighwalker had this up on his blog and I had to repost for all you Archies out there.  Tell me you don't remember this wonderful commercial song.  This guy did the song SO much justice.  Laugh and enjoy.



Thomas Bowman Out.

I waited until everything died down and the sale was actually final to write something about the Pontiac Silverdome being sold.  While I'm happy that it happened finally, I'm not so happy with how it happened.  The auction for this 127.5 acre lot went for $583,000.  I am left dumbfounded as to how this could happen and how a city could accept an offer like this.  In my opinion, it's a slap in the face and shows just how dire the city's finances are in.  Being a native of the area, I could go on for days about this but I will break it down quickly.

I'm bothered by this because I've grown up with the Silverdome being the backdrop to my back yard.  It's as if the structure is apart of my family.  Okay, maybe not close family, but family nonetheless.  Everyday in the summer when I went outside to play with neighborhood friends, the Silverdome was there.  I used to walk over train tracks to get to it.  I dangerously walked/ran across M-59 to get to it.  I could hear Monster Truck shows that happened there at night as if it was a younger brother crying in another room, keeping everyone awake.  During the winter, our Christmas tree was positioned near a window that had the 'Dome' in the background.  And now you're telling me that someone in my family is only worth $583,000?!  That hurts.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for making money and getting the most bang for your buck, but this is just insane.  To show you how insane this is, I've done a little math for everyone to take a look at.  The price of The Pontiac Silverdome is the equivalent to:

- Seven 750i BMW Sedans (No add-ons, just the basic package)
- One house in Bloomfield Hills, Beverly Hills, or Farmington Hills
- One Hundred Seventeen (117) Really nice MacBook Pros (avg. cost $5000)

I guess my point is that Pontiac didn't get much for what they gave.  Just seven luxury cars?  There's probably 60,000 parking spaces and we just get enough to fill seven?!  That's fair!?  All I can do is shake my head and at the same time, tip my hat to the company that got this steal.  Though I don't see a professional soccer team flourishing in Pontiac, I've been wrong before.  Here's hoping that something great happens with that piece of land.  Wow, 583,000 for 128 acres.  That's amazing.

Thomas Bowman Out.

So my man RoSpit is representing Detroit in a possible ad campaign contest for the wonderful city.  As some of you may know, CNN Money is here for a year and is featuring the rebuilding of what was and still is a great city: Detroit.  To go along with their articles and pieces on the city and what it can become, there is an ad campaign contest happening supplement their works.

In order to vote for him, go to CNN Money and vote for here.  There is also a great video that goes along with the advertisement at Make Your Mark.  I'm always a cheerleader for the little guy, even though Ro and the team at M.Edward-Campbell are not little at all.  By all means, take a look at the other competitors but voting for them would be a vote for a lesser advertisement.  I want Detroit to be placed in the best light possible and the RoSpit entry is shining.  Put some shades on.

Thomas Bowman out.

So in my conquests to become LEED certified, I've been researching and reading as much information as I can.  I came across this windmill known as the xBEE on TreeHugger that is using bioMimicry to utilize the wind and create energy from it.  What is the windmill mimic-ing from nature you ask?  BEES?!  Yeah, that insect that is supposedly aerodynamically ill-equipped to fly is being mimiced by a California engineering business known as Green Wavelength.

"Borrowing design cues from nature is already changing the face of technology, especially in the swirly realm of fluid dynamics. We've seen fan blades inspired by the bumpy fins of whales, solar cells made more efficient by the texture of butterfly wings, turbine blades that mimic the hydrophobic surface of leaves, and maybe even high-MPG car coatings that are rough like shark skin." -- TreeHugger

They're still expensive, but it's a step in the right direction.  Check out the prototype in action.  It looks pretty cool, but it also looks awkward [at least to me it does].  Then again, the bee in nature is pretty awkward so in the end, it works perfectly.


Thomas Bowman Out.

This man right here is one of the muses that I look to for guidance when it comes to my whole architecture endeavor.  Let me introduce Paul Williams to you all.

Paul Williams was the first African American member of the American Institute of Architects, architect to the stars of his time, and an influencial man to me doing what I want to do.  At the age of 25, he won a competition for architecture and three years later, opened and ran his own office [that's 28]. 

Now Paul was born in 1894 and back when he started his career as an Architect [1922], there was a lot of segregation and racial bigotry still.  But that didn't stop this man in his quest to perform at the best of his abilities.  He was quoted once saying "If I allow the fact that I am a Negro to checkmate my will to do now, I will inevitably form the habit of being defeated." 













[Theme Building @ LAX]

Everytime I get tired and frustrated [for example, yesterday in the Captain's Log], I look to this man and what he did for some sort of inspiration in what I can do.  Sure, the job market is sucks, and the economy is in a recession, but so what.  Anything can happen.  If this man can perfect the craft of hand drafting residential houses upside down because his clients did not want to / feared sitting next to him, then damn it, I will be okay. 

What stories like that also have shown me is that the only color that really seems to matter in this world is green. No matter what the ills of this world may be, as long as you are the best at what you do, the green will come your way.  So what am I doing to become the best at what I do?  A lot.  First off, I got like 6 months to win a competition like my man Paul did.  I'm following Paul.  Thanks for leading. 

















[Beverly Hills Hotel - California]
All the above pictures are projects that Mr. Williams either designed or helped design [and these are just a few].

Thomas Bowman Out.

Now that I got that off the chest, back to the old jovial Capt. Log.

Yankee's are about to win the World Series [again].  I believe this is number 27 for them. I hate the Evil Empire.  But I guess you cannot argue with results.  I'm going to write whatever comes to my mind until the game is over.

Shout out to Burn Rubber for selling those exclusive Kevin Hart tickets.  That man is hilarious and I will be in attendance.  If you have never watched his stand up special 'Grown Little Man', google it and watch the whole thing.  There are some classic jokes in there.

What ever happened to SARS?  No one talks about that anymore.  It's like because it's not Swine Flu, it's not important.  Is SARS not a problem anymore?  Yes? No?  Just a question.

Finally got a 14 billiard ball for the house thanks to a bar that shall remain nameless.  But thanks for the ball you guys.  The pool table is now complete.

So I been watching that new show FlashForward which is just another form of Lost but this time the world past out for 2 minutes and 17 seconds.  The only thing that bothers me is this Kangaroo.  He keeps showing up?! What does he mean?  If you haven't seen it before, here's the first episode:


So go find the first episode or the sixth episode and experience the Kangaroo.  I like to call him Rocko.

I miss old school Nickelodeon.  I wonder when I'm old and gray will my 'shows' be old cartoons.  Probably.  I think they help out my creativity and that's why I watch them.  The people who make those shows are grown up so why can't I watch them?

2 outs Philly - 3 NYY - 7.

I cannot believe that next year i'll be 25.  That is so crazy to me.  A quarter of a century on this earth and still going.  I believe as long as I make through the rest of this year, I beat all statistics about me and my life.  Apparently, African American males from inner cities are usually dead or in jail by the age of 25.  

Vic Tarino is a G.  He's been fighting off the pitcher for probably 14 pitches now.  Kudos to that man for not making this easy.

GAME.

Thomas Bowman Out. 

I have two things to say about that Mike Posner song Speed of Sound:
1.Best Riding and Thinking Song I have right now [in conjunction with Cudi - Hyeer]
2. Each verse is the story of my life right now before you get to the chorus because the chorus symbolizes the success coming.

I been listening to this all day [and I do mean ALL day], and it makes reflect on everything that has happened in the past year.  Each verse makes me think about a different part of life in the past year.  For example:

'My mom keeps telling me, that I better stay in school.  But when that ends, Lord knows I don't know what I'm gonna do.'
-- I still don't know what I'm going to do.  I been trying to figure this thing called life out non-stop since then and I haven't come up with much.  Searching for that ever elusive job in this economy has been hard to say the very least.  Honestly, that is an understatement.  I been looking like a mad man eversince I came back from Spain but still nothing.  I feel like I'm just spinning my tires on ice - getting me nowhere.  And what did I go to school all this time for?!  I got two degrees in what I thought was a professional career path and the only thing I find in my pockets is lint, hope, and business cards.

'Cuz everytime I blink now, another day rolls by.  It's getting hard to not think bout all the things on my mind.  Like I remember this time last year, I was alone. I felt like I was two feet tall.'
-- I'm not going to go into all the details of this one but know it's very pertinent to my life.  But what I will say is that everyday seems to go by SO fast now and I wish it would slow down because I don't feel like I'm enjoying them like they should be.  

'My friends keep telling me how much they believe in me.  Well i wish, that i saw, the things that they see in me'
-- Now I'm not down on myself but I wish I just could utilize the talents that my friends and family see in a way that would accrue some kind of recognition and income.  I think one of my biggest fears is not making some kind of difference and the fact that I don't see anything of substance being done by or in conjunction with me eats away at me.  I don't feel successful.  As much as people tell me I am, the bank statement isn't telling the same story.  I just want to contribute to something ASAP.  I'm just trying to move at the Speed of Sound.  Trying to be Gone In 60 Seconds on Talledega Nights.  Get some more passport stamps.  That so wrong?  Who trying to help?  Let me know something.  Anybody....

Thomas Bowman Out.

I don't know if everyone knows this man but if you don't, you should. You remember the Design contest I entered [and subsequently lost, lol]?  If not, shame on you.  RoSpit, yet another dope Michigan Hip Hop emcee, is coming out with a mixtape on November 10th sponsored by Acapulco Gold and Burn Rubber and it has nothing but hot tracks for listening and riding to. I'm lucky to say that fam has allowed me released one of the tracks entitled 'Levi Denim'.

Now please pay attention to the lyrics because they're so intricate and thought out. Even when you play this one slow you won't catch all the allusions to the Levi brand. Let's see how many you find.

The first time I met this dude was at my high school open house.  He provided the music and whatnot to a wonderful day of chilling and good time having.  I knew he had skills back then because of my interactions with his music [Closest Thing To Him] and always thought he was on a level on cool that I couldn't reach.  Dude is real cool and down to earth though.  First time I put CTTH in the CD player was a summer where I had to wake up at like 4am for work at this engineering firm where I surveyed.  My pops had given me the CD the night before [yes, my pops] and I didn't get a chance to listen to it.  Well, at 5am as I'm driving to work, I was wide awake.  The horns from the first track of the CD had me hooked and I been loving the music eversince.  So much love and respect to the man RoSpit.

RoSpit - Levi Denim (Peep How I Kill 'Em)


EVERYBODY POST THIS, TWEET IT, WHATEVER.  Enjoy.  Thomas Bowman Out.

Everyone go get the Mike Posner Mixtape [One Foot Out The Door]. Support Michigan Hip Hop and R&B. Actually, I don't know that I would call Mike R&B but there's melodies and singing in it. You make your own decision on that one but go get it now. And did I forget to mention: IT'S FREE!!! Go to itunes, LiveMixtape, or DatPiff to get it.  Favorite song of the hour is speed of sound.  Listen to it here and then go get the rest of the album because the mixtape is awesome.

That is all. Thomas Bowman Out.

I love it when hip hop has days like this. I would have given up my car to be in that room listening to this live and in person. And to have Eminem come through and just totally rip the cypher at the end was amazing. Made me even more proud to be from Michigan and the Metro Detroit area. If you missed it, I got it right here for you. Enjoy it. I know I did.



Thomas Bowman Out.

I miss Goodie Mob.  I been hearing rumblings of a re-union. But Cool Breeze was the homie when I heard this. This is pre-Outkast for me! Almost my introduction to down-south hip hop.



Thomas Bowman Out.

Peep this project out that's going to hopefully happen in Detroit. IceHouse Detroit is project that will hopefully happen this winter. The project is being done be Gregory Holm, a photographer, and Matthew Radune, an architect, in the city of Detroit [obviously] and is referencing the current 'freeze' in the housing market.  Detroit is leading the nation is foreclosures and this project takes one of the 80,000 abandoned houses in the city to make a statement about the current situation.

Wow. 80,000 abandoned homes in one city.  That is truly a sobering number.  I mean I knew my city was having hard times but that is a staggering number.  Anyway, the project still needs supporters and donations to happen so please donate to this if you have the money.  If you go to their website you will find all the necessary information to make an informed decision.

Thomas Bowman Out.

So I was surfing the net and found some new kicks that I need to put in the mix.  Apparently, I'm a little late on this one but who cares.  There still isn't a place in Michigan for me to get these so the internet will be my best friend.  So here are some of the kicks that peaked my interest of Radii's website.  They kind of remind me of TK's Supras but with a few variations in material, style, and technique.  Definitely something that needs to be copped in the winter months.

I think my favorite color is black.  All black everything.  I guess it's the architect coming out of me.  It's accentuates so well!

Thomas Bowman Out.

Who has two thumbs and loves Alicia Keys and her music?  This guy.  Peep her new video.  And Alicia let me share this with you.  If your intelligence matches or surpasses your beauty, let's make this thing happen.  I won't leave you lonely. Lol.




Thomas Bowman Out.

So I was perusing the internet and came across this article on Inside Higher Ed about the changing landscape of architecture schools.  I'm sure all the architecture students that come across my blog can cosign for me about my next statement but I will solely speak for myself.  Architecture school is demanding, alienating, frustrating, and finally physically, mentally, and emotionally draining.  I don't know many other majors that have students who brag on how many all-nighters they have spent in the same space working on a project.  I don't know how many college students who could endure pouring hours upon hours on what could be torn apart in an instant by a professor.  I know my motto was, 'I'm not done with this project until I bleed on the model.'  And that not a metaphorical bleeding of the soul or anything, I literally mean I bleed on the model.

Now with all that said, this article I just finished reading speaks about a new 'blueprint' for Archies everywhere in which I agree with.  More and more, architecture is not what some call an 'artsy-fartsy' degree.  Like everything else in this world that makes money, Architecture is a business and it needs to be addressed as such.  Spending limitless hours on designs, buildings and details upon details is a great skill to have, but it shouldn't be the only skill set acquired in Architecture of school. 

For me, there was little to no inclusion of how to put together a full set of construction documents, how to estimate costs, what spec sheets should consist of, and a multitude of other things that are REALLY necessary to be successful in obtaining work in the beginning of one's profession.  Another thing that I found to be odd is the fact that there are little to no psychology or sociology classes required in order to graduate.  Our profession deals with people on both a very basic and complicated level.  Some of those classes in the aforementioned fields would help us aspiring architects out a great deal. 

With all that being said, I applaud said schools that are trying to make their students more ready for what is going to actually be out in the real world.  And for those that haven't totally adapted yet, I hope you start soon because you'll be doing your students a disservice to not help them in every way possible.  I mean we are paying tuition to invest in you to assist us invest in ourselves.  Help us (by us, I mean architecture students) out! 

Thomas Bowman Out.

What can I say?  I think there is a parallel between the two and obviously, someone else sees it as well.  I also find this to be a little bit comical because of the brand that chose to do this line of tee shirts.  Good ole Prada.  I don't know about everyone else, but the school that I went to was filled with it.  Everywhere you looked, either a teacher or a student had Prada shoes, glasses, etc on their body.  And what was the color of choice?  The architect's official unofficial color of choice: black on black with black splahsed in there. 

I find these tee shirts ironic because the tees are not black.  Of course, with Epicenters designed by architectural firms such as Herzog & de Muron and Rem Koolhaus, the blueprints are not your regular, run-of-the-mill lines and stripes.  Trust I will be wearing one because I have been a fan of colors since before my architecture training.  Peep them out.  Pretty dope.

So today and this week have been a whole mess of Cudi, B.O.B and Michigan Hip Hop artists Slum Village, Royce Da 5'9 and my man Octane.  I know everybody knows about Slum Village.  But if you don't, I think this laid back track right here is a great introduction.  Song is called 'Call Me.'  Maybe not the best lyrically that Slum can do, but I always base my 'like' of a track on how it rides in the car and this one is oh so smooth.  I don't really ride with anybody in the whip, calm and cool is usually how I role.  Shout to you Dwele for putting down some awesome vocals.

Next on the list is Cudi's Hyer.  I don't know if I can post that up so I'm not but you all should cop that Cudi and go to track 14 and ride.  Subject matter may not be something everyone can relate to, but the rhythm and beat are SO COLD. 

And then there's my man Royce Da 5'9.  Now I been messing with Royce for some time now and I'm glad to see the man getting some love out here in the world.  Shout out to the Slaughterhouse crew and Detroit as well.



This one is kind of late but I still think this man needs to get more credit so I'm doing my share.  Some can't get down with B.O.B aka (Bobby Ray) but whichever name you call him, dude got his own style that I like.  It's something.



And last but definitely not least, is my boy Octane.  Some of you may have heard him on 98 wjlb's Mountain Dew unsigned hype.  Everytime I hear this song, I call in and tell them to play it more and you should too!  Here's the video.  Peep the city behind him.  That's where I'm from as well.



Thomas Bowman out.

I found myself on the floor laughing when I saw this commercial.  Whoever invented this bunny, he/she deserves a raise.


Seriously love this commercial.  Kudos

So apparently not enough people liked the covers I designed.  I didn't make the final cut of cover art entries.  To see them, go to Burn Rubber's website and click the featured post link and see what they have chosen.  Kinda sucks but as a designer, it's what happens.  Only takes one person to say they like your stuff for it to be recognized.  I'm still searching for that one person.  When I do find them, I'm sending them out into the world to hype me up.

You know lately I been trying to keep myself upbeat in this down economy and you know what I found?  I pick up talents fairly easily.  I find myself wanting to be great at one thing but I've been thinking:  What if I'm great at being 'good' at a lot of things?

What has me thinking that you ask?  I went my Architecture School's conference on the future of design and a young woman from YouTube by the name of Margaret Stewart put a lot of my life into perspective with her lecture.  She used the analogy of elephant and frog babies (crazy, I know but bear with me).  Elephants put all their hope and prayers in a small number of babies while frogs just kind of lay a whole bunch of eggs and hope for a couple to amount to a frogs.  Through nature, natural selection, chance, fate, or whatever you want to call it, the right number of both species make it, and as such, life and the species continue to procreate.

Lately, I been realizing that I have been looking at my education and subsequently my life in an elephant type of way.  Trying to fit into this one field, in one way, with one goal and I'm starting to think I should go at it in the frog type of way.  I mean I'm already great at being 'good' at a lot of different things.  Why not just keep doing that until one of them pans out more than the others?  Make sense?  It's starting to make more and more sense to me.

Thomas Bowman Out.

This is freaking awesome!  To get the full article about Evolver, click the name and go to the site or you can watch their video here.



Overall, I am feeling this design and execution.  It was done by a group of 2nd year students at an architecture school in Switzerland by the name of  ALICE Studio at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).  I think it's really impressive what a group of students can come up with and construct.  Oh, and peep the program they're using, Rhinoceros 4.0! It look like they got TSplines as well in there.  I was really happy to see someone other than U of M using that program because I was starting to think I learned all that for nothing.

I also really like at the end of the video where the camera is inside and going through the the space and the voided space goes around volume.  Wow, that sounds like it doesn't make sense but in my mind, it does.  If you don't understand what I'm saying, watch the movie again.  You'll understand what I'm saying soon.

Good design makes me happy.  And the site doesn't hurt either.  The mountain scenery is amazing and I wish I could see it. 

Thomas Bowman Out.

So I been watching as many James Bond movies as I can get my hands on and without a doubt, the best intro and song to me is to Goldeneye.  I mean come on.  It's got Tina Turner for Pete's sake!  And the video introduction to the movie is amazing.  Little fyi, Bono and The Edge from U2 wrote the song, but Tina did that bad boy justice.  Don't agree?  Watch this and then tell me otherwise.  If you still disagree, well then there's something seriously wrong with you and I can't be held accountable for your views or opinions.  Ok, enough of my talking.  Here's the video:


Tina Turner. Thank you.

Thomas Bowman. Out.

 Just thought I would let everyone know about these wonderful Spiz'ikes that are out.  I usually dress in all black or close to it so these are a definite purchase.  These will be my first pair of Jordans ever so I am excited.  Soon to be followed by some Jordan 4, 8, and 9's.  I'll let you know how I feel when I buy these.  Probably will do a movie about it.

So like everybody else, I had planned on trying to get through with the LEED exam before the testing style changed but to no avail.  Silly old me went to Spain for two months and couldn't get to it.  I had registered for it and everything but I didn't end up taking it.

Now I'm back in America and I'm looking at the requirements and all I can say is eeeeffffgggghhh!  What happened?!?  There are so many requirements that I have to go through just to make myself a LEED AP.  Not to mention more money and more time.  And as we all know, time is money.  I am kicking myself in the butt for not taking this test earlier but more so, I find myself wondering:  "Are the people who are LEED AP prepped for what is going on in this world right now?" 

I know a few people who took the test simply to have the title LEED AP with no architectureal background and now there is a requirement to have experience.  Granted, the new crop (including me) will have better experience and knowledge, who really cares now?  The system seemed to be broken and now we are trying to fix it but there are cracks in the foundation already. 

So what do we do?  I don't know but I don't think making two exams and making me pay more money is the correct answer.  Geez.  This is going to take some time now.  Just my thoughts though.


Thomas Bowman Out.

And welcome to the first installment of "Architecture Real Talk".  I got this bright idea while sitting at home talking to some of my friends who are aspiring to work in the architecture field and having trouble.

Today's Topic:  The Catch-22 (Education vs. Experience)
So for the past four and a half years, I have been working and slaying.  Spending long nights in studio, bleeding on models, crying over renderings, selling my thoughts and ideas and ultimately coming out with the skills I need to succeed in this career right?  Well, after a lot of money and time spent, my answer is 'not necessarily. 

After everything is done and over with, I don't know if the education I have now provided me with the  experience I need in order to make it in this profession.  I'm not saying that school is supposed to totally prepped you for everything you will encounter in the working world, but I expected more than what I have. 

And now I find myself in what everyone calls the 'Catch-22'.  I have all this education but not a lot of experience when people nowadays want the most bang for their buck.  Which leaves me saying 'wtf am I doing?!'  I don't like being caught in this situation and I'm trying to find a way out of it as soon as possible.  So to all you firms, principals, developers, and whoever else would like to deal in the architecture field, please give us new people a shot.  It's hard enough out here for us.   

Thomas Bowman Out.

Love this song.  Love this girl.  Love this video. Love the sweat pants.

"It's funny that a guy like me stays on your mind" - RoSpit

I'm starting to see that the older I become, the less I know about this world and the people in it.  But in the words of my man G.B. Shaw "The longer I live the more I see that I am never wrong about anything, and that all the pains I have so humbly taken to verify my notions have only wasted my time."  So if I won't argue with you, you know why.

I'm Good.

I stay up late, wake up early, and wake up frequently at night.  I don't know why but I do know that most of my epiphanies come during these time so I have no intention of stopping the flow.

If you cannot appreciate waking up early on Saturday morning, going downstairs in your pajamas, getting yourself some cereal (preferably Cinnamon Toast Crunch), and watching some Saturday Cartoons, I cannot mess with you.  Sure, I watch the news, CNN, Moneyline, and other sources of 'real world' information but in all honesty, I like to escape the real world and laugh sometimes.  Maybe you should grow down every once in a while.  Ever thought about that?  Huh?  Yeah, I bet you didn't. 

I really feel like 'male enhancement' commercials should be limited to the late night.  Do you know how many times it has become awkward in my house or car because one of those things are on and I'm with my family (ie the parents)?  Far too many.  Especially the Extenze commercials.  Why don't they just say it instead of all the innuendo.

Long live ESPN.  That is all.

Why is it that Blogger's time and my comp time don't match up?  It says I did this at like 11:00p and it's definitely 2:15p.

I just went through good ole' Sammy Ocean (my cellphone) and deleted a lot of numbers.  I'm starting to realize that like facebook, deleting a number from your phone means we are REALLY not cool.  Or you're just not important to me.  Either way, it's not a good look for you.  Sorry.

Shout out to the Franklin Cider Mill.  You have brought me nothing but joy for the past 22 years of my life with your delicious donuts and apple cider.  I wish Fall was longer around here.  Seems like Michigan just decided to skip my favorite season all together this year.  No matter, I know my donuts and cider are here.  Who is coming with me?

I miss Spain like crazy.  If I had some friends to live there with me there, I would move in a heartbeat.  I have realized that I love cities with public transportation.  Let me rephrase that; I like cities with GREAT public transportation.  Don't get me wrong, I love Michigan, Detroit, and the Metro Detroit area but there is no public transportation.  I have to drive everywhere and it honestly gets to be a little annoying.  I think a move to a bigger city is in my near future.

Vote for Chicago to host the Olympics!  I'll be living there by then so it should be a good look for everyone.

Ask questions.  You'd be surprised what the answer is.

Thomas Bowman Out.

I don't know if you all know this, but I am apart of this RoSpit Cover art design contest.  Now I trust everyone enough to get a sneak peek at what I'm putting out for ONE of my entries, but my lawyer suggests that I let everyone know my designs already have been legally licensed to me as mental and design property.  Now that the legal stuff is out of the way, let's get onto the fun stuff. 

Now I don't think you can actually 'vote' for me but I'm sure a lot of good/positive feedback from you all wouldn't hurt my chances.  So if you like what you see, GREAT!  Let BurnRubber and CLIC know!  If you don't like it, that's cool but still tell BurnRubber and CLIC that I'm that Guy!  With all that said.  Enjoy the previews, and i'll check you all later.

Thomas Bowman Out.

*Edit* Updated Pics

So I know everyone probably thinks I been living under a rock but I haven't.  I caught wind of this earlier today and didn't have time to say anything about it.  The LIONS FINALLY WON A GAME!!!! Of the past 19 games we finally got one.  I said the Lions would win three this season and my friend is giving them six.  I don't think that will happen but we'll see.  I just wonder how the Redskins feel (should out to Wale) about this.  I mean the literal 'worst football team' from last year just beat you.  That's gotta leave a salty taste in your mouth. 

But this is not to take anything away from the Lions.  Congratulations fellas, you definitely needed this one.  Let's just not have any incidents tonight to mess your victory up.  I'm honestly surprised there were no riots in the streets about this.  Seriously. 

But this isn't about that home.  It's about Falling Water.  If you don't know this house, let me explain it to you.  There are these things called cantilevers and they give the optical illusion that horizontal member is unstable, when in actuality, it's just as safe as any other place in a building.  So here's Falling Water:

Ok all you graphic designers.  Here's a contest for you all.  My bro, RoSpit, is holding a contest for his album cover art.  I'll let him explain it to you all:



Now again, you just have to go to his website and download the photopackage and go to work.  I'm entering it as well so know you got competition, stiff competition.  Good luck to you and your ideas.  LoL, but seriously, let's see a lot of entries for this.  Support great Michigan Hip Hop!

So a couple of days ago I was supposed to have a job interview and I got a call 4 hours before the interview to find out that they were cancelling my interview.  I'm still pretty pissed about it moreso because of the preperation I did for this thing.  Granted, it wasn't in my field of interest, I still would have like to show what I prepared for the interview. 

It was with an automotive company and they wanted renders and concept makers.  I felt like I could've done it, how bout you?

Dear readers:

Cudi is nice with his.  I know there are those out there that think he isn't.  But if you listen to a song like hyyer and nothing hits you, you have no musical emotion.

I like having a soundtrack to my life as I walk/workout/think/work/etc.  It just helps to set the mood to whatever I'm doing.

Why is it that I keep getting all these insurance job offers?  I have two degrees that are what I think the furthest from insurance salesman (architecture).  I know there are transferable skills with everything but I will never go to American Insurance Company after 6 years of college.  NOT happening.

Shout out to my brothers and this fundraiser.  Bowman Dynasty.  'Nuff said.

I find it funny how some people respond to me being a jerk to them.  I have learned and realized a lot more this year than any other that the nice guy finishes last and the good dog will get kicked all the time.  Jerks rule the world so I suggest everyone else act accordingly.  Why do you think there are shows like Bully Beatdown?? Because the jerks of the world exponentially outweigh the nice people.  Just a thought.

BET sucks.

I love Keisha Cole songs.  I don't really dig her music but I appreciate her messages.  If a majority of Beyonce's singles are the disease for girls being single and upset about it, Keisha Cole's singles are the cure.  Period.

Real Chance at Love 2 is my guilty pleasure.  Sue me.  It's a great mind number after 7 to 8+ hours of intense thinking of spaces and trying to make people happy.

Someone told me that I will probably change my career path at least four times in my life.  To that I say this: "I haven't changed now and I don't plan on changing.  I'm a diletante. So there's no need to change." 

How come there aren't more investors in all this Detroit real estate right now?  People listen up.  Get some friends together, research a property or two, find something in your price range, fix it up, rent it out.  Know what that is?  It's called making money work for you.  There's so much opportunity out here.  I'm trying to get my hands on some of it.  I suggest you do the same.

Read a book.  NOT a magazine.  NOT a blog.  A BOOK.

Careful what you wish for.

And I'd like to end my R&R with my favorite George Bernard Shaw quote:
"The longer I live the more I see that I am never wrong about anything, and that all the pains I have so humbly taken to verify my notions have only wasted my time."

Now what does that mean to you?

Thomas Bowman out.

I was surfing the homie DJ Premiere's blog and peeped that Royce Da 5'9" has a tracklisting for his fourth album titled Street Hop.  Let me just say that I been listening to Royce for a minute now and I'm glad to see that he is getting more recognition out here.  But let me not start off into a rant.  Here's the tracklisting:

1. Gun Harmonizing (Produced by Emile)
2. Count For Nothing (Produced by Streetrunner)
3. Soldier (Feat. Kid Vishis)
4. Something 2 Ride (Feat. Phonte)
5. Dinner Time (Feat. Busta Rhymes)
6. Far Away
7.  The Warriors (Feat. Slaughterhouse)
8. A Brief Intermission (Skit)
9. Gimme Money (Produced by Streetrunner)
10. Shake This (Produced by DJ Premier)
11. Mine In Thiz
12. Street Hop (Produced by Six July)
13. Thing For Your Girlfriend (Feat. Kay Young)
14. Bad Boy (Feat. Jungle Rock Jr.)
15. Take You There (Feat. Melanie Rutherford)
16. Part Of Me (Produced by Carlos Broady)
17. Love From The Hood (Feat. Bun B & Joell Ortiz)

Before you answer that question, peep these joints.  I been saving up for one of these for about three years now.  I'm something like a watch connoisseur and found these bad boys three years ago and you know what?  They still hot to me.  I suggest you all step your watch game up and give your wrist real estate something to be proud of. 

The brand is called Urwerk.  The company is based out of Geneva and the name Urwerk comes from the term 'Ur' which is the place where the perception of time was created 6000 years ago and 'Werk' is German for work, create, evolve, etc.  Little knowledge for you so you are an informed consumer if you decide to consume.

Now.  What time is it?

I say this because right now I am watching the Jay-Z concert live from Madison Square Garden and as we all know, 8 years ago the Twin Towers fell.

8 years ago, I would not have wanted to be anywhere near NYC. So much terror and horror all around. So much loss. So much sadness. Today, I cannot think of anywhere else I would want to be today.  For the architect in me, I found some NEW photos of the Memorial Museum which is being designed and built at ground zero.  The museum is below grade and from the renderings seems to have parts of the remaining WTC slurry wall in the design.  Simply put, this museum is amazing to me.
This Jay-Z concert is amazing. I have to go watch it. Jay has SO many special guests coming through.

But lets not forget the REAL king of the court was inducted into the NBA hall of fame. Shout out to Michael Jordan for the monumental accomplishment. I still haven't bought a pair of Jordans because of my pact to by them with my first architecture job. It may be dumb to all of you, but it isn't to me. It's a long story, I'll explain one day.