Wow. Just like that three years have passed and I barely even blinked. So much and so little have happened in that amount of time to me. Let's hit some major milestones really quick:
- I continued designing hospital toilet stalls and spaces for a firm for another year following the last post I made. Then I left for a job in Detroit. That's right, I quit and made a move for myself. I got a taste of making moves and guess what? It tasted good.
- I worked in Detroit on so many project it would make your head spin. Some are in the limelight like the David Whitney Building. The first couple of months there, I was surveying each and every one of those floors. In the winter. with no gloves. I know. I'm stupid. But it happened and I'm all the better for it. For better or worse, I think I played a small part in helping bring back the core of Detroit. I'll be back one day but I left after two years. I've been jumping around a lot, I know. I kind of have that habit.
- Did I mention I got a dog? Best investment of 2012 bar none.
- ALMOST finished with my IDP. Tricky thing about these hours is some of them you have to stay with a project until it's complete to get them. Didn't pay attention to that. So all but about 80 hours are complete. It sucks but what are you going to do? I'm studying for the AREs now and trying to finish this last hurdle in my life before the years end. We'll see how that goes with everything else going on this year.
So you're all caught up with me now. So why am I coming back to write about life as a designer/architect/young black man in a profession where there aren't many of me? Well, there's a couple reasons but before I get into that, one thing I forgot to mention in the list of things that have happened to me. I moved to Chicago! I know it's not Spain, Africa, Portugal or any of the other cool places I've been, but this was kind of my 'end game' so to speak. This was the location I always wanted to live in and I haven't actually 'lived' here for more than a couple months in the summer - Shout Out to the NSLC and Hydzik Schade - when everything is awesome.
Anyway, why now? Well, this was always a very easy way for me to express design frustrations, triumphs, fears, goals and aspirations and I got away from it. Not everything I had frustrations with before bother me now but they have been replaced with new challenges, frustrations and hurdles. My Dad has always told me that everything is in my hands and I didn't really realize what he meant until I left home. I moved to Chicago in the dead of winter with my Moms assistance on December 6. It was on some real life Kanye West Last Call type stuff.
Moms rode with me 5 hours and helped me unload every belonging I own from a relocation cube. We put it all into a uhaul then unloaded the uhaul at my apartment that I found two weeks before I moved. Talk about a family sticking together. I wouldn't be here without them.
Chicago, I can't believe I finally got here but I have so far to go. But I have to say, I'm happy to finally be here. So let's have a toast, I said toast mutha....
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