I think it's wrong to attribute this to female architects specifically, mostly because it is how I try to approach my work (emphasis mine):

Female architects like [Gang] share a high interest in modern design combined with a low interest in ideology. They approach design less as an opportunity to demonstrate a set of ideas than as a way of answering a series of questions about the nature of a place, a client, or a function. “I like to do research about a place, about materials, and about a program,” Gang told me. “The longer I can delay coming up with a form, the better. Developers don’t always like that, but it’s the part I like the most.”

From Wave Effect: Jeanne Gang and architecture’s anti-divas in the New Yorker

I guess we're late to Wicker Park

Coasters made from old street signs

Great review of Umbrellas in Slate

via Kottke

Inconceivable

How is it that Chicago, a city both overcrowded by automobiles and totally reliant on public transportation, can endanger the very usefulness of the CTA because they want to send a message to the Illinois state assembly?

From Crane's Chicago Business:

Pointing a political gun at the Illinois General Assembly, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) board on Wednesday voted to slash service 36% and raise some fares unless lawmakers ride to the rescue by mid-July with a $55 million cash bailout.

The cuts are structured in such a way that they would particularly wallop rush-hour commuters, who would face what officials described as "severe crowding" and waits in many cases of twice as long as today.

Ridiculous. Maybe I am moving to the wrong city.

Tests are silly

Upon receiving grades for my most recent Human Sexuality exam, I was shocked to learn that whether I study for two days or four hours, I'll get the same score.

Why do we bother with this nonsense?

New music

Thanks to Taylor, Michelle and Will, I've been listening to some new music lately:

• Hot Fuss, by the Killers -- The Killers are almost too hip for their own good. Fortunately, they rock pretty hard and have a great lead singer. I only wish there was more variety between songs on this album.


• The Luxury of Time, by David Mead -- Taylor's positive influence continues, this time by way of David Mead. Beautiful singing, well-crafted compositions, and a nice mix of songs make The Luxury of Time a great listen. Can't wait to get to the other albums Taylor gave me :-)


• Guero, by Beck -- To be honest, I haven't given this album the time it deserves yet. But it sounds awesome. Will says it's "characteristic old-school Beck, but more serious," and he's right. This will be a good listen for the car this weekend.

We found an apartment!

If you can believe it.

More bad news from CTA *sigh*

Now that's old money

Now that's old money
Originally uploaded by jazer.

"This certifies that there is on deposit in the Treasury of the United States of America one dollar in silver payable to the bearer on demand."

Or so says the dollar bill I received somewhere in Chicago this weekend. I bet it's not true. And I bet if you check your wallet, you'll find that your money promises nothing of the sort.

That's because this money is from 1957.

FlySketch looks pretty cool

The most clever spam I ever saw

Sometimes I like to read the spam that ends up in my Mail.app Junk folder, just because it's so very funny. Spam must work (someone has to click on it), otherwise they'd stop sending it. But really, who is foolish enough to fall for something that says "The universe expandingWe're gazing out to sea Minds swim in ecstasyClear planet, ever Our hearts are traveling faster,Faster than the speed of love" and then has an image with some prescription drug prices?? It's unbelievable.

But today I found a spam that is so clever, I would actually buy Viagra from them just to reward the excellent effort. See, the names of the drugs AND their prices are "written" in ASCII art. It's a beautiful thing. Bravo to you, spammers!

Unofficial contents of the Oscar attendee 'goodie bags'

Malnutrition

I have an exam tomorrow in Nutritional Science, and of course I am studying right now. I can't remember the last time I was this uninterested in learning something!

Maybe that's a bad sign.

A purse blog, ha!

Blustery day

When walking on campus, how is that the wind seems to come from every direction? This morning, I was walking through a particularly windy area, thinking, "once I round this corner, it won't be so blustery!" But I was wrong. It was windier.

A few minutes later, I approached an area that looked nice and warm, sheltered from the wind but still in the sun. Amazingly, the wind was blasting even in that cove!

And now my ears hurt.

The odd couple

The odd couple
Originally uploaded by jazer.

Wisconsin Governor Doyle and Michael J. Fox (yes, the actor) visit a stem cell research lab on the UW-Madison campus.

What the hell is going on here?

Happy birthday to my glasses

Happy birthday to my glasses
Originally uploaded by jazer.

You'll have to excuse the goofy self-portrait, but I've had my glasses for a year now. Yes, I like my new identity just fine.

Tiny wearable clock

Yes, I deleted a post. Here's why.

A couple of days ago, I made a snarky post about hard-to-explain search requests over on johnzeratsky.com. Anyway, I deleted that post, for three reasons:

1. It wasn't very nice.
2. In the age of Google, nothing goes unnoticed.
3. I am a coward.