Matt D Pool

We will still post here periodically, but I've moved here for something a bit easier and a bit more frequent.

2 years in, Walt running the Viewliner in 1957.

A and I went to the American Idol finale last night at Nokia (thanks to Jason), some of which was really fun. Reminded me of when I saw Fleetwood Mac with Andy. It was boss. He is one of my top favorite drummers, and Gypsy is my all time favorite song.

All good things

I'm watching the Colts Jets game on our new TV. My son is sleeping next to me (that still sounds weird). Reading beer blogs and building blogs. Amber just took a shower. Ryan and Jen are heading over for dinner. Parents get in in the morning so A and I might have an hour or so to get out together. Other than the fact that I return to school on Monday, all is good.

P.S. - Just as I was ready to press publish I heard the boy LOAD up the diaper. So, other than the fact that I will be changing said diaper shortly, and the fact that I return to school on Monday, all is good.

Baby Time. Happy New Year!

It's here! Well, almost. We're at the hospital. A is being induced and we might have a boy here by tomorrow. This is such a bizarre time. We went to bed last night knowing that it could be our last night of decent sleep for a while, and its looking that way. He's a week late and its been a bizarre week, but we're here. This place is nice, and Pineapple Express is on, which makes A happy.

P.S. I changed teamhank to Tumblr. Jesse says its good, and I like it better, and that is where I will really try to keep everything up to date. Stay tuned.

Rain City

It is torrential up in here tonight. It has been for a week but this is crazy.

I am finished with my first semester at SCI-Arc. It feels really good. I've been catching up on a lot of movies and shows as of late. My reviews:

Machete - Rad
Clash of the Titans - Gimmicky but fun
Piranha - Great B flick. Good gore but lots of T&A. Keep the kids out.
24 season 3 - My favorite season so far. Those writers are insane.
The new Robin Hood - Rad. Just about anything with Russell Crowe is.
Skyline - Bummer.
Gentlemen Broncos - An even bigger bummer. Sam Rockwell is the only remotely redeeming thing in it.
An Education - Really, really good. Recommended.
Friday Night Lights season 5 - Still great, even with an almost completely new cast.
The Social Network - Fine
W. - Also fine
The Hurt Locker (for the 3rd time) - Even radder.
The Other Guys - Mostly good. Great action.
Walt and El Grupo - Good but too documentary-ish. I was hoping for more of an old style story.
The Town - My favorite one on this list.

Unless the new baby boy comes within the next day or two we've got Tron and True Grit lined up. I love seeing all these movies. I've been needing it.

Speaking of the boy, his entrance into the world is much anticipated. I've just started yet another blog. This time over at wordpress (can I say that here?). It's called teamhank. Thank you. I know, bomb blog name right. I'll be updating the latest there, for the fam and everyone, and posting videos as soon as he does arrive.

That is all for now. Goodnight.

Homed

We live in our own place again. It's in Pasadena, a block west of Lake, in between Trader Joes and Petes Coffee. Thanks family and friends for giving us shelter and extra hands this month. We are blessed. We'll have a house warming get-together shortly.

Homeless

I'm sitting at Tim and Shauna's dining table at 11:47 on a Sunday night. We moved to a new place last week, then began to suspect and smell mold in the floors. So we moved our stuff into a storage unit and are trying to find a mold free place. It's weird to not have a home, but its great to know that we are blessed by truly good and helpful family and friends. We owe you guys a huge one. Spent all day today and the last couple days looking at sad, expensive places and apartments. Trying to keeps our chins up.

I start SCI-Arc on Tuesday. I'm excited and scared. I hope I can do it. They say its the toughest year at one of the most demanding schools. Game changer. School and baby are both game changers. Everybody says, "wow, you guys are going through some transitions" while they're probably thinking, "wow, you guys are going to implode". But mostly I am excited. I know we can handle it. Everyone's life is crazy in it's way. I am going to have a son, and that's amazing.

Catch up

Went and saw Despicable Me with A. It was fun but it lacked something the entire time. Nothing on Pixar. Hung w/ the Vedders and B got me all amped up to work at Disney again. It's still a goal high up on my list. Helped the Staffords move the last bit of there stuff into their new 1920s bungalow. Its a great place. Built some stairs yesterday in South Pas. Heading to Cafe de Leche to sip some stumptown and find some school loans. Dodgers Padres tonight. 30 in 2 weeks. SCI-Arc in a month. Baby in 4.5 months.

Time Machine

I'm back in my old bedroom wearing a white t-shirt, black Dickies and a pair of Vans. The windows are open to the summer sunset and the distant sound of camp kids cheering. There are posters of Jamie Thomas and Ren and Stimpy and Katie Holmes on the wall. There is incense burning and I am sitting on my bed on the floor daydreaming about a girl who sits in front of me in algebra and doesn't know who I am.

City Day

Went to church yesterday, followed by Chipotle with Ashley (fresh in from Haiti), the Vedders (Brandon also fresh in from Haiti), and Mackenzie. Then to the ever so inspiring Hennessy and Ingalls for some verbiage. Then two shots of espresso over vanilla gelato. Then a cruise through the Hollywood farmers market followed by Inception at the ArcLight dome, which is a perfect movie. Then to the Hillywoods Bowl to drop off everyone plus Andrea (fresh in from San Clemente) for the She&Him + Swell Season show. Then to Matty OBGYN's to watch this insane KANO video and this completely and totally maxed out insane Sigue Sigue Sputnik video.

But honestly, Inception is amazing.

That is all for now.

I'm going jazz fusion. It can be cool. Actually it is cool. And I'm doing it. Starting with Weather Report. This song gets super rad at about minute 2.

Attempting to weigh in on BP

I know how easy it has been to say "What the f man? Why can't they just plug the thing up?" I've said it myself almost daily. Why can't they install a shut-off valve or jam it full of concrete. However after looking into it further I'm amazed at how complex these systems are, and amazed that this sort of spill doesn't occur more often. These companies are essentially jamming a giant straw through the lid of a coke that's too full, and are managing to completely contain massive amounts of what wants to blowout. When they access untapped petroleum deposits that we hugely rely on (no-matter who we are), they do a pretty rad job and employ some pretty rad technology.

I don't care if you're super GREEN or if you could give an S about the natural environment, the situation does indeed suck, bad. I have friends saying "Boycott Arco" and this and that. The hip thing to do these days. But all that does is hurt the little guys, the business owners etc. Retail gasoline sales are a tiny part of BP's revenues. But no. This generation boycotts evil gas. Makes shirts. Brands logos for the shirts. Tweets about them. Sells them for money. It'll get worse as it continues. However watching THIS and the updates to follow might shed some light on why it is taking as long as it is.

Wife and Summer

I'm bleaching my shoes and drinking black coffee. I'm listening to Johann Johannsson on KEXP. I'm working on my final project of my final semester of my PCC career. Come Autumn I will have a new home, and a studio of my own, where I can spread out my tools and my plotter and my microwave and my black coffee.

Sometimes I feel that I need to be reminded why I wanted to be an architect in the first place. Sometimes it seems like the worst idea I've ever thought up. Sometimes it is all there is, for miles. My fate. Sometimes I'm married to it. Then I remember who I'm actually married to and the clouds part.

I've uploaded my YEAR 2 Portfolio here. I'd love feedback.

Other than that part of my life there is my wife and there is Summer. Both are beautiful. I want to spend time with both as much as possible.

Last Sunday of March

I just drove home from a hotel by Knotts Berry Farm. We maxed with the fam and gave my brother Peter Gabriel tickets for his birthday. Big thangs.

A is on her way to Big Bear for the week, and I'm home alone listening to Fleetwood Mac and downloading printer drivers. I am the proud new owner of a 24" plotter. Big thangs.

Tim and my brother played a righteous show in Long Beach last night to celebrate their new solo albums. Said adios to Brandon V, who is on his way to Haiti to shoot a documentary. Big thangs.