Scholastics & Internships

Despite being eternally locked out of the 'Stars' scholarship program, I've been considering my options for education.
So far, my path looks like so...
+ A.A. in Architecture
/ Kitchen & Bath Certificate
/ A.S. in Interior Design
/ A.A. in Interior Design
- Interior Design License
- B.A. in Organizational Management
- M.A. in Psychology
...maybe some more Architectural courses too.

My third day of interning at Kegel & Associates, & the embarrassments just keep on coming. I've been pronouncing their name wrong the whole time. I didn't notice that one of the owners is not only in my Practicum class, but was sitting right next to me the first day of my internship. And despite my many classes in AutoCAD, I had a rusty start back into the program, so I've been making up for that my past couple of days.
Besides that, I've gotten to use AutoCAD, play more with Sketchup, and even utilize Excel that much more.
Just projecting Kegel & Associates & some USGBC seminars alone [along with some portfolio hours], I'll have all my Practicum hours by June 1st [+ 1 seminar on the 17th!].
Considering this will be the same time that I'll be moving in to my new house, and it'll be the beginning of my co-workers' maternity leave, I'll probably step back from Kegel & focus on making as much money as possible at the bank before I return to school in the Fall.
I'll have the summer to research, volunteer, & really organize my career. I'll make it a good, productive break from school.

I have some potential 'Clients' that said they'd let me lend my services to add to my portfolio, and I'd really like to take it as seriously as possible, so I'll be spending my spring break really tailoring my business plan project.

-Amber

Kegel & Assoc

So, I started my internship with Kegel & Assoc today after a productive Business class. Apparently, I was so encompassed in my own thoughts, that I failed to notice Laura Kegel sitting right next to me this morning during round table!! EMBARRASSING! Anyways, I started out by tidying the materials room. [Which reminds me, I hope he didn't throw away all the outdated books!] Then, I worked on AutoCAD for a bit, which apparently I'm rustier than I thought. I've been so swept up by Google Sketchup that I seem to have forgotten some of the simpler tasks. After dusting that off, I should be really good. I really liked being in the office, I just hope the feeling was mutual.
We shall see Thursday!

All things design

Due to recent revelations, as well as the price of owning a new home, I feel as though I should rain check the summer I classes & use the opportunity to make/save money at work while the last maternity leave partakes.
I suppose, depending on how things go, that I'll try to maintain my internship with Kegel & Assoc.
Things are still pending. Even the contract with the house. We shall see.

As far as this semester, I've had a very productive day. I have to finish my business plan & portfolio to present to the professor the following week, then I have spring break to add the finishing touches, and in about a month from now, I'll be presenting my projects to the class and capping off my 2nd semester in Interior Design.
I also have yet to interview a kitchen designer [this week], as well as sketch up a kitchen plan.

And ever since the bid stuck with this house, I've had alot of fun planning & researching for the potential. I was really looking for 'potential' & a 'creative'/'efficient' layout for a house, but for my FIRST house, a sound investment is alot more practical. And so far, it looks like the latter is winning.

Operation Kitchen Renovation

In Materials today, our new assignment is to esign a kitchen layout. Oddly enough, my step-mom asked me to redesign her layout. B-I-N-G-O. Though I'm a stickler for no dead space, I'm all about soffits unless you're going to adorn the dust-collecting tops with lighting [LED]. Should be fun, I advocate efficiency, so this will probably take me awhile.

Studious!

Main focuses for the finale of the semester;

• Portfolio - Physical + Virtual


• Business Plan - Binder + Presentation


• Green Project - Hinges + Knobs
  
• Kitchen Designer - Interview

Aside from those, I hope I'm not missing anything. Hope all the hours spent on my portfolio will count towards my Practicum hours. Probably not. Wish I didn't have to work all the time, or else I could've had more volunteering opportunities during business hours.

Wish me luck.

Events

One of my real estate heros, Sandra Rinomato, has been in Florida for awhile [from Canada, eh!] and will be attending Orlando's Home & Garden Show March 20th. I'll be busy at work until one, and I think I'd be flying solo, but I am interested in going.
The actual event is March 19th through the 21st.

Along with upcoming USGBC events, I'd really like to get back on track with being involved.
Thurs, March 18th TC&PB Branch Meeting (Topic: Locally Grown Sustainable Food Sources)
Thurs, April 15th TC&PB Branch Meeting (Topic: Rainwater Harvesting)
Thurs, May 20th TC&PB Branch Meeting (Topic: LEED for Retail Case Study: Pizza Fusion)
Thurs, June 17th TC&PB Branch Meeting (Topic: GREEN101 featuring Habitat for Humanity)

And I'm having difficulty locating the seminar taking place on the Mueller Campus...

Out & About

A birthday & some sick days later, I'm trying to recuperate.
The wind in my sails has perished, and I'm having difficulty getting back on track.
It doesn't help that my Internet is intermittent, and that my time is stretched between work & house hunting as well.
I digress.

So far, I've only gotten to volunteer at the Cashel house once with a classmate. The weather warned of tornados and the area we covered, the guest house, reminded us of what our grandmothers house must've resembled. My anxiety was high due to the enviornment & my sickness. Alas, my mind was not in the right state.

I feel as though I haven't had the chance to appreciate things as I once had, and I'm trying desperately to find my niche.

Hopefully things will go up from here.

I must prepare my portfolio for a potential internship with Kegel & Assoc. for next Tuesday after class, followed by a trip South for the evening.
Then Thursday, a short lived effort to class, preceding a trip back to the Cashel House for more docenting fun.

Time to call a new lender for a pre-qual at a different bank, as per request.
Hope one of these houses sticks soon.

Inspiration

After visiting Intrinisc Designs website & navigating out to their Facebook, I discovered these gems.

Ugly Furniture