still alive

It's 1:07 AM here on the thursday our projects are due. I've just finished my model. It looks pretty good, although I may have overdone it a bit with the trees. The small group of people working this morning and I went out for breakfast to go at the italian restaurant across the street. Had some really mediocre buscuits and gravy. Makes me miss Oklahoma. My mentor came in at 4 today to see my project. He liked it, and he gave me a lot of great advice about what to say in the presentation as well as HOW to present. It's almost disheartening how much of what architects do is selling to clients. I was reminded to speak slowly and take pauses to make sure the reviewers are following me, to act friendly, and more than anything else, CONFIDENT in myself and my project. They're going to look for someone different from the rest of the crowd which shuffles up and mumbles. This mentor is a great match for me, as I need all the help I can get with working on presentation skills. I'm a fairly good presenter, probably a bit above average, but that's really not saying much.
My mentor is pretty cool, he's an older gentleman who lives up in McDowell Mtn ranch. Despite his 40 years of experiance, he's still really excited and enthusiastic about architecture and designing. He poked a little fun at Bruder, and is completely underwhelmed by the use of rusted steel.
I'll probably go up later today and mumble and move too much, and make too many gestures, but I'll work really hard at talking more slowly, and more loudly.

Status report:
Site plan- still need to marker in trees- probably after I get some rest.
Floor Plan- Done!
Interior perspectives- just need to finish the children's room in FormZ and maybe add some people using the space before I get them printed out at Kinkos.
Exterior perspectives-Done!
Google Earth Flyaround- Done!
Model- Almost done! just need to add short entry walk from the parking lot to the area under the shade canopy. The 'trees' I'm using are dried baby's breath and they reek. I've never really understood what "cloying" meant before picking them up at Michael's.

Jen spent some time with me in studio making little trees out of the baby's breath and "planting" them in my model.

I've been here in this building almost consistantly since sunday morning. I've not even been home since monday morning. I should be able to get some more sleep today as I'm getting closer. I need to go by Kinko's anyway. A shower and a shave will be most welcome.

Back to work. Almost done.