Presto Pesto!
MM!! A pesto and grilled veggie sandwich on a square, white plate was my feature meal today at the Intern Committee Meeting. I thought I'd hold off on the brownies, but I did at the end take a third of one at the end.
So what's up. Intern Survey ... hm, yes, must do that still. Like 75% of the intern population. The deadline is Sept 29th, so a report can be made for next IAC meeting. So get to it!
Talked lots about the Intern Update. Sean's been the guy diligently writing and coordinating most of it for the past two years. Not to mention starting it up way back when. Hm, what to do... or not to do?! The Intern Committee feels he's overworked, but is also itself. We're a terrible lot, we on average work an extra 13 hours of overtime a week as it is. No time for this or that, we are the sacrificial lambikins of real estate success...
Talked about something I really pushed ... though who knows, maybe it won't fly because we're too poor as it is. But anyways, soon we will be able to buy the full set of Kaplan books with all the CDs and bells and whistles at 20% off, as an AIBC member! Yay! No more ___ ! Kaplan's just getting a special website all set up for us, so soon, very soon. The AIBC has been great at providing free of charge the study guides, but the basic way for all interns across the country to get study guides is to buy them, so we should at least have this basic way too. Two can share the costs, have them for as long as they like, and resell via the Intern Update. If you do the math, it costs less than illegal photocopying, counting your worth in time getting to the AIBC 9 times round-trip, and standing in front of the photocopy machine for at least 9 hours.
Oh yes, and are you new and wondering about retroactive hours? The policy is actually not to ask Roisin and then look at Appendix B, it's: look at Appendix B and
then ask Roisin...
What's Next?
This sounds like a good book ... I'm going to see if we can somehow get it for the library, but if any of you happen to see this at the Seattle AIA...
The Next Architect: A New Twist on the Future of Design
by James P. Cramer and Scott Simpson
ISBN: 0975565486
Greenway Communications, 2006
Paperback: 148 pages
**NEW RELEASE**
The Next Architect takes a fresh book at our fast-evolving profession, starting with the proposition that everyone is an architect, both enables and empowered to help shape tomorrow's world. Cramer and Simpson focus on how new technologies and processes in design are changing not just what we do, but how we do it. Tomorrow's successful practitioners must be adept at collaborative design techniques and comfortable working at warp speed. There will be new ways of working not only at the office, but on the construction site as well. This book challenges the next generation of design professionals to make full use of their talents to build a better, healthier, and more prosperous world.
From log houses to logging hours
Totally true. I've been working on a house with many large timber pieces. And now I am 85% finished with the logging my hours. The last time I submitted was, um, in June 2005? For hours March and before...! I've been bad, yes.
Right now, it feels like both sides of my brain are attempting to make a switcheroo. Logging hours makes doing my taxes feel like a breeze.
Council meeting today. Some discussion on how Council monitors itself as well as the ED (Executive Director, Dorothy Barkley). A lengthy and very good discussion on FTA's (foreign trained architects). I also submitted something on the agenda - a request to review of intern architect annual fees. How do they relate to the programs being offered by the AIBC and compare with other provincial associations? It's being tabled to the next meeting, as more facts and information are required before a motion can be .. what's the term ... carried? forwarded? Hm, have to look at those Robert's Rules of Order...
How much
does it cost to be an intern? Say the Intern Challenge is done in three years:
CACB degree certification (105.00 + gst) = $111.30
(for those from an accredited Canadian school .. otherwise it's $1050 + gst = $1113.00)
Application fee 35.00 +2.45 gst = $37.45
Annual fee 3 x (178.00 +12.46 gst) = $571.38
6 PD courses 6 x (140.00 +9.80 gst) = $898.80
6 ARE courses multiple choice 6 x $102USD/114.36CAD = $686.16
3 ARE courses graphic exams 3 x $153USD/171.54CAD = $514.62
Oral Review $125 + 7.50 gst = $132.50
TOTAL:
$2951.83This is, of course, if you are on the nose with this. No more than 3 years, no failing and retaking courses, no late fees on your cerbs/logging hours. None of that!
Negroni
Hm, looks like I'll never gain the trust of my blog-viewers again... seems like I said it was Friday last time, when the blog autodate said it was Thursday... but who do you argue with about this sort of thing?
Just back from Steamworks. I figure, if I'm going down there often enough, I might as well sample their cocktails. Negroni did me in. I can't even remember what I had before that. So I don't know if you'll believe what I say from now on.
So what's up. Apparently today they jacked up the number of seats at today's course Law and the Architect, from the usual 35 to 50. I think it's good that, seeing that the courses come only ever so often, more are accommodated. And seeing that intern membership has increased by 40% since 5 years ago. But I thought the chairs looked kind of hard ... (I just stopped at the AIBC offices to pick up Materials and Methods). Also, if 42% more people can attend (numbers are great), course fees could correspondingly go down. Hm!
A ton of people have done the survey. But, um, not me yet! Yes, I'll get around to it. I am supposed to find out what you people are thinking...
Monday's the year's second Council meeting. Everything's really late this year, with the conference being in June (usually it's apparently in April - I wouldn't know of course), with the retreat in June and then meetings regularly coming afterwards. I've declared my intention to attend next week so that the required number of sandwiches can be duly ordered in good time. No, actually, I'm presenting something. I won't tell you what just now, but maybe, if you're good...
Then Thursday is the Intern Committee meeting, right after an 11am Intern orientation meeting. I've asked that we talk about Intern Week and study guide accessibility. They didn't have these orientations when I registered to be an intern 2.5 years ago, so I should almost go and find out what it's all about.
I think we are still looking for more Intern Committee members, as sometimes an intern member becomes registered every now and then and, well, it's somewhat inappropriate for them to remain on the committee. Also I think a volunteer for the library is being sought out. Don't ask me - talk to Roisin (pronounced Ro-sheen) at the AIBC.
