HOUSE AND HOME

MY HOUSE IN OREGON FORECLOSED ON APRIL 15TH 2010. MY POLITICAL CLIENT IN NICARAGUA DIED IN 2005 OF A QUESTIONABLE DEATH, AND I SUDDENLY WAS NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT TO BUILD THERE. MY WORK IN ABU DHABI STOPPED IN SPRING OF 2008. ANOTHER STORY TO BE TOLD. I HAD NO WORK TO SUSTAIN MY MORTGAGE AND LIVING EXPENSES. I RECEIVED GENEROUS FINANCIAL HELP FROM FRIENDS, BUT IT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE BILLS. I STOPPED PAYMENTS AND EVENTUALLY THE BANK OF AMERICA TOOK THE HOUSE. NOW IT’S BACK ON THE MARKET, LISTED BY COLDWELL BANKER FOR UNDER $300,000. A REAL STEAL IN A BEAUTIFUL AREA, HALF A BLOCK FROM THE BEACH.

ALL THE LIP SERVICE TO HELP HOME OWNERS ENDS UP TO BE 5% THAT QUALIFY. THE REST GO UNDER. I AM NOT SURE OF THE PERCENTAGE OF BANK FORECLOSURES, BUT I AM SURE IT WAS NOT 95% OF TROUBLED BANKS GOING UNDER, LIKE THE HOUSE FORECLOSURES. THE TRICKLE DOWN THEORY DID NOT WORK FOR ME. I WANT A TRICKLE UP THEORY. HISTORY HAS SHOWN THAT HARDLY EVER HAPPENS, AND WHEN IT DOES THE LEADERS BECOME CORRUPT AND THE CYCLES STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN.

GONE

BANKRUPTCY SETTLED JULY 1, 2010 IN OAKLAND CALIFORNIA, IN THE HEARING THE FEDERAL JUDGE DISCOVERED AND ADJUSTED THE FEE I WAS BEING CHARGED BY MY LAWYER. WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STARTS FEELING SORRY FOR YOU, YOU KNOW YOU ARE AT THE BOTTOM.

Continue reading

HERE AND NOW: TEACHING

TAUGHT THIS LAST SPRING SEMESTER AS AN INSTRUCTOR AT THE ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE, SAN FRANCISCO.  ALBERTO BERTOLI,  ARCHITECT AND DIRECTOR, A FORMER PROFESSOR AND FRIEND AT SCI-ARC. WE SHARE THE SAME AGE AND DESIGN INTERESTS. HE DESIGNED THE CONVENTION CENTER IN SAN DIEGO AMONG A HOST OF OTHER BUILDINGS.  WORKED WITH CESAR PELLI AND ARTHUR ERIKSON. AN EXCELLENT DESIGNER THAT APPRECIATES MY TALENT. I GAVE A ONE WEEK CHARRETTE AT THE COLLEGE IN 2006,  THEY HAD 40 GRADUATE STUDENTS THEN, NOW THERE ARE 200 STUDENTS AND GROWING. THERE IS AN UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM ONE YEAR OLD AND EXPANDING . THE ACADEMY HAS 34 BUILDINGS IN DOWNTOWN SAN FRANCISCO AND AN ENROLLMENT OF 10,000 IN CLASS ROOMS AND 5,000 ON THE INTERNET.  A BOOMING ENTERPRISE. THE ARCHITECTURAL COLLEGE IS THE ONLY PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL. THE INSTRUCTORS ARE TALENTED. THE STUDENTS ARE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AND USA, EAGER TO LEARN. BUT WANT TO GET THROUGH AS FAST AS THEY CAN . WHAT’S NEW. THAT WAS MY OBJECTIVE WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL AS WELL. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SLOW THEM DOWN TO TAKE EDUCATION SERIOUSLY AND MAYBE TAKE EXTRA CLASSES TO LEARN MORE.

Continue reading

BLOG TIME

DIRECT GLEN HOWARD SMALL

I HAVE A LOT TO SAY AND NOW THE OUTLET TO SAY IT.

NO EDITOR,  PUBLISHER, WRITER, FRIEND, FOE, WIFE, FAMILY  SANCTIONS NEEDED.

THE STRAIGHT STUFF UNCENSORED.

THE LIBERATING INTERNET.

AN  ARTICLE A WEEK.

THERE IS A FOLLOWING OF FORMER STUDENTS, CLIENTS, PROFESSIONALS, FRIENDS, FAMILY, GENERAL PUBLIC AND VIEWERS FROM MY FATHER THE GENIUS.  THE OBJECTIVE IS TO COMPOSE A LIST AND PROMOTE OTHERS TO CONNECT TO THE BLOG.  THE OBJECTIVE IS TO  CONVEY  55 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE ARCHITECTURAL PROFESSION AND SAY WHAT I CAN BEFORE THE END COMES.   FINANCIALLY DRUMMING UP CLIENTS,  LECTURES, PUBLICITY, AND INTERVIEWS. THE FINAL OBJECTIVE BEING A FUNDED BOOK WITH SUBSTANCE . I HAVE BEEN WRITING MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY SINCE 1983.

WISHING YOU THE BEST,

GLEN