Friday, December 30, 2005

AAAUGH!!

I have just found out that my favorite Flickr Buddy is going to stop uploading! I AM DISTRAUGHT!! Seriously... her photos are so great and emotional, and are actually half of the reason I look to see what my "friends" page holds, but alas. There will be no more Roweun for now {:( This is a sad day indeed... This is her, in one of her self-portraits:


In other news, This week has been great for catching up with old friends, and next week promises to be the same. As mentioned before, I got to spend some time with Ginny last weekend, and it's continued from there - On Monday Jen and I went down to the mall, and walked and walked and walked... She'd just gotten a new digicam, and wanted to ty it out on the nation's capital. Our shared photo time was great, not to mention that the weather was GORgeous.




And last night I got to see my neighbor, Scott, who we lived next door to for... uh... 6 or 7 years. He and my brother were inseperable for most of that time. My brother is a lucky man, to have had his best friend right next door!


Also, I began experiments with Resin, and made coasters and little trinket dishes. I was apprehensive going into it because of my past experiences with resin (disaster!) but I came out of it unscathed, and with 4 trinket bowls, and a set of 4 coasters. Well done! *pat my back*


I've realized that I don't like to post wihout pictures. I should start uploading my more recent artwork again, because I feel like... well, I started this blog wanted to put my art up, but I've kinda strayed. Perhaps it can be a new years resolution? We'll just see, won't we? :)

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Another highschool find

I didn't remember making this collage until I found it, but this is another one that I did in highschool. I wonder: have I gotten better, worse, or simply changed?? Hmm...!


But blogs are suposed to be about our lives, aren't they? well here. Have a taste of my life - for the past 2 days I have felt like I had to sneeze, but I'm only rarely able to actually do so.

Also, Garth is the best man ever born. Just so you know... He is "surprising" me with the shoes I've been lusting after for the past month (He woke up at 5:30 to go to Tysons on the day after Christmas and buy them for me, but they were out of my size. So he told me about them yesterday, and that I was going to be surprised with them. What a fabulous boyfriend I have!!! I told him that it makes us even because I slipped and told him I was getting him a "surprise" turtle. But that was a stupid mistake that only I could make... not a choice... ^_^)

MERRY FREAKING CHRISTMAS!!!!!

I got many fabulous things from my loving parents - an awesome quasi-bowling-bag overnight bag, new slippers, the coolest led candle from brookstone (you should see it!) - but by far THIS was the highlight:


My brand new Toshiba Satellite® Notebook(M45-S269)!!! 512 ram, 100gb hard drive, multi-layer dvd-rw/cd-rw drive, built in wireless, 15.4 widescreen... the list goes on and on. Oh boy, I love it to pieces! (Sorry, Timoni, I love the PC interface, and Apples are so expensive I don't think I'll be switching over any time soon... ;)

Merry Christmas, everyone ^_^

Saturday, December 24, 2005

Holidays and Happiness! - days 6 & 7

This week was stressful, but fulfilling - I FINALLY got my little present for Garth after much horrible dealing with un-sympathetic UPS (they are STUPID!!!) But anyways. The bad part is over now, and my darling Garth has his precious new little pet (named "Tomato", when we discovered that she loves tomatoes!)



After spending time with Garth and Tomato, I got to go visit Ginny in Fredericksburg - It is always so WONDERFUL to see her. She's one of the best people I've ever known (EVER!). Ginny - it's true. ^_^ We are kindred spirits, indeed!

Thursday, December 22, 2005

He's in trouble!!

Bunny got into a little scrape this morning! I left him alone for a few minutes, and then I started to hear a scratching noise... lo-and-behold: He dug up my mother's bulbs!!!!

Well, actually we didn't see any bulbs, so either he ate them, or they were deeper than he got. But either way, whoa boy, did he make a mess! but we found out how much he loves to play in dirt, so I'm going to make him a little dirt-pit in the corner of his cage for him to get dirty in (too bad he's a white rabbit :)

He is so cute! It slays me!!


M vs H, Day 4

This morning: Shopping.

This afternoon: Cleaning.

This evening: Lazing.

Just now: Discovering**.

**I have just 'discovered' the Irish band "Bell x1". They are, in a word: AMAZING. It's not stretching the imagination to say that they are, perhaps, a new favorite. I will be trying to get ahold of their new album, "Flock", ASAP. And I mean A.S.A.P.

Everybody listen to them if you get a chance. They are uber-great. Especially lovely are - 'Just Like Mr. Ben', 'My first born for a song', and 'Alphabet Soup'. ALL of the songs I've managed to get my hands on in the past 1/2 hour or so are great, but these were my favorites.

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

not necessarily *good*, but I liked it.

Sometimes I wonder at what the heck 'Launch' is thinking - like when I rate "never play artist again', yet they continue to feed me the newest Dave Matthews and J.Lo music. Uhg!

But, perhaps, they get it right once in a rare while. They just played this video of a girl named 'KT Tunstall'. The music was catchy enough, but what was so cool is that she was recording the music and adding layers as she sang live on some tv show like Conan (except not Conan). It had the effect of a band - or at the very least, back-up singers with a tambourine - and I found myself impressed.

That's all. You can check the video out or not. Someone like Timoni probably won't like it, but someone like Ginny might. So. There it is.

And yes, I like Fiona Apple and Beck, but WHY DO THEY KEEP PLAYING ONLY THEM tonight? Variety, please :)

Marianne vs the Holidays, day 3

A) Well, yesterday I went to work, cleaned out my room some, and then... just... kinda hung out. I didn't feel much like cleaning by the time I came home from work though, because I'd spent much of the day organizing fabrics in CORE's resource library, and despite the fact that I *like* organizing at CORE (it exposes me to all sorts of cool products & finishes), the thought of more organizing was... well, less-than-appealing, I guess.


B) But today was ALL CLEANING!!! And man, oh man, did I get a lot done. Those of you who had seen my "craft room" previous to this afternoon will likely be stunned - that's mainly Garth, Drea, Rebecca, and Corcoran. Other people will have to take my word for it: it was c-r-a-z-y. But now it's clean:



C) Also today: I kept reading in "Watership Down", which I started yesterday because "wow, I've never actually read that". I'm on chapter 15; it's pretty easy reading, but still - saying I'm on chapter 15 is sort of like saying I'm on Psalm 25. The chapters are short, and there are 50 of them. Basically I'm on page 100 out of about 475.


D) ALLLLLSO, I spent this evening in cozy bliss with some tea and my Moleskine at Murky Coffee. I doodled and sketched, and wrote a bunch of quotes down from my 'Modern Architecture & Design' book. And then I came home, watched several hours of TV, and wrapped gifts **HOORAH!!**



And to change the subject abruptly...

I've just found out that Jason Mraz has a song called "Geek in Pink" or something like that, and somehow I find myself taking offense at his self-proclaimed geekdom. He is not a geek. He is a frat boy. Geeks are awesome people obsessed with odd or quirky things. He is obsessed with Beer and Sex, neither of which is either odd OR quirky. And, furthermore, he is not awesome. Harumph.

Also oddly offensive to me was this: when I was at B&N I saw a copy of "Pride and Prejudice" - or, rather, many copies - on the "New Fiction" table, whose covers had the movie poster from the new movie w/Kiera Knightly. Now, I didn't dislike the movie, but in all fairness, this is OLD fiction, which all of us with culture know. Also with it was Memoirs of a Geisha. Also not new fiction! In fact, it has been on my Favorites list since it actually *was* a new release and I read it in 1999. I mean, I know I'll love the movie, because the story is a-m-a-z-i-n-g, but I don't like the new cover on that either, thank you. And the same goes with the new digitalized Aslan head on Chronicles of Narnia even though I really liked the movie.

Why do these things offend me? I don't know. There are more important things I could worry about... but then again I've never claimed to be normal!

Sunday, December 18, 2005

And the pictures of the weekend are...

Garth took me out for DELICIOUS tapas this weekend! This is my fishy, with a lemon-seed eye, about to gobble potatoes...


I picked my parents up at Dulles tonight. Throughout all of my world travel, this airport remains one of my favorite. Its interior is so vast and cavernous - I feel like I'm in the belly of a beast, and at night there's always a beautiful glow that moves across the ceiling...

Marianne versus the holidays, day 1

Today was what I'd consider my first day of the holidays. Yesterday was my first *free* day, but that was basically catching up on holiday shopping and sleep, and although very enjoyable and fun, I don't think of it as actual vacation time.

So: today I began my holidays with laziness (which I'm hoping to NOT continue) - I basically spent 5 hours reading design magazines and making jewelry at the grounds (actually "Murky Coffee"...). Now I've come home and begun a thorough re-organizing of my room, which I hope to have finished by Wednesday afternoon. That is first on my order of things to do: ORGANIZE the enormous surplus of art supplies and projects strewn about my home.

Other things on my list of "what I want to acheive during my month off" include:

1. museums, museums, museums.
2. Submiting a project to an ID competition.
3. Organizing, photographing, and sending off submissions of my sofites to various independent toy stores.
4. Finishing the painting I've been working on for 6 months.
5. Have slides taken of my paintings and submit them to various shows.
6. um... I know there was a 6...

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

This entry is purely for Garth, in lieu of an e-mail

  • Glades Herp Inc.


  • On this website, you can buy...

    The Russian Tortoise (starting at $55):


    The Redfoot Tortoise (starting at $95):

    - these turtles have their own book ("practical care & maintenance of the redfoot tortoise"). Apparently they have vocalizations - ie, talk - but they also get pretty big... like... a foot in diameter or something (after 20 years or something). Also go here for these guys:
    http://www.pingleton.com/redfoot/redfoots.htm

    The Yellowfoot Tortoise (starting at $125):


    The Ornate Box Turtle ($35, and they have 12 of them... ;)


    The peninsula cooter ($15):


    A Nile Crocodile ($400)

    This picture SLAYS me!!!

    An Albino American Alligator ($150,000) - ps, this website is officially illegal!



    But the main reason I've sent you to this page is so that you can see a big list of available-for-pets tortoises. You may not want to actually get it from them because they seem a bit pricey on the tortoises that you'd want (as opposed to the aquatic turtles that they're selling for round-about $25), and there are tons of dealers all over the place online.

    Also: my research has turned up a surprisingly large amount of herp. conventions in this area; probably about one a month within a couple hours driving distance. We should try to go to one next month once you decide what you want to get. Apparently breeders will sometimes take orders and show up at the convention with your pet, set aside for you to pick up. Hmmm!

    Also see:
  • Strictly Reptiles

  • Empire of the Turtle
  • Sunday, December 11, 2005

    Friday, December 09, 2005

    Vote, vote, vote !!

    My Threadless.com Submission

    In case you don't follow Japan...

    The fantabulous nation of Nippon has once again declared United States' Beef to be safe for Japanese consumption!

    I believe 'Yoshinoya' will be happy-Happy-HAPPY! (as would I, if I was living in Japan. Who wants to eat a cow that wasn't born in Texas? I ASK YOU!!!!)

    Wednesday, December 07, 2005

    Last night was for TREE DECORATING!

    Lindsey, Laura, Timoni, Kim, and Garth all trekked through chilly weather to congregate at my house and decorate our Christmas tree (in honor of Saturday's quickly approaching party)! Timoni took these pictures - I'd post the ones I took of her in return, but they mostly came out all blurry... and not that COOL kind of blurry ^_^

    Guys, Help, help! I have lights to pass to you! Over here - behind the tree!!!
    :)

    Kim creates
    Originally uploaded by Bible study.
    She was making Lactose-Intolerant Friendly, Diabetic Friendly, Low-Carb Hot Chocolate...

    And it was surprisingly DELICIOUS!!
    Laura and Lindsey Decorate, as I peek out as the official "Floating Christmas Head".

    He's adding the soda can...


    He's adding the soda can...
    Originally uploaded by Bible study.
    Timoni took this picture of the final tree-crowning. Garth was the only one tall enough to reach the top of the tree!

    Saturday, December 03, 2005

    What I just learned.

    When wolves are out hunting together, only an average of 1 out of 10 attacks is sucessful. Because of this, they eat ALOT when they kill - in one meal, after a kill, a wolf can eat the equivalent of 88 hamburgers.

    THAT'S A LOT OF MEAT!!

    Thursday, December 01, 2005

    Stumble don't fall

    I fell upon some drawings I did in highschool and college when looking for a few charcoal nudes I'd drawn. Here are a few.

    1. McGee, all snuggled in her basket. I drew this, pointilism style, in spring of 1998. I lost the photo, so I never got to finish it.


    2. Our Dining Room table in pointilism. This one I DID finish because I was drawing it from life (it took forEVAH).


    3. Another from Spring of 1998. This was my tennis coach's doggie. She was so-so-sooooo cute and friendly. But she had to wear this muzzle thing at matches (this is probably one of my best drawings from highschool).


    4. A self-portrait of me as a kid. I *think* this is from a project I did around January 1998.


    5. The tower of London. This was from May of 1999 on one of our yearly Brit-Trips. I got started early sketching architecture!


    6. Probably my favorite sketch from my whole semester of Life Drawing in Spring 2000. I love the soft lines and the way the background bleeds into the figure.


    Anyway. There are a gazillion more. I just thought it was interesting to see what I was doing in highschool. The humble beginnings of an artist...

    Wednesday, November 30, 2005

    Giverny


    Giverny is a misfit rabbit. He used to have arms, but they were too low on his body, so they were surgically removed (ok... actually I just cut them off with my scissors when I realized that they looked terrible. You can barely tell they used to be there!).

    Tuesday, November 29, 2005

    Inspired by...

  • 100 Things about Me


  • Things about myself.

    + I talk to animals. All the time.
    + When I'm having a terrible day, one of my favorite remedies is to dress up. If I can't feel good, I should LOOK good.
    + Everytime I pass a rose I stop to smell it.
    + I love catching june bugs and japanese beetles.
    + I also love holding cicadas.
    + I don't like spicy food.
    + My feet haven't grown since the 6th grade.
    + I haven't thrown up since I was 4.
    + The last book I bought was book 8 in the 10 volume set of Kodocha. But that's not really a book. It's a graphic novel.
    + I don't like giving change out to the homeless because I'm afraid they'll spend it on booze.
    + When I'm waiting in line at a store and I have cash in my hand, I compare the different treasurer's signatures on bills.
    + When I go through a yellow light, I kiss my fingertips and then tap the ceiling of my car.
    + Sometimes I wonder what my nose might look like if I had plastic surgery.
    + I won the Biology award at my highschool.
    + I also won the Art award (it sounds so vague, I know).
    + I hate reality TV.
    + The thing that relaxes me most is someone scratching my back.
    + Horror movies scare me, but I pretend that I'm not scared.
    + I rarely go the speed limit.
    + I really miss Nick at Nite when Mr. Ed, Donna Reed, My Three Sons, I love Lucy, Green Acres, Bewitched, etc were aired every night.
    + It annoys me that toys from the 1980s are making a come-back because it makes me feel less privledged and unique.
    + I had my heart broken for the first time when I was only 9 years old.
    + My favorite stamp right now is the Buckmeister Fuller stamp.
    + I like to recycle, even though I know it doesn't really help.
    + When I buy candy I eat it all within 24 hours, even if it's quite a lot.
    + Every time I see a fox I think of Todd.
    + I don't like really ice cream cones. I preffer a cup.
    + I don't take medication because my body goes haywire.
    + It's difficult for me to prepare for things in advance.
    + Even though I don't like peanut butter, sometimes I crave a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
    + I want to be a celebrity.
    + I don't like my handwriting.
    + I am very loyal, but I get hurt easily because I'm always trying to make people happy... so if they complain, or suggest I've done something wrong it makes me sad.
    + Someday I want to own a great dane.
    + When I get dressed in the morning, I put on my socks before my shirt.
    + When I was in college and felt lonely, I would walk through the neighborhoods around school and pet people's cats. If I sat on the sidewalk outside their house while doing so, I would look at the house and make up stories about what went on inside.
    + misspelled words are a turn off, even though I sometimes do it.
    + I like to sit with my feet tucked up under me.
    + I love squirrels.
    + I don't trust hair-dressers, and usually cut my own hair.
    + When I sit next to the window at night, I'm nervous that someone might be looking in at me.
    + I pretend that I love the rain, but really I only love it in certain conditions.
    + Sometimes I tell lies.
    + I like to give gifts, or shop for other people.
    + I'm not really sure what's in Maryland, or why people live there.
    + I have had a cavity in mot of my teeth because I used to eat so much hard candy and chew gum. Now I don't eat hard candy, and only chew sugar-free gum.
    + Sometimes I wish I had more courage to do the things I wish I could do.
    + I hate it when people don't use their turn signal until they're at the turn or the light has already changed.
    + My favorite drink is water.
    + Sometimes I'm suspicious of other women, but often I can't pin-point why.
    + I'm afraid of dying by heart-attack because it's so sudden and quick you can't wrap up affairs or say your good byes.
    + I'm lazy about putting new toilet paper on the toilet paper holder.
    + I like to neaten other people's things, but not my own.
    + When I get the new commemorative quarters I look to see which mint it was made at - philly or denver.

    monday, monday... oh what a day

    I made these today (in the free time I didn't have, but used anyways, because it only takes me about 15 minutes per):



    Also today, in between creating floor plans on AutoCAD and my internship, I got to see Garth and watch an episode of CSI.

    ALSO today, I realized, while uploading the previous goodies onto Etsy, that I had money in my PayPal account from Etsy, and have since requested that it be transfered to my bank account. I AM SO EXCITED!!

    Thursday, November 24, 2005

    I find myself feeling thanks for...

    - Reunions with old friends! My friend Kayti from the 4th grade found me on My Space. It was really exciting (oh man, I'm such a dork)!!! No, but for serious. We were totally inseparable for a while there. What happened??

    - Friends in general - that's a "dur" thanks though :)

    - Delicious food - I had so much studying to do that my mom and dad prepared the whole TG meal today without my help, and BOY was it delicious. D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S.

    - Heat lamps - my poor bunny is freezing cold in the garage.

    - TV - to play in the background while I work on drafting stuffs.

    - band-aids - I sliced my thumb open with an exacto knife today. OUCH! But it's warm and clean now; ahhhhh.

    - Architectural scales and drafting triangles - No, really. They make life easy.

    ...

    What I WISH I was thankful for: resin. But I'm not. I tried making coasters this evening during a break from studying, and all I really acheived was dizziness from inhaling the massive amount of fumes that overtook our house. The resin never hardened. And one of the molds spilled all over and I had to throw them both away - that was $6 of molds down the drain! *sigh* But hey, it was fun. Probably because of the previously mentioned fumes.

    I forgot...

    Annon1: My mom is taking college classes right now.
    Mars: ... Is this when I'm supposed to chime in with "your mom goes to college"?

    Wednesday, November 23, 2005

    I hate finals week(s)

    I don't often use the word hate. In fact, when I was on LiveJournal I did a whole post about the few things I actually HATE:

    1. Dave Matthews' music (Haha, now lots of people hate ME!!)
    2. Beanie Weenies - This actually goes beyond Beanie Weenies to include beans of any variety, whether paired with pork, chili, or... even velveeta cheese. Because, you know, Velveeta is supposed to make everything better. The smallprint on their packaging should be required by law to say "Slogan not valid when used with beans".
    3. My Printer. [it was very broken at the time]
    4. Dead Bugs. Ok, I realize you're probably thinking "only DEAD bugs?" Well... yeah, pretty much. I'm AFRAID of cockroaches because the ones over here grow to roughly the size of a komodo dragon, but I don't HATE them - I can just chase them away. They're very nervous little fellows, and are kind enough to run off at the slightest provocation. I only hate them when they're dead. They freaks me out. It's one of those things. Just don't ask.
    5. Peanuts and peanut products.
    6. Life Cereal. Do you remember Life? "Mikey Likes It!" Well, I don't. And when they used the slogan "Unless your kids are weird, they'll like it", I was all "Oh man, this is bad news. I'm weird." It was the first of many signs... ;)

    I can't really think of anything else I hate. That's a good thing, I'm pretty sure. I just realized that the things I really, truly dislike are things that most people love. What's wrong with me? Hmm. It'd probably be difficult to pinpoint any one thing, so let's leave that one unanswered.


    The actual entry was much longer, but you don't need to read all of the details. The point is - I'm adding to the list:
    #7. The last two or three weeks of grad-school semesters.

    I've essentially been turned into a studying ogre (if Warcraft was real, and I was in it, I'd be a frightening creature named something like "Scholasticus"). I can't see my friends because I'm studying. I can't make any crafts because I'm studying. When I DO get to see my friends, they have to pretend I'm not around and let me study. My main example is Garth, because I've spent several evenings sitting at his table and ignoring him. I feel like a jerk, and despite his assurances that it's no problem I know it's annoying. And so I think that instead of studying with friends - as much as *I* enjoy it - won't happen anymore because the friend I'm with doesn't.

    *sigh*

    AND FURTHERMORE - !!!! - One of my required courses for next semester is only offered on a Wednesday night, so I have to drop my Bible Study for REAL now. How much does that suck??

    A LOT. >:p

    random in the japanese news...

    + One of Japans hottest new fashion brands is called "Bathing Ape in Lukewater"

    + Yoshinoya isn't just expanding in NY (I go there every time I'm in the city :)- it's growing in China too!!

    + "otaku" culture (manga and anime) is a 2-trillion-yen market

    + sales of "bottled tap water" (yes, the title is literal) are going up.

    + so are sales of "on-the-go" food packaging: foods like jello or yogurt put into squeezable baggie-bottle-things.

    + enter stage right: kuchofuku - "air-conditioned clothing".

    + enter stage left: "intelligent toilets" - all in one trip to the potty it will monitor your blood-sugar, blood-pressure, weight, and body-fat percentage.

    Samples: the joy and bane of my existence

    Holy cow... I can find everything in the world online, but apparently my powers of online-look-upability have been overcome by the hiding prowess of metal manufacturers willing to send out samples of their finishes (presumably because they are heavy...?)

    If anybody knows where to get a sample of the metal that I'm picturing in my head for the Earthworks storefront... NOW IS THE TIME TO SPEAK UP ! ! !


    In other news: on the way to Garth's apartment this afternoon to study on his computer/order various samples in the warmth of his office-chair-gone-domestic (while he baked pie), I drove for several blocks behind a black Nissan pick-up truck with a bumper sticker that read:
    my other ride is your mom.

    Heehee...

    Sunday, November 20, 2005


    I took an inventory of the softies I have last night. I wanted to figure out my strengths/weaknesses, and work with/on them. I also divided them into types of toys - for example, the "Not There Squares", which are basically square toys with eyes/mouths. Or the "Bowie Dolls", who have one eye or eye-patch different from the other (named after our beloved David and his multi-colored eyes). Also I have the "Bubbeeboos", who are sorta made up of my favorites that don't fit into another category.

    ANYway...

    border="0" alt="" />
    The sky was really nice when it set last night. I was, fortunately, out helping Garth run errands, so I got to see it. *yay*

    Also, the "Robotica" robots are all set up on etsy now, so BUY AWAY! $15 per drawing - or if you want all 4 (eventually I'm going to draw 10, I think) I can give you a discount.

    Thursday, November 17, 2005

    'Truth is more important than the facts'

    I have had the most wonderful day. My 'Modern Architecture & Design' class went to Falling Water, and OH! What a trip it was. I say it with conviction: The rumors are true. Frank Lloyd Wright was a genius of architecture. No words can describe the sensation of standing in Falling Water - its presence, its ambience, its brotherhood with nature that is so complex that it comes back to being simple... You look around, thinking: "Well of COURSE windows should open like that..." while all the while wondering with furrowed brow "If it's so obvious how come I wouldn't have thought of it, not in a million years?"

    Of course, Wright was a cantankerous egomaniac, which does make me feel better about myself - while I may not be a genius of architecture, at least I can relate humbly to people. But I am still envious of the ideas that came so naturally to him as I struggle to design a floor plan for my design studio. Did you know he drew the floor plans, elevations, and perspectives for Falling Water in about 2 hours?... and again I'm led back to wondering why I'm pursuing Interior Design instead of painting, because the paintings to me come like the floorplans for him. Alas.

    And it's time for images (keep in mind, this was designed in the 30s. It was about 30 years ahead of the era it seems to represent so well) and quotes.

    "Early in life I had to choose between honest arrogance and hypocritical humility. I chose the former and have seen no reason to change. "


    "It has often been said by philosophers, that nature is the will of God. And I prefer to say that nature is the only body of God that we shall ever see."


    "Noble life demands a noble architecture for noble uses of noble men. Lack of culture means what it has always meant: ignoble civilization and therefore imminent downfall."


    "True ornament is not a matter of prettifying externals. It is organic with the structure it adorns, whether a person, a building, or a park."


    "The mob-ocracy is destroying the United States with their bad taste."


    "Abandon it."(on being asked how he would go about improving Pittsburgh)