Daoism Designs

Len Duong 2008, 2010, or 2011…Memorability?

Chris — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 04:47:13 +0000

I have been to three Len Duong Youth Leadership Camps, in 2008 and 2010 as a camper and most recently 2011 as a staff. All three camps presented different memorable moments that lasted the duration of camp and others that lingered on long after camp was over.

In 2008, it was my first time going to a camp like this and had no idea what to expect and the type of people I was going to meet. The first day was more getting to know everyone before splitting off into our separate teams. We were taught Vietnamese camp songs by chu Tuan which were accompanied by coordinated activities with each other. The second day was when we found out our team members and counselor to form the team, Nhan Ai. When I found my team, I realized that some of them I had already knew from UH, VSA, or VCSA, one of my other teammates was the only person at camp that came from Vietnam, a person from California, and a couple ladies from Canada. It was a great bonding experience from old and new friends. The first small game that we did as a team was tag-of-war as the tradition at every Len Duong Camp starts out, but this game was different, it had 2 ropes and required 4 teams, so the objective was the same but instead of head-to-head, it was 3-on-1. It was a difficult but fun game that resulted in our team winning and leaving me with a nasty burn on my arm (because I was stupid enough to wrap the rope around my arm (^.^) Speeding past day 3 to the end of camp 2008, I felt we bonded pretty well but as soon as camp was over, the connections grew weak and the communication simply was not there anymore besides from the occasional “Hello…”.

Nhan Ai…Yeu Thuong!!!
Nhan Ai…Quang Dai!!!
Nhan Ai…Hy Sinh!!!

Camp 2010 rolls around and know what to expect a little, I plan to make the most of my time by doing everything I can. The team that I ended up with was Phan Chu Trinh. Because I sort of knew what to anticipate this time around, I could concentrate more on the networking aspect of Len Duong, getting to know my fellow campers outside of my own team. 4 days go by and the chemistry of the team is still there being that at midnight of the second to last day, we were busy talking to each other getting to know everyone still and by the end of camp some of us still talk every once in a while and hang out every so often.

(CAMP 2011 WAS IN MY EXPERIENCE MY BEST SO FAR, WILL POST THIS PART UP SOON)

ONE MORE YEAR LEFT!!

Chris — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:19:46 +0000

As the title proclaims, I have ONE MORE YEAR LEFT at the University of Houston College of Architecture. I hope to have a couple job offers when I graduate next year, but for the time being, I will continue to look for opportunities in the architectural and construction fields while continuing to work at minimum 8 hours (1 day/week) during the summer and for the other 4 days, continue gain experience working at Dang La Architecture, if no other opportunities are available. I feel as that I have blossomed the most this year in school, learning so much in construction and architecture and learning the programs that come with it i.e. Timberline, On-Screen Takeoff, Autodesk Quantity Takeoff, Chief Architect, and Rhino/Grasshopper.

I have been trying to save as much as I can to pay off credit cards and expenses, and I have done just that, consistently making payments on each credit cards to build up my credit score, hopefully with my decrease in spending, my earnings that I get from DLA this summer with make a HUGE dent in those bills and compile a good amount in my savings for taxes next year.

This summer will be busy and fun at the same time. Busy being updating my portfolios, digital and physical, and working full time at both DLA and UH Auxiliary Services. On the opposite side, before hunkering down on work, I will be a staff for Len Duong 2011 in Denton, TX this year, serving on both TECHNICAL AND PUBLISHING TEAMS; and towards the end of June, I will be in California for my cousin’s wedding just for the weekend leaving on Friday and coming back Sunday or Monday (WHICH REMINDS THAT I HAVE TO BUY PLANE TICKET…).

That’s ALL for now, FOLKS…

C. Daoism

Houston Community Theater

Chris — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:12:53 +0000

Galvestion Weather Center

Chris — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:24:39 +0000

Undergraduate UH COA Critics

Chris — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 08:33:54 +0000

Fall 2006 – Spring 2007 S. Chapman (1st Year ARCH 1500-1501)
Fall 2007 – Spring 2008 C. Huynh (2nd Year ARCH 2500-2501)
Fall 2008 – J. Logan (3rd Year, ARCH 3500)
Fall 2009 – Spring 2010 G. Brune (3rd Year REDO ARCH 3500-3501)
Fall 2010 – Gary Eades (4th Year, ARCH 4500)
Spring 2011 – J. Logan (4th Year, ARCH 4501)
Fall 2011 – James Ray (5th Year, ARCH 5500)
Spring 2012 – Kevin Story (5th Year, ARCH 5501) [FINAL SEMESTER!!] {May 11 & 12, 2012}

Fourth Year…Almost DONE at the College of Architecture at the UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON!!!!!!

Chris — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 05:41:00 +0000

At the homestretch now and we’re at second base making our way sliding into third. Pretty much done with all the classes that I need to take as a major core or core in general. Last year, finished BS in Environmental Design but gonna wait to get diploma for it when I get that Bachelor of Architecture. Fourth year begins next week and wondering what the one week project it, can’t wait to get back into designing after spending a whole summer interning doing mostly construction documents. In addition to studio, taking 3 Construction Management Technology classes and on the Dance On Executive Board.

To Dos:

-NCARB Record for the Summer Work

-September 4 – Texas State v. UH – HOME OPENER

-Update BIOS on Dance On Website

NEW ONLINE PORTFOLIO

Chris — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 02:38:00 +0000

Just got a website created for the sole purpose of having an online portfolio…

http://chrisdao.fatotaku.com/

Cube Project

Chris — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 00:56:18 +0000

Fresh Start….

Chris — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 04:22:00 +0000

Fourth year in school now and everything is falling into place. Taking third year studio again due to complications last year, but I am ready to tackle it again full force and move on. The library project last year was interesting, but the project this year is even more so because of the environment that it is set in. The site that we are given is near Galveston Bay and we are to design a emergency weather center complete with a weather tracking/research center and a public gallery. So far this year, studio should be the main focus only because the other three classes that I am taking have a light workload (High-Rise Structures, Houston Arch., and Advanced Modeling).More to come on the project…As well as busy in architecture, this is my fourth year, second as webmaster, in Vietnamese Students Association. So far, I am enjoying being an officer, with the exposure to members and presenting my projects, I am working hard to improve my speech so that I am less nervous and can speak clearly and confidently. I believe that I have improved a lot from my freshman year and now I have gotten stronger in that area, and I am still pushing myself to confident speaking. Comparing working with the VSA officers last year to working with the ones this year, I have to say that I am happy to be working with such an outgoing officer group. Anything that we are able to do, we do it. Recently, VSA performed at the 2nd annual OPhiG Unity Show 2009 and we put on a good show, very disappointed to find that as well as we did, we did not place in the top 3, but this only drives us further in the right direction to victory at next year’s unity show. We should be having our annual ice skating mixer with the other Houston-area VSAs soon, can’t wait to meet them ALL!!!

Three weeks of school in the books…More good things to come!!!

Later,
VSA Webmaster and Undergrad Architecture Student,
Christopher Tri Minh Dao