Sometimes my job is interesting.

In fact, I'd suggest that my job is often very interesting. Being an Architectural Technician for such a small firm has always meant that I've done more than I would do in a large practise. Yesterday alone, I did the first half of a survey at a local woman's mental institute. How many people can say they've done that? I'm paid to work in AutoCAD, yet I've been on numerous building sites and seen huge structures go from a whole in the ground to towering beasts - and had free range access to these sites so I've seen lots of the things that go into making these buildings, first hand. I've surveyed all sorts of properties, ranging from two-up-two-down houses to houses with umpteen dozen bedrooms; flats and shops; industrial sites and old run down barn complexes in the middle of nowhere. The most interesting old thing I've surveyed has to be a series of 320 year old cottages where the structure has become so warpped that you have no idea what's keeping it all from falling down. We're talking floor levels that have a range of 600mm in just one single room!

I've also been on plenty of seminars, tours and what have you. You may remember me talking about the InterBuild 2004 tradeshow at the NEC the other month. That was cool - though nowhere near as cool as the small tour of Exeter Cathedral we had been invited on. We were taken up into the massive roof structure, where the apex of some trusses was near 3000mm horizontal from it's base on the wall plate. And Lord only knows how that has remained stable. This tour ended with us all up walking on the outside of the roof structure itself - which was purposefully designed for maintenance folks to walk around...and the original people who built the pace. It was like another world - and with the sun setting on Exeter, the views all around where like looking down from heaven itself.

So yeah, I have a desk job...and sometimes I hate it...but now and again, I have the best desk job in the world.

Anywho, a couple of years ago, we had been commissioned to survey all seventeen properties run by Westminster Homes ((a national mental home trust)). Surveying those mental homes was terrifying and I'll never forget having to survey one area with escorts to protect me from a violent patient who just sat there in his chair, staring expressionlessly at a wall. I don't know if he even noticed me as I walked around because his gaze never faltered as I passed through it...but it gave you that "he's ready to blow" feeling of unease. Brrr...worst two weeks of my working career...

Well thankfully the woman’s institute I surveyed yesterday is more like a drop-in centre for women with minor problems. No one screaming...no one fitting on the floor...no one defecating themselves. I've got to go back next week to finish off, however, considering the size of the place. It's a great big house, tucked away with lots of other old, large houses in the middle of Plymouth. It really is something to be seen because if you didn't know it was there, you would never find this little pocket of tranquillity in an otherwise noisy, dirty city.

Phhh...I think for now that will do. As ever, weekend is here and it's time to be lazy :D