<p class="MsoNormal">Everyone comes from different backgrounds. Environment dictates ones interest and confidence in the things that one does. In my case I grew up poor in the inner city of Los Angeles as immigrant I did not have access to materialistic things as my hobby. My mother did not speak any English nor learn to drive. I tagged along with her at the sweat shops in downtown skid row so I can help her to complete her long laborious endless tasks of sewing and trimmings. Public transportation and looking out the windows of the buses became my hobby. Walking neighborhoods and learning architecture became my learning passion. Because I lived in neglected neighborhood learning the languages and syntax of my built environment gave me tools to survive. I developed a keen sense of perception and instinct for defensible space and places of danger. I apply the lesson from my childhood to articulate to planners and architects in designing attractive and safe environment. My life long hobby is all free. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">On the days I was not working and ditched school I rode buses to the classic neighborhoods of Southern Ca to see beautiful homes and the manicured lawn and parkways. I learned about architects who designed many of the classic homes. Some were modern and most were traditional. When I became older in high school I asked my mother to allow me to take a real part time with pay. She agreed and it must be a job that I could acquire knowledge. Flipping burger was out of the picture although I was envious of my classmates who took jobs at the McDonalds at 7<sup>th</sup> and Hill St in Downtown. I got a job working at the Grand Central Library of LA. I was exposed to the homeless people who religiously came to the library for shelter and read. Many amazingly were smart people with mental and addiction issues. Working in Fiction but I wandered off to the stacks of Arts and Architecture to read antique architectural and art books and periodical. Collecting antique books and French Barbizon period arts became my life long passion. I spent endless hours as a loner all my life going to museums and architectural self guided tour to advance my learning from my own analysis. Other than my collecting addiction everything else was free. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">French Barbizon period was an era of 1830’s where the French artists refused to produced highly detailed portraits and painting for the royalty in a studio environment. They went to the French countryside to paint peasants’ farm life and natural landscape outdoor capturing the striking color and beauty of the sky. Since lighting condition outdoor change very quickly so artist learned to place a quick time limit to accomplish their art. They developed a fast technique that only emphasized the main impression and not so much of the laborious details. Later the students of the Barbizon painters became the French impressionistic master like Renoir, Degas, Pissarro, and Monet. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One hobby could open doors to other hobbies. My striving for knowledge started with the first book that Eva mentioned as an example at the library. Architecture eventually led me to building codes and zoning issues. Aesthetic and limitation to creativity bound by rules set by our government and fire authority.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">LA conservancy is another hobby where people care about history and preservation of architectural landmarks to enrich the knowledge of younger generations about our city’s past. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Although I have been a loner in my personal life I spend a lot of time studying people and analyzing their preference in spending and lifestyle. I had to develop a keen sense of instinct to read people in order for me to survive on the street of LA near Hollywood, Rampart, and Highland Park vicinities. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> There are a lot of good and bad people out on the streets and I have seen them all. I was offered a free ride several times by the same man near by my school. He sponsored immigrant families with lots of photos at his home in Echo Parks. I had him dropped me off at location 5 blocks from my home and pretended I lived in that house by sitting at the front porch and later walked home after he drove off. Months later he was on the local news for child molestation. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> My previous experiences have been the basis and premise for which I built my career around. I intertwined my hobby and analytical skills in my line of work helping companies to succeed in delivering products fitting the intended demographic.</p>
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