[Jarrod Katzer]

Experiences (and completely successful examples) are few but growing in number. Most introductions of a socially and materially complex notions will come slowly. That being said we only serve to keep them slow when we over examine their components and manufacture contrast between those components. The practice of sustainability must be kept just that, a practice. Its not a means for valuation, its not a means of personal identity, and its not a religion. The social and cultural “pillars of design consideration” have the same supporting roles as any other .pillar. Every pillar requires the same maintenance. Insisting on regulation that is seemingly meant to take the place of a convincing argument will only place additional, needless nuance onto a topic that comes through the door complex. Leave the artery clogging pre-lecturing behind and let the installed analysis not just inform the mission but also evangelize that mission. Sorry to go off inquiry.

[Jarrod Katzer]

Yes. “Simple” is, indeed, the word. Solutions are not arrived at by reciting platitude and concocting an enemy to rally against. It feels good though, I know. You seem smart. Focus that intelligence toward engineering cooperative incentive to alter the real and few instances of mass greed. Making an enemy has been done over and over and never succeeds despite Hollywood claims to the contrary.

[Jarrod Katzer]

“Afraid to call a spade a spade”. What do these people have to fear? Every sycophantic public and media organization is, in laughable irony, capitalizing on their “movement” by skewing their “movement” to be more palatable to the masses. You sensationalize these people as if they’re actually risking anything by being squatters. No one has the fortitude to hose them down. Any other group espousing jew-hating drivel would have had the hoses and dogs turned on them on day 2 – but not leftists – always a pass because they hide behind the same hyperbole that has led to some of the most murderous regimes in human history. Yes, I can see that you have your bullet points from various communist reading rags but do you actually think this drivel applies to everyone that doesn’t happen to drive a jalopy? Why do lefties think its ok to generalize certain groups of people but not others? Isn’t prejudice a transgression in practice and not just based on some popularized list demographics? Since when can prejudice be selectively applied? In short, you have decided to despise an enormous amount of innocent people because of the relative few number of real demonstrations of greed and gigantic amount of scripted ones. What happened to common discernment? These protesters are not saviors, they are not trailblazers, they are not heroes nor are they prophets. They are a study in stunted development. They were told a progressive lie, they believed that progressive lie and now, faced with reality, they are denying the world that provided them with the luxury of believing in fairy tales. Ideology is not a time machine that can transport you to some Marxist dream. Genocide has taken place at the hands of those that believed it was. Ideology is a necessary ingredient in our society. It’s not the whole entrée. All that being said, Heather, I respect your passion.

[Jarrod Katzer]

They are, in fact, lazy. Educated though they may be they are educated on useless utopian platitude. Bottom line: They never learned to fish because they were taught how evil it was to bait a hook. Consequently the stand at the top of the bank waiting to rob those with the courage to stand at teh water’s edge. They attempt to justify this coveting of another’s catch by citing an unjust world – how original. What news is this? Life isn’t fare? Why I never heard of such a thing! These gatherings are manifestations of pure arrogance. They make the bold assumption that they stocked their cabinets with all the right tools. Then when those tools don’t work they blame society. It must be someone else’s fault. Classic. Right out of a script. Protesters, go home and take inventory of your tools before you become a tool, yourself. Let reason, not fashion, be your guide. You’re not living in folk song.

[Jarrod Katzer]

Here’s a blog post I just made…for what it’s worth. I primarly used LA graphic Standards, Time saver standards, Engineering for LAs, and the handbook for LAs.

How I passed Section D the first time

Please forgive any appearance of arrogance. I wrote this because I didn’t have much luck when I went looking for suggestions. I promised myself if I passed section D the first time I would give an account of what I did. I don’t mean to imply that my path is the best or only path possible. I would encourage others to post their preparation experiences so that all can benefit from the variation.

Background

I did not attend an accredited LA program. I didn’t come over on the Mayflower but I am an ardent supporter of the profession and, when the day comes, have every intention of proudly calling myself a Landscape Architect.

Study Time

I didn’t start consistently studying until three weeks prior. Unless you are a masochist I do not recommend putting it off for as long as I did. This time frame may seem a bit short for some, about right for others, and too long for a few braggarts but when viewed through the prism of responsibility I think it is too short. During the week I studied for a couple of hours in the early morning and three to four hours in the evening. During the weekends I put in about six hours each day. There may have been a day or two that I was unable to study at all due to overriding obligations.

The Psychological Aspect

I came across two bits of interrelated wisdom that provided me with both motivation and relief. I was endowed with this wisdom by a few people and confirmed it through a few other people and through my own testing experience. The first point was that I would be relying on educated intuition for much of the exam. This caught me off guard in the beginning but it makes sense when you think about how many potential questions are possible. Accepting this set the stage for my study routine. I knew that I could not rely on the pre-purchased bullet point, strict outline approach to studying. A cursory review of major topics will not be sufficient. It made sense to become very familiar with the books suggested by CLARB – or at least the books I could get my hands on. The second point was that I will walk out of the exam not really knowing if I passed or failed. Although I had an apprehensively ok feeling this was true for me in the end.

Misery loves company and those who tend to freak out over exams will gladly share their alarmist perspectives with you in an effort to get you to commiserate. Do not allow negativity to creep in. Do not go in with the attitude “I’m just going see what the test is like – I don’t care if I fail it”. Go in fully prepared, well read and therefore convinced you will receive a passing grade. Thoughts become things.

Method

I bought a digital handheld recorder and the some of the books from the new, shortened list of books suggested by CLARB for section D. I was not able to get my hands on two of them but I was able to acquire the books more pertinent to this section. I highly recommend you get all of them. I have heard that you will not see a question on the exam that can’t be found in one of the recommended books.

CLARB has prepared a summary of the major topics you will need to know for a given section. Using this summary I created an index indicating which book(s) discuss those major topics and on what pages the topics can be found. Although it was tempting to using this index as an exclusive blurb targeting tool I did not. I prepared this index to act as a general guide, a check list, a panic cessation tool (oh crap! What’s that thing that had to do with that other thing that I need to make sure I know!), and it gave me a preview of what was before me.

I perused each book for chapters that I felt reflected CLARB’s summary. I then perused each chapter for pertinent sections. I found that I was recording the entire book in some cases. This was not as taxing as I thought it was going to be. After all, I was already reading the entire book so I may as well captured it for all time. During this process I made the mistake of reading too fast. You will ingest it much easier if you are able to listen to it at normal speed so start early. Recording these passages allowed me to listen to them in the car, on an ipod, on a phone, or on a computer because the recorder came with MP3 conversion software. You can ingest a lot of information while recording and you will solidify it when listening to it later.

There will be elements that cannot be efficiently described into a digital recorder such as details and fasteners. You will obviously need to identify these for yourself and give yourself enough time to review those items. On the topic of details, fasteners, adhesives, etc., study these items together under the flag of the details. It is more important to know the applications of various materials and fasteners rather than just knowing how to identify or define them. If you know under what circumstances you can use a lag bolt this will inherently teach you what one looks like.

Study with your main goal being the creation of associations with all the other items studied. This will reinforce the information.

Testing

I dressed in layers so I could take a sweater off if I became too hot or keep it on to beat the AC. I checked in with the receptionist as soon as I arrived. I was asked to empty my pockets and place everything except for my driver’s license in a locker. Although there was an official test start time I was able to begin testing as soon as I felt comfortable. I checked in at another desk where they took my picture, logged me in and asked me to verify that my pockets were empty. I was then given a marker and two laminated sheets for a scratch pad and asked to wait outside the testing room until the attendant set up my station. She then motioned me in. The instructions on screen were very simple. I began with a tutorial that I had more than enough time to get through. In that tutorial I learned how to flag questions so I could easily return to them. I clicked a button and the test began.

You will likely be provided with headphones. I’m not crazy about using publicly available headdress but I’m glad I used them because they cut out all noise. There was some guy in my room I heard sniffling before I put them on and after I took them off.

Take each question as it comes. Nothing else exists in the universe except you and that single question. Don’t underestimate the value in knowing that the answer is right there on the screen. The answers to many questions will likely be the safest, most efficient or least impactful of the choices.

Complex choices are your friend. I’m referring to the “Is it A) I, II, IV, and V or is it B)…” These give you more elimination tools than you would have with the standard 4 options.

If you get done early always go back and review your answers. By the time you get to the end of the exam you will feel calmer then you were at the beginning. I first went back through my flagged questions and then went back over the entire exam reviewing my answers. There is the saying that your first response is usually the correct one. There may be some merit to that but you can also correct some silly initial responses because you are no longer feeling the pressure of the clock.

Take it all in. Let the information fill in the holes, confirm suspicions, create relationships with other bits of information, and affirm your relationship with the profession. Fall in love all over again. Make it a religious experience and you will smoke the exam. Words to test by: Calm, Logic, Reason, Common Sense, Health, Safety, Welfare.

Good luck!

[Author]

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