After Cornell, I spend a year in the Civil Engineering Department at MIT studying structural engineering, with an office in the Main Building overlooking the Charles River and I.M. Pei's Hancock Tower (at the time covered with plywood panels after glass from the curtain wall began falling to the ground), 1975-1976.

I move to New York City and begin working as an architect; a year later, I visit Boston with Mom (top, left to right: Jon, younger brother, and older brother), circa 1977

My father dies at the age of 53 on July 30, 1977. Many years later, in 2018, I write and record a song about him (see embedded video above); I also describe the trip to his grave in another video.

My first job in New York City is with Poor, Swanke, Hayden, and Connell (under the supervision of Der Scutt); there I meet the young Donald Trump and work briefly on his Commodore Hotel (AKA Grand Hyatt) conversion near Grand Central Station, circa 1978.

I pass my licensing examination and get a free architectural stamp from Charrette, the architecture/art supply store, March 1979.

Still living in Manhattan but now working for Lee Pomeroy (partners at the time with Jack Lebduska), I work on several projects, including this "Conservation Center" for Con Edison on the ground floor of the Chrysler Building, circa 1978.

I join a band which we eventually name Rollo; I design the cover for our first "45" record, recorded in the legendary A-1 Studios (which had been established by Herb Abramson, co-founder of Atlantic Records, in the 1960s) circa 1980

We play around Manhattan, sending out postcards to our loyal fans: this one is for a gig at the Other End on Bleeker Street, Feb. 10, 1982

Rollo condenses into a 3-person recording entity: I pose with song writer Dan Smullyan at center and brother Kurt at right, circa 1983 (photo by P. Shapiro)

My Rollo portrait, which appears on the RolloRocks webpage, circa 1983 (photo by P. Shapiro)