Closing out 2007

It's been a busy year. I'm looking forward to wrapping up this year and preparing for the next as in 2008 we will have an even busier year.

Some of the things that happened this year:

My wife started her new position with the same company (jumping about 4 years ahead);
I became a free mason in July;
My wife got pregnant and is expecting a due date around March '08 (first baby!);
I passed my AICP test (American Institute of Certified Planners);
We held our first Christmas at our house. (since my wife cannot travel due to the pregnancy!)

Work is the same for both of us. Although next year, I'll start working on longer range planning, which is exciting. However, I am a bit taken aback since part of me feels like I'm going back to the way I was when I started my position with this municipality. Though, it was pretty much as a current planner, I had no long range experience and just like I learned with current planning, I'll learn with long range planning.

I actually turned down the opportunity earlier this year to move up to the next level for current planning in favor for waiting and moving up in a senior position and helping to start a long range planning division for our municipality. We now have the staff level that we are not reactionary, but beginning to attempt to be proactive. I think it'll be worth it and work is actually becoming fun again with learning new things.

Laters,
Urban P.

Possibilities

Well, I never thought I would really do it, but I did! I made it to my two year anniversary with my work. I still miss my area that I came from and I miss the Dallas area as well, but I honestly would say it has been the best opportunity that I could have wanted in terms of learning and feeling like I make a difference.

Work is still work. Controlled by deadlines and a neverending change of attitude from my superiors on the policies, but it's had it's downs and its ups. Now that I'm pretty much considered the grandpa in the group I'm facing two new obstacles: advancing to the next level and accountability of my employer. The new problem is I guess I'm mired in my work and am hesitant to say, but am somewhat discouraged at times. There have been issues at work that everyone works with, mainly budget and space. To keep the story short, I just feel like I am seeing some obvious things lately such as the inequality of work spaces and the inequalities with other departments.

It's not the big thing, the big thing is that the past two months have been really tough in the amount of work we have been having. I noticed a change in myself and didn't like it.

I've been told that my perception around the workplace has changed which is understandable. I agree.....When I first started I was a happy-go-lucky, help anybody out, general goody too shoes. In the time between, I've seen that "too positive" attitude bring me into issues that my area of work doesn't come close, but that because I've found answers and given results, I feel that my generosity has made those whom I wanted to help an easy out to just transfer the issue to me. So now, that I'm taking on added responsibilities I've gotta politely get myself out of the mix. It's tough......I know I didn't like myself, I am working on it, but I have got to begin to politely say, "NO".

Although, such is life, it is also with a career and I'm moving up. I'm excited about the possibilities, but am worried if our department will be able to do some of the things that I think we can and want to do, just that we need more people and money to do the things we want to do after we do the things we have to do.

All I try to do now is pray every morning, noon, and night and just work on it. Work on what? All of it, all parts of my life now, but that's for another post.

Laters,
Urban P.

Honestly, I am still here.

Yes, I'm still here. It's just been incredibly busy. Actually, took my first 'significant time off' (significant = taking off more than just a Friday. Hint: we only work 1/2 days on Friday to begin with) recently. I took a week off. I come back work a few days and go away again for another 3 days. Yeah, that's my life right now.

Will check back real soon. Almost out of the tunnel.

Laters,
Urban P.

I'm Still Here!

Just wanted to shout that really quick. Work has been EXTREMELY busy, frustrating, and exhausting, but I'm still here. I'll check in soon!

Laters,
Urban P.

Maintaining Status Quo

Hey Guys,

Nothing too much new. Work is still work. We went to see my wife's parents and sister (who was in town for the weekend) yesterday. Did some laundry since we still don't have a house.

I know that I need to start paying more attention to work. The past two weeks I haven't come home to my wife one night on time, except Fridays since they're so short. However, I actually took this Friday off. It was only four hours out of my work week, but I think the people at work were glad to see me take some time. I think they're kinda worried that I'll get burned out too fast since I'm the new guy. Anyways, I need to see about getting home more on time on days that I don't have meetings.

I'd like to say that I slept in late, but the alarm clock woke me up when my wife went to work. I had to do some very short noticed errands to make a family member happy. Other than that I just watched a little tv. And yes, (feeling a little ashamed), I skirted into my office for 5 minutes to get an address off my computer and was called by my boss 3 times in the afternoon. We're updating our website and I'm the only one who knows how to do it. It definately makes me feel needed/wanted, but I think that I need to teach my coworkers so that I'm less indispensible. It may sound weird, but it may be a nessesity especially in my profession.

Laters,

Cheers to Life, Love and Happiness!

This weekend my wife and I went to my home in Dallas. Some close friends of ours got married in Plano. Congrats to David & Desi. We wish you all the best! And look forward to haning out with ya'll!

It really hit me when we were on our way from the rehersal to the rehersal dinner in Plano at sunset that I had really missed Dallas. Of ourse, it was my first time back since I started my new job, but I had remembered all the neat quirks of the area. It makes me look forward to the time in a few years that we can move to Dallas, but also for now I know that I need to be hear near Houston. There's alot of work to be done yet. It's not hard work, just alot of work, but the main think is I like the people I work with (which is a BIG plus), and I feel that I'm actually making a difference within my department and maybe it'll take some some to see the impact on the city's development.

Other than that we're looking for a house and the weekends are pretty busy. I think we have about 2 months of weekend plans lined up. So with me coming home at about 7 on a good night and 8 or 9 on a meeting night, I'm definately keeping up with trying to get enough relaxation time. I'm not complaining, my life is definately as busy as I wanted it when I was looking for a job.

Laters,

What a doozy of a week

Sorry, this promised post will be quite short.

This was a doozy of a week, which is an understatement. My department had a planner resign immediately this week. The reasons are unknown to me, be it office or city politics or personal reasoning. Which is strange since I tend to be nosy at times. I really don't care. My first thought was actually what's next and what needs to be done.

As my Senior Planner told me when she announced the resignation, this was a time for me to kinda step up to the plate. I kinda felt like a fighter on the catapult, straining against the launch restraint bar. Waiting to be hurdled off the deck. And then WHOOSH, off we go. I still feel that way. She mentioned that she was already duly impressed with my knowledge and work ethic, which was really nice. Basically this is a challenge to work on and I'm ready. I will actually have direct imput on to our changes and be a key figure in implementing those changes. WOW. I never imagined something like this in my first planning job. I'll keep ya'll up to date.

Laters,
Urban P.