40 hours a week plus bennies

Not sure if you've heard but there's a recession going on? Uh yeah, I guess it's pretty substantial. Sounds like we hit bottom and are swimming back up to the surface with a weight around our collective ankles. Fortunately, I work for a small consulting firm- 15 people, half of whom are partners- and they haven't had to lay off anyone. However, our workload is definitely light and I have clocked some serious hours dicking around with design stuff. Tasks include but are not limited to updating our company's website, developing promotional material, and volunteering for the Washington Chapter of the American Planning Association. Turns out if you help lay out the organization's monthly newsletter, you are automatically inducted into the Communications Committee. Excuse me while I add that to my resume...

It's been really fun, because my bosses basically say, "Can you make us an ad?" or "Can you make some posters for an interview?". The only real limitations are the page size, otherwise I have free reign (well at least 'till I turn it in for their review, at which point they edit). Unfortunately there's no client to bill, so I wonder how long my whimsical design days will last...Anyway, I think it's cool that there is a place for a designer, for creativity, in the urban planning world, and that I sort of found that out by accident.

I always wonder if I want to go to Planning Grad School. I can argue both ways- on one hand, I'd pay to get a degree to do EXACTLY what I do now. On the other hand, I could fill in some professional and academic blanks and generally be more marketable. A friend gave me great advice: Don't enroll in a grad program unless you are absolutely convinced you should be there. Otherwise you'll be writing term papers at 2am questioning what the hell you're doing.

Obviously, my love affair is with design. Every month I tear into my HOW magazine, but do I devour my PLANNING mag with the same gusto? No way. I often contemplate working 4 days at my real job and doing my artwork on the 5th day. My bosses are flexible, schedule-wise, and our home office is really coming together (we got shelves! glorious shelves!). For some reason the two sides of my coin are advanced degree in Planning or ramp up the art business on the side. At the moment, I veer towards my own art projects. I even opened a "business" bank account and am paying someone to re-do my portfolio website. Maybe the dream isn't such a reach...?

In other news, here's my new favorite neighborhood bar, the Dray. It's where I hang when I'm not working.