Sitting here in the twilight of my 50’s I wonder, where am I in the “Big Picture”? What has this got to do with architecture you ask? I believe that many architects take their practice of architecture as an integral part of their life, not just a job. So when we ask where am I, it doesn’t separate our personal life from our professional life. Just like colleges. I am a part of the “Hokie Nation”, I just didn’t attend Virginia Tech, I am a living part of it’s fiber that makes Virginina Tech what is it. Both architecture and being a Hokie are just something you have to experience to understand. I am sure many of you have similar feeling about other schools, professions, and organizations with whom you’’ve been associated.
We are always told we have to have goals, but I have never had a specific goal during my time in architecture. I just wanted to be able to participate. The level really didn’t make any difference. I do prefer to get my hand dirty with drafting tools, whatever the current activity I want to be involved in the process, not just be an observer.
After being in the profession for 33 years I now find a desire to share what I have learned. I want to be engaged. I don’t currently know on what level I want the engagement or exactly what environment I want to be in, but since I have a knack for technology it looks like social media may be my path.
So one of my goals for 2014 is to be engaged in social media, but I take the commitment very seriously. It will have to be deliberate and consistent, because if it is not I shouldn’t even start. That is the reason I haven’t started until now, but I feel something lacking and I think this is an avenue to pursue to see if it satisfies the drive.