Blog - June 2010

Summer updates and reflections

30 June, 2010

It's late June 2010 and finally feeling summery in western Canada. Watching little pods of school children on 'let's kill time till the school term ends' field trips in recent weeks led me back to an article I wrote a few years ago, "The Long, Slow Summers of Youth." It's recently been reposted on Life As A Human. Thanks to Editor Kerry Slavens for the continuing interest in and support for my work.

These are urban times

23 June, 2010

We citizens of the world are increasingly citizens of cities. The places that concern us, that interest us, that engage us on a daily basis are our urban places - our streets and neighbourhoods.

For many people, urban planning is a distant and irrelevant activity until it begins to change - or prevent change - in one's own neighbourhood.

People who do get engaged in helping guide the future of their cities are often dismayed to find out that the "vision" they created in upbeat workshops fails to get implemented after professionals have had their go.

Keeping busy?

7 June, 2010

You are busy. I am busy.

As we know, we wear these statements like badges of accomplishment in our society, in these early years of the 21st century. That's not likely to change significantly for some time.

Through the busyness, we seek clarity and direction. As I transition from defining myself primarily as a consultant to a renewed focus on the "writer" and "student of urban ideas" labels, I have written and found a few pieces that may interest you.