Hi there! 👋 Greetings

[hindered]

I've looked and learned in the past. Now I'm diving in.

I have a BS and MA in planning and am currently settled in the midwest. I work for a fairly small city. Our office consists of a couple CD people, building inspection, two planners (of which I am the lower), and one director over all. Our fair city has a strong mayor form of government. No city manager. (This will no doubt come into play in some of my future posts.) I used to be an idealist, but I think I've slided down the scale toward being an optimistic realist. Still trying to be positive, but boy is it difficult. The major issues we face here?

• Surviving outside of a metro area
• A zoning ordinance from 1978
• A comp plan from 1970 with an updated land use map from c.1984
• Redeveloping a riverfront
• Dealing with crazy county supervisors in competition with the city for development. (they think it's good to have more development OUTSIDE of the city and actually encourage it!)
• Annexation is badly needed. Haven't done it since 1966 except for a few small voluntary ones.

Finally, since there are many puppy lovers among us, I'll add that my joy in life is going home to my 11 mo. old Labradoodle, Linus. No matter how bad the day, he never fails to have us smiling inside of 2 minutes. And for the house fiends, we bought our first house 11 mo. ago and are in the process of renovating it. A smallish 1940 2-story cape cod. I love my house! Is it a bad thing when you view work more as an obstacle to the things you want to do at home than as any kind of time well spent?

 

[Budgie]

Excellent first post. Welcome to the boards. Yes, I too am hindered. Right MODs.

 

[PlannerGirl]

Welcome from a proud puppy parent in the DC area.

 

[SGB]

Good day, and welcome from cental New York state.

 

[NHPlanner]

Welcome :b:

 

[Rumpy Tunanator]

Welcome to the ship:b:

 

[mendelman]

Welcome from Chicago!

 

[Tranplanner]

Is it a bad thing when you view work more as an obstacle to the things you want to do at home than as any kind of time well spent?

Probably, but I feel exactly the same way. I usually end up doing all the project planning at work so I can dive right in when I get home...

Joining Cyburbia will probably not help. But it's fun all the same.

Welcome

 

[nerudite]

Welcome to the forums... hopefully we can make your work day more enjoyable.

 

[Richmond Jake]

Welcome from the inland northwest. :b:

 

[JNA]

Welcome from
SW IN, in the CTZ, northshore of the Ohio River at mm 792.5

 

[Zoning Goddess]

Hi from Florida!

 

[BKM]

Welcome from Northern California! I too have slid down the track, but am still a little bit idealistic

I am also a dog parent, only I own a pack (1 basenji, 1 collie-shepherd mix, and 1 rottie-shepherd mix) Dogs are great, except when they spear themselves on a branch Saturday evening and you have to rush them to the mega-expensive 24-hour vet clinic (She's doing fine, thankfully, even if my wallet ain't )

 

[ludes98]

Optomistic realist huh? I am a realist when I am at work, it makes it easier. Home addiction can be a beautiful thing. Welcome from the Valley of the Sun.

 

[Trail Nazi]

Hello from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

 

[Cardinal]

Welcome! It sounds like you have some pretty significant obstacles to deal with. This is a good place to vent among people who can empathize, and sometimes offer a little advice.

 

[JNL]

Welcome from New Zealand's capital, Wellington

Is it a bad thing when you view work more as an obstacle to the things you want to do at home than as any kind of time well spent?

I was thinking the same thing this morning... I recently moved into a rental that I share with 2 guys and I am slowly removing all the accumulated dirt and grime!

 

[Gedunker]

Greetings from south central Indiana, along the north shore of the Ohio. Our communities sound quite similar in many ways.

I too have reached a certain point (professionally and personally) where I wonder about the whole thing. Still, I love to home and play with the kids and cats and work on the kitchen/rehab of whatever is in need of fixin'. Too bad I depend on this paycheck, or I could do more of what I enjoy ;-)

 

[PlannerByDay]

Welcome from the west side of a state with a big lake named after it.

Sorry, me no like dogs. But welcome to Cyburbia.

 

[DecaturHawk]

Welcome from a fellow Midwesterner, in flat but strangely compelling Central Illinois.

 

[sisterceleste]

Hi from Florida!

Ditto from me

 

[Doitnow]

Warm Welcome To Cyburbia,Hindered!
(Its touching 40 degrees Celcius where I am :-c )

In my Opinion:
You can be an idealist( but keep it hidden) an optimist( can display that openly) by being a realist(like ludes98)

For me, 'The harder the work day the more I feel better to come home and relax'.

Looks like you have the range of planning issues to take care of. Pretty challenging Eh! but theres sufficient advice in cyburbia on all matters of life( if and when required)

Finally, since there are many puppy lovers among us, I'll add that my joy in life is going home to my 11 mo. old Labradoodle, Linus. No matter how bad the day, he never fails to have us smiling inside of 2 minutes. And for the house fiends, we bought our first house 11 mo. ago and are in the process of renovating it. A smallish 1940 2-story cape cod. I love my house! Is it a bad thing when you view work more as an obstacle to the things you want to do at home than as any kind of time well spent?

So your house and your doggie have the same birth month.

 

[Cardinal]

You are entitled to a dot on the cyburbia map. Let me know where to put it.

http://www.cyburbia.org/forums/showthread.php?t=7470&page=10

 

[hindered]

So your house and your doggie have the same birth month.

Not just the same month, but funny enough on the same day!
We closed on the house on tax day, Apr 15.
Got Linus in July and came to find out he was born on Apr 15.

 

[michaelskis]

Dogs Rock!

Welcome from SW Michigan! Great first post, and remember, if do not where you are, use the experiences you learn as a step towards where you want to be. (I am!)

 

[giff57]

Welcome, and please get your dot, so I don't feel so lonely...

 

[boiker]

Welcome from the Illinois River Valley.

 

[Rem]

Hello hindered. It sounds like you have plenty to share here, so welcome. I too have a dog, a black labrador now about 5 months old. There is a pic in my gallery.