Why I do what I do...

Somebody told me these blogs are sounding pretty negative.  I guess I write when I’m fired up.  This blog is a good outlet for trying to crystallize my thoughts.  The fact that you read it is a little bit of an afterthought, but it has led to some pretty lively discussions.

Maybe it’s a good time to explain why I do what I do.

I grew up in a pretty small town in the Midwest and while the people there are awesome, designing buildings/architecture seemed pretty exotic.  Most of the buildings in this little town were utilitarian; built for a purpose with little regard for aesthetics.  I’ve come to appreciate that way of thinking.  I learned later that there was a whole group of designers who prized a no-frills functional approach to the design of even the most high profile buildings.  But, at the time, it seemed that the few buildings in town that seemed to have a little more, a little art to them were designed by people from the city.

I admired those people.  They seemed to live in another world; a world with art and culture and big ideas. I couldn’t wait to join them. And, when I graduated from high school, I ran as far from that little town as I could get.  I’ve moved from city to city over the years and still feel like I’m catching up.  I feel like a lot of people got a head start on me.

I’ll probably never stop feeling like that, and it’s probably what propels me to keep going.  It’s probably why I think we can always do things better, and why I’m always looking forward, trying to improve things. It might not be the healthiest way to live.  Maybe I should spend more time appreciating what our firm has accomplished, what I have accomplished.  Maybe I should be happy with the clients we have.  It sure would make life easier.  Examining your flaws is tough.  Trying to improve is hard.  It’s much easier if you feel like you have it all figured out.

Now, I am one of those city people, but I suppose I’ll never shake my roots.  I don’t want to, now. There is something that came out of being raised in that small town that made me who I am and it’s the reason I do what I do... -ds