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[theinevitable]

Jewish people sure know how to do a wedding. The rabbi played it with a light touch, explained the prayers and ceremonies, etc. The couple and the rabbi stood in the middle of the room on a platform with everyone seated in a circle around them... it was perfect. I was behind the rabbi so I could see the looks on the couples faces as they said their vows. It was like peeking into a beautiful, intimate moment.

Then we all got drunk and cried a lot of happy tears. What a nice night.

[Carlos del Vaca]

I assume you hoisted them in chairs, and the bride feared for her safety. That's always fun.

[theinevitable]

This job feels basically like "the West Wing." Everyone is walking around at high speed and taking phone calls/writing emails while continuing to talk to me. Writing up a summary of some reports so the elected official can read them before doing a TV interview on the topic. And doing a super-secret grunt work project about something where the city might be getting sued.

Also, all at once realizing why people say that a liberal arts education prepares you for everything. If this is what urban planners do I do not understand why you need a master's degree to do it. I could have learned GIS in undergrad (or over a summer or something), do I really need 2 years to pick up standard practices and principles? So far it's all going to meetings, reading reports, writing reports, etc.

[wombat]

I was just thinking lately that these days it seems like a masters is the new bachelors degree. Maybe there is more to know. Or maybe I'm a cynic but I feel like part of this is just a way to keep people from competing in the workforce for another couple of years. And giving people more hoops to jump through reduces the number of resumes you have to read to make a hire.

This isn't a new trend though I guess. I remember as an undergrad working in libraries, the most senior staff had worked their way up from shelving books, but the new hires at the same level had to have library science degrees.

[AugustWest]

Also, all at once realizing why people say that a liberal arts education prepares you for everything. If this is what urban planners do I do not understand why you need a master's degree to do it. I could have learned GIS in undergrad (or over a summer or something), do I really need 2 years to pick up standard practices and principles? So far it's all going to meetings, reading reports, writing reports, etc.

I could probably teach you what you need to know out of law school in 6 months or less.  But you got to earn your creds to get the cred so you'll have the cred.

[theinevitable]

OK, after interacting with the undergrad interns I might need to reassess my ideas about grad school. Maybe I am underestimating what I have learned. And forgetting how much I learned between college and grad school.

[wombat]

It's still an interesting question whether you could have learned those things on the job in the same number of years. While getting paid instead of paying.

[Carlos del Vaca]

And forgetting how much I learned between college and grad school.

See, this. The real-world experience between college and my MBA was invaluable; it gave me the means to better understand what we were learning in class and how it actually applied to real things. I think someone who goes for an MBA immediately after college is probably wasting his/her time.

[theinevitable]

Yeah, OK, 3 days in I am pretty sure being an urban planner is good.

[theinevitable]

Had an insane meeting today where I felt very confident that I have picked the right thing to do, at least for a few years. But when this one woman was speaking I was thinking about some joke about "mere millionaires displaced by billionaires." Maybe an Onion headline?

then tonight I went to a community board meeting where people jeered at a dude who was trying very hard to explain politely that sometimes there just isn't enough money to preserve every rotting old building/pier/post-industrial-remnant. I do not want that job. This one lady seemed very unclear about how levels of government and budget work, and was arguing that if it was a real priority it would be getting done no matter what the cost. People in the audience clapped. Interestingly this was mere blocks from Wall Street, but I guess so was Zucotti Park.

[theinevitable]

Lesson of the day: before you go to the bother of waking up and taking the 6am train to a breakfast meeting, check whether the meeting is at a stuffy uptown place with a dress code. Sorry sir, we only allow guests with jackets.

[wombat]

Was this a meeting for urban planners? I am disturbed at the idea that our urbans are being planned by people who think it's normal to congregate in a place like that.

[theinevitable]

No, it was some Building Trades thing at a fancy club uptown (New York Metropolitan Club). Lots of real estate and development people. I was going along with the elected person I am working for.

Urban planners, for better or worse, seem much more like the trendy new restaurant crowd.

[Carlos del Vaca]

Grade school graduation for my oldest today. (I don't remember grade school graduation being a thing in my day. But whatevs.)

As part of the production they had a slide show of each kid holding a sign with three words they chose to sum up their elementary school experience.
My daughter's read "Wombats For President."

[jaydub]

There was a pre-K graduation for my boy last year, and his Kindergarten one was yesterday.  Neither of these things were necessary IMO.  Eighth grade only if you're skipping high school and going into a trade.  Which isn't a thing in 21st century America (but was in 20th century Australia).  I'm all for recitals, and end-of-year-parties and whatnot, but Graduation to me implies 1) a change of location is impending, 2) a certificate worth something is conferred, and perhaps related, 3) a degree of accomplishment other than showing up and taking up space is required.