The Logical Choice
2007
September
18
Eric says that I am a programmer at heart. I love logic, math, and order and I feel enormous satisfaction when solving problems objectively. I do not excel at tasks that are subjective or that require creativity and imagination. For this reason, I have decided to terminate my career in urban planning and pursue a second baccalaureate degree in computer science.
Until recently, I have hesitated to admit that I am interested in computer science. I did not want to compete with Eric because I will always be a few years behind him in terms of knowledge and experience. Over the past year, I watched his salary increase to almost three times my salary. I cannot imagine ever earning that much money as an urban planner. I realize that I am just as capable of doing the work that Eric does and could be earning a comparable income. However, my decision is not just about the money.
When I am feeling particularly discontent, I daydream about retiring early and building houses on the beaches in Mexico. But when asked about what I would do realistically if I did not have to work to pay the bills, I would want to design video game levels or create websites (something I already do in my spare time). I know that HTML and CSS are considered faux programming, but I do know some PHP (before switching to WordPress, Eric taught me enough to program my own blogging software) and my desire and aptitude to learn more is what convinced me that I should be a programmer already. And hey, maybe the vast piles of money I will earn as a programmer will enable me to retire early so I can build those houses in Mexico.
I am still interested in architecture and urban planning as a hobby and I am glad that there are people dedicated to making better places for us to live, work, and play… but that is not my niche. While I have learned much in the past year and gained invaluable experience, I have become disillusioned by the planning process. I cannot feel proud of the master plans I create when there are innumerable solutions to organizing buildings in the landscape (what if I did not choose the best one?), infinite color combinations to finish the drawings, and over twenty pages of writing that is mostly speculation, trite, and fluffy buzz words. Ultimately, I suppose I have just lost my enthusiasm for urban planning.
