Hello all... The answers to your questions are as follows (in the order they were received...)
Colin: I was attending the Landscape Institute to get a Certification in Landscape Design. At the encouragement of some of my instructors, I was asked to consider taking my career path to the next level (basically, getting my Master's in LA). I knew the only other schools offering such programs in this area were the GSD, RISD and UMass Amherst. I was not in the position to leave the state as my children were already well on their own academic ways in Massachusetts, and to be honest, I like Boston and the area too much to leave. I was told to look into the BAC's undergrad program and so I did. Yes, I was willing to obtain a second Bachelor's degree to make this career change happen! So I went to see Pat Loheed where I learned that a Master's curriculum was in the works. So I signed on, and moved into the Master's program when it was up and running. Incidentally, I had only 1 class left at the Landscape Institute and an Independent Project to complete to get my Certification. I made the move anyway, and do not regret it for 1 minute! The summer before I was to start the BAC, it was announced that the LI was purchased from Harvard and was now part of the BAC's continuing ed program.. Kinda interesting how things turned out.
Luis: I grew up on Long Island in New York, very close to the beach. I think the open and simplistic landscape of the ocean has always had a positive impact on me and has been a place where I go to get away from everything. I have lived in many places since then, all of them close to the ocean. I don't think I could live any where that was landlocked. I wouldn't know what to do with myself. On the negative side, my family move to Long Island during the mass migration days of Levittown and the "suburban sprawl" of the late 1960's. Each property was, for the most part, a perfect square with little variation between composed and often times tortured landscapes. I knew from the time I was little I couldn't be comfortable in this type of cookie cutter community and vowed I would never live in one as an adult. I am happy to say that I don't.
Sara: I am also a fan of public transportation. I would definitely be willing to pay a little more for extended services. For example, I would love to take the commuter rail all the time to class, but can't as the service on my line ends at 10pm. There is no way to make that happen if you have class at 7:15-10:15. It can be a logistical nightmare.
Matt: I don't work in a firm so can't really answer that question directly. I think though that you need to keep your value up by always being able to bring something to the table for your company. It's about what you have to offer them. So, stay ahead and always keep improving yourself.
Ted: My favorite hobbies are surfing, swimming and reading. I was an avid swimmer for a long time, logging about 1.5 miles each session 4 or 5 days a week. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get back into it lately because of other obligations but I have felt the bug a lot in the past month or so... time to get cracking. I read ALL the time, everyday in fact, just for pleasure. It helps to settle me in for the night, no matter what time. Mostly french history... very intriguing...
Susan: Wow... I think we need to change these attitudes not just through education but by leading by example as designers and planners of landscapes. I agree with what your saying. There are still so many people out there who just either don't get it or don't care (shameful as that is..). I worked for a landscape company this year that could have cared less about anything to do with sustainability. The look on the faces of my colleagues (former colleagues, I should state) was priceless when I went on a small soapbox and let them know that sustainability isn't going anywhere, it is now and more importantly the future and that they best stop fighting it, rolling their eyes at the mention of trying to do things differently and get on with it! OK, so I took a non nurturing approach, but, it felt good to knock on stupidity's door and deliver the message!
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