This year I approached 10 years in the architecture profession. A little over 4 years licensed and almost 6 as a father. As I’ve said in some of my early blogs, I came into fatherhood in the midst of my Architectural Registration Exams. My growing family made my completion all the more sweeter. It’s no surprise then how Father’s Day revives sooo many feelings intertwined with my architectural passion. Although my daily life differs now than 3-4 years ago. 

Related: See how I started I Am A Registered Architect

Architecture is no different than any other business when it comes to communication. As architects we must communicate with our clients, office colleagues, contractors and manufacturers, just to name a few. Miscommunications are part of the process. However, the less occurrences, the better. Here's an anecdote of my youth where I learned a valuable lesson.

Related topic: Architects are more than..

Early in my teens, I made a questionable series of choices which helped me realize that communication is crucial in relaying ideas, as well as succeeding in various areas of life. At the time, I was very outgoing, but never overly boisterous. My schooling had not been marred by any major problems—only a few scuffles and occasional detentions for minor infractions. 
Little did I know that one spring job would change my thinking about communication. (You won’t want to miss the ending.)

This post is part of a great series called ArchiTalks. It was & is curated by Bob Borson of "Life of an Architect." I am glad to be a part of this diverse set of architects & designers coming together to speak on various topics relevant to profession and life in general. Please enjoy the 21st installment:

September is here and the cooler, less humid weather will forecast the approaching Autumn season. The hot and humid summer has many looking forward to this. "Back to School" is synonymous with school kids, yellow buses and backpacks. What does it mean to you? Is there a change in your schedule? 

Before having children, there wasn't much change in my daily and weekly routines. I'd just know it would be a longer commute with more people on the roads. However, now I've become ArchiDad. It's a full blown operation in "Back to school" mode. My wife becomes an extra super woman prepping, ordering, and stockpiling my children's clothes and supplies. Her extraordinary motherly exuberance couple with her "educator" mindset astonishes me on the deals and creative ways she gather and finds the best things. (Honestly... I'm usually in awe most of the school year.) It's bittersweet. 

Every year around this time, there's a large amount of talk related to resolutions and what a person would like to change in the coming year. Why does it take the end of a year to foster change? If it is something that needs to be changed in your life why wait for the new year? Just do it. We are creatures of procrastination and against change. As stated in this article, New Year's Resolutions Don't Work, there are four reason why they just don't work!  Resolutions can also be considered "false hope syndrome," as identified by Professor Herman in this article Why People Can't Keep Their New Year's Resolutions. Lets face it procrastination sets in and resolution just don't happen. It's a counterintuitive process. We should drop the misconception that if you don't have a resolution you're content at staying where you are . It's been a tumultuous year with various mishaps throughout the U.S. and world. Let's be honest with ourselves and set goals that are attainable. And as always, we should be grateful.