I've been reflecting over the last few weeks about this blog, and I've decided to update my 'about me' blurb.
I started this website as a three-stranded experiment intended to push my personal development and learning.
The three strands were:
Create something online.
Commit to a daily discipline.
Develop my writing.
I wove these strands together around the idea of property. Or more generally, the way that property affects the way we live, and how (or why) it could (or should) change.
As a learning experiment, it's certainly succeeded. And I'd recommend a year of daily blogging to anyone and everyone.
One of the things I've learnt, is that its hard to iterate and develop ideas without a process of deliberate review and critique. And I don't have this review process built into my current flow of thinking/writing/work on property.
I could change this. But I've also learnt that why property is a common thread in much of my thinking, I often spend significant periods of time with my head in a completely different headspace. During these periods, writing a blog post connected back to property is pretty challenging. If I haven't worked through the thought process, I can't neccessarily see a real connection.
So I'm embracing this. I'm shifting away from a specific 'property' focus to zoom out to the overarching theme of 'how we live'. I expect that many posts will tie back to property. After all, we all live somewhere, so place is important. But often, you're likely to be subject to a mid-process rant about whatever is occupying my mindspace.
I hope you find some value in what I share here, even if it is just as an observer of my journey.
For posterity, here's where we began together: My old 'about me'
Welcome to my little corner of the internet.
We all live somewhere.
Our approach to houses/homes/property ownership doesn't seem to 'work' for everyone. At least in the community where I live, and the way I think property should work.
You might be specifically concerned about the affordability or energy efficiency of our current housing. Or you might care more about build quality and increasing urban density. Or perhaps the biggest issue for you is ensuring stability of accommodation or giving people a sense of identity, pride and connection with the land through ownership.
I don't have any solutions, but I do have some ideas.
Many of them are borrowed from people who are more knowledgable, more experienced and more skilled than I. But I'm a trained engineer, not writer. I'm a dreamer, not a communicator. I'm looking for action, and I'm exploring what that could look like for me, where I live.
This blog is a record of my process, you're welcome to follow along.