Window Shopping

I've beed doing a lot of soul searching these past few weeks. My plan to live in Austin and apply to MLA programs has been unfolding essentially as I had conceived, but the realities of job hunting as well as talks with architecture school graduates has placed some doubts in my mind as to the job security of architecture.

Recently, I have been tossing around the idea of pursuing an online masters degree in Geographic Information Systems from USC or Penn State. Jobs in GIS are plentiful and will be so for the foreseeable future. Also, while in the Air Force I used GIS programs and could add that experience to a GIS job resume. An online degree would allow me to continue working at my current job, plus the knowledge and skills learned would apply to Landscape Architecture and look good on college application portfolios.

I still have many questions that need answering before I make commitments. Today I am taking a trip to A&M to find out more about Landscape Architecture and future options. Hopefully I will return to Austin with a greater perspective and more prepared to make my next move.

The Winding Road

I arrived in Austin on Friday, March 4th with no job, no real civilian work experience and no place to live. My plan was - and still is - to eek out an existence in Austin while pursuing the skills and experience needed to enter into a Landscape Architecture firm and/or graduate program. Since that Friday, I have secured a hosting job at a highly-frequented Austin restaurant and found a place to live for the next few months. My hosting job pays very little, but, fortunately, the room I will be renting also costs very little, despite its prime central-Austin location. As an added bonus, my new landlord expressed interest in having me design and work on her property's landscape.

Additional work opportunities have also presented themselves, although they are not yet secured. I have been offered part-time work at a growing landscaping and design company owned by a friend of my cousin, and hopefully I will begin that job in the coming weeks. Most promisingly, I have been asked to interview at the Austin corporate headquarters of a MAJOR computer company as a contractor. This job would be a big pay increase with steady, flexible hours, and provide opportunity to be hired directly into the company.

So, all in all, I would say things are going well here in Austin :)

Job Time

Tomorrow I go to Austin to look for a job. I'd like to find something that will teach me skills related to landscape architecture, although I may end up just having to take whatever is available in order to survive. At any rate, it should be an adventure.