Kevin TedX photo.jpg

Welcome - my name is Kevin Klinkenberg, and this site "The Messy City" is my blog and company website. I started blogging on urban planning and design issues in 2007, and began working in the field in 1993. Please feel free to connect with me on any of the social media sites listed here. Thanks for reading.

2014 - what a wild ride

Well, it's that time of the year again where we pause to both reflect on the past and look forward to the future. And, I've definitely found that the old cliche is true: time seems to speed up with age. This year just flew by.

For me, the year included time spent trying to build a car sharing company (with not much success), a new website and look to the blog, a whole new approach to blogging that included multiple daily posts, a TedX talk in the spring, the publishing of my first book, Why I Walk: Taking a Step in the Right Direction, and a new job in July as Executive Director of the Savannh Development and Renewal Authority

Oh, and yeah, I also got married and we adopted a dog, Moose (see my Instagram account for more on him.) Cue me breathing deeply now.

Sooo - what to make of it all?  is this just a big year of transition?

I don't think so, actually. Any more, it seems like every year is a transition in some important way. We all experience downs, ups and big changes whether we realize it at the time or not. And, we also live now in a world that just moves so fast. I remember one of my favorite lines from the ever-present on tv Shawshank Redemption, where old Brooks gets out of jail at last and says, "the whole world just went and got itself in a big damn hurry." Brooks was right, and the truth is it never really slows down for long. We're hard-wired for it more and more, despite our pleas otherwise.

As to 2015?  I hope that each of you is in a place where you're as excited as I am. The opportunities for redevelopment here in Savannah are exceptional, and I'm eager to get more accomplishments under the belt of SDRA. I hope at some point to begin blogging more regularly, since I enjoy it and love the conversation with all,of you that read. And, I think we'll have some good stories to tell from here in the Lowcountry.

if you're interested in having me speak in your town, please don't hesitate to drop me a line. I have January appearances lined up in Orlando (the 14th), DC (29th) and Baltimore (30th). Time is tight, but if it fits in my schedule I'll work with you. 

To all, I hope for a prosperous and happy 2015, and one that involves a lot of walking and biking.

Kevin

 

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