Hey Weeknotes world. S01E01
By: Rebecca Heywood
Tags: Weeknotes, Questions, Government

Hey Weeknotes world. I’m Rebecca, and I worked in operations and strategy in NYC government. I’ve been following this world for awhile and have been writing Weeknotes (infrequently) on my own, but I committed to writing more in 2019 and its coming to a close. So here we go!

Questions I’ve been pondering this week:

Who should be working in government? In the effort to create an egalitarian system, we’ve shifted the burden to people who can wait. Who are we losing in the process? Is that a problem?

How can we use design thinking to bring together urban planners and engineers?

Why isn’t New York City on the forefront of municipal innovation? That isn’t to say that there aren’t innovators in government somewhere in NYC, but I would venture to say that most are innovating in a topic or policy area, not in the practice of government itself.

If Trump is impeached, is Pence viewed as too much of a traditional politician to defeat any attempt at Democrats retaking the White House? What would happen in a Pence White House? Is it worse than a Trump White House? As a gay woman, I may venture to say yes.

What would it take to start my own business? What would I sell? Would people want it? Am I expert enough? Do I even want to do that?

I reconnected with someone recently and had an incredible conversation about how to view the world and opportunities for change. Who else should I connect (or reconnect) with to help energize myself in this area?

How can I use my engineering mindset combined with my urban planning experience and other experiences to help make the world a better place?

Why is it so hard for NYC to manage trash? Are other cities in the developed world this bad? I walked by a sidewalk just now where 15 feet had been reduced to enough space for one person to pass.

A regular sight in New York City. Trash for days.

Am I a designer? I don’t have a formal design background, but I really like the design thinking methodology and think I have started using it effectively. So who is a designer?

Interesting things I’ve learned or been told this week:

A perspective I hadn’t taken on the perception of cycling in black neighborhoods is that bike lanes bring police, and that the types of bikes ridden and the manner of biking is not read as legitimate. Like an adult man on a “child’s” BMX bike may be read as stolen versus a chosen means of transport.

I smile more in my current job than I ever had in my old job.

My departure from my last job came as a surprise to people. I see that as people not understanding the signs in front of them, or assuming that people will stay somewhere they are unhappy.

Things I’m Proud of This Week (or well, Recently)

I ran a half marathon about a month ago. I have to constantly remind myself that this is a HUGE accomplishment, even if I don’t feel as fit in other aspects of my body (i.e. strength). I’ve committed myself (and am 2 classes in) to returning to strength building because I’ve decided that’s how my body feels best.

Putting weeknotes out into the world. I’ve been following this concept for awhile now, and have also been feeling disconnected from peers who view the world (i.e. government) the same way I do. I’m excited to move forward.

Deleting facebook from my phone. This has been a big step to remind myself that social media isn’t the whole world. I’m taking steps towards trying new hobbies in the physical (instead of digital world), but this has been good for me.

I’m helping a friend find a therapist. I’m glad that I’m in a place now where I can give back and help someone else through the terribleness that is getting started with therapy.

Deep in conversation at our workshop