tecznotes

I am in Denver. Wednesday I will be in Chicago. Friday night I will be back in Oakland. Here, I am visiting JS.Geo conference catching up on all the Javascript map-making I’ve missed over the years. In Chicago, I hope to meet with folks from the campaign now that it’s all over, and some new people.

On the last day of Baktun 13 of the Classical Mayan calendar, we held our annual holiday party. The next morning, we pushed the couches into the big room with the projector, screen and speakers, and spent most of a workday watching season three of Arrested Development and snacking on popcorn and lunch from Pancho Villa. It was the last day of the year, and my final day at Stamen.

Leaving is difficult. I’ve worked with Stamen and Eric Rodenbeck in particular for nine years. I’m sad to not be able to spend much time with new Stamens Mike Tahani and Beth Schechter, and I’m over the moon that Eric and Shawn have brought on Seth Fitzsimmons as my successor. Seth’s worked with us on projects in the past, knows us from the old office, and will fit right in.

In retrospect I’m shocked at how young I was when I joined. I’ve learned firsthand how a world-class design studio is run from one of the best creative directors in the industry, instigated, participated in or merely watched innumerable high-profile public research and client projects, and I’m proud to have seen us grow to a position of prominence and respect in the public’s perception of art and data. The work has never not been good, and my colleagues from over the years are some of my closest friends.

Still, nine years is a long-ass time.

It was like graduate school, art school, and business school all rolled into one and I feel ready to explore in some new directions. For the moment, that means catching up on things: sleep, books, hacking and design projects, exercise, regular blogging, and more. Soon, it will mean looking at new possibilities. For the moment, I don’t know what awaits me in the after but if you’re up for lunch I’m probably game.