We hope you had the time of your life
And just like that, it's over.
Yesterday was my last day at what we all agreed, at one time, was the dream job. I packed my desk, made three trips to the car, looked desperately for something I wanted to steal (and found nothing, sadly enough) and left at 3pm. My boss' last words to me were "You're leaving? It's only three o'clock!" I'll assume it was a joke. Yes, I was leaving.
As I walked away from the building, I told myself I wouldn't look back. Prior to my coming on full time, this front door was considered a Mecca to me. A treasured, holy place where magic of unimaginable scale was crafted by people who (although I'd never say this to their faces) became very dear to me. I did look back, once I crossed the street, but only because I couldn't remember what color the Wonderbar sign was as I tried to commit the street to memory.
We had our "last lunch" at a local Mexican place that always had hot waitresses. Lots of old friends were there and we talked about the good old days. It was like "The Big Chill" only with chips and salsa. And no dancing. Or women. Come to think of it, it was nothing like "The Big Chill".
But it was sad for me. When Juz (do I still get to call you that?) suggested we do "one last group photo" like we did at all of the cons, it really hit me that this was probably the end. There will be at least one or two people in that eight or nine person group that I will NEVER see again as long as I walk this earth.
The dream fell apart. But as this door closes, another opens. I was very fortunate to get another job in the industry that I really do enjoy almost as much as Radio. Through this job, there's hope I can see some of these people again, but it will never be the same again.
This song sums up how I'm looking at the future:
"Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)"
Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time
It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial
For what it's worth it was worth all the while
It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
To all my friends; goodbye, good luck, and don't eat the con tuna.
Yesterday was my last day at what we all agreed, at one time, was the dream job. I packed my desk, made three trips to the car, looked desperately for something I wanted to steal (and found nothing, sadly enough) and left at 3pm. My boss' last words to me were "You're leaving? It's only three o'clock!" I'll assume it was a joke. Yes, I was leaving.
As I walked away from the building, I told myself I wouldn't look back. Prior to my coming on full time, this front door was considered a Mecca to me. A treasured, holy place where magic of unimaginable scale was crafted by people who (although I'd never say this to their faces) became very dear to me. I did look back, once I crossed the street, but only because I couldn't remember what color the Wonderbar sign was as I tried to commit the street to memory.
We had our "last lunch" at a local Mexican place that always had hot waitresses. Lots of old friends were there and we talked about the good old days. It was like "The Big Chill" only with chips and salsa. And no dancing. Or women. Come to think of it, it was nothing like "The Big Chill".
But it was sad for me. When Juz (do I still get to call you that?) suggested we do "one last group photo" like we did at all of the cons, it really hit me that this was probably the end. There will be at least one or two people in that eight or nine person group that I will NEVER see again as long as I walk this earth.
The dream fell apart. But as this door closes, another opens. I was very fortunate to get another job in the industry that I really do enjoy almost as much as Radio. Through this job, there's hope I can see some of these people again, but it will never be the same again.
This song sums up how I'm looking at the future:
"Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)"
Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time
It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial
For what it's worth it was worth all the while
It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
To all my friends; goodbye, good luck, and don't eat the con tuna.
posted by Mkae at
4:13 AM
5 Comments:
Wish I could have been there for the lunch. I hope your new job turns out to be your new dream job. Goodbye, and be sure to let us all know your new email.
By
Major Rakal, at 7:10 AM
I'm rather jealous of the way you got to leave on your own terms.
The way I was sent packing (sadly, like so many others) left me more bitter than I care to admit. In the months since, that has subsided a lot, though I still feel it a bit because of all the others of my "class of 2005" that still haven't got things completely back on track.
But now, in retrospect, I know I really cheated myself, being so bitter and all. I don't have that "one last look" back at Granby Street, my desk, the playtest room -- any of it. I got booted out, and so I decided to be all "defiant" or some crap like that: "fine, I'm going, and I'm not looking back." And I never did, even though by the time I was leaving town, I knew that even should I come back some day to visit people, the places weren't very likely to be there anymore.
At least I have quite a few pictures of things like playtests over the years. Those happy times are what I'd rather remember anyway.
Good luck to you with your move!
By
DrHeimlich, at 11:28 PM
You did better than me. Took me 3 years before I stopped looking back.
By
Jason, at 7:18 AM
Evan,
The difference between how I left and how you did is that none of you saw the train coming. I saw it coming, jumped off the tracks two or three times (the last time, I was standing there waiting to be hit and was then pushed aside), and then decided that the whistle I heard meant it was time to go to another station.
You landed well though. Mucho congrats.
By
Mkae, at 10:21 AM
I was "booted out" out of the building as well, and I came in during the day to pick up my stuff. It was lunch time, and nobody much was around anywho. Although I ran into W and C on the way out. I spoke to W (I said "Thanks" and he said "Thank you"), and C was distracted by talking to someone else.
Anyway, once I heard that Art moved to the 3rd floor, I had a morbid curiosity that made me go back in to look. I thought I'd want to go back and see the place again. I was wrong. It even smelled bad. It's just not like it was when the Dream Team was there.
When the first round of layoffs happened, I felt like I knew it was possible, so I wasn't totally surprised. Until TM said there were about 20, and then I was totally stunned.
Mark, you're leaving on the big adventure in a couple of days, and I wish you and yours all the best.
By
Shocho, at 4:43 AM
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