Going, going, back, back to Cali, Cali

It’s with some sadness and a whole lot of excitement that I’m announcing I’ll be leaving Blue Flavor and going to work at Facebook as a Product Designer. I’m sad to be leaving a great group of friends and co-workers, but excited for the opportunity to work for such an smart, talented group of people working on such a well known and widely distributed product.

Everyone I met both during the interview process had a palpable passion for the product that was both humbling and inspiring. One thing is clear, people love working at Facebook and they truly believe in the product.

I’m also excited to be moving away from client work for a while. Over the past two and a half years, I’ve enjoyed the diversity and challenges that come from working on a constant stream of different client projects, but I’m ready to change it up and really dive into a single product for a while. I’m looking forward to the being part of a team where the focus is the same, making Facebook better.

It’s going to be tough to leave Seattle, but since I’m planning on moving to San Francisco and doing the Caltrain commute I’ve got plenty of friends down there to help make the move easier. I’m not leaving for a few weeks though, so for everyone in Seattle, let’s hang out, grab a few drinks or just have some caramels.

For those of you who know me well, I realize there’s a bit of irony in all this since for years I’ve long resisted even joining the service. In the end though, I’d rather spend my time trying to help improve a site that impacts a mind-boggling 200 million plus users than to spend my time complaining from the sidelines. There are few, if any sites, that have the challenges they do, and I can’t wait to help solve them.

It’s always tough to say goodbye to a job you’ve loved and a group of people you respect and admire, but it was time to move on. I just feel lucky that it’s with this opportunity to help improve both the product and brand of Facebook through something I love to do so much — design.

Now this is the story all about how...

In the immortal words of the Fresh Prince, “My life got flipped, turned upside down”. Things have been busy. I do have plans for 110am, and a more importantly more posts, but I’ve said it before so we’ll see. I’ve missed writing here these passed few months, so I am determined to get back to it. Why, you ask, have I been so flaky? Here’s the details in a snazzy ordered list to keep it all straight:

1. At the beginning of December I made the decision that I wanted to move up to Seattle. My girlfriend and I had been doing the long distance thing, and I wanted to try and give us a shot.

2. While job hunting, I read about this need for designer/developers up in Seattle. Off goes the resume.

3. A few weeks later I get the phone interview—things go well.

4. After a few more weeks (it never happens as fast as you want) they want me to meet in person. Booyah!

5. I develop a cough “cold”, take off a day from work, and fly up to Seattle for the interview. It goes fantastic. The position sounds great, people seem wonderful, and I start to think that life really shouldn’t work out this well.

6. It doesn’t. As I’m smiling looking one direction, life hits me across the head in the other. My girlfriend and I break up.

7. After lots of back and forth I make the call that Seattle is still where I’d rather be.

8. Last weekend I fly up, stay with my Aunt and Uncle and spend all weekend looking at apartments and condos. Saintly would accurately describe how helpful they were with the three day extravaganza. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see the place I thought I wanted.

9. I get a call from the apartment complex saying I could take a look, luckily I’m in California. The saints head over and give the okay, but someone else has turned in an application.

10. Off I go on a late night work run to use the fax machine to send off my appllication. After a long morning I finally secure an apartment. Unforunately, I can’t move in until December 8th.

11. The saints to the rescue again. They offer me a place to live and room to store all my stuff.

12. Packing this week, moving next weekend, and the new job starts the Monday after Thanksgiving.

13. Oh, and I turn a 25 a week from Monday. It’s like the world is going like this—fun, exciting, but making me a bit woozy.

So lay off! I’m not just sitting around watching football ignoring you, one of my ten faithful readers. Although, I am on the couch watching football today…damn you caught me.