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December 31, 2003
Painful leaving, on to the next year
This year I saw some things go that I wished I didn't. And some I am glad are gone.
DahlinSmithWhite, one of the first ad agencies to focus on the high-tech industry, and one of my first jobs, closed (well, their parent company, EURO RSCG, closed DSW, which was their SLC office). I worked for DSW as an intern (programming FoxPro) in 1991. I loved working there. I got hired back in 1993 full-time (again as a FoxPro programmer, though I never did write another FoxPro program--I brought the Internet with me). Even now, if DSW were to offer me a job, I'd seriously consider it (well, until they closed), because I have such great memories. DSW first exposed me to my weakness for being a workaholic. Just couldn't get enough hours in. It's personally sad to see them go, and a tough break for the state. DSW was an icon in Utah. (Remember "Intel Inside"--that was developed by the W in DSW, and was their first big win--the Intel account).
Governor Leavitt left for the EPA. I've worked with him, in a rather indirect way, since I started at UEN in 2001. But I think the new Governor will be good to work with, and will make Leavitt's absence less-noticeable.
Qwerks, a company I helped start in 1998-ish, was bought this fall by Digital River. This was quite a surprise, since I'd kind of written off any hope of my ownership being worth anything.
We almost got ATM out of the UEN network, shy by only 6 months or so. We sure tried hard. I haven't heard anyone complain yet that they miss it.
I tried really hard to make my life Windows-free, or at least less Windows-dependent. You don't know how much you need something until you try to live without it. That's on the to-do list for next year.
I missed John McQuillan's farewell speech at NGN. Listening to it recorded on CD just isn't the same (especially since I already know it happened).
I'm sure there are more traumatic events that happened this year, but this off-the-cuff list covers the most significant (at least that I can remember now).
The new year has a starting chance already.
Posted by pete at December 31, 2003 11:15 AM