Leaving Pioneer

It seems like just a few months ago - my last block at Cornell College - when I'd drive out of town via 8th Avenue and park in a cornfield entrance at the top of the hill. This is where I always went to get away from the loud dorm I lived in to make important phone calls.

This time I was making my call to Marv Hardisty - checking on the job I interviewed for a few weeks prior. It was an interesting call - first he asked me about brooksfsw.com, one of my huge Soap Shoe web sites that I let get away. He asked me if I ran it and if I was aware that it was now a pornography site. I quickly explained what happened and that it was not my porn site. My stomach dropped and I was convinced that I wouldn't get the job - all because I let a domain expire and still had it in my portfolio.

As the conversation continued, he told me that I didn't get the job (damn you, Chad Kraus), but he created a new position just for me. I was stoked and I accepted.

I apparently won some people over in that interview a few weeks prior, when I met with Jim Hooper, Blair Hoegh, Ron Peterson, Nancy Acosta, and Doug Moore. They (the interviews) seemed easy. Everything flowed well, everyone was easy to talk to, and I had skills... it was a good day - a day that I didn't wear my earrings... in fact, I took them out a week before my interview just to let my holes close up. And Nehru made a $5 bet with Doug that I'd wear those earrings my first day at Pioneer. I did, Nehru won $5.

Fast forward to now - the day before my last day at Pioneer. Thinking about the things that I didn't know before I got here is insanity. I've been on several ridiculous projects. Nick, Nehru, Doug, Minnis, and many others helped me learn me a ton... ASP, Powerbuilder, XML, AJAX, crazy JS, insane SQL (handling even more insane data), large Java apps, C#, RFID, .NET, etc. I also learned all about enterprise programming and project management techniques.

Pioneer really has been good for me... but now it's time for me to try something different.

I can't thank Marv enough for creating that position for me. And the same goes to everyone else for the mentoring, guidance, and good times. We got a lot accomplished and had a ton of fun doing it. There are so many freakin stories... I can't even begin.

Sorry for the cheesy article... but that's how I feel.

And now... it's onto something bigger and better smaller and sweeter.
i will truly miss working with you here...you are one of the reasons this place changed and actually became fun to work at...still, we will carry on with the fun and keep you in the know...maybe someday we can get you and rico back, haha

nick posted

I too will miss working with you. In deed Nick is right about making it a fun place to work. You brought a perspective that we hadn't had much of (with the exception of Santa and the Easter Bunny) and you pushed the boundaries to make it fun. It's sad to see this event happen knowing there wasn't anything that I could personally do to make Pioneer work it out so you could stay in the same group. I wish the best for you and thanks for the memories.
yo i'm AtmozE and ur all gay im de best at tech decks

AtmozE posted

Don’t be sorry about your cheesy article! Actually it is nice to read a small part of your life. It’s so nice of you that you thanked all the people that helped you through this. I really liked it and wish you all the best for your future.

www.fixyoursoftware.com

Janis posted

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