Let's start from the top shall we?

Adios!
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

*the Reader's Digest Condensed Version no less...

So after 9 years of working for Golf Channel I had been playing with the idea of seeing what else what out there. I wasn't exactly looking for a job, but thru a series of lunch conversations and keeping in touch with people I was able to interview with a small boutique agency nearby that was in the market to create a design team for their Orlando office.

I quickly got my resume and portfolio together and met with said agency. We talked a few times over the course of a month and got along great! I was so used to the Comcast corporate monster mentality that a new environment was a much needed change of pace for me. Plus I was burned out of doing golf related design and animation.

Short story shorter I put in my resignation quietly to my boss Al Lagor. I pretty much kept it to myself for the remaining two weeks I was to be there. Eventually I told a couple of key people in my department my plan, but wanted to keep my exodus fairly lowkey. Of course, eventually somehow the news made its way around different departments all over the company - not saying it was these few key people. I seriously doubt they would do that. No it was some other unnamed source.

Plus I really didn't care to share great news like this with certain individuals in the group, whom I could give a crap about (tell us how you really feel Erick!). So slowly I told those who hadn't heard thru the grapevine yet. I really wanted to show my appreciation to the guys who supported me during my "learning-tv-animation-on-the -fly" period by taking them out to lunch individually.

Al had been a great boss, but I felt my career was taking another turn and I knew my choices would be limited there. Hughes taught me alot about the production end and how to shoot from the hip. Nasso and Van Horn were great examples of 2d and 3d artists who had a real passion for what they did. Hawkman and Brad made learning fun again. Even Emily, the freelancer, would be missed. No more all night conversations about demon-possessed top chefs.

Those two weeks I could slowly feel the weight of almost 10 years of Golf Channel slowly coming off my shoulders. I was excited about my new Art Director position at Caldwell Group. Sheri had been very accommodating to me and those first couple of months were grueling, but also very satisfying in a way I hadn't felt at Golf Channel in a long, long time.

I was charged with concepting and developing the new marketing look and feel with their largest client including the campaign to launch their brand, spanking new state-of-art rehab center. Exciting times. At the end of my three month period I was tired, but very pleased with what I had accomplished.

Things have slowed down for me to a nice pace at the agency and I'm settling into my role. My doctor said my blood pressure was up during that three month period, but was now even lower than it ever was previously. I enjoy the new work atmosphere, I feel good about the work I crank out, my colleagues are great people and now that my office is almost completely set up I am easing into my routine. I haven't had my own office since my earlier agency days so it's become almost therapeutic to make my little part of the world cozy and cool.

It's been a busy season. Pictures of the new digs to come soon!