Starting a New Chapter

I’ve been hinting about something big this week, and today here it is. I'm making a huge change in my life, and it’s going to be for the better.

I’m a fortunate man. Life has always had a funny way of working out for me, regardless of what I face. When I first got started in web design, I had no idea what I was doing. It was the early 2000s and I was using Photoshop to create my layouts from start to finish, and for some reason, I thought that CSS was a hassle. Today, I’m a huge proponent of standards-based design, and I am constantly advocating/evangelizing the ExpressionEngine platform. It’s funny how life can take you from point to point, without any real indication as to how you got there, or where you’re going.

Such is the case today.

I’ve always been a designer or developer under the employ of an agency, corporation or some other body. As anyone who has been in a similar position, it is a source of great comfort to know where your check is coming from, and when. It is a sense of assurance and also an easy way to identify your position in the workforce; "Who do you work for?" is probably the most often asked question I receive in San Francisco, right next to "How much do you earn?" (rude) and "What are you wearing?" (I receive very weird support from Verizon).

When I turned 30, I made the conscientious descision to get out of Houston, and start a new life in San Francisco. To do that, I needed a foothold, a base of operations, if you will. Shotwell certainly provided that. Thanks to their help, I was able to establish myself in the city, and get my bearings. Throwing a Texan into the Bay Area is a lot like dropping a new fish into an aquarium. You have to do it with a plastic bag that keeps them insulated and let them acclimate to the change gradually, or they’re going to die of shock.

Well, I’m acclimated now, and I have a feel for this amazing city and it’s people. It’s time to be let out of the plastic bag. As of today, I am excited (and admittedly, a little nervous) to announce that I am devoting myself to One Bright Light Designs 100% here on out. I have been incredibly fortunate to work with the amazing people in the ExpressionEngine community in the past, and am looking forward to being able to work with even more of you now.

The new year is upon us, and for the first time in a long time, my future is filled with uncertainty, doubt and worry. However, also for the first time, I am incredibly hopeful, driven and excited about what is in store for me.

2012 better bring it.

And hey, if you have a new project you'd like to discuss, you can always…