The Ale House Post

After work on Monday was a blast. Lots of people from the office made it out to the Ale House for a little send off which was pretty cool. Had a few beers, posed for a few pictures and inevitably had to say some good-byes. Making the move to Orlando was a big deal for me and was only made possible by the terrific people I had as friends. I have been collecting pictures with friends over the past few weeks in an attempt to build a multi-photo poster that would encapsulate my time spent down south. As a going-away present they guys gave me some really cool photo collages that do a pretty good job of summing up my time down there. I really appreciate them, and they look great. I was also given a card which rivals any yearbook I’ve ever had for signatures and kind words. It’s never nice having to say goodbye to friends, and I have definitely made some keepers down in Florida. I’ll be back to visit though so this is far from the end or anything like that. Thanks for everything guys, it’s been a great two years.



Wow blogger does a horrible job of posting with lots of pictures…from now on I think I’ll just link to facebook. What’s that you say? You aren’t on facebook? Are you a communist? Get over there and add me on your friends list. Hurry! It makes me look popular!!

The I'm Back Post

So I’m back. I am typing this from the study which Mum has kindly relinquished to me as I delve into the job market and need a computer to apply to various positions. Coolio is to my left on the couch as she is apparently not too keen on cohabiting with the other pets at this time. She’ll just have to enjoy being in solitary until she can harbor up the strength to do anything more than hiss at Max through the glass door. I’m living out of boxes in the guest bedroom trying to avoid unpacking more than necessary so as to avoid the inevitable re-pack when I find an apartment/job.

The drive up was relatively painless. The car was brimming with stuff and weighed down the Celica so much that it was visibly sagging over the back wheels. It took 14 hours in total due to the loaded car and my insistence that we slowed down when crossing over any large bumps or changes in road surfaces. Coolio made the trip alright but clearly didn’t enjoy it much. Sarah and I switched off driving but where both very much ready to fall asleep by the end of it all. The check-engine-light came on halfway which is never good but I have since got that diagnosed and the ball rolling on fixing the issue. Though it was a little unnerving at the time.

I will do a separate posting about my going-away-party on Monday after work, as soon as I get the pictures from Sarah’s camera. In short though it was awesome to see everyone before heading on out and proof that I made a lot of good friends in Orlando. Stay tuned for more on that front. Anyway I better get back to sorting through emails and applying to things.

The Return to VA Post

So it’s official. Come the end of the month I will be moving back to Virginia. It’s going to be hitting the two year mark next week since I left, and while I have had a lot of fun, met some fantastic people and had some really interesting experiences down here, its time for me to head back home.

The guys at work understand that I need to go, but are sad to see me leave. Though they are interested in keeping me on the Colorvision team long-distance on a freelance basis, which is terrific news. The creative outlet that the job offers, as well as the great team I work with are not things I want to have to give up, and it’s nice to know that the feeling is mutual. I plan on spending the remaining weeks here with the great friends I’ve made and enjoy the people who have made this two-year venture so easy and memorable.

p.s. does anyone need a couch?

The Luncheon Post

Today we had a company luncheon to commemorate those who have worked at Colorvision for notable amounts of time. This is usually done during the company Christmas party, but this year is a special case due to the event being postponed*.

Today we all gathered in the conference room for a tasty spread from Olive Garden, and to recognize people who where at milestones with their tenure at Colorvision. Quite a few people from the home offices where recognized as well as a few of our area and store managers. Duane had the most impressive track record and is celebrating his 20^th year working the warehouse department. It’s crazy to imagine doing the same job for so long (my personal record is 3 years on-and-off), but it speaks volumes about the company I suppose.

*As I had mentioned in a previous posting, Sharon, the company matriarch, recently underwent some major surgery. Mrs. Simmons’ is the coordinator and event planner every year for the party and it was unanimously accepted that doing a Christmas party without her wouldn’t be something the employees would want. I’d like to report that Sharon is making a terrific recovery and is back in the office regularly.

The Pig-Out Post

Happy Halloween to everyone! I hope you enjoy the festivities today/tonight. Today was the annual Colorvision ‘Pig-Out’ in which we all bring in a dish for a massive communal meal and eat together in costume (most of us) in the conference room. Those of us who wore an outfit posed outside for a picture. I rocked my J.D. costume again and won some praise. I’ll be honest though the first thing I did after work was go and get a haircut… too much hair required for this costume. I’d say it’s to long for the Florida heat, but that would be a bit of a stretch at the moment because we have been sitting in rather cool temperatures for the better part of two weeks now. Mark (far left) went as an Amazing Picture (our trademark Indiana Jones shot more specifically), which I thought was pretty cool. Working on the backdrop was entertaining for sure, though cutting out logo was taxing my foamcore/exacto skills more than I’d hoped. Fun day, and very filling. I ate my weight in food. Then went back for seconds. There where some pretty funny costumes too, which was great to see. Kim's and Sue's in particular had everyone laughing.

The Second Shoot Post

Friday we had a pretty cushy day at the office. And by at the office I mean at the theme park. We spent the whole day running about riding various rides and posing for photographs, all on company time. Got a free lunch out of the deal too at the employee cafeteria on the studio back lot, which was pretty cool. On one ride (Men In Black Alien Attack) we were supposed to pose with the laser guns (it’s a target shooting game but in a moving car) away from our faces and looking forward, but the guy who was next to me (some guy who worked at the park) kept holding his gun gangster style and allover his face. I kept yelling at him to put it down lower, but he ignored me. So come time for the photo I’m reaching across pushing his gun down and yelling at him. It makes for an amusing photo, but unfortunately and unusable one. I’ll post the actual ride photos when I can get at them (they are saved somewhere on the server at work), but until then you can enjoy my little clip show of shots I took while we were there.