Stuff I’ll Miss About My Job (II)

 In recent years, I’ve done plenty of market research about changing currents in graphic design industry and written articles on my findings. The prevailing wind has definitely shifted to growth and development of portable media and specific types of electronic design. The trends I witnessed led me to conclude that I belong back on a university campus, working in instructional design. The fates heard my thoughts and bestowed upon me an incredible opportunity. So, I’m headed back to university life, schedules, and quirks.

The job I now leave has made a fantastic impression on me. After working for nearly 2 years as the graphic designer in a 3 person communications team—part of a 9-person development team, which is part of a 32-person community foundation, I’ve learned a lot about what drives the financial services and philanthropic communities. I won’t keep you in the dark, it’s money. But, not only that. It’s also people with: commitment, knowledge, great ideas, and stamina. I’m really going to miss this job.

Here’s the short list of what I’ll miss specifically:

•  First and foremost, my awesome, collaborative communications team 
• Gigi’s Outlook Tasks. I’ve actually begun to use this tool to stay organized, her 20 months of gentle prodding has not been for naught 
• There are always lots of fantastic print projects to keep my design hamster running
• Ralph lamenting that he can never get me to laugh. I should’ve told him to ply me with Pinot 
• Ashley’s multi-syllabic phone answering script.
• Great ideas that come from a meeting of a roomful of people—that’s a rare thing indeed 
• Hillary’s righteous indignation--about politics, sports, the weather, whatever
• Mandatory meetings on a boat or in a pizza place
• Biking downhill to work in the morning
•  Being part of a group of people that's so diverse that in one staff meeting we have tattoos, sitting next to republicans, next to an accomplished musicians, next to theater buffs, next to parents, next to long distance runners, next to immigrants, next to grandparents, next to croquet champions, next to students, next to creative folks, next to animal lovers, next to the chronically loquacious, next to entrepreneurs, next to me.
• AND, of course “Food on the 8th floor” emails. Followed, in close second, by "Food on the 9th floor" emails. 

 Here’s some stuff I won’t miss at all:

• Stale coffee
•  Biking home from work, uphill 
•  Updating fact sheets every 2.5 days 
• AND, of course “Food on the 8th floor” emails. Followed, in close second, by "Food on the 9th floor" emails.