The times, they are a-changin’

After three years of breathless waiting, with venture capital funding for the company I’m a minority partner in always just around the corner but never quite in reach, things have finally happened–and when they did, they did with breakneck speed.

I’m in Gainesville, Florida, as I type this. Last week, the company finally secured funding. On Friday, I quit my job. Saturday and Sunday I spent with smoocherie and her partner Fritz, then Monday I started packing. Yesterday, I rented a van and hauled about half my stuff from Tampa to Gainesville, where I will be living with Shelly for the next few weeks while the company gets its facility in Atlanta prepared and I look for an apartment there. During this time, I’ll be working remotely full-time for the company. The cats are up here, and believe me, they didn’t appreciate the trip one little bit. Molly cried for an hour and a half.

On or about the 10th of next month, the facility will be ready and I’ll be moving to Atlanta.

Things I learned last night while packing the rental van:

– There is no graceful way for one person to move a king-sized mattress. None. Anyone who tells you he’s found an easy way to do it is lying.

– We own more sex toys than I thought. A lot more.

– You can’t fit four computers on one standard-sized desk, even with a KVM switch. Especially if one of them (the G4 Cube) has a proprietary monitor.

– The two-hour drive from Tampa to Gainesville is a study in tedium. It’s more interesting, though, if you’re driving a big, clumsy, underpowered Chevy van that handles like a cow; it’s more interesting still in the driving rain. In that ‘may you live in interesting times’ kinda way.

– General Motors can not design a vehicle that’s worth a goddamn to save its bloated corporate ass. Why would anyone voluntarily buy, own, or drive a GM vehicle?

– A small cat who’s unhappy can make more noise than any sane man would expect. It’s rather amazing, really.

– We also own more bedding than I thought. And a lot of it is still in Tampa.

– Everything is more difficult than you think it is and takes longer than you think it will, even if you keep this rule in mind.

On the good side, once in Atlanta I’ll be making nearly three times what I was making, plus commission and bonuses, plus stock. On the bad side, it all happened so fast I didn’t even have time to tell many of my Tampa friends I was leaving.

26 thoughts on “The times, they are a-changin’

  1. Congratulations!

    – I hope Molly enjoys the new place, at least. Or is she no longer extropian?

    – I’m SO with you on GM. I don’t get it either.

    – Hofstaedter’s Law is just as insidious as Murphy’s.

  2. Congratulations!

    – I hope Molly enjoys the new place, at least. Or is she no longer extropian?

    – I’m SO with you on GM. I don’t get it either.

    – Hofstaedter’s Law is just as insidious as Murphy’s.

  3. It all did happen so fast, for something that was drug out over 3 years! Glad it is finally happening for you and things are looking up! Will certainly miss having you ‘near by’ in comparison tho. Thank goodness for direct ATL/MLB flights.

    Thanks for spending the weekend with me, I’m glad we got that extra time.

  4. It all did happen so fast, for something that was drug out over 3 years! Glad it is finally happening for you and things are looking up! Will certainly miss having you ‘near by’ in comparison tho. Thank goodness for direct ATL/MLB flights.

    Thanks for spending the weekend with me, I’m glad we got that extra time.

  5. (size of cat) * (noise of cat on trip) = (constant); the smaller the cat the more noise it produces. I know how you feel. . .

    One guy, one king-sized mattress: I did it, once, but only downwards. Windows without screens, and staircases with slippery steps, are your friends. ‘Course, it wound up being a guest bed because it was dinged up a bit, but, hey, at least I got it downstairs and into the moving van by myself.

    (More sex toys than expected? More bedding than you thought? Do I detect a moving sale in the near future – especially with those two sets of items?)

  6. (size of cat) * (noise of cat on trip) = (constant); the smaller the cat the more noise it produces. I know how you feel. . .

    One guy, one king-sized mattress: I did it, once, but only downwards. Windows without screens, and staircases with slippery steps, are your friends. ‘Course, it wound up being a guest bed because it was dinged up a bit, but, hey, at least I got it downstairs and into the moving van by myself.

    (More sex toys than expected? More bedding than you thought? Do I detect a moving sale in the near future – especially with those two sets of items?)

  7. Wow! It actually happened! I’m simultaneously surprised, happy for you, and sad for everyone in Tampa (at least those of us who don’t owe you money or have relatives locked up in your Fortress of Doom).

    There is no graceful way for one person to move a king-sized mattress.
    On the bad side, it all happened so fast I didn’t even have time to tell many of my Tampa friends I was leaving.

    Hmmmm… not to be snarky here, but do you see a correlation between these two statements? I know of at least one archnemesis person who would’ve been available to help out last night. 😉

    Anyway, if you need a hand loading stuff for the final move let me know and I may be able to assist.

  8. Wow! It actually happened! I’m simultaneously surprised, happy for you, and sad for everyone in Tampa (at least those of us who don’t owe you money or have relatives locked up in your Fortress of Doom).

    There is no graceful way for one person to move a king-sized mattress.
    On the bad side, it all happened so fast I didn’t even have time to tell many of my Tampa friends I was leaving.

    Hmmmm… not to be snarky here, but do you see a correlation between these two statements? I know of at least one archnemesis person who would’ve been available to help out last night. 😉

    Anyway, if you need a hand loading stuff for the final move let me know and I may be able to assist.

  9. Yay! Congrats on your new position and new location. Atlanta is a pretty good city, for the south. ;^) (My folks lived there for quite a while, so I spent a number of holidays there).

  10. Yay! Congrats on your new position and new location. Atlanta is a pretty good city, for the south. ;^) (My folks lived there for quite a while, so I spent a number of holidays there).

  11. You’re kidding! A proprietary interface on a Macintosh!? I’m…why, I’m floored! How could it be? Why, you *never* see those pain-in-the-ass proprietary ports on a Mac!!

    And a noisy cat? No way! Now I know you’re pulling my leg….

    Congratulations on your new position, Turtle! Too bad we never got a chance to hang at the Castle, but hey, there’s always next life, right?

  12. You’re kidding! A proprietary interface on a Macintosh!? I’m…why, I’m floored! How could it be? Why, you *never* see those pain-in-the-ass proprietary ports on a Mac!!

    And a noisy cat? No way! Now I know you’re pulling my leg….

    Congratulations on your new position, Turtle! Too bad we never got a chance to hang at the Castle, but hey, there’s always next life, right?

  13. Well as a ‘happy’ customer of GM. I can explain exactely how someone ends up buying a chevrolet. They gave me a better deal than Kia. In general though my experience with GM has caused me to decide they need a new slogan: “GM, when you need a car bad. We have a bad car for you.”

  14. Well as a ‘happy’ customer of GM. I can explain exactely how someone ends up buying a chevrolet. They gave me a better deal than Kia. In general though my experience with GM has caused me to decide they need a new slogan: “GM, when you need a car bad. We have a bad car for you.”

  15. well at least in time things will all be worth it

    WOW Franklin seems a lot of stuff has happened so quickly for you; it is good to hear that there is progress in the making. Even though there is struggle at the same time; as we all know there is no such thing as pleasure with out pain; all in all things are working out even if not always the way we planed.

    I’m happy to say that I’m so glad that you will be getting paid what you deserve ; gosh it sure is about time isn’t it.

    As I have a fat cat of my own I know first had that he can raise the roof with his many loud wails of despair; you would think that we we’re hurting them in ways only they can fully understand. WOW the ways of a cat, weird.

    I’m glad that life is showing you it is kind in it’s funny little way. Keep up the good work my friend.

  16. well at least in time things will all be worth it

    WOW Franklin seems a lot of stuff has happened so quickly for you; it is good to hear that there is progress in the making. Even though there is struggle at the same time; as we all know there is no such thing as pleasure with out pain; all in all things are working out even if not always the way we planed.

    I’m happy to say that I’m so glad that you will be getting paid what you deserve ; gosh it sure is about time isn’t it.

    As I have a fat cat of my own I know first had that he can raise the roof with his many loud wails of despair; you would think that we we’re hurting them in ways only they can fully understand. WOW the ways of a cat, weird.

    I’m glad that life is showing you it is kind in it’s funny little way. Keep up the good work my friend.

  17. well I guess we’ll just have to take to the club in Atlanta I’ve been promising to take her to now that the one in Tampa’s not close to you.
    On the plus side of you being in Gaines, I”m gonna be there next weekend (the 6th) for a Vodka promo, I can tell you where to go for free shots!

  18. well I guess we’ll just have to take to the club in Atlanta I’ve been promising to take her to now that the one in Tampa’s not close to you.
    On the plus side of you being in Gaines, I”m gonna be there next weekend (the 6th) for a Vodka promo, I can tell you where to go for free shots!

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