Leaving Los Angeles
March 3, 2014It’s been nearly two years since I came to Los Angeles from New York. Two years doesn’t always seem like a long time, but these past two years do. That’s not to say it didn’t happen quickly, for it certainly flew by. It’s been a full couple years.
I often try and think about what I’m really looking for in life. Since coming to LA, that’s more true than ever.
I’ve always wanted to work in an honest-to-goodness start-up. With Viddy, I’ve really gotten that chance.
I started as employee #13. Around 6 months later, we had 31 employees and a second office space across a courtyard. A month later, we had 15. 11 months later, we were acquired by Fullscreen with 11.
I always thought I wanted to be in a start-up because it would be exciting. Even if you failed, you wouldn’t be bored. I’m not sure that that’s the case anymore. Exciting, for me, is still a positive, but it doesn’t hold the appeal it once did.
I’m still not sure what the perfect job would be for me, but I know what’s coming up seems very close. I’ll still be working at Fullscreen, but it’ll be remotely as my fiancee and I head back across the country to Boston and continuing as we set up our life there. I’ll be working on exciting products that add value and entertainment to people’s lives.
Boston was the largest city near me when I grew up. It was just under an hour drive away from where I grew up. For my fiancee, it was about 30 minutes in a different direction.
Even though I never had the chance to live in Boston, it’s always felt like a city should feel. Old and new in some kind of mish-mash.
New York was a great few years for me. Everything available, never boring, and larger than you could ever get to know. It was too big.
Los Angeles has been great as well. Just different. The beach was a 10 minute walk for me, and work was an 8 minute bike ride. They say LA is a driving city with a driving culture, and while that may be true, I tried to stay away from it as much as possible. I don’t hate driving, I actually enjoy it, I just hate owning a car and dealing with the non-driving parts: car issues, repairs, parking, insurance, etc.
I feel it’s time to go home now and set up the roots of a life. I haven’t lived in one location for even two years since leaving for college. It’s been a nomadic adult life. While I’ve enjoyed that, I’m looking forward to changing it.
Though it appears Los Angeles doesn’t want us to go.
