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Everything falls into place

Last time, our intrepid hero was trekking out to the coast for a final round of job interviews in the Big City. No job, no place to call his own; just a suitcase, a pretty lady by his side and his whole life ahead of him.

Or something like that. As usually happens when I lose enough sleep over something, it turns out I had nothing to worry about.

I’m not so much a worrywart as I am just a slow thinker. I don’t come to decisions quickly, and by brain prepares for them by living out every possible worst-case scenario in my imagination. By the time it comes down to a decision, I’m already over it. What’s the worst that could happen? No, really, you want me to tell you?

I flew to San Francisco on a Wednesday. By the next Monday I had three amazing offers to work in great places with great people. I stayed in character long enough to agonize over the decision, but I was already coming around to the uncharacteristically optimistic realization that there was no wrong answer.

All the doors had prizes behind them. The worst-case scenario was still a best-case scenario.

Then I did something completely out of character. I went with my gut. I made the least practical, least secure (and most exciting) choice. Out of all the very attractive possibilities in front of me, there was one that I had literally dreamed about since I was a kid.

I am a practical man, of practical dreams. When I moved into my first apartment, I had a dream about hanging pictures and putting a hammer through the wall. This was a real dream, a crazy dream, and I had the chance to make it a reality.

Starting in the first week of July, sometime after our nation’s birthday, I will be joining the design team for apple.com. I’ve been copying Apple’s design style for years—now I can just call it “practice”.

So this is the part where I uphold a long-standing tradition among my peers of posting a cryptic message about going to work for Apple, never to be heard from again. But hopefully not. For a guy who never gets excited about anything, I’m pretty damn excited about this.

The same day I made the decision to accept the job at Apple, we got an email from our new landlords letting us know that they were accepting our application. It’s a beautiful place in a beautiful location: on top of a hill looking out over a park with a view to the city. I can’t wait to come home to it.

Laura’s prospects are looking good: she has some second-round interviews scheduled once she gets to the city, but she’s always looking for good leads. And if she doesn’t find the perfect job right away, somebody needs to design our wedding invitations in between all this moving.

For now, everything seems to be falling into place.

Comments / Add yours…

  1. Ryan Berg 12:09 p.m. on Jun 17th, 2006

    Wilson,

    Congrats on the new job. I'm glad everything's working out for ya. Thanks for all your help during your time in Lawrence.

  2. Jeff Croft 12:21 p.m. on Jun 17th, 2006

    I've already told you this, of course, but I'll say it again here for posterity's sake: congrats. You totally deserve this.

    And you damn well better let me crash at your place when I wanna come visit. :)

  3. Robert 1:01 p.m. on Jun 17th, 2006

    Wilson, if our age-old binary oposition were to continue from the beginning, I'd be accepting a job from Dell (selling them, for certain), and you'd be Godless. Thankfully, we each found ways to steer one another's thinking. I'm glad I have Macs, and I'm glad you'll be making the internet for the people that make them.

    Congratulations.

    And Jeff, they may let you crash with them, but I'm picking their couch. No really, I am picking their couch.

  4. Mike Stickel 2:44 p.m. on Jun 17th, 2006

    Fantastic! Congratulations Wilson. I tend to think of the worst-case scenarios as well for big -- and sometimes small -- decisions. Good to hear that in this case the worst of the best is still the best.

  5. Scott Raymond 3:46 p.m. on Jun 17th, 2006

    Sincere congratulations -- awesome news. I remember the first time I stumbled across your designs (from a Starbucks in Malaysia, oddly enough) and I knew you would do great work. I have a feeling this isn't your last stop on the way. Bravo!

  6. Faruk Ateş 5:19 p.m. on Jun 17th, 2006

    Congrats! :)

    I guess we'll be doing lunch from time to time, a year from now ;-)

  7. Keith 2:13 p.m. on Jun 18th, 2006

    Congrats! Exciting news eh? Best of luck Wilson!

  8. Will 8:48 p.m. on Jun 18th, 2006

    Wow, congratulations!

    I hope working for Apple is as fun and challenging for you in reality as I can only imagine it would be.

  9. Khoi Vinh 5:12 p.m. on Jun 19th, 2006

    Are you sure this is the right decision? Did you know that the whole world uses Windows?

    Just kidding, Wilson. Congratulations; I'm incredibly excited for you and I know you're going to do amazing things.

  10. Wilson Miner 5:23 p.m. on Jun 19th, 2006

    Yeah, somehow "I'm going to Redmond to work on microsoft.com" didn't have the same ring to it, you know?

    Thanks for the kind words, folks. I'll send you all free nanos when I get to the coast!

  11. Jeff Croft 10:55 a.m. on Jun 20th, 2006

    bq. I'll send you all free nanos when I get to the coast!

    I'm going to blog this and get everyone to link it so you have to stand by it.

  12. Lindsey Penney 3:50 p.m. on Jun 20th, 2006

    So, you won't be doing anything like this... http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=36099539665548298...

  13. Thomas M. 8:07 a.m. on Jun 21st, 2006

    I Have a good friend who works in the Apple Xserver division and loves being there, so I hope the same for you ...

    It was funny how you stated it being a "childhood dream" ... I completely understand a decision to try and persue a dream versus other options that might be "great, but not as great as my dream job". And when things just start falling into place, the dream really does become reality.

    Again, congratulations (from a complete stranger)

  14. Jorgeq 12:07 p.m. on Jun 21st, 2006

    Wow, that's great! Definitely an amazing opportunity to for you to go even further in your career. It almost seems as if Apple is recruiting everyone....lol. Mike Matas made the move last year I believe.

  15. Matthew Anderson 9:10 a.m. on Jun 23rd, 2006

    Damn, that's great! I'm currently trying to find work in Seattle so I can be closer to family. Your story is inspiring. Thanks for the post and good luck with the new job.

  16. Jon Beck 2:12 a.m. on Jul 1st, 2006

    I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOthekevins.netOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy for you! congrats!

  17. Daniel 1:54 p.m. on Jul 7th, 2006

    I seem to be a bit late to the game, not least of which because we never really continued our dialogue. We don't know each other, but if I'm allowed my prejudice, I'll be forgiven for celebrating that a good bloke made out well.

    Cheers and other quasi-Brit-isms.

  18. Kunal Anand 1:18 p.m. on Jul 10th, 2006

    Congrats! Hit me up any time you want to meet up.

  19. Laura Brunow 3:48 p.m. on Jul 10th, 2006

    An update for those of you who know me:

    I accepted an offer last week to be Senior Graphic Designer for a children's clothing company in the Mission! (walking distance from our apartment)

    It seems like it will be really creative and varied work, ranging from designing packaging that also functions as a game or toy to helping with the design of a store-within-a-store at FAO Schwarz to designing children's books under the same brand.

    The best part is that I don't have to start until the 24th, which means I have time to design our wedding invitations, unpack, and generally vacation in the meantime.

  20. vanni 6:39 p.m. on Mar 11th, 2007

    ...how are you enjoying your time at apple? i must say that i too copy their design every once in a while and so i hope you can add more great ideas to their great designs. cheers

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