What I did over my holiday break

I recently got back in touch with an old friend after many years. We worked together, both for my father, at a software start-up in the late 80s. The company, Pre-Press Technologies, offered one of (if not THE) first color separation software available on the personal computer – it revolutionized the publishing industry. Publishing was the Web 2.0 of the late 80s. We were the cool kids on the block. Part of the in-crowd that revolved around Apple, Adobe and Quark. And let me tell you, the parties that Kai's Power Tools would throw at MacWorld conferences were "leg-on-dary".

Now, after so many years of not talking, we've picked up exactly where we left off. Through each other we have caught up on the rest of the team that we worked with. We didn't stop talking for any particular reason, our lives just took different paths. He now lives in Connecticut outside of New York city and over Christmas break, he asked me if he sent me a plane ticket, would I fly to NY to catch up over dinner? Hell yeah I will!

A friend joined me, just because it sounded like fun. And by extraordinary coincidence, my father, who still lives in San Diego where we all worked together, also happened to be in NY the same night.

We began our adventure by touring the NY offices of DC Comics – since that is where he is now VP of Business Development. Superman, Batman, and Wonderwoman – oh my! And we went out with a small crowd of toymakers and animators. We visited the largest animation studio in Manhattan. A friend from high school came and joined us for a while before her band went on. I had every influential part of my life represented and sitting around a table – father, high school, career, and present.

We ended our whirlwind tour of all things fun and alcoholic in Manhattan in a private room at a Karaoke bar with me, my friend from Austin, the friend I had rebonded with for life, and my Dad, singing 80s power rock ballads.

I really couldn't have planned it that way or that well. Sometimes you have to just let life hit you in that back of the head and see how you feel afterward. I feel great.

Posted at 05:41PM Jan 02, 2007 by sarad in General  |