Office Space
Next month begins my 10th year in the print business. Even more profoundly, I'm proud to say that I've been with the same company since I graduated from college. While this may not seem like a great feat to some, I beg to differ-I can't tell you the number of gigs some of my close friends have been through. Granted, everyone has a reason for coming and going, but in my circle of buds, I'm one of the few who have stayed firmly rooted.
I originally started with our sister publication, Car Craft, under the helm of Matt King. I should mention that Matt had acquired the book from David Freiburger, who had just made the move to Rod & Custom. Looking back, those were great times. I was young and eager to learn, and Matt did a great job maintaining the budget-friendly, do-it-yourself theme for quite some time. If you're familiar with that magazine, I can promise you that the stuff you read about junkyard crawls and getting greasy late into the night is all true!
Only a year later or so later, I did double duty signing on as an associate editor with Chevy High Performance and ended up playing musical chairs between both magazines until 2004, when I came onboard full time as the technical editor. Since then I've taken over the role as editor, continuing to have fun and even bringing a new, unheard-of face to our industry: Sean Haggai. Was it a risk? Absolutely, but it's one I'm glad I took.
Sean has adapted well, especially given our strict deadlines and regimen. From day one, I told him the same thing Senior Tech Editor Marlan Davis (then Car Craft tech editor) told me when I was first hired: "You either float or sink." Suffice it to say, Sean is still floating. I just have to work on his passion for certain German vehicles, but that's a story for another day.
No, I'm not already getting nostalgic, especially since I have another solid 30 years to put in before I ever think about retiring. I just happen to be taking a break from packing up my office and started to remember the good times I've had in our current location. We're smack in the middle of the Wilshire district in L.A., and while I can't believe it, the time has come to relocate to a new facility.
By the time you read this, I'll be pecking the keyboards out of Placentia, California. The drive is a bit farther, but we'll get a handle on that. For now, I'm really looking forward to being down the hall from our colleagues at sister pub Camaro Performers, working under the same roof as our publisher and all the sales associates I like to pester through emails and on the phone. It's definitely going to make for a whole new experience, and I know it's going to make for a great time.
Admittedly, I'll miss the ol' Petersen building along with everyone I was surrounded by on a daily basis. Nevertheless, it has been fun, and thanks for the memories!