The last two years, eight months and 18 days have absolutely flown by. They have, without a single doubt in my mind, been the best years and months of my life. I have had the opportunity to play with the newest mobile technology, often before it's even officially available, and to work with some of the best individuals in what I believe to be the most intriguing and awesome industries today.
In just three year's time, my entire outlook on life – where I wanted to be in 10 years, what I planned to do for a living, etc. – changed, thanks to PhoneDog and, especially, Aaron Baker. I went from bottom-level retail employee to doing what is considered a dream job for many. It has been an amazing journey.
In the last year alone, I have flown across the country and taken several day trips to New York for various occasions. I once sat in a coffee shop for sixteen hours straight, typing as fast as I could on my keyboard to pump out a backlog of written reviews, editorials and press releases. I even stood in my office in front of a camera for the better part of five hours to get the footage for the first three-minutes of video I ever published. I have participated in live video streams, podcasts and all sorts of other awesome shows under the PhoneDog moniker, and every last second of it has been amazing. Even the worst days – yes, just like any other job, writers in the technology field have their fair share of hurdles and bad days – were amazing.
No other job could offer such a wide array of awesome opportunities and experiences. Sadly, however, this is the last time you will see my name and face on the PhoneDog homepage.
It's bittersweet. I'm not just leaving a job. I'm leaving my tech family, some close friends I've made internally over the years and all that I have come to know in the industry. Of course, we'll all stay in touch. But we won't be working together anymore. It means no more "You're fired" emails or one-word replies from Aaron, no more sushi lunches with the boss in far away cities, etc.
Part of me has yet to accept that it's real, that I'm really leaving PhoneDog. I feel like I will wake up tomorrow morning and bust out more editorials. But that is not the case. My final day is today, February 10. This is my final article.
Before anyone jumps to some conclusions, I am not leaving on sour terms. Sure, the circumstances were a bit strange and unexpected. But I have nothing but respect for both Tom and Aaron. And I wish nothing but great things upon PhoneDog. The team is a class act and they all have a bright, collective future together.
For me, I'm moving on. I'm staying within the industry and you will see more of me very soon. For those who wish to continue to follow me, you can find me on Facebook, Google+ and on Twitter at @CasperTek.
Before I go, I just want to say thank you. Thank you, readers, fans, followers, haters and everyone in between. You are the ones who made this awesome job worth it. You always pushed me to be better, more thorough and tolerant. You all are largely responsible for me being successful in what I do.
PhoneDog, Tom, Andre, Rebecca, Aaron, Alex, Evan, Anna, David and Cam, thank you.
Keep it classy, everyone!
