I started at Activision this week. Could barely sleep Sunday night; Monday was the first day of school. It’s really cool to go to a job where you do not have the typical “new guy” vibe — I have already worked with some of my new co-workers for 15 years. The only thing different is that I no work 15 feet away in another cubicle.
Aside from getting lost to and from (and within) the office a few times, most of week one was spent getting up to speed on what this year’s games are, where they are in development, when I’ll be able to start interviewing the developers, stuff like that. I also got most of my equipment for the podcasting and video work. I had a solid budget and I was able to get some real pro-level gear that will last me several years, but now I have to learn how to use it all correctly. Being a geek a certain amount comes naturally, but still — this is my job now, and I would like to be good at it.
I also locked down a lot of brand/identity things for the project. Site’s not ready yet, but it’ll be designed this weekend. Just waiting on some domains to be pointed to the right servers, and then we’re off to the races.
Meanwhile, the blurring of the lines between my life and my job have already begun. A few weeks back when I was in LA looking for a place, I posted a photo of my cubicle-to-be. It was full of boxes, review copies of Tony Hawk: Ride, about to go out to the press. I thought that my base of operations was mere storage was funny so I shared it. Someone (who received one of those copies, no less) saw fit to say “look at all the unsold copies LOL EYERONEE” and it was amply retweeted.
Today, I posted a photo of a piece of cheesecake. Kat and I went to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch, nothing more than that, and the presentation of dessert was awesome, so I snapped a pic and sent it out on Twitter. A different joker responded “boy they paid you off fast.” Not paid, as in “you have a new job and probably more money to afford such extravagant sweets” — but paid off. As if…my career as a community guy was sealed by taking delectable cheesecake bribes? That’s not only insulting, it’s irrational. And, I gotta add, not funny. I can take a joke, but don’t forget the, you know, humor.
I knew I would have to steel myself for people taking any possible opportunity to intentionally twist entirely innocent things into self-righteous corporate commentary. I accepted that before I accepted the job. But I thought it would not start happening until I was actually doing some public speaking, maybe even having said something that people could disagree with and rib me about. But a picture of dessert and a pile of boxes? I guess the steeling is still underway.
Despite dedicating my life to being clear and honest, now I have to be ready for everything I say or do to be intentionally misconstrued.