Everyone needs a going away party from time to time.... Yesterday was my last day in Lxxxxxxx QA. It was a remarkable experience, starting with the completely unexpected and more-than-I-deserve gift from Jameel and Todd and Che (a GameCube!), continuing through the perfect choice of chocolates from Cassandra (dark, with a touch of bitterness), then the wine-fueled lunch followed by a stream of personal goodbyes & well-wishes as I packed up my things to leave for the last time. I was touched and humbled by all of it. Once in a while a workplace becomes more than just a workplace. In those rare and lucky situations, I find authentic friendships while we genuinely enjoy the hard work and companionship we share. This business of making games is incredibly stressful, but it's also full of opportunities to laugh and take delight in one another. I will miss these guys more than they know. I mean to stay in touch and not drift away just because I'm not in the same physical place any more. But I know that these realtionships grew over shared experiences and might naturally wane as new experiences with new people unfold. I must admit I loved hearing that I will be missed, yet I know that someone new will sit in my seat and make my neighors laugh at some new hilarious bug, and new relationships will grow. So I shall try to hold on to the friends who are most dear to me, but also be gracious and let go of the ones that don't make the leap to the no-longer-colleagues situation. Meanwhile, I have five days to finish packing, move to the new place and settle in before the new job starts.