Spring Recap

May 30, 2007

Well spring is almost over and I have to say that it’s been really busy and exciting these last few months.

Austin

SXSW Interactive I was in Austin again this year for SXSW Interactive and as usual, it was an awesome experience. It was great hanging out with friends, meeting new people, and putting faces with others who I have talked to over the past year. There also were several really good panels and the screening of a movie with a typeface as the leading role.

National Multiple Sclerosis Society Not too long after that, I again participated in the annual BP MS150 bike tour from Houston to Austin. I didn’t think it was possible, but this year’s experience was even better than last year’s.

Recently Launched

There are three projects that I’ve been heavily involved with lately that have recently launched.

designgive

designgive This was and still is a great project for me; I truly enjoy working on it. I’m collaborating with Chris from Tomato Creative to create and develop this apparel site for designers by designers. All designs are by featured artists, and with each purchase, a donation is made to the charity of your choice.

Montechino

Montechino I designed and developed this web site for Montechino, a master-planned lakefront community reminiscent of European villages on the edge of Lake Travis, just outside of Austin.

Stewart

Stewart Along with my team members, we recently redesigned Stewart’s corporate website. In addition to creating a new look and feel, we have also added some new functionality. You can read Matt’s post for more information.

New Job

whiteboardlabsLastly, as of May 1st, I am now the Senior Designer at whiteboardlabs. It’s a great opportunity and I’m very excited about becoming a member of their team and working on some great projects.

However, I will greatly miss the team of talented individuals who I had the pleasure of working with at Stewart.

Back in Austin

May 2, 2006

Austin again

Earlier this year I attended the 2006 SXSW Interactive in Austin. I met lots of fantastic people, attended some great parties, and even learned a thing or two about the web.

The weekend before last I was back in Austin, but for a totally different reason. I was participating in the MS150: a two-day cycling event from Houston to Austin that raises funds to help people living with Multiple Sclerosis. The ride is a little over 180 miles, and this year there were approximately 13,000 people that participated.

The ride

I’m not really sure what I expected, but by the time I rolled into La Grange on first day after 100 miles, I was still really excited. By far though, the second day was the best. There is a challenge route that goes through Buescher State Park, and it is the probably the one of the most fun parts of the ride.

Finishing in Austin was definitely the highlight of the trip. The atmosphere there is celebratory, there are thousands that come to show their support for the riders as they cross the finish line. Sharing this moment with friends and family was exhilarating. I had an incredible time, and I did way better than I expected I would. After months of training and hard work there was definitely a sense of accomplishment that made everything worthwhile.

Sean and Darren at the MS150 finish

What really reminded me of why I was riding was seeing those, such as my sister-in-law Jamie, diagnosed with MS cheering you on. It’s their courage to fight a disease for which there currently is no cure that inspires you to pick up a bike and ride 180 miles.

Thanks

Thanks so much to everyone who helped me out by donating. Your charity is greatly appreciated. For those of you that would still like to donate there’s a few days left, but I’ll be turning in my donations soon.

Thanks also to my wife, Alana for putting up with me the past few months. She’s had to sacrifice her time as much I have so that I could go on training rides, and I couldn’t have taken this on without her. I’m already looking forward to next year, and who knows? Maybe this time she will be riding with me.