Why Can't We Be Friends?

Hi. Glad you're home. Long day? Sorry to hear. You may want to sit down for the next bit. I've poured you a cold one. Take off your shoes. Relax. You said some things and I said some things which is really difficult for both of us to talk about. And we need to talk. It's not you, it's me. It's not that we've grown apart. It's not that I've been thinking about seeing someone else. Well, sort of. And I really want to be friends. We can be friends, right? Take another sip and I'll explain. There's something I need to confess...

Blue Sky

I took this photo on the last day I worked for Autodesk back in May of 2008. After more than 7 amazing years of playing for the same team, I found myself flying back to Charlotte and quite honestly - more than a bit anxious about what the future would hold. But what suddenly occurred and caused me to snap the above photo (with my jail broken and unlocked, T-Mobile powered iPhone, ahem...) is that above any clouds of uncertainty, there are always clear blue skies of opportunity.

Simply put: the view is always clearer above the clouds.

So it seems fitting that I use this image to announce that I'm moving on from HNTB. It's certainly bittersweet. Yet those that have come to know me best wisely reminded me long ago that I'm too impatient and non-conforming to be a corporate lifer. Thank you. I bow to your Buddha nature. :)

It's been an amazing, learning and deeply satisfying experience. In little more than 2 years a firm wide BIM strategy and team is in place that in my opinion is the most advanced and experienced group I've ever known. Their commitment to Design Build in every way exceeds my expectations of what is possible when a design firm partners with select contractors to build buildings rather than simply create drawings.

Rather than be content to see what the market will decide, HNTB leads the market. Their vision and commitment to creating compelling and new technologies in order to leverage BIM is extraordinary. As a result, what we did in days takes others weeks if not months. And what we did in months I believe will take others years - by which time HNTB will have moved on. The incredible value this brings to a Design Build is light-years ahead of any competition. The leadership is sharply minded and focused. And as far as I could tell only one or two were merely sharply elbowed and dressed. :)

I wish I could tell you what's next but I honestly don't know! I've already had some interesting and unsolicited phone calls. Seems the whisper of the Internet is like the roar of a lion. But I've been fortunate to the point that I don't have to commit to anything for a while. At the same time, I'm incredibly blessed that some pretty interesting people have already offered to fly me somewhere for a few days to compare notes. So that's cool.

What's interesting?

Domesticity. Apple. Strategic, holistic and elegant solutions. Integrating Design (BIM) / Build (Manufacturing) / Management (FM). Connecting dots and being a change agent. Finishing my pilot's license. Completing an addition to the house. Helping author another book or two, including Mastering Revit 2012. The Annapolis boat show. Sailing with the family. Drinks with friends. Autodesk University. Twitter. Blogging.

Could I be interested in a Revit project or two? Possibly. But only if it's extremely interesting (Apple Stores...cough...Revit... cough...Design Build...cough ;). Or along the lines of an unimaginably large, complex, project and more than likely somewhere in Australiasia. And Singapore is always a plus!

So if you know of something really, really interesting - let me know. But only if it's surrounded by sharper minds than elbows. :)

What's next?

Blue sky. Or perhaps it's more of a Blue Ocean ;)