I don't remember all the dates, but what follows is a list of jobs I've had.
Spinnaker Software - Game Tester. I got this job as a sophomore in High School, in Berkeley, CA. I don't even know how I got it, I think my Mom knew someone. I was completely fascinated with computers at this point (to the detriment of my studies.) I guess this was my start in the game industry. It was a cool job, even though it was testing kids games, and I wish I'd taken it more seriously. I tested the Commodore 64 games "Aegean Voyage" and "Alf in the Color Caves." Spinnaker is gone now, and I often wonder what happened to everyone there.
The 59 Cent Hamburger Stand - "Chef". My one and only foray in to fast food, it was a job after my senior year in high school, out in Stockton, when I'd gone to live with my Dad. The job lasted about three months. Can you believe I worked at a place called the 59 cent Hamburger Stand? They were owned by Wienerschnitzel and had a sort of generic theme, which was popular back then, black and white, times new roman type, no graphics. Their draw was, well, 59 cent hamburgers. What a crappy job it was. It was hot, I had to clean up digusting stuff (in the kitchen, the bathroom and the dining area) and you left smelling of hamburger and feeling of grease. I don't think I would have even lasted three months, but for the fact that there was a cute girl working there who I really wanted to date. It never happened and I finally came to my senses and quit.
Alan Korsgaden Construction - Laborer. This was a summer job also after my senior year in high school. In fact, I worked this job during the day and the burger flipping at night. This was actually a really fun job. Well, with the exception of the first day when I got heat sick. 110 degree weather, working on a floor (which is like a giant mirror) and not enough water. Ugh. I learned my lesson! But I've found I really like working outdoors doing hard work with my hands. Kind of wierd, since I now work in an office and hardly see the sky. I met some real characters at this job. I met a Vietnam vet with no sense of smell. He used to dump salt on his food so there was some taste to it. I met a really fine craftsman, who also fixed up cars. He was the lead carpenter, and took me under his wing. He was a very cool guy. I wish the job could have lasted longer but I had to go back to school. A funny anecdote, my Dad now works in the building I helped build back then on Tam O'Shanter Drive!
Radio Shack - Salesman. God the memories from this job. I met some great friends (who I've unfortunately lost touch with.) I think the Radio Shack job is what kicked my ass and made me realize I didn't want to be a slacker. In particular, the store manager, I saw how he lived his life and it was just depressing. He had little education, loathed his wife and daughter, doted on his son and was generally just a jerk. He reularly stole from the store, and I've heard he was eventually caught and fired. And the bad thing was that he wasn't the exception, he was the rule. Temping at other Shack's when they needed an emergency replacement, I found that they were all pretty much the same, stealing, managers taking big sales, sewer spawned personalities. I really didn't want to turn out like these people.
United Parcel Service - Various. From belly loader, to tug driver to part time manager. This was probably one of my most life changing jobs. I met one of my best friends, Peter Alau, at UPS and we remain friends even today. I started out this job working the sunrise shift, 3AM to 6AM. I loaded boxes in the cargo "bellies" of aircraft. Peter and I would often work together, and we shared a common zeal for the work and life, as well as interests. We worked really hard, and that was recognized. Eventually we were given more and more responsibility, including driving tugs to retrieve and deliver containers, operating lots of heavy equipment, guiding planes in (marshalling) and even getting to drag them around with pushbacks. All in all, I had a lot of fun, and it was a great job. However, against the advice of other UPS folks, I decided to apply for a management position, and I got one. That turned out to be one of the worst working experiences I've ever had. I was moved to a different shift where I didn't know anyone. The people who worked for me really didn't have any respect for me, and neither did management. I struggled, and really needed help. Instead of helping me, management seemed to actively thwart me. After one final confrontation with management I quit in frustration. I remember it feeling like a weight had been lifted off my back.
Maxis - Various. Started as a mail room clerk, then became an inventory clerk. This was a tough time for me. I loved working at Maxis, but was frustrated because I had technical knowledge and enjoyed hanging out with the development team, but could never seem to get a break in (I really wanted to join the testing team, I'm not sure why it didn't happen.) This would, however, set the stage for all my future work. In the mail room I worked for a real character named Iksoon Shin. Mr. Shin was a older gentleman from Korea, who had apparently owned an export company in Korea, retired, then moved to the US. He didn't know what to do with himself, so he got a job working in the mail room at maxis. He had amazing stories. One I remember was as story from his military service. Apparently he and his CO got in an argument, his CO tried to kill him. Mr. Shin's friend came in and shot the CO. His friend was executed. Mr. Shin sent his widow $1000 a month, and had been for, well, a long time. Amazing!
Spectrum HoloByte - Technical Support Representative. My first technical job. Harvey Lee was the tech support manager. I'd met him at Maxis, I think he was a friend of Will and was doing some testing, but I'm not 100% sure. This was not a bad job, but no one who calls tech support is ever happy. It was my job to make them! I primarily got calls about Falcon 4.0 and Super Tetris. This was back in the days of DOS and TSR's (terminate and stay resident in this case!)
Maxis - Various. Back at Maxis, started as a TSR, then became a programmer.
Sanctuary Woods Multimedia - Senior Programmer. My first "break away job" that got me out of California and established me as a programmer not mailroom/tech support guy. This company was eventually bought by Disney Interactive.
Disney Interactive - Various. From Senior Programmer to Senior Manager and back to Senior Programmer!
Humongous Entertainment - Senior Programmer
Hulabee Entertainment - Senior Programmer
Turbine Entertainment - Senior Programmer
AceKicker Software - Senior Programmer
Monolith Productions - Senior Programmer
Gas Powered Games - Lead Programmer
GameHouse Studio - Lead Software Development Engineer
Unnamed Startup - Lead Developer
