October 8th, 2010 | 18 comments | Unfiltered

So, yeah. I’m moving to Austin.

::runs around in circles squealing and crying and laughing and panicking and throwing up and frantically, obsessively checking craigslist at the same time::

I’m thrilled to be starting the next chapter of Sydney: Unfiltered in the lovely, warm, and charmingly geeky city of Austin, Texas with a handful of brilliant people that I’ve met over the past couple of years (namely at SXSW). I’ll be starting my new role as an Analytics Associate with WCG on the 25th. All digital. All analytics. All awesome.

Things that are awesome about this: awesome career opportunities in a digital world, in the center of all things social in Austin. SXSW. Small office. Startup culture. Mantras: “Be Epic” and “Go. Ahead.” and PS I can’t wait to get behind that. Macs. Big monitors. Innovation. BBQ. Office on Sixth Street. Warm weather – where “winter” doesn’t involve feet of snow and months of grey. The opportunity to skydive year-round. Salsa. Margaritas. Salt Lick. Loads of analytics – like, all the time. New colleagues at WCG. Aaron, Melanie, Kyle, Greg, Chuck, Joe and a cajillion other awesome people that I can’t wait to see on a more than “only-when-I’m-in-town-for-SXSW” basis. Did I mention BBQ? And skydiving year-round? And no winter? And analytics? YAY!!

Things that are scary about this: leaving a team of people I absolutely ADORE and who treated me so well at Weber Shandwick and taking a leap with a new chapter. Relocating for the third time. Finding a new apartment in a city that I’ve yet to fully explore. Trying to finish everything I have on my plate before I go (this is so scary that it’s put me on doctor-ordered bed rest for the next three days because I’m literally, physically sick about leaving with all of my projects buttoned up, sparkly and borderline unicorn-worthy).

Things I’ll miss about Chicago: I’ll miss Wakamono, Toro, SushiX, Sunda, Ra, and any other sushi joints I’ve discovered in my time here. And cabs everywhere. And, shockingly, the CTA. GrubHub. TRADER JOES. Sailing with my digital colleagues at Weber – thank you, Adam. First Fridays. I’ll probably miss having an office with a door on stressful days where I need to buckle down and get stuff done. I’ll miss my amazing network in Chicago, the people who helped guide me down the path of life after college. I’ll miss my roommates. I’ll miss my skydiving family at CSC – though skydiving is enough of a small world (and I’ll have vacation days when it’s blazing hot in the summer) for me to know that I will jump with all of those fine folks again.

Things I’m doing this time that I didn’t do before I moved to Chicago: I’m taking a week off between jobs. No email. No computer. Well, okay, I’m bringing the computer because I’m sure I’ll have some revelation that needs writing. But no email. No work. I’ll be in Florida, spending time with my family, my family who has patiently listened to me during this whole process and whom I haven’t seen since April, and in April, it was only for 24 hours. Or was it June? Regardless, it’s been too long.

Answers to some frequently asked questions:

• Yes, I have a job lined up. Start bright and (not too) early on the 25th.
• No, I’m not moving ::only:: for skydiving.
• I’m not sure what’s happening with me and the boyfriend. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. Really.
• Yes, the weather has a lot to do with it. Warmer weather makes me happy. And you know how I feel about how I fattened up for summer, as I already addressed that in my previous post.
• No, I don’t hate my life in Chicago. In fact, leaving the job I have right now is one of the scariest things I’ve done to date, scarier than jumping out of planes. I was presented with an opportunity I would be silly to refuse, doing what I love, analytics.
• Yes, my mom knows. And so does my dad. And my sister. And they’re FLOORED. Bonus: they’ll visit me in Austin. They wouldn’t visit me in Chicago – too cold for their Florida blood.
• Yes, I am aware that it gets sweltering hot in Texas. Yes, I am prepared. Yes, I’ll stay hydrated. No, I am not worried about this.
• Yes, you can come stay with me when you visit for SXSW. But, be aware, it will be you and 12 other people who have already asked. So cozy up. Bring an air mattress.
• Yes, I’m going to miss every single one of the people I met/worked with/had dinner with/drank with/socialized with/jumped out of planes with/networked with since I arrived in June 2009. Well, except for the cab driver that yelled at me about not having cash. He was a jerk.

I think that about covers it.

Giddy up.