Salt Stack

I never fully told the story of me quitting my last job. In extremely short terms, I quit a job that I had for 18 months. I started as a marketing intern, but was quickly promoted to graphic designer, and then multimedia specialist. After 18 months, I felt I needed a change and to move on to bigger and better things, so I quit.

I spent roughly 2 months on the unemployed list. I actually really enjoyed being unemployed. I had lots of free time to sit. It was a nice change. I caught up on my kitten blog (simplyfuzzies.blogspot.com) and  did some free lance video work (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc_POZrgZUc&feature=g-upl). Built an online portfolio (http://clintgcalder.wix.com/onlineportfolio#!home/mainPage).

i guess i wasn't that lazy...

A successful New York businessman contacted the BYU Adlab looking for a creative graphic designer and writer. Karene Hoopes sent me and a few other students an email describing the job. I hopped on it. It looked really interesting and like a unique opportunity for me to see what I'm made of.

After an intense interview over the phone, I agreed to drive to Murray for an interview. I was impressed. They were impressed. I accepted a job offer two phone calls later.

The company is called Salt Stack

I am their 6th employee. When I say they are a startup company, I mean they are literally just starting up. They have had their office space for roughly 8 weeks. I am still learning the ropes of the company, so I can't tell you in my own words, but one of the developers describes the company as
"Salt Stack configures and lets you manage all your servers in a simple clean way."

My first day on the job was fun. As I sat down in my car ready to drive to Murray, I ripped my pants. ha ha. Let me explain. As I sat down, I heard an unusually long tearing sound that sent chills up my spine. An ice cold breeze, from the 25 degree weather, shot through my pants. It was a rush, but a rush that needed to be shut off immediately. I ran back to my apartment, changed, and then sped off to Murray.

I showed up to work a tad bit earlier than Marc Chenn. He is the boss. He joined the man who created the actual software, Thomas Hatch. Just as I was about to sit with the 4 programmers at their collage of desks, Marc walked in and said, "Clint, welcome aboard. Let's grab you a table." I was expecting to set the table next to the collage of techies, but nope. We carried the desk right into Marc's office.

We share an office.

This is actually pretty cool. I get to listen to his sales calls and gain a really god perspective on what it's like to start something from scratch. This man is legit. He left a high life in New York City to start something really cool and unique in Salt Lake. This gave me a lot of hope and optimism.

It is a lot of pressure for me though. I am over the design and creation of all branding and sales documents.

This is exactly why I quit my last job. So that I can have an opportunity like this!

Proximity

Have you ever felt so close to a good idea that it hurt. And the closer you got to the destination of your thought, the more impossible it seemed to get there?

that's where I'm at right now.

I have a class that is trying to solve a problem for a client. We, as a class, have been striving to come up with a solution. We have been prancing around a fence looking through every single crack in hopes to get a glimpse of what's inside, but none of the cracks are quite big enough. It really makes your brain hurt. However, it feels really good.

Through the whole process I am trying to convince myself that all this stress and frustration bearing down on my mind are actually making it stronger. I sure hope so. Because if that's the case, I'm going to be able to run a marathon after this.

-Clint

Career Day

Today was definitely not a career fair. When I say career day, it is more of an actual event that took place, not so much an arrangement of tables and selling points.

I've been in the advertising program for over a year now. It is what I thought it would be, but I had no idea the toll that it would put on my inner strength. For example, I find myself using so much of my inners during my advertising classes, that by the time I start doing homework for my other classes (media buying and french), I am so exhausted that I merely do enough to get by.

I had a conversation with my roommate/cousin Eric. He said that a good student is the one that can recognize he's falling behind and can pick himself back up and get on top of his game.

That's the phase I'm in right now. I need to throw myself back at the front of the race. I've been too distracted by all the little ponies.

I say career day because as I go through this stress/fun/exhaust period, I am learning what I truly want my career to be. Fortunately that is Advertising. I can't get enough of it.

-Clint

New Beginnings

I'm going to start blogging again. It will be entirely selfish. I find that writing helps me focus my thoughts. It's also like placing a stamp of approval on my memories and experiences in life. I guess, in a way, it is also showing a bit of gratitude to the Lord for allowing me to live such a life.

Today I want to mention an insight I found in music. I love music. As I study in the library at BYU, my favorite thing to do is pop on some Pandora playlist and get to work. My default playlist has always been country. When I'm feeling edgy, I'll switch things up by going to alternative rock, and when I really want to get down to business, I pop on some oldies. I generally try to stay away from today's hit music. It is too cluttered with filth that does no mind good.

A couple weeks ago, I remember being in the library all day long and had a bad headache. Music wasn't helping me unwind, so I turned it off. The silence was really starting to get to me, so I frantically searched for some form of music that wouldn't drive me up the wall. Before too long I found myself on Paul Cardall's station. It was amazing. It was so peaceful and quiet. Some songs are hymns, some are classical favorites from monumentus films, and some are just darn beautiful. It is the perfect music for homework.

Here is an image of Paul Cardall I found on the web.

Today has been a full day of Paul Cardall, and I must say, I feel so replenished. My mind isn't constantly zipping back and forth between emotions (as country songs often instigate). My mind actually feels like it's on a sail boat, drifting through the subtle sea. I can sea 3 or 4 seagulls in the distance. There are a few clouds in the sky, but they are so faint, that they are hardly worth recognizing. I guess this is what my Mission President intended for us when he told us to stay away from the world's music. I have to admit he was right. Good music is important to a happy life.

-Clint

New Motivations

Time flies. But in this time that has flown, I have done many things.
I've:

• Been accepted to the advertising program at BYU
• Started the weirdest, yet most successful blog I could ever dream of
• see  http://simplyfuzzies.blogspot.com/
• Been promoted to Graphic Designer where I work
• Enjoyed a season pass to Park City Ski Resort
• Started a new hobby
• see  http://500px.com/ClintonCalder
• Ran all 26.2 miles of a marathon

These are many great things that I'm really happy about, however, I'm still single, so the fun shall go on.

My family has been trying to get me hooked on a TV show for a long time. I generally don't watch television anymore, other than the championships of any sport. But this show really meant something to my older brother, so I decided to give it a shot.

The show is called Suits. It's a television show about a young buck trying to get by in an incredibly successful Law Firm in downtown New York City. It has humor, drama, and obviously my favorite part . . . clever writing. If a show has good writing, I tend to really enjoy it. For example, I could watch 500 Days of Summer  500 times and still not get sick of it. 

The reason I wanted to talk about this, and I don't know how it happened, but television shows like this are really motivating to me. Perhaps it's because everyone in the show has a modeling contract (actually that is the only thing I don't like about the show. All the actors are supermodels ha ha). I like the chemistry between the main character and his boss. It is the kind of relationship I try to create with my bosses. I want to be the most determined worker wherever I am employed. This generally happens only when I love what I do . . . and fortunately, my current job is exactly what I love doing.