Massless

Since U Been Gone: Missing Jason Goldman of Blogger.com

My friend Jason's making a leap from employment to a greater unknown. I'm always a bit in awe of this maneuver, it's personal-life parkour even at the best of times, and is just one of a number of feats that Jason's performed for which I have high regard and, often, awe.

I see a number of posts from friends and colleagues about his leaving. I'm happy to see 'em - he deserves testimony to his skill and openness and intuition for a job which is often opaque and thankless. It's difficult to see him go, he's not only been great at leading difficult projects but has been a successful advocate for keeping online participation open, free, and accessible. I'm lucky to have worked with him and it's been great to watch his philosophy of business develop and see how that's helped him to materially influence the direction of stuff that millions of people use every day.

I'd list the various anecdotes that illustrate this so well, but self-enlightened redaction would make them look like Nixon-era White House transcripts, and likely would sound like a cast-off skit for Bill Brasky. However I should note that I once saw Jason, like Bill, scissor-kick Angela Lansbury.

In a better, alternate universe he is President of the United States, and as tossed off as that sounds, I'm pretty sure I'm not kidding. Basically, he's inspiring. And funny. And he'll be especially missed around here. Quite a lot of us have benefited from Ev's Hire-for-smart-*and*-funny policy.

Now go 'way: I cry now. *puts on Kelly Clarkson album*

posted at August 25, 2006, 6:31 PM