Special day for me today, (TLDR)

5 years ago today was the last time I reported to someone, 5 years ago today I was scared for me and my family's future, my soon to be born daughter (3 months away) Oliva was on the verge of being born to an unemployed father, there is nothing scarier than not knowing how you're going to provide for your child. I was about to be a FATHER for the first time in my life and I was already failing her, my #1 duty was to provide for her, how was I going to do it without a job…



The job market in 2009 was nothing pretty, filled with shame and angst I kept doing what I would do every day after work, I played a video game called Call of Duty and recorded my self playing it (sort of how you record your favorite show on your dvr) then I edited the video with my voice talking over it.



I can't imagine what 6.5 month pregnant Judith Villegas was thinking when she got the news that I was in the VP's office about to be "let go", the nerves, fear, anger she must have felt knowing that the people she worked for were about to put her soon to be family in a tough place, Olivia was born to an un-employed dad, for 9-10 months I made videos with no financial return, for 9 months we lived off of her salary and little savings, for 9 months she believed me when I told her "Machinima said that next month I'll get paid" (or at least made me believe that she believed) for 9 months she said "Ok, show me the money" in a playful way, for 9 months I had sponsorship meetings with companies about my newly formed team with a baby crying, screaming, laughing in the background.



My first check from Machinima was for $1.16, the fear I had when I received that shitty paypal payment from them was nothing short of feeling like a failure, what was Judith going to say? for another 3 months and at the end of our savings' rope she still believed (or at least made me believe that she believed) the 2nd check I received from Machinima was for more than 10,000 x's my first check.



With the help of good friends and colleagues, the inspiration of my parent's sacrifice to leave Juaritos and the life they knew to give me and my siblings a better life, the love and support from Jude during the rightfully named "dark ages" and above all, Olivia's smile that I get to experience everyday, I'm happy and able to celebrate this Anniversary.



Today I don't celebrate my freedom, today I don't celebrate my successes, today I celebrate those who have made OpTic a dream come true.



Happy OpTic Day.

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