sounds like the beginning to an mtv reality show…

working at a startup is a little different. for one, we don’t have separate offices. we share a common space with our desks out in the open, no cubicles. two, we work in a basement suite with exposed brick walls and a cement floor, stained from years of use in chicago’s west loop. three, we keep somewhat regular hours, but there is no penalty for arriving late, and certainly no one will care if you stay late - and we have been here late a few times.

daily life at the company is fairly pleasant. i arrive, start up the coffee maker, make a bowl of oatmeal, sit down at my desk to check email, news, and generally catch up on what the hell is going on in the world. then we have a short, stand up meeting to briefly review who is doing what and set goals for the day. then we go to work for a few hours. round about noon our stomachs start growling. we usually try to eat together, at our convenient dining slash informal meeting area. then ping pong. it’s good to have something to distract yourself with at least once in a day. granted we sometimes have to knuckle down and get a bunch of work done, but you can’t do that all the time.

one of the best aspects of our particular group is the size. there are currently only six of us. that won’t last, of course, but the core team will always be close. we’re putting a lot of blood and tears into this project. even if it’s ultimately not successful, the work experience is awesome. it reminds me a great deal of my days at the state news. a group of guys (and a few girls) with like minds, exchanging jokes and stories, listening to music and generally being nice to each other. it’s a much better environment for productivity.

so the countdown is on. we’re about a week away from public launch. i, for one, can’t wait. i want to see this thing get off the ground, and i want to be able to breathe a sigh of relief at nearly 8 months worth of work. cross your fingers.