The opportunity was that a position was coming available and he thought I should consider applying for it. A creative director position. At Nike. In Beaverton, Oregon. Nike.

Of course I was flattered and intrigued and interested, so I asked "well what do I do then?" He told me to send my portfolio for him to shop around to his higher-ups and we would go from there.

(Some background: 3 years before this fellow had seen my portfolio when he worked at Landor, so he was familiar with some of my work.)

Well, it took me over a week to slap together a new portfolio (as I rely too heavily on the internet these days and had not updated my book since the last time I sent it to him). It was a bit much and a bit overdone, but clearly indicative of the work I like to do.

And then there was nothing.

Two months of nary a peep. Occasionally I would get an email from my contact "Sit tight - it's really busy here" but mostly nothing. I left plenty of messages. Even going so far as to encourage him not to be afraid to be the bearer of bad news. Even if he had to say "I'm embarrassed because I lost your portfolio and they gave ME the job." Still nothing.

Then yesterday we discovered a message from him on our home phone (probably from the day before) to give him a call.

I called right away. He had bad news. While he thought I was very talented, "they" (his higher ups?) were concerned I would not be a good fit for creative director of the Nike Women brand (I am no woman). They also were concerned that I might have trouble 'adjusting' to an 'in-house' creative director role. I guess I do too much different work for too many clients? Maybe.

I took it well. I never had my hopes that high, but I did want to get to the "let's talk a little bit more" stage. The "why don't you fly out here and meet us?" stage. That's all. Was it too much to hope for?

So: I didn't even make it into the "you should apply" stage. Kind of like never even getting asked to the prom. Never mind a second or third choice asking me, no ask at all. Sigh.

So what now? I kind of liked the mysterious possibility of "what if?" that I had for 2 months before the verdict was delivered.

Hmm...

Man, screw Nike, that's why I wear Puma.

c'mon now, i'm your huckleberrry. i asked you to the prom eight years ago. we've been going ever since. i'm very sorry for your disappointment. even if you didn't want it, it's nice to be asked. for the record, i do think that it might have been very insightful of them to think it would be difficult. i do think it would be difficult for you to make this kind of move "in house."

Screw NIKE! Zumfoot all the way!

before this goes too far along: I am not looking to have my ego propped up. My ego is, in fact, in great shape - Nike 'asked' me to send my portfolio at least, even if they did not ask me to apply for a job.

My ever practical friend Michael Hendrix said it best:

"'So what now?'
Oh c'mon! … consider your wimpy ego still stroked by me!"

This blog is meant to share the events and some of my current thoughts - NOT TO ELICIT SYMPATHY.

But "so what now?" still applies... something about the 'possibility' ignited something in me that I can't quite articulate or identify... I plan on still trying to figure that out.

Sorry Mikey.

It's a distraction.

Once you've taken the "red pill" and become unplugged from the corporate design Matrix, you can't go back. Funny thing is, the corporate design Matrix knows it.

You're unplugged now Paul. There's no going back. Of course, a free trip to Seattle would have been nice.