Part I, The Beginning.

Fresh out of college, bright eyed and bushy tailed, there I was: a graphic designer. Ready for gainful employment, I was among thousands of other eligible college-faced artists in the city of Portland ready to fight tooth and nail for a shot at a poorly paid, under appreciated and wonderfully nameless job.

If it sounds daunting, well, what job market isn't? Well, thanks to a little thing I like to call CraigsList, I found a position working in-house for some interesting folks, and settled into my career choice quite nicely.

After some years spending some time building brands, designing logos, websites, promoting the ol' Alma Mater's theater department and getting a taste of media buying and promotion, I decided it was time to leave my beloved city of Portland and set sail for something completely different:

Richmond, Virginia.

Only a quick 3,000 mile drive away, Richmond seemed innocent enough. I popped 'round for a preliminary 3-day visit during the summer of 2008 and discovered a humid little town with an a-typical downtown setting and a heavy history wrought with tales of the slave trade, tobacco warehouses, and one of the first settlements ever established in a brand-spanking-new America.

Gulp. What if I hate it here? Deep breath.

Here goes.