さようなら 日本、G’Day Austin

And all at once, my adventure in Tokyo is coming to an end.

Today, I officially joined the Gowalla team. I’ll be leaving the Land of the Rising Sun for the Lone Star State; trading ramen for ribs, karaoke for concerts, and utter linguistic befuddlement for…well, maybe I’ll hold onto that one. The big move happens after I wrap up a few things in Tokyo in the next couple weeks.

さよなら, Cerego

My time at Cerego working on Smart.fm, although brief, was an amazing experience that I will not soon forget. From the long hours we pulled in the office to the late nights out in Shin-Ōkubo, these were some of the best times I’ve had. Though Cerego is in a state of flux at the moment, there are a lot of smart, passionate people who are poised to really change the world, and I’m confident that they will do just that.

G’Day, Gowalla

It feels absolutely surreal to join the ranks of Gowalla. For years, I’d been an avid Alamofire fanboy, devouring IconBuffet, losing sleep over PackRat, and most recently, flouting acceptable social cues by obsessively checking in with Gowalla when going out with friends.

As fate would have it, I have the fortune to join at a pivotal moment for Gowalla. 2010 will be the year for geo and the social web. These are the days of Blue Sky Solutioneering™, a time of endless possibilities. All bets are off, and all eyes are on us.

That said, I am sure of one thing—
foursquare: With all due respect, you guys are toast.

Peace & Love,

Mattt