The Adventures of JStar88 on The Blue Marble

The next chapter: Moving to Stockholm

My life's next chapter starts in a few weeks.

On June 18, I will be relocating from Toronto to Stockholm, Sweden, to start a new job - directing the development of a global poker network. My new employer has developed what I believe to be the world’s best online poker software and licenses their technology to other companies seeking to enter the online gaming industry. Players on each of the licensees’ sites interact on a common network (like P2P), allowing for a critical mass of concurrent users at any time - which is the most formidable barrier to entry for new companies.

I chose this particular gig over the others I was looking at because I believe that the ASP (Application Service Provider) model is the only reasonable long-term approach that will be successful for both developers and operators in this market. After having had an incredible opportunity to kick the tires at a number of premiere and mid-level online gaming websites - and having a year's perspective on what is involved in actually building, maintaining and improving proprietary poker software - I recognized that the only way to play this game was to go big or go home.

If I'm going to work in the online gaming industry, then it is going to be for a juggernaut, a company that's smart enough, resourceful enough, and tough enough to do it right.

I think I chose well, and I look forward to finding out if I'm right about that.

Deciding to move to Europe was predicated on other things, too. While my life in Toronto is incredible, sophisticated, beautiful and warm, my feet have been itchy for far too long and I definitely need a fresh sense of perspective. Change is good, and I need some of it.

I will be selling my house and my car (anybody want a ’96 Mazda MX3 Precidia?), reducing the volume of my earthly possessions, and getting ready to live a life less ordinary for a little while.

I’m excited about living in Sweden (though the winters sound daunting) and enjoying my new family there, and also about hanging out with Marty in London, going to Amsterdam/ Berlin/ Prague/ Paris/ Jerusalem/ Tallin for weekends, and about getting exposed to some different cultural life. And let us not forget the herring... :)

Of course, I'll miss my friend in T-dot, my family, my band, my house, my motorcycle, my bass amp, knowing where all the great restaurants are, knowing how to get around traffic in rush hour, having friends to chillax with 24/7, poker games at Farf's house, getting silly and discussing marketing strategy foolishness with Noah, Dim Sum in Chinatown, Martial Arts classes with Master Kim & Joe, hanging out with G-Love, watching my friends' kids grow up, swimming in my parents' pool, mom's cooking, Kensington Market, post-gig field trips, drinking cheap pints at squirrelys, the wasabi mayo at Shanghai Cowgirl, the patio at La Hacienda, smoked meat at Wolfie's, standing on stage amid the blessings of my musical compatriots and being downright humbled by the awesomeness of solos from Ansgar, Keith, Dan & Brian, my CD collection, my blue floors, having a car, sushi at Fune, pasta at Banfi, Canadian micro-brewed beers, having a crew, having best friends with incredibly deep connections and histories, and much more...

I start work in Stockholm on Monday, June 20, but will be back in Toronto for a few weeks in July to wrap-up my affairs. There's a Russell Leon Band gig on July 16 (details to be posted momentarily) and a BBQ at my parents' house the following weekend (e-mail me for details).

This should be a very interesting year.

posted by jstar88 @ 4:25 AM