Note: I’m not leaving Seattle, or leaving Directions on Microsoft. I just thought I would share the departure email I sent in 2004. Today, August 6, 2014 marks the tenth anniversary of the day I left Microsoft and Seattle to work at Winternals in Austin. For those who don’t know – earlier that day, Steve Ballmer had sent a company-wide memo entitled “Our path forward”, hence my tongue-in cheek subject selection.

From: Wes Miller
Sent: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 2:32 PM
To: Wes Miller
Subject: My path forward

Seven years ago, when I moved up from San Jose to join Microsoft, I wondered if I was doing the right thing… Not that I was all that elated working where I was, but rather we all achieve a certain level of comfort in what we know, and we fear that which we don’t know. I look back on the last seven years and it’s been an amazing, fun, challenging, and sometimes stressful experience – experiences that I would never trade for anything.

At the same time, for family reasons and for personal reasons, I’ve had to do some soul searching that retraced the memories I have from, and steps I went through when I initially came to Microsoft, and I have accepted a position working for a small software company in Austin, TX. My last day at Microsoft will be Friday August 6, one month from today. The best way to reach me after that until my new address is set up is <redacted>. Between now and August 6th I will be doing my best to meet with any of you that need closure on deployment or LH VPC related issues before my departure. Please do let me know if you need something from me between now and then.

Many thanks to those of you who I have worked with over the years – take care of yourselves, and stay in touch.

Thanks,
Wes