Thursday, June 05, 2008

Stolen

So I went to Linked-In tonight and began perusing old friends and co-workers I was connected to - just cause. We're hiring right now, and I wanted to check and see if there was anyone I might want to contact. And, you know, general professional curiosity about what everyone was doing now.

*sigh*

And I came upon a site of someone (who I thought was a friend, I even helped him get a job a while back) and while looking through his portfolio I found HALF of the work he showed was mine.

Mine.

7 years old, but MINE.

Designs that I, once upon a time, took the time to think out and put together as best I could.

I can't tell you how upset I was. I am. How absolutely violated. And, of course, what can I do besides send an email asking he take them down? This person I invited to my wedding, who I supported when he needed a job - this person I thought was my friend.

Who has been blatantly pointing to things I designed and taking credit. Did he show these when he interviewed for his last job? How many times has he benefited from my work? My ideas? My layouts?

I can't express my sheer bafflement at how someone could be so absolutely ballsy.

Part of me wants to link to him here. Encourage you to email him and call him names. :)

Or leave a comment on Linked In. Email his current job. Take some sort of revenge.

Mostly I just want to take back my work.

I emailed and told him I didn't appreciate him claiming it as his own, and to please take it down. I'm not sure what I'll do if he doesn't - though in all my anal-retentiveness I still have all the original files. Technically, I can prove they're mine. But why should I have to?

And what's funny is, truly, the work is irrelevant to me at this point in my career. I'll never show it again. I'll never put it in my portfolio. I've gone past it, my skills have eclipsed it. And, yet, apparently his haven't.

Oh, I'm so disappointed. And angry. And, well, just plain sad.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That is the most major suckfest!!! I'm sorry you got tangled up with someone you thought you could trust who turned out to be such a douche bag.

I know you know, but just want to reiterate:
1.)It doesn't matter how old the work is.
2.)It doesn't matter that you've transcended the work.
3.)It doesn't matter that you'll never have to show it again.

IT'S YOURS!!!!!!!!!

And I would be happy to continuously berate this little pig of a person with well thought out rants and insults. Just let me know. I'm up for the challenge.

Let everyone know what happens and if he takes the work down.