Today was my last day at US News & World Report, just a month shy of my sixth year.

Here’s when I started there there in April, 2007. (They even put out a press release announcing the hire.) Since then I’ve worked on countless news, rankings, advertising, and marketing projects; helped iterate through three or four versions of the site; moved from office to office to cubicle to cubicle; seen the magazine “transition to a digital publishing model” from a print publication; and even gotten a byline published. It was an awesome place to work with great people, and I had a good run, but at some point it became clear I had to move on.

I have a few possible job prospects peeking over the horizon, but for the moment I’m taking a breather while I decide what comes next. (This unemployment period shouldn’t last too long, seeing as how I still need to earn income for both of us while Amy finishes up her art education degree. I can’t get complacent.)

And hey, want to hire me? Check out my resumé and portfolio.

Here was the goodbye email I sent to everyone:

I never thought I’d come to the end of this road but it’s time to say goodbye! I’m gonna go home and spend more time with my kittens.

I give thanks to everyone at US News for six years of awesome people doing awesome work. To you all, thanks for granting me the honor, privilege, and opportunity to build the news through this exciting time of evolution in the industry. You’re up to amazing things for the future, and this is just the beginning.

And never fear to experiment and do wild internet things. You’re gonna rock the web and tablet and social media spheres with all kinds of audience-driving and revenue-generating greatness. Now let a million news and ranking apps bloom!

If you want to keep track of me I’ll be on most social networks under my usual internet handle “brownpau.” Go down to paulo.ordoveza.com and there’s a list.

Farewell!

– Paulo

P.S.: Now read the second word of every sentence.