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My grandpa, Roger Briggs, passed away unexpectedly at his home on Saturday, Nov. 24.
He was loved and will be missed. I'm really glad I got to see him this summer but I really wish it wasn't the last time. He was super smart and witty. He was the first person to introduce me to using cameras and computers. We shared a love of new tech and gadgets. I named my son after him (Ryker is the Danish form of Roger).
Here is some more of his story...
Roger Briggs was born in 1937, in Cherokee, Iowa. He attended school in Marcus, Iowa, where he graduated from high school in 1955. Following graduation, Roger enlisted in the United States Air Force. He received his basic training at Parks Air Force Base in California. His permanent duty station was at K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base in Michigan, where he was a radar repairman. Roger earned his Honorable Discharge on Nov. 8, 1961, having attained the rank of Airman First Class. He farmed for 30 years. In 1990, they moved to Cleghorn, Iowa, and Roger took a position at Wells' Dairy in Le Mars. He worked at the south ice cream plant, retiring in 2002. He also helped others farm for many years. Roger loved doing anything with electronics and even constructed his own television. Other hobbies included woodworking and carving, bicycle riding and cross country skiing.
2016. Some people are calling it a dumpster fire of a year with the horrible election, refugees from war and natural disasters, and some significant artists that we lost. For me it was a super stressful year but it was mostly for good things. In May we welcomed Mia Jolee Briggs to our family. She is the cutest little baby but she was a little more difficult at first than my son Ryker. Luckily I had 2 weeks of paternity leave, 2 weeks vacation afterwards and my wife Alyssa (teacher) had the whole summer off.
After living in our house for a few months with 2 kids, Alyssa found a bigger house she wanted. It was only a mile down our same street so we went for it. Our house got offers the same day it went up for sale. We moved in September and got settled in pretty fast. We have a lot more space and a lot less to fix. We're closer to the in-laws (our daycare), a playground and soccer fields.
Over the last year or so I have been seriously looking for a new job. My job at Gannett was alright. It taught me a lot of skills but there wasn't anything new to learn or any higher position I wanted. I made enough to almost support my family but not enough to live comfortably. I had 8 interviews at 5 businesses near the end of 2015 and this year I had 4 interviews at 3 businesses. I got so close with a few 2nd interviews and when they didn't work out I got pretty discouraged a few times. Finally in October I got an amazing offer from EMC Insurance. After working 7 years at Gannett the hardest part about leaving was leaving the people. I worked with some very talented folks and made a few lifelong friends. I only moved a few blocks away so I can still visit my friends for lunch anytime. My new job is working with the EMC Insurance Corporate Communications team and their other 3 designers. I'm doing a little more print design and also getting so many learning opportunities in photo/video shoots and animation in After Effects.
I tried to simplify my freelance design work this year by finding a client that had relativity consistent work for me with real estate logos. I have a lot less time having 2 kids now, so I wanted to focus on logos because I enjoy it the most and do it relatively fast most of the time.
I also wanted a creative challenge and to not just do the easy thing. So I invested a little more money and time into my photography. I upgraded my camera and got some cheap studio lights and backdrops. I upped the quality of my own kids portraits and did my first professional portrait shoot. I also shot my brother-in-law's engagement photos.
Ryker turned 3 in August and is getting so smart. His memory impresses me everyday as well as his creative story telling. He is so funny just repeating what we say and with the little songs he makes up. He started having an imaginary friend named Nugget and Nugget's girlfriend Dee. There is always drama between those two. Ryker also loves watching breakdancing and music videos. He watches them on youtube just studying them and then trys to dance to them. It's very entertaining. I bought a Google Home smart speaker and he learned how to request songs and videos to the chromecast pretty fast. We're thinking of finding him a hip hop dance class for kids before he gets too shy. He is also in his terrible 3's where he throws fits and is unreasonable when we ask him to eat dinner, get ready to leave somewhere, and when we deny him the pounds of candy he always wants.
Mia is almost 8 months old now and she is rolling, army crawling and sometimes regular crawling all over our new house. She has been eating baby food and about to move up to the next stage. She is bigger than Ryker was at this age. She is always smiling and laughing at Ryker. I can't wait until they can play for real.
So that's it. Just had a baby, moved and started a new job. All great things but I'm glad it's over. I'm ready to learn new things at work, make my house awesome and just enjoy my family.
Happy New Year!
Today is my last day with Gannett and the GIADC. I have worked here for 7 years today. I am going to miss working with all of my friends in digital and campaign team, but I will definitely stay connected. I'll miss the super casual atmosphere and playing ping pong everyday. This was my first real design job and I learned how to edit photos, animate in Flash and Edge, design logos and ad campaigns. I have been looking for a new job for awhile and finally found a design position at EMC Insurance. I'll be joining a much smaller team and will get to do all sorts of design projects and do a lot more animation and video editing. My family has been super busy lately with baby Mia, selling our house, moving in to our new house and now me starting a new job. I'll have next week off to watch the kids and maybe organize the garage so we can park our cars in there. I start at EMC on the 17th and I am very excited! I'll be joining my friend Justin Bartz at EMC so I won't be too lonely, but I'm only 3 blocks away from my Gannett friends so hit me up for lunch anytime.
I took the family on a 3 day weekend trip to a couple spots along Lake Michigan.
Me and Alyssa's 5 year wedding anniversary is this Saturday so we got out her dress to take photos of it with Mia... and Ryker.
May 28, 2011
Our wedding night
shot by Life Art Photographs
May 28, 2016
5 years and 2 kids later
Shot in my studio by my mother-in-law Becky
Mia Jolee Briggs born at 9:55am on May 7th. She was 9lbs 1oz. and 20 inches long. She is so pretty and our son Ryker loves being a big brother.
