Most days around here are pretty grand. We’ve mentioned before some of the things that make us happy to wake up and come to work every morning. Today, let’s count them.

First, there’s the setting.

We can’t stress enough how lovely it is working in the city of San Francisco(1), or down in the Peninsula(2), to do business Monday through Friday(3). We’re in the center of the tech universe(4), but also in a region where we can spend our weekends hiking(5), skiing(6), mountain biking(7), surfing(8), or simply basking in the beautiful California sun(9). We escape to Napa(10) and Sonoma(11) wine country to the north, to Yosemite(12), the Sierras(13), Tahoe(14) and Reno(15) to the west, and don’t forget Santa Cruz(16), Highway 1(17), and the beaches(18) to the south. And when the weekend is over, we start all over again. We cross bridges that twinkle(19), yield the way to historic cable cars(20), power walk by luxury shops(21), stop by delicious food trucks(22), and settle down to work in our super cool, super happening office(23).

That’s a solid twenty-three reasons to call this a good day.

The culture that surrounds us informs how we see the world—it’s the extra dose of inspiration we bring to our work. Would our design be as refined if we didn’t have museums like SFMOMA(24), the Contemporary Jewish Museum(25), the De Young(26), the San Jose Museums of Innovation(27) and of Art(28), the Asian Art Museum(29), to name just a few, at our doorstep? Could we be as in tune with the voice of our generation without the concerts(30) (too many venues to name), festivals (Bottle Rock(31), Outside Lands(32), Treasure Island(33), Hardly Strictly Bluegrass(34), Summer Jazz(35)…) theatre plays (Berkeley Rep(36), ACT(37)…) and the constant opportunities to partake in the cultural happenings that surround us(38)?

We’re up to thirty-eight reasons. Oh, we have more.

Of course, there’s also the work we do. We dig into marketing problems with gusto(39). We analyze insane amounts of data(40), always looking for the nuggets of truth(41). With these insights we design perfect strategies(42), which in turn manifest themselves into killer customer experiences(43). We can generate digital content(44) or good old fashioned printed messages(45). We produce the video(46), the email(47), and the presentation(48); and optimize the heck out of our client’s online presence(49). We organize events for small teams(50), or for major international business gatherings(51)—we design them(52) and make them successful(53). We think together(54), and give our best(55). We learn from our clients(56). We work hard(57), and smart(58). We push to innovate(59) for our clients(60)—and for ourselves(61).

And we just made it up to a good sixty-one reasons we jumped out of bed today.

We’re also nice to each other. We laugh a lot(62). We celebrate our moves with cupcakes(63). Our birthdays(64), big occasions, with more cupcakes(65). We like cupcakes(66). We listen to each other(67). We give each other opportunities to grow(68). We care(69). We tell each other stories after the weekend is over(70). We lend a hand when needed(71). We applaud achievement(72). Our hands are getting sore(73). We host an official happy hour every month(74), but have yet to count the number of unofficial ones(75). We have each other’s backs(76). Come to work alongside our friends(77). And, when the day’s over, we still have many hours to unwind and relax with our family(78) and our other friends(79). For some of us the lines are blurring(80). We like that.

We’re also up to eighty reasons. Let’s keep going.

Underlying all of the above, essential to it all, are the people we work with. The dreamers(81), the mathematical geniuses(82), the detail nuts(83), the early risers(84), and those who bloom at night(85). The writers(86), programmers(87), and nail biters(88). The calm ones(89) and those who run down the hallway(90), high heels tapping flamenco-style on the wooden floor(91). The #slack addicts(92). Some who make the client house their home(93). Some who routinely zoom between offices(94). All outstanding(95), high-performing individuals(96), born around the corner(97) or thousands of miles away(98), who come together every day to lend their own special talent to the juice that makes us collectively great(99).

All of which brings us up to 99 reasons. Like 99 bottles of beer on the wall, it’s a good number. But not entirely there yet.

Fortunately, today a new friend, co-worker, and business partner just walked through the door, to round up the number and take us to a new level. Queue the balloons, sound the vuvuzela horns, we just became 100 people strong! Sure, we’ve hovered over that number for a little while, in a dance of sorts that had us over one day, under the next. Today we’ve reached the point of no return. That hundredth person did not walk in alone. Number 101, 102 and 103 walked in at the same time. We’d like to give a special Firewood welcome to Judy Perry, in Idaho, and Katherine Carter, Stacie Katz, and Janet McKasson, in San Francisco, who helped us cross this huge milestone. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Here’s to all our people who’ve made, and continue to make, this journey so special! You add every day to the many reasons that make us a family at Firewood.