Guess it’s time to put away the HD-DVD player attached to my XBox 360. Why? HD-DVD is going bye-bye.
Well, it was fun while it lasted. At least I don’t have to worry about which player to use to watch movies. My PS3 will be so happy.In truth, I always thought Blu-Ray looked better anyway and the upsampling for standard-def DVD’s is also very good. So, not a huge loss.
I need to spend less time in front of the TV anyway.
For some reason the people in charge of the new venture I was talking about in a previous post have decided I’m worthy of inclusion into their burgeoning empire of publishing. So, as of this past weekend, I’m now officially working with the great team at ComicMix. Thanks Brian.
It’s a great opportunity for me to write more and move into other areas of publishing and I sincerely hope I don’t manage to screw it up somehow. I’ll try not to. For the moment, I’m doing the usual bit of posting I do, and have done for a while now, at other places like TUAW and Cinematical.
In the future I’ll also be taking on different kids of feature articles, interviews and such and at some point, and this is the very cool part, I may be moving into other types of roles and might end up working there a lot more. So, fingers crossed it all works out. Meanwhile, I’m just happy to have a job and another place to write for. Its a good thing and as I’ve said before, something I really enjoy.
In other news, I’m working on my comparison article that looks at the iPhone vs. the Blackberry for TUAW and that should be ready soon. Also, I’m working on a followup piece for TUAW about my first few weeks with the MacBook Air (hint: I love it). So, keep an eye out for those.
Plus, I’m actually going to start writing some stuff for Download Squad “real soon now” but just haven’t had the time to get going. Next week will be the week. Ok, enough of that, gotta get back to work. Well, maybe after a little detour into Guitar Hero III first. Damn rock and roll!
I remember not too long ago when I was complaining (at least a tiny bit and mostly to myself) that I was doing something I really didn’t love rather than something I do love. The thing I love is, of course, writing. I wasn’t doing enough of it to make me very happy.
Of course, other events have transpired to interrupt the flow of words from my somewhat feeble brain, through my fingers, out to the keyboard and then up to WordPress and this blog. But even with all the interruptions, I wanted to write more — and, if possible, get paid for it in the process.
Cut to (as they say in “the biz”) today and I pretty much have the exact opposite problem I used to have. Now I have too much writing work. At the moment, there are several sites to which I currently contribute, used to contribute and they want me back or are about to contribute. There’s even one I can’t even talk about yet which looks to be even bigger than the rest.
Of course, this is also the time when I’m doing a lot more Mac consulting than I was before so that kinda gets in the way of writing too. Although, consulting pays way better (at least for the moment) then writing does. I’m trying to limit my consulting to mostly worthy causes like favorite non-profits or schools but still, that takes time and that’s time away from writing.
Really, I think something has got to give and at the moment I’m leaning towards the Mac stuff being the time consuming item that may get the “Spanish Archer” as my friend used to say. In other words, it might have to go. Or, at the very least, be far more limited. After all, I really think that in this life, given the pretty much unknown duration of it we have, you should try to do things you love rather than things you don’t.
Really, I feel like I shouldn’t complain too hard at this situation as it could be far worse and is for many people. I’m lucky that people have decided that I’m good at a couple new things. In the past, I’ve pretty much only been good at making movies, producing other shows and getting into trouble.
But now, I can add writing to the list of things I can do. I’m not saying I’m great at it but I think I can string a sentence together without too much trouble. Who knows, maybe this new writing gig (once it starts) will end up being the one that takes me to the next level — whatever that might be? I guess anything is possible but to have the possiblity is a great feeling and one I would like to have more often.
I’ll see what I can do about that.
Direct and to the point, just how it should be. Plus, I happen to agree with him
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4wh_mc8hRE&rel=1]
No, I’m not really that important — although I would like to think so. I do, however, have a bit of new news. As of this week I will now be writing for yet another highly regarded and popular tech-related website. In addition to the usual place my words show up (TUAW, CBR, Cinematical) I will also now be contributing to the site Download Squad as well.
This new site covers all thing software and related and should prove a very interesting and rewarding time for me. After all, I love me some tech so it seems only natural I would start contributing to yet another site devoted to it. Fortunately, the bosses at Weblogs/AOL (particularly Victor Agreda, Jr. and Grant Robertson) saw fit to throw me a bone and let me join up. I wonder what took them so long?
Yes, yes I did. If you happen to be curios as to my reasons, head on over to TUAW and take a look at the article I wrote explaining it all. Apparently, judging from the number of comments (almost 140 I think so far) this particular topic appears to be one of interest. Check it out.
It was a whirlwind week for me at Macworld in San Francisco. I saw so many interesting new products and met so many great people it’s almost impossible to contemplate. What really comes across, though, during my week there is the Mac community as a whole and just how nice everyone is. Gracious, intelligent and extremely pleasant people seem to gravitate towards the Mac and I, for one, couldn’t be happier about it.
It’s really hard to pinpoint a highlight of the show but if I had to pick one (or two) one would have to be meeting Merlin Mann and getting a chance to chat with him for a few minutes. We did an interview with him for TUAW but before and after we got to talk a bit off-camera. Good times with a great, funny and articulate man. I also got the chance to meet Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal, Chris Breen of Macworld Magazine and a whole host of other sharp and Mac-loving people.
Also, another highlight was the famed Cirque Du Mac party featuring a great band, great drinks (especially because they were free) and great company. Thank you Laurie D., Nik F., Victor A., Isiah C. and David C. for making that night extra fun. And, of course, another highlight of the show for me was getting to meet the great people I work with at TUAW for the first time in person. I know it may seem odd but we’ve been working together since last May and up until last week I had never met any of them face to face. In fact, we had never even spoken on the phone very much except to plan the first Talkcast and when we actually record the Talkcasts (at least the ones I’m in).
Other than that, it’s just been email, IM and Twitter most of the time. How very futuristic, right? Scott McNulty, Michael Rose, Nik Fletcher and Victor Agreda from TUAW are all stand-up guys and some of the nicest, most gracious and funny people I’ve been around in a long time. Their humor, brains and talent are in so many ways humbling to be around. It’s a real privilege to get to work with them and I appreciate it even more now that I’ve had a chance to meet them all in person.
In most cases I really prefer talking to people in person most of the time. Although, communicating via email, IM or Twitter is a great to avoid actually having to communicate at all. In fact, in some cases you can pretty much avoid all communication by simply ignoring these types and not responding. I think I’ll start calling that “Zero Communication” or something like that. Could catch on. Maybe.
If you get a chance head on over to TUAW and check out the continuing coverage of Macworld and see some of the video I shot last week. Also, I’m posting pics at Flickr (at least some) and even managed to churn out a few TUAW posts so check those out too.
All in all a fun time in SFO @Macworld 2008 and something I hope to have the privilege to do again next year.
This is the most recent one concerning predictions for the upcoming Keynote. Also, I’ve got a few pics up over at the site as well so take a look. Of course, expect a crap load more pics, video and even some writing over the next few days.
Keynote tomorrow! Something is in the air.
I’ll be going up to San Francisco on Sunday to cover the big Macworld Expo gathering of the faithful all week for TUAW (thank you TUAW parent company AOL for sending me). Consequently, I’ll be posting here less next week.
However, if you just can’t get enough of me, check out the multiple ways in which you can keep up with my adventures, and those of my TUAW colleges, at Macworld as we bring you all the exciting news and info this year.
Here’s some of the best ways:
The Unofficial Apple Weblog Website
Posts Tagged with the Macworld Tag at the TUAW Website
Our TUAW Twitter Feed (you do Twitter, don’t you?)
My TUAW Articles – Stuff just from me (the best part, of course)
And, my Twitter feed is right there to the right so I will be posting to it as much as I can.
That a pretty good start. If you can’t get enough Macworld info using these various methods, you’re not trying hard enough. Also, be sure to check out our predictions of what Steve Jobs will announce at this year’s keynote. There’s some good ones there and if even half of them come true, it should make for an exciting keynote not to be missed.
And, if you are attending Macworld this year, be sure to say hello. We’ll be the ones running around shooting video, taking photos, interviewing celebs and booth babes and loving every minute of the Macworld experience.
See you in San Francisco.
I really hope Apple announces a new subnotebook at Macworld. And I don’t mind if it looks a little something like this:
