What was your first job as a journalist?
My first paid journalism job was as the Heath/Zenith columnist for Computer Shopper.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
I learned to type on my grandfather's manual typewriter. I still type from the elbows and pound the daylights out of a keyboard.
How is social media changing news?
Social media has removed the gate-keeper role from journalists, for good and bad. It has accelerated the rush to focus on click, for bad.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
My favorite journalists are all real people.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
A journalist tells stories built on facts. A journalist honors an implied contract with the reader to be honest and open about bias.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I don't really follow hashtags. Sorry.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Pitch me via email.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
I work in the Apple realm. Scrivener is my favorite writing tool and Zotero is critical for saving web pages for reading and reference.
What's your favorite social network?
I'm digging Threads right now. Instagram is my number two.
Who do you wish followed you?
I just wish more people wanted to follow me. I'm working on that.
Why did you become a journalist?
I became a journalist because editors thought I could tell a good story and it turned out they were right. It's a great way to earn a living.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I didn't work for my high school paper -- I was a musician. I was the film critic for my college paper, though.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I've written a number of product reviews that helped organizations make better purchase decisions. I'm proud to help my readers succeed.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Be curious, be honest, respect your reader, and always remember the difference between facts and the truth.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Normal office hours on the US east coast are the best pitch times.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Too many to count.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Let's just say the worst pitch I ever got involved a personal pleasure device and very specific descriptions.
What's your favorite drink?
Coffee. Maybe with a splash of Irish whiskey. But coffee all day (and all night).
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
I'm most often found outside with a sketchbook in my lap or in one of the workshops at my local makerspace.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I read Monocle, Scientific American, and Juxtpoze every issue.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
People think that I don't care about things that aren't directly part of my beat. I'm curious about everything.
