What was your first job as a journalist?
First pro job was working for Home PC magazine.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, that's how I learned to type.
How is social media changing news?
Social media is both a blessing and a curse. It allows much wider and faster dissemination of information and falsehoods.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Ron Burgundy
What does it mean to be a journalist?
It means striving to be fair, accurate and honest.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Probably
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email is preferred.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Article databases.
What's your favorite social network?
It's probably Facebook, because people reveal so much more about themselves than they think on this platform.
Who do you wish followed you?
Jimi Hendrix...I could never follow him.
Why did you become a journalist?
I was young and idealistic, and thought that truth could be found by actually speaking with people.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes, I wrote news and feature articles.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I was most proud of writing the technical laptop roundups for tech publications back when smartphones were just an idea.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Keep digging. When in doubt, dig some more.
When's the best time to pitch you?
The best time to pitch me is between 9:00a-1:00pm EST.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Curveball, over the black for a strike.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Between the numbers on the back.
What's your favorite drink?
A nice porter.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Playing my guitar...
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The Wall Street Journal.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That we don't have technical expertise.
