Some New Work Tasks

I've been given a new work assignment that I'm totally thrilled about: writing for our news site, O'Reilly Radar. My first article went up on Friday, and it’s gotten some comments even! I guess this means I really have to get serious about my public speaking. Yikes. Public speaking really is a skill I’d like to be comfortable with and good at, but it still is very intimidating. Maybe I should give the beta blockers (what are they--do I need a prescription?) a whirl as some of the commenters suggest.

My new work duties have changed how I consume information now. When I listen to the radio or read messages in my Inbox or Facebook posts, I'm now thinking, "What's the news angle--should I write about that?" and "What's well-executed about that story?" It's fun and energizing and inspiring. I also plan to use my new status as a reporter to get into events for free on a press pass. We’ll see how that goes!

In other exciting news, I bought my first new computer in over a decade: an 11” MacBook Air (I bought it on Nerd New Year, aka Nigel Tufnel Day, aka 11/11/11). It’s not a lot bigger than an iPad, but I wanted more functionality than the tablet provided so I realized I needed an actual computer. I’m not sure if I can get used to the small screen, but I have 10 more days to play with it before the no-questions-asked return deadline when I can swap it for the bigger size. That should be enough time to figure out if this is the right size for me.

Today is my first day with the Fitbit. I’ve already eaten half of my caloric allotment and I don’t think I’ve expended my energy at all. Hopefully just having to log everything I eat will help me consume less. I’m going to try to sleep with it tonight--I hope it’s not too uncomfortable (it has a little wristband for nighttime wear).

I forgot to post this photo of a souvenir I brought back from Wilbur. We’re using it to prop open our front gate, and it’s a nice regular reminder of the last Wilbur visit.

I also forgot to wish Rex a happy birthday at Halloween--like Nigel’s amp, he goes all the way to 11 now!