Snow on my mind, OnePlus Watch 3 on my wrist
Week(s) ending Sunday, February 23, 2026
My oh my, do I have a lot on my mind.
First, I regret that I haven’t sent out my weekly roundup for a few weeks now. As I sit here in a cozy condo in Winter Park, Colorado, staring out the living room window with a fire crackling in the fireplace, a fresh cup of coffee beside me, and the most breathtaking mountain view, I realize that if inspiration was what I was waiting for—it doesn't get more potent than this.
My deepest apologies for the recent silence here on Substack. I continue to give myself the grace to accept that as much as I strive to accomplish absolutely EVERYTHING each week, sometimes it simply isn’t possible—and that's okay. After all, there’s only one of me running this operation.
But… I’m here now, so let’s roll!
How You See Me
I’ve been reading a fantastic book that just came out, perfect for this moment in my career: Sponsor Magnet by Justin Moore. Essentially, it’s for creators wondering how to effectively monetize their efforts—from pitches to contracts to mindset. It's given me a valuable perspective shift. (Don’t worry; you won’t suddenly see me doing nothing but sponcon. It’s about finding a balance that enables me to continue this work and feed my family.)
At one point, Justin discusses creating a concise description for socials that clearly articulates who you are as a creator and what your audience gets from your work. He includes a prompt from Jay Clouse, which inspired me to ask across my social channels:
What words or ideas do you associate with me and my work?
Initially, I put this out there to help refine my social profiles (still working on that). But an unexpected and delightful byproduct emerged: seeing those qualities clearly reflected back at me. Allow me to indulge for just a moment—after all, you’re the ones who shared these reflections.
Here are some qualities you mentioned:
Technology and Android (of course)
Honest
Integrity
Family man (so cool that this shines through!)
Optimistic
Insightful
Thorough
Even-tempered
Creative
Friendly
Music
Informative
Balanced
Wholesome
Curious
Thoughtful
Down to earth
Welcoming
My intention here isn’t to brag—though I fully recognize the privilege of having built an audience over 20 years that can offer feedback like this. Rather, I'm sharing because it sparked a few realizations that might also be valuable to others:
It feels incredibly good to have people reflect back who they see you as. We all could benefit from a similar experience—finding ways, even beyond social media, for those around us to reflect on the qualities they notice.
Many of these qualities reflect conscious efforts I've made in my career. Sure, some are inherent to who I am, but others have taken intentional, consistent work. Seeing them reflected feels deeply validating—thank you for that.
These qualities now form a clear roadmap for my future work. By committing to content that embodies these values, I hope to continue connecting with audiences who resonate with them, folks like you, AND folks who have yet to discover my work.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts—it’s incredibly helpful, and it genuinely felt great!
ZDNet
I have another freelance opportunity to announce and this one is special because it takes me back to my alma mater of sorts. I will be writing tech coverage for ZDNet and I’m super thrilled about it! I am still learning the ropes on all of this writing for the page. I’m by no means an efficient machine. But having people who believe in my work enough to give me the latitude to learn on the clock is wonderful.
Having just finished our ski trip in Colorado, I have plenty to write about: The OnePlus Watch 3 has been on my wrist throughout the entire trip. I leaned heavily into its fitness-tracking capabilities, as well as its sleep-tracking technologies. Six straight days of snowboarding throughout Winter Park Resort during a week of almost non-stop snow totaling 54 inches during our visit alone! It was an absolute dream, and having the OnePlus Watch 3 on my wrist the entire time made for a pretty memorable experience.
I should have an article on ZDNet documenting my experience and a video on my YouTube channel showing how I did it all sometime this week. Spoiler alert: This might be my favorite smartwatch to date. It’s that good.
All About Audio Interfaces!
I wrote an article for Micro Center News about audio interfaces! As an audio hardware nut, I love the opportunity to flex my knowledge and dissect concepts and facts related to the art of media production. That’s why I love the Micro Center gig!
I have a cool collaboration in the works for them right now that will focus on wireless lav microphones. More to share when that gets further down the development pipeline… Perhaps after going to SPAIN! (read on)
Mobile World Congress
For the first time in my career, I’m heading to Barcelona for Mobile World Congress 2025! I am over the moon excited, having never been to Barcelona before. I’m also incredibly interested in building up my contacts for international smartphones. I’d love to write about some of the brands that don’t get much action in the US and MWC is a great place to build those relationships. I plan to document the experience similar to what I’ve done with the Samsung Unpacked and Made By Google videos, something a bit more vloggy. Something to allow YOU to experience the event through fresh eyes the way I am. I bet I will eat some Jamon during the trip, a long-standing All About Android/Android Faithful joke that I can finally make a reality.
What else have I been up to?
This is where I feel a little guilty for not having sent out this update in a few weeks cause HOLY COW there are a lot of videos and podcasts to catch up on in this list!
