Overdue

I haven’t written on this blog in a long time. Neglected? Maybe. Overdue? Surely.

The fact is, real life has taken precedent. Paid posts versus pleasure. Billed hours versus personal time. Still, I come back. Here’s a slice of life. A creation that could have easily never made the page. A time suspended. A moment caught between others. A thought explored.

As I continue to change I will say this: The growth continues, morphing. To what end, I do not know. But I do know this: Each piece is a link in the chain, growing, connecting, moving, developing. Where will I be in time…where will we be? The unknown is both exciting and scary, no way to find out but to travel there. We’re all on a journey, constantly changing.

Enjoy the process, the elders say, hindsight being 20-20. Try, try, try. Do, do, do. Every day a step towards the future. Walk, then run. Run, then fly. Fly with me, high above. Look down. What do you see? Mistakes and victories, hopes and dreams. Friends, allies, enemies. Journeys and stories. All pieces in a greater puzzle.

As I prepare for my 28th year, I write as night becomes day, dark turns to light. Travel with me. Where are we going? What’s next? Ask yourself what you want and what you’re willing to do for it. That’s what’s next. The next step. The price you’re willing to pay is the fee for admission. Whatever you’re willing to do to get there. Is it worth it? Are you willing to sacrifice to get what you want? And if so, how much?

To get it, crossroads are traveled daily. Some easy, some hard. Keep moving, moving, moving. To where and what end? Destiny? Fate? Expectations? When is life ever what we expect? Almost never. When is it easy? When we least expect. Hard? Almost always. Victory sweeter than defeat, I write in a stream of consciousness, discovering thoughts as I go. To the next step, the next place. Come with me. Indulgent? Maybe a bit. Honest? Surely. Tired? To the bones. But keep moving. Keep pushing. One day it makes sense even if it isn’t what you expected. One day we get what we want. What we deserve. One day. Live for today but know another day is coming. Whatever’s next, it’s coming. Nothing to do but be ready. Sharpen up. Whatever’s inside, let it out and breathe a deep sigh of relief. Just let it out. Let it out. Let it out.

#muckedup: The New Tools of Journalism at 5 pm PST / 8 pm EST

Nice going @adampopescu on making this a trending topic!!! #muckedup

— Alastair Goldfisher (@agoldfisher) July 25, 2012

Join me today at 5 pm PST / 8 pm PST as we talk about the intersection of tech and journalism in this week’s Muck Rack Twitter chat: #muckedup.

Last week I hosted for the first time, and we talked quote approval. The chat featured journos from Reuters, the Wall Street Journal, the Huffington Post, and a slew of others—we made so much noise that #muckedup became the top trending topic on Muck Rack.

Join this week as we talk the tools of the trade: what can you not leave home without, what tech makes you a better/worse journo, and anything and everything journo-tech. See you there!

—Adam Popescu

#SBFest

Pumped to be part of the media panel from 2-4 pm on Friday at the Hotel Erwin: http://siliconbeachfest.com/panels.html

#Journchat Recap: The @Storify Version

Check out the Storify of yesterday’s #journchat, graciously made by Gina Goodman aka @cisionNavigator

Topic: The Future of Newspapers!

——Adam Popescu

Guess Who’s Hosting #Journchat?

A few years ago I stumbled onto Twitter unsure and suspicious of its use.

Today I’m such a die-hard, vehement supporter that for a while I pitched its virtues to anyone and everyone who would listen. Some were interested, some scoffed at my glee, some took note. Most pretty much didn’t know what I was talking about. “Why would I use Twitter,” nonbelievers questioned. I’ve since scaled back what some call near-hucksterish acclaim, but if you buy me a drink, or feign enough interest, I’ll glow and share why I think it’s one of the most powerful tools for journalists, and professionals across almost any industry. Bottom line, if you’re in the media, and you want to get take the pulse of realtime news, it’s far past time to get on board. The train’s already moving high-speed, and if you don’t have a ticket yet, it’s time to jump on and play stowaway.

One of the beauties of Twitter is the industry chats. One of the best is Journchat, which I’m excited to say I’m hosting Monday May 28, Memorial Day, from 5-6 PST (special thanks to the media maven behind the chat, Sarah Evans for having me). I know, it’s a holiday, and you’re probably busy barbecuing. But I’m sure you have a smartphone or a tablet, and a few minutes between flipping burgers and hot dogs. So logon.

For those of you who don’t know, #journchat is a weekly discussion of the best and worst in journalism. It’s a forum for journalists, pr and media professionals to gather and share tips, concerns or field questions. Why use it? Because it’s a platform to connect with the industry, speak your mind and get answers. Here’s a preview of the chat: State of newspapers 2012.

1. Is Patch a failure? Reports say the AOL local coverage site is losing $150 million a year. What does this say about the local online community news experiment? (Background)

2. Did Warren Buffett just save the newspaper industry with his planned purchase of 63 local papers for $142 million? Is the man who calls free online news “unsustainable” the next Rupert Murdoch? What happens to journalism (or at least the public perception of unbiased journalism) when one person controls so much? (Background and More)

3. Is Rupert Murdoch getting off the hook too easily for the News Corp. scandal? What about Piers Morgan who allegedly taught employees how to hack? Should CNN punish him? (Background)

4. The New Orleans Times Picayune is moving from a daily to a three time a week print strategy. They promise to keep online coverage 24/7 but will this kill the paper? (Background and More)

5. Gawker plans to monetize comments on its site: good or bad for the industry? Is this the future of paywalls, and can you see your pub doing this? (Background)

– Adam Popescu

My New Best Friend: @therealstanlee

Proud to say the Walt Disney of comic books, Stan “the man” Lee has one of my collages on display at his office in Beverly Hills. In the words of the man behind the Amazing Spiderman, the Incredible Hulk and the Uncanny X-Men: ’nuff said!

—Adam Popescu

Long Overdue #SocialChat Wrap

I don’t think anyone can experience the true in-you-face real-time power of social media (unless you’re live-tweeting a political protest, or) until you host a twitter chat.

If you ever get the opportunity, take it. Great to improve the reach and draw of whatever expertise you hold through social media.

The only drawback is, when it’s over, regular old Twitter will suddenly seem so…slow. Number don’t lie: http://beta.hashtracking.com/ht-pro-rpt/alanknecht-socialchat-2012-01-09/. Neither will I: hosting #SocialChat was exhilarating, nerve racking, and challenging. I really wanted to answer all of my questions and give honest feedback to participants. Not easy when questions and mentions are flying at you 100 mph.

In the chat’s hour I got 105 mentions, 14 retweets and more than 59,000 screen impressions (serious nerd numeros). My firefox pinwheel kept moving, but I made it. You will too if you get the chance. Follow something you’re really into and contribute. Keep at it and someone will notice and come knocking…And if they’re not knocking, go knock on a door yourself if you’re really interested in hosting. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

Thanks again to Alan Knecht and his wife Michelle for bringing me into the fold.

—Adam Popescu