The return to PCMag has been a lot of fun and hard work. For once, I don’t feel bad about asking for mobile devices to get a feel for them. I’ve reviewed a bunch of phones already including the Motorola Razr+, the Google Pixel Fold, and the Nothing Phone (2). I’m currently working on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Fold 5 reviews. The work is very satisfying and the people are great.
I’ve found that the older I get, the less I have to say — or the need to announce my every opinion on everything to the world is going away. Instead, that is reserved for private conversations (and at this point, I try to keep my opinions to myself unless I’m asked). This is one of the reasons I don’t do video as much as I used to — even for fun.
When I want to share whatever, I’m writing it here or maybe an occasional video. For the most part, I don’t use Instagram or Twitter with the same regularity, which is nice. So, I hope you’re all well.
I’m still tired and the first thoughts I have are, “I need a vacation.” However, any time I take time off, I end up vegging out or drink or eat too much. These aren’t really restorative. What I really need is something like a camp where I have things I do to build myself back up and calm my brain, while the world stays on hold for a bit.
I was going to write a post on one of the 1000s of social networks out there, but I can’t succinctly fit it in a tweet or something similar. Also, I’ve grown disgusted with Twitter. However, I felt the need to share some stuff to get it off my chest. Once this is published, I can kind of free my mind a bit.
Mental Work
I’ve spent over a decade in talk therapy with four different therapists. Don’t worry, I don’t therapist shop. Instead, insurance changes, retirements, and moves have caused each change. Each therapist has helped me learn new things and come to terms with so many issues.
Like a lot of people, I had a childhood that left me with lots of relationship issues, self-worth issues, warped thinking, and I did not learn how to empathize with people until my early 30s (plus, I still struggle with all of these). So often my therapy sessions felt like I was tearing myself down over and over again while trying to build myself up. I don’t have a good metaphor for this, but it’s like trying to run a race while having to tie your shoes constantly. You CAN do it, but it is horrible. Thankfully, I’ve made progress and am much better off for having done this hard work.
Fitness Setbacks
My physical fitness has been a mess for the past five or six years. An incident took me out of my routines and I drank heavily. (Oh, and you’ll never guess what alcohol does to my mental fitness). I gained a lot of weight. Then there was a pandemic and we were all stuck at home. So, I ate. I drank. Exercising in my New York apartments has kind of sucked because things need to be moved out of the way, then reset. I’ve been spoiled in the past as I’ve owned a couple of homes and had a dedicated space to do whatever. I fell out of my habit of working out and moving around.
I used to have two dogs, who have both passed away. Those two knuckleheads were helpful for both my mental stability and physical fitness. Petting a dog is soothing. Then there was the forced time outside with them — they needed to go out for the bathroom and they loved to walk. I’d be forced to leave the apartment and walk around. I took a lot of pride in tiring out those two with long walks so they would nap when we got home. That’s all gone now and I don’t think I’m mentally strong enough (right now) to get a new pet as the loss of them was devastating. When I got them as puppies, I remembered thinking, “You know, you’re buying delayed sadness, right?” That being said, the joy I got from them is immeasurable.
I’ve had very little motivation to move around. I used to work out with my brother when I was younger. Then in college, I would work out with friends. Since they hated working out, I quite enjoyed making them miserable by pushing our workouts to be harder and harder. After college, I tried to stay fit, but gained a lot of weight in law school.
I’ve tried to get fit in the past, with varying degrees of success. I’ve got years of experience when it comes to figuring out what does and does not work for me. So, I’ll try again, but smarter. Here’s what I’m like: I like routines, goals, and purpose-based exercise. I don’t view walks as exercise (even though it is). I think I need to rethink how I view fitness as a whole.
So Very Tired
My body aches, my cardio is horrible, and my brain is tired. I’m frequently reminded of that Darwin quote, “I am very poorly today and very stupid and hate everybody and everything.” Why did I share this? I needed this out of my mind.
I put together an explainer on what exactly UltraViolet is. In short, it’s a cloud locker system where you can keep digital copies of movies and television shows. It’s backed by a bunch of companies and yes, it’s a DRM scheme. In theory, it’s supposed to be a universal solution, but it’s not quite that easy.
So I got a lot of questions about me joining CNET and leaving TWiT. I’ll answer them here. Also, thank you to everyone for the well wishes. It’s definitely appreciated.
This post is regularly updated. Last Update: December 31st
Are you leaving TWiT and why?
Yes, I am no longer part of TWiT. I thoroughly enjoyed working at TWiT and it was a dream come true to work with such an amazing team of people. I sincerely thank everyone there for the opportunities afforded to me, their friendship, and mentorship. I wish TWiT nothing but the best and continued success.
I’m headed to CNET because I wanted to try something new. I’ve been a lifelong CNET fan and an opportunity arose that I couldn’t pass up.
What will you be doing at CNET?
I will officially be a Senior Associate Editor and I’ll edit the front page of CNET.com starting in January of 2014.
Will you be doing videos for CNET?
That’s not in the job description, but we’ve talked about it. So maybe?
Will you be doing videos anywhere else?
Yup. I plan to continue hosting HotHardware.com’s Two and a Half Geeks. I’ve also got a couple of ideas for some new shows (and I’m thinking of reviving some old shows with your help). You might see me on my own or working with those Guys From Queens (since I’m a guy from Queens as well).
Is “This Old Nerd” coming back?
I’m exploring the feasibility of that.
Do you know you sound just like Ron Richards from “All About Android?”
Yes, I do. It was a startling revelation that should have spurred an Image Comic.
When is your last day at TWiT?
My last live appearance was December 18th, 2013.
Did you get fired?
No. No one fired me. I left on my own.
Why didn’t you show up on Tom’s last TNT?
I asked to be a part of the episode, but was not allowed to appear beyond a recording.
How is Liz taking this move?
Here’s her response, “It will be sad to not work with Iyaz daily but I’m happy and proud for the opportunity he has been given with CNET.”
Will you provide us with updates?
You can ask me questions on Twitter and I’ll update this post.
