Ed himself is more interesting.
I work predominantly on Macs because of the Spotlight functionality.
I need a quick way to find things.
I am not organized enough to have a beautifully-structured system of folders.
Even if its on my phone.
These are little seconds off of my day that make me less anxious.
This means that the iPad Air 2 has changed a lot of how I work.
I can flip it out at any time and actually get through a lot of emails at once.
Software wise, heres what I use:
Google Everything:EZPR is all Google all the time.
You aint good with Gmail?
Get out of my face.
Google Docs, Google Drive, whatever man.
Its all there in one place and its good.
It also connects toSkitch, so when I take screenshots theyre run into the cloud immediately.
Slack: My entire team sits inSlackall day long.
I also usedmIRCfor a lot of my childhood (Im really cool) and thus its quite natural.
Furthermore several clients have Slacks that I plug into.
And I can see that I sent it quicker than if I emailed.
Thank you, Freshbooks.
Dropbox:Its Dropbox.
Youve got your dang files sitting wherever you put them.
It syncs between machines.
I set my Office Suite and browsers on every computer to save to it.
The result is that I dont lose much if anything.
Adium:Itsthe best chat appout there if you have multiple accounts.
Yes, I still use AIM.
Wanna talk to me on AIM?
Theres like three of us left.
I dont have any fancy shmancy way to read the news.
I really pick it up via Twitter and the newspaper (and their websites) and just… read.
I do readTechmemeif I feel super behind on everything.
Whats your workspace setup like?
I have two distinct workspaces.
One is in my house in San Francisco, one is in my office in Oakland.
It stops being home.
Thus I made a structured effort to make a division between work and home.
You have to feel comfortable, energetic and inspired if you possible can be.
I use a trackpad, as Im very, very into my gestures and swiping (i.e.
And its a good reminder that Im a huge nerd and proud of it.
I have seen Guardians of the Galaxy 13 times.
The office is in a former laundry facility and its very, very strange.
A giant brick box.
A lot of my work involves hanging out with reporters and getting to know them.
Most PR offices are about as dull as it gets.
If people want to drink there, its usually the worst possible assortment of alcohol ever.
If people want to hang out there, its austere and dreary and feels like, well, work.
The result is that my Oakland office is split into separate sections.
It seems egregious (it is) but its also a way to calculate and cage my distractions.
Its like a little valve.
And its great to dedicate an entire screen to talking to my workmates.
Also, if a friends in town, reporter or not, the couch is awesome.
I also have two giant orbs: the nightman and the dayman that sit on the conference table.
Ive held dinner parties in the sense that I cooked everyone steaks and we chatted shit about nothing.
The goal is relaxation and work if you really have to.
Nor do I expect anyone who has drunk my beers or whiskeys or Manhattans to owe me anything.
Its just a case of saying hey, look at me.
Maybe answer that there email.
Whats your best time-saving shortcut or life hack?
The ultimate lifehack is knowing your weaknesses and embracing them.
Im good at working with the media and talking to them in a way they dont hate.
Whats your favorite to-do list manager?
That being said, if I have to do things, Ill usually iMessage Royal.
Hes become a good friend and also understands how to prioritize things for me.
If I find myself falling behind, I also useDue.
This will usually get me annoyed enough to actually do it.
This is for things Im putting off and for things I hate.
Besides your phone and computer, what gadget cant you live without and why?
This shaves time and frustration off of my life.
Now, most people dont see ironing as a huge issue.
Or they use one of those laundry services that does pressing.
Those are pretty expensive ($2-6 a shirt) versus the Swash.
What everyday thing are you better at than everyone else?
Even if they said theyll do it then dont.
Because in the end thats a work situation.
It doesnt make them a bad friend or a bad person.
What do you listen to while you work?
Im a hugeQueens of the Stone Agefan, so this makes up a great deal of my musical day.
That being said Ive been on a kick ofSoundgardenrecently, along with oldSystem of a Down.
Strangely, Ive foundRam Jams Black Bettyto be good productivity music.
If Im having a particularly successful day Ill put on Queens of the Stone AgesSmooth Sailing.
If Im relaxing into the end of the day,Foghats Slow Ride.
This is not related to the content of said song.
What are you currently reading?
Its a great comic, well-written, comedic and enjoyable.
Im also re-reading a book about lying by former CIA lie-detectors calledSpy The Lie.
Its excellent, brutal and fun.
Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert?
I may seem like an extrovert to most people, but I am an introvert.
There are many times I want to be left alone and relax on my own.
Even though Im in a job where I have to apparently be social and stuff.
As a result I rarely go to networking events.
I can deal with public speaking (Ijust did a panelwith 50 people watching anddidnt die!).
But I do enjoy my solitude or small groups.
How do you recharge?
I play video games.
I spend time with my friends.
I exercise a little.
One of the big things I try and do is break my instinct to get negative and over-serious.
Even if its sort of work related, its still a way to just let out some thoughts.
A dumb joke here, a thought about a product there, it helps clean my brain.
I also have a wonderful little corgi called Bertie.
Hes about 25lbs and can jump.
I put him in doggie daycare during the day because otherwise hed be sad because Id be working.
Ive made a lot of effort to surround myself with friends who arent in tech.
Also, cooking really relaxes me.
Whats your sleep routine like?
I like to wake up at 8:30am and go to bed at 12am.
This generally works out.
I dont sleep enough because Im bad at sending myself to bed.
What thoughts keep you up at night?
Last night the thought I got woken up with was goddamn it, is that the raccoons again?
as they were attacking my trash.
What do you do differently from peers in your field?
If Im working on something based on a book or a comic, I read them in their entirety.
It takes a lot of effort to do.
Its simple: You work in games?
Play a lot of games.
You work in tech?
Use all the apps and read about the apps.
Learn about the big players.
I genuinely care about the people Im pitching and doing a good job.
I care more about the results than I do about looking good or feeling good about myself.
I care a little too much about it, thus when I lose a client I feel all emotional.
calling people up on the phone when they really dont want to be [called]).
I am proud of who I am, even if it is a big, anxious doofus.
I dont mind making the occasional enemy, and I love making a good friend.
Fill in the blank: Id love to see _________ answer these same questions.
I also nominatePhil Broughtonwho works as a Health Physicist (nuclear safety stuff).
Whats the best advice youve ever received?
My dad made me promise on the first day of my job to never, ever lie.
That may not count as advice per se but it was the greatest thing to be held to.
Is there anything else youd like to add that might be interesting to readers or fans?
I think that anyone in PR can take everything a lot less seriously.
This doesnt mean theyre negative peoplein fact its quite the opposite.
When things suck, theres no shame in going to someone you respect and asking for advice.
Weakness, ironically, can be strength.
Relying on people who can compliment my style has made me much, much better at what I do.
Oh, and Ill mentor anyone.
Have someone you want to see featured, or questions you think we should ask?
