Writing Out Loud

Good morning, _____.
Thank you so much for following the show blog. My goodness, these shows are such great work. Writing, in general, you know, is a kind of solitary activity. I think that's partly why I've been drawn to it; I'm a kind of solitary guy. But this team-effort show-blogging stuff is not solitary at all. The entire process runs opposite to what I normally think of writing and to how I approach writing. By the end — actually, almost right from the start — I am feeling completely drained.

These shows leave me feeling a bit behind — more behind than usual, that is — and wishing I had more to offer. For instance, I wish I could have contributed more to the blog. I remind myself, though, that these shows are not all about writing; they're also about meeting with industry people and showing the industry that Stereophile cares.

The coolest thing I saw at the show actually took place on the first day. JA and I were handing out our Product of the Year awards, when this dude walks in with a bunch of cables. He was pretty loony. But John took him absolutely seriously, showing great respect and sincere interest for what he had to offer. I don't think the guy — Larry Forbes, was his name — even had a suite at the show; I think he just got in as an industry affiliate, and tried to show his cable design to anyone he could. Which is awesome, when you think about it. In any case, right in the middle of presenting our yearly awards, JA stopped to take his name and his photo and posted his info on the blog, right alongside everyone else. How cool is that?

Anyway, I'm just kind of writing out loud now. Still processing everything.

Thanks for the great photos. I realize that your photos are similar to your writing in that they really convey the wonder you hold for the subject. You show the beauty of these things.

We don't get back into the office until tomorrow; we're off today in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr., but I'll pass these on to E then. While we were in Vegas, the office moved from the 9th to the 6th floor, so there's sure to be some confusion and delays on things, in general, but we'll try to be as speedy as possible with all communication.

I'll let you know our new phone numbers once I have them, too. Alrighty. Thanks again, and have a wonderful day.
Stephen

X