Stephen Mejias

I suppose, if he wanted to, Ariel could stop for a bit and take a look into last year, to read of how Kristina Roman saw things — from her lucky charms perspective. It wouldn't be absolutely necessary, but it might prove interesting. I, as you know, enjoy the casual look back.

As it is, Ariel, I am happy to say, has hit the ground running. It's really a huge relief and a pleasure to have him here. Today, I've offered him the wonderfully exciting task of updating our spreadsheet of manufacturers' contact information.

I'm not serious about the "wonderfully exciting" part. I imagine it's a complete drag. But, as I told Ariel, I would never ask him to do something that I wouldn't do myself. And I think updating our contact information will prove incredibly beneficial over the long run. It's going to make our jobs a whole lot easier as we move along with the Buyer's Guide.

So, if there are any manufacturers out there reading this, you can expect Ariel to be giving you a call very soon. Please be nice. If we don't get to you fast enough, please feel free to contact us. We should be sending out requests for your information sometime around the middle of next week.

"This thing is going to be yours," I told Ariel. "You'll be collecting all of the data which makes up this book. And that's awesome."

He smiled and nodded.

He's even got the audiophile pose down cold. Hand on chin, intent and concentrated gaze, listening for nuances.