Do you guys remember a little commenter named “Phoenix?” That was me. Way back when Lifehacker was new, I, like you, sat at a job I disliked, reading about how I could make my life better. Then I was lucky to be given the opportunity to make your lives better. I hope I have. And now it’s time to move on.
Back in 2005, when Lifehacker launched (Happy Birthday!), I was right there in the comments, talking about how thrilled I was to have a site talking about tech and life in a way that was upbeat, positive, and genuinely focused on helping us all be better humans. Gina Trapani was at the helm in those days, and while the comments of that first post are lost to the mists times pre-Kinja, pre-Great Hack, pre-every-redesign-meant-doom, you can probably go back and find my name all over the comments to those old posts.
Then Adam Pash gave me the opportunity to be a part of it all. He was at the helm at that point, and I nagged him and nagged him, applying every time an opening popped up on the site, hoping to be a part of what I thought—and still think—is the best site on the web, and write for the best community that I tell everyone they absolutely should be reading the comments of. He eventually relented, and let me join the team.
From my first weekend, I penned Hive Fives, reluctantly putting it to bed when it got old, but launching the Sunday Showdown to replace it, which I hope you love! I dove into internet security and privacy. I taught you how to encrypt your email (more important now than ever!) I talked health and science, writing our guidelines for reporting on science and medicine, and well, waking up every day thinking how I can help someone today. I tackled every productivity method I could stand to try, and remixed them to make my own. I tried to beat back the snark of the web to be positive and helpful—the way Lifehacker has always been.
When Adam moved on, then came back, then moved on again, I saw him off both times—once as a writer he helped out of a project management gig when all I wanted to do was write, and then as the guy in charge of the site I kept asking him for advice on how to run.
When he moved on and Whitson Gordon took the helm, I worked next to him too, serving as his deputy, helping launch Skillet and Vitals and Two Cents, trying to keep our PC build guides updated, introducing you all to sous vide cooking, launching Lifehacker U so we could all have a great education at our fingertips, talking about hacks you shouldn’t tell your mom about, telling you why you should always keep your company at arm’s length, and in general keeping things afloat. I even rooted a Nook that I still use as a tablet. I’ve done more How I Work columns than I can count. Oh, I also tried to peel apples with a power drill. That was fun. When Whitson left for How-To Geek, I waved goodbye but missed him every day.
I was here when it all started, and maybe that’s why it’s time for me to move on. Almost a year ago exactly I became Lifehacker’s Editor-in-Chief, and it’s ironically fitting that today I’m telling you guys that I’m leaving.
Lifehacker has never been in a better place though. The crew at Lifehacker is smart and talented, funny and fun to work with, eager to help, hack lives, and kick ass. They’re the best writers on the internet, and the best people I’ve ever had the privilege of working with. I want to thank Adam Pash for giving me the chance to do this in the first place, Whitson Gordon for trusting me to be his right hand, taking me with him to Budapest, and then trusting me to take over when he left. I also want to thank John Cook, our former Executive Editor, and Lacey Donohue, our former Deputy Executive Editor, for giving me time in the big chair. It was comfortable. Shout to our awesome crew in tech, working behind the scenes to keep Kinja running, and our sister sites across the GMG network and their long-time EICs for keeping the faith and teaching me a lot. Now that things have settled and Lifehacker is in new arms, let’s see what else it can do.
Speaking of the big chair, right now it’ll remain empty until Gizmodo Media announces my replacement—along with the smaller chair next to it. I’m sure they’ll both be filled soon with people who can bring a fresh new vibe and energy, do right by the team here, and more importantly by you guys—the readers and commenters I’ve known since I was among you, and now have the privilege to return to.
As for me? I’m not sure what’s next. It’s been a wonderful six years, and you’ll see me around for a bit longer. I’ll even pop in the comments from time to time. Besides, I didn’t choose the layf haks, the layf haks chose me. The beauty of having been here for so long is that I have the freedom now to sit back and think about what’s next, then, hopefully, continue making the world a better place, little by little. It’s all I ever want to do.
Well, that and play video games and watch anime. You wanna do that too? Hit me up on Twitter, we’ll talk and trade Steam and Battle.net handles.
This is phoenix. I’m heading out. Be good to each other. We’re all we’ve got.
