I thought it was high time for an update on the first two weeks of my contract. As I alluded to previously, the project I’m working on right now involves the design of a new phone. It’s a complex system with many components, and is rather hush-hush at the moment so I can’t really elaborate on it. Thus far, much of the system behaviour has been decided upon verbally, which is where I come in. Through interviews with the project manager and the software engineers, and by gleaning information from what is known as a state table (a map of the information architecture), I’ve been putting together engineering specifications for a product that does not exist yet.

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I’ve just signed a 6-month contract with Vtech to work as a technical writer in their engineering department! As you probably know, Vtech primarily designs and manufactures cordless phones as well as other wireless devices.

The company usually outsources their documentation to the States. Presently, however, they’re developing a completely new product line (sorry, I can’t say what it is) and need a writer in-house. This is a new position, so the challenge for me will be in ensuring that I get the information I need from the engineers without taking too much time away from their primary tasks. There are other challenges which I won’t get into, suffice to say I’ll be involved in some hardcore digital asset management and interface design…

If the position works out, I could get a permanent position down the road. Anyway, It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for, so I’m excited to start next week!

The auto industry may have killed the electric car a few years ago, but it’s back - and dude, this is one sweet ride. Yes, going green has never been so self-indulgent…or pricey for that matter. The Tesla Roadster is a 100% electric and is available in the US and Europe, but you have to reserve it. All 2008 models are sold and in production, but you can snag a 2009 model for a mere $109,000. This is no entry level vehicle, but nice to see electric is bringing sexy back.

Is it worth switching carriers for? It certainly is tempting. Sweet 3G, the 2.0 software update and a price tag of (only) $199 on a three-year contract. Both Fido and Rogers will be launching the device on July 11 - but I happen to be with Telus. If I had a lame plan I’d drop Telus in a nanosecond. The problem is, I’m getting a pretty good deal right now - a carry-over from the time when you got unlimited evenings and weekends by default.

I could always shell out an extra hundred for the iPod touch. Not that I even like Apple that much. No really, I don’t. All flash and no substance. Seriously. Sleek and sexy - who needs it. Not me.    

I’ve just finished reading Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, a wonderfully humourous book full of advice on how to write and how to overcome those challenges all writers face. Here’s an excerpt I particularly like:

“But how?” my students ask. “How do you actually do it?”

You sit down, I say. You try to sit down at approximately the same time every day. This is how you train your unconscious to kick in for you creatively. So you sit down at, say, nine every morning, or ten every night. You put a piece of paper in the typewriter, or you turn on your computer and bring up the right file, and then you stare at it for an hour or so. You begin rocking, just a little at first, and then like a huge autistic child. You look at the ceiling, and over at the clock, yawn, and stare at the paper again.

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