covering the WCI, or Why Contests Irritate (Me)

Last week I got roped into doing a contest wrap-up for ESPN Snowboarding. Since this was more a favor for an old friend than a dream assignment, I carefully laid out my stipulations in advance: I would do this only if I didn't have to produce any "real" contest coverage (i.e., lame-ass Maddenesque play-by-plays), that what I did turn in could be heavy on the bitter, that the $10 cover for the after-party shenanigans be reimbursable, and that said friend/editor not forget this agreement come Monday morning.

not-so-hotmail

It's so depressing.

"That's right!" beamed the Windows Live Team via e-mail this morning. "It's been roughly a decade since you registered your Hotmail® account, and we just want to say thank you."

It's not that I'm ashamed to have stuck with my Hotmail account for 10 progressively shittier years, but that I have been "with" Hotmail approximately 10 times longer than I was "with" most of my ex-boyfriends.

Then again, Microsoft did send me an anniversary card, which is more than I can say for 97% of my former suitors. Bastards.