A WHOLE NEW WORLD, OR THE BIGGEST MISTAKE OF MY LIFE? YES!

The Washington Canard has been on the quiet side these past couple weeks, as it's been a busy fortnight for yours truly. And as some of you already know, busy not just because of the usual daily grind, but because I put in my two weeks' notice on March 10. That's right — I'm finally leaving the Hotline.

Leaving the Blogometer, leaving the Watergate, and leaving behind the 5AM commute. Within one week of this post, I'll be starting a new job in a new city. Yes, that other city is one Metro stop across the river from my soon-to-be-old-job — but hey, I've always wanted to say that.

Here's what ran in the "People" section of today's Hotline:

After three years and change, Hotline senior writer/Blogometer compiler/obscure reference generator William Beutler will depart the company that gave him his first job in Washington, and will in fact leave the journalistic monastery altogether. On 3/29 he starts at New Media Strategies, an Arlington-based PR firm specializing in online brand promotion and brand protection. Chances are he will continue to read six hours worth of blogs per day. "Although we've come to the end of the road, still I can't let you go. It's unnatural, you belong to me, I belong to you," said Beutler, presumably of the Hotline, "Come to the end of the road... Still I can't let you go."

A University of Oregon graduate and staunch Ducks fan, he continues to represent the West side from his Columbia Heights apartment. Beutler leaves behind a stack of newspapers from the 2003 California recall, notes toward a unified theory on the proper italicization of newspaper titles, an unopened box of binder clips, and the hope for a better tomorrow.

Special thanks to Echopraxia, who helped me get this notification into shape, over Google Talk from the Antipodes, early this morning East coast time.

Anyway, all this means things are likely to remain slow around here for a little while, as I'll likely be more than occupied by the new gig. Eventually I'll be moving this blog to its own domain, as I've said before, although how soon depends on a handful of factors, none of which I'm prepared to discuss here (but in earlier posts, yes).

One is the impending launch of my next blog-related project, a logical extension of the Blogometer and one that's been in the planning and research stages nearly six months now. And if you're in the know, shhh. I'll certainly be back in a week or so with an announcement about that.

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posted by WWB at 2:41 PM |