Hi Geekzone, I'm Troy: Longtime watcher and admirer, second-time poster.

I've been at Telecom since the end of June, settling into my new job as a communications manager (specifically the one responsible for social media) after six years at APN where I was most recently social media editor for the NZ Herald, and games editor for TimeOut/nzherald.co.nz.

Some of the things I got up to when I wasn't teaching reporters the difference between an @-mention and a hashtag included:

 

• Covering the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes in social media, using Tumblr and Twitter mainly to spotlight immediate and ongoing issues.
• Live blogging the 2011 Rugby World Cup from the stands and press boxes
• Using Twitter, Instagram, and ScribbleLive to document locals' stories after a tornado ripped through Hobsonville late last year
• Not sleeping very much in London while covering the 2012 Olympics using various SM platforms and a daily Herald column
• Four visits to the US to cover E3 in 2012 and 2013, as well as the 2012 Xbox spring showcase and the global unveiling of the Xbox One in May

I also had the unenviable task of calling Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi's office in mid-2010 to get his view of the All Whites' draw with Italy at the Fifa World Cup. I speak not a word of Italian, so I used Babelfish on the fly and while I did okay, I don't recommend doing it if you can avoid it.

When I'm not putting long hours into getting used to my new life at Telecom (I'm told it's easiest to blame Pete Lambrechtsen for anything and everything that may go wrong, but what he had to do with the empty water tank on the coffee machine this morning, I have no idea) I mostly hang out with my wife and our dogs.

Here's a cheat sheet of quick trivia.

 

• Like Shockwave, I enjoy cold logic and arm-mounted weaponry. However Starscream remains my favourite Decepticon.
• I believe the correct answer to "crunchy or smooth?" in relation to peanut butter is: Whipped. Seriously, try it.
• Fear Factory have been doing the same thing since 1995 but I'll still buy their records quicker than a mosquito can sneeze.
• Current games: Halo 4, GTA V, FF VII, and Settlers of Catan on the tabletop. Damn you, robber. Damn you good.
• I have a habit of Frankensteining existing words into new ones. Most of the time it comes to nothing, but one morning while sick I tweeted about "Marmageddon" and next thing you know it's all over the place. Next time I do that, I'm sticking a tip jar out.
• I used to be a professional wrestler, among other things, but in order to keep my elderly future self from being too annoyed at my bullheaded current self I quit before the injuries mounted up.

Away from here, you can find me here and here mostly. It's good to be here. :)