A Year with the Steer

Today, January 4th, marks my one year anniversary -- my MTVersary, if you will -- over at The Job. Hard to believe I've been here a whole year. I still feel at times like Johnny NewGuy and I learn something new about the place every day (often in alarming ways). It's a lot more of a faster-paced gig that my situation at TIME ever was. Hard to believe it's been a whole year since I left there (and I gather I got out when the getting was good). The one bit of advice I've been continually given -- often unsolicitedly so -- has been to "make it mine" and/or "own it." In the 365 days since I first sat down at the managing editor's desk, I have more say, more responsibility, more creative input and more at stake than I ever did at my beloved TIME Newsdesk. At times, my efforts to "make it mine" and "own it" feel akin to trying to break the will of a bucking, enraged steer, and there ain't a rodeo clown in sight. But at the same time, I often have to stop and realize how damn lucky I am and how much fun I'm actually having. To beat this analogy into the ground, I'm sure the coming year will find this furious bull getting a second wind and trying harder to knock me off his back and gorge me with his horns. But I will  break him. I will make it mine. And I fully intend to the enjoy the ride while I'm doing it.