Me, the BlackBerry Tablet, and the CBC

Most days, I'm an unassuming husband, dad and data geek, commuting by bike to my office across town. It's a pretty cool existence, and for most folks, it would normally be enough.

But "enough" isn't always enough for me. Sometimes, I get calls or e-mails from producers, editors and reporters in faraway places. And suddenly my unassuming existence becomes a little less unassuming for a bit.

I had one of those moments on Tuesday evening. A reporter for the Wall Street Journal - Stewart Weinberg, who I've spoken to often in recent months - had published a piece on Research In Motion's plans for future BlackBerry devices and, most notably, a tablet-like machine to counter Apple's iPad. The CBC, Canada's public broadcaster, wanted to know if I wanted to chat about it on TV.

Before long, I was cruising through my neighborhood, on the way to the studio on the local university campus. I carried my bike into the studio, stashed it in a darkened corner just out of sight of the camera, changed into my presentable-television clothes, and sat down in the chair.

I spoke with Dianne Buckner and Kevin O'Leary, and the interview aired on The Lang & O'Leary Exchange. If you'd like to see it, click here for the June 15th show, then slide forward to about the 47-minute mark.

When I was done, I got back on the bike and cruised back to the house - and back to my normally unassuming suburban life. Some days, I really do have to pinch myself.