Letting Go Of My Peanuts
Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at 07:31PM Friday, April 29 will be my last day at CBS Interactive and CNET.
I joined CNET in January of 2008, six months before the network was acquired by CBS. I moved from San Francisco to New York City for this position with much trepidation. I was alone and inexperienced. Little did I know that this job would afford me invaluable TV experience, as well as lead me to my precious family.
I am proud of the work I have done here and proud of the friends, colleagues, and viewers that I've met. If you are reading this blog, you are probably one of those people and I am grateful for you.
So what is next for me? I am hoping the answer is "A lot!" I have a few irons in the fire but no big announcements as of yet.
So why leave? The simple answer is that it is time. I have been hosting a daily technology news show for over 4 years, if you consider that Loaded is an extension of my previous show, Textra. I love this show but I am ready to challenge myself in new ways. Please allow me to put it allegorically.
I once read a story about how people in India used to catch monkeys. They put peanuts in a jar that was nailed to the floor. When the monkey walked by, it would reach in for the peanuts and be trapped because its hand could not come out of the jar while it was full of peanuts. The monkey did not realize that it would be free if it just let go of the peanuts.
The peanuts are a metaphor for the things in our lives that we cling to. We all hold onto things that entrap us. It could be a job that you are a little too comfortable with, a friend that drains your energy, anger, or resentment. In my case, CNET represents my peanuts and those peanuts are hard to let go of because I am comfortable here. I love it here. I am proud to be a part of this team. Nevertheless, I feel that it is time to see what else my career has to offer and I'll never do that while I cling desperately to these peanuts.
I hope you will continue to follow my career. I will keep you abreast of upcoming projects on this site and on Twitter. Meanwhile, thank you for your continued support and interest. I hope you will stick with me as I let go of my peanuts.
cbs, cbs interactive, cbs news, cnet, cnet tv, loaded, natali del conte, natali morris, peanuts, textra
Reader Comments (153)
Natali, so sad to see you go. I wish you and Clayton well in your future! Hopefully you can still call into the 404 every once in a while :)
Best of luck for the future.
You've done great work with Cnet, making tech news accessible but without ever talking down to the audience. Interesting for tech heads like me and the not so tech minded.
You've clearly got great talent and talent shouldn't be wasted... so go far with it!
Yeah right, it's all about the money. Probably the Revision3 paid more and a mother that has a child to raise couldn't refuse.
Nobody lives without having a bird in hand for more birds in the bush, risking unemployment.
Allex Radu
Natali,
Congratulations on your big decision to make another big change in your life. I, like so many others, will miss your reporting and wit that we have enjoyed over the years. I wish you the best and will hopefully be able to know where you land next so I can follow you again.
I know wherever you go or whatever you do, you will do another fantastic job and I'm looking forward to being one of your followers in your new venture.
Good luck and will miss you (hopefully we will see you reporting again very soon - you're the best),
-Tom
Congratulations Natali, just making the decision to drop the peanuts shows profound strength and courage. To leave security, uncertain of the future, shows just how happy and content you are at this very moment. I am very happy for you and look forward to see what you conquer next.
Well I will be unsubscribing from Loaded after you leave, and I will subscribe to whatever endeavor you end up doing, assuming it is something that can be subscribed to. Sorry CNET, but Mark Licea and co. doesn't work for me on Loaded.
Well this sucks! I guess there's no reason to watch Cnet now.
Natali: I enjoy your program. It's brief, informative and relevant. I'm about 3 times as old as you and I can still understand you. Your diction and delivery is much better than many who try to do the same type of reporting. Thanks for your efforts and good luck with what you choose to do.
Hey Motherboard you leaving Loaded ? :(
Best of luck for future shows, Hope to see you soon in front of camera again with same sweet smile on your cute face.
"Keep loading" :)
When I saw you deliver Loaded, I told my Roomate how much I liked you, wasn't
sure specifically what sparked my admiration but now I know after reading your last blog. Your character has strength & endurance with an adventurous spirit, that fearless spirit will always serve you & those you meet well. Forward & upward all the best. You will be missed.
I was sad to hear the news like so many before me. However, after reading your blog it does make sense. II wish you all the best in the future in your professional and personal life forward. Be safe. Be happy - always!!
Listening to The 404 reminded me of when I got married nine years ago. I had been singing with a 19 piece Big Band for 12 years. I loved it, but it was getting too comfortable. When I married, I gained a 3 yr. Old and a 6 year old in the deal. When we looked at my upcoming schedule, we saw me gone every weekend night for the next several months. I retired from it. I miss it a lot, but now, two more babies later, I couldn't imagine missing the time with my family. I know that I will sing again someday and you,too, will obviously find that new direction for you. Maybe it is in helping other women to find their direction through MommyBeta and other endeavors? My wife's goal is to help other artists get noticed (www.artevaggio.com) and help families on budgets (www.samscouponbase.com). I am proud of her and I am happy to have placed my singing behind to support her in her goals. Best of luck to you, Clayton, and Mo.
Wow. I just found out that you were leaving. I like all of Cnet shows and reporters but the two people I most like to watch was you and Tom. I now follow him at his new job at Twit and I hope to follow you in what ever you do. (Could it be Twit too?) This kind of feels like when your big brother and sister move out of moms house and you are left behind. Life goes on and I wish and your family nothing but the best :-)
Good Luck Natali
Would love to see you back on Red Eye and you would be perfect at Fox News.
They have a penchant for beautiful, intelligent women, you would be great in any position there.
P.S.
Don't listen to all the haters who hope you go to work for TWIT, You are not low rent.
Leo has no use for free thinking people, look how he banished your friend Cali when he thought she had wandered from his thought cottage. Go Big you earned it!
Natali,
Nothing like not having a "next step" plan to ensure new adventures! I know you'll land on your feet, and wherever that is, they will be lucky to have you. I hope you continue to make appearances on The 404, "the boys" need the occasional hit to their reset buttons.
Doug
ClaytonMorris So proud of you! I am excited to see what you have in your future and wish you the best of luck, hopefully we won't miss seeing, hearing, or reading you for very long! I also want to thank you for sharing the allegory, it has struck a chord in me, to examine my own peanuts, and may help me make some tough decisions to push for a better future! Thank you again for all you do and all you share!
www.ibmt40laptop.com
Excellent announcement post - clarity, spunk, and a smile are good trademarks! Thanks for years of fun technology posts and video. All the best!
Hi Natali,
I enjoyed reading your article. I'm always pleasantly surprised when I see someone write about a topic I have written about as well. Mine was called "Let Go of the Rice" (not peanuts) and it was set in China (not India) - regardless, it's the same, beautiful story which illustrated such a wonderful lesson for us.
My entire website is dedicated to Letting Go, and for that reason, I found your article speak directly to me. Thank you.
For a link directly to that specific article, here is it: http://trustlifetoday.com/?p=264
Thank you and best of luck to you.
~Leslie
Great metaphor. Good luck with everything.
Wow :< I was catching up with technology by playing all the loaded ep, and was a sad day when I got to the March 31st one :< sad to see you let your peanuts go (and I lol at somebody saying peanuts referring to ur pay lol.. which I know you didn't mean that)
But I hope you find better goodies, somehow providing us with our tech news :O
Good luck with ur future Natali =)
Best of luck with your career. I hope you'll do your own show on the net.
You're right my love, the first Batman is the best one. The one with catwoman and the penguin sucks major butt. Jeff Bakalar doesn't know what he's talking about!
Sorry to hear you are leaving Loaded.
Good luck in your new endeavours.
I will be sad to see you leave. I've enjoyed Loaded and your previous podcast. My sensory system will go into shock without my regular doses of Natalie on technology! Please return to something soon and let us know here and via Twitter where we can find you!
I sure will when I know! Thank you again to everyone for these encouraging words!