EDITORS

Elana Schachter
Sophie Kohn
Tiffany Quan
Robyn Shanks

DESIGNERS

Paul Crimi
Peter Joseph

Deepika Malik

Answer Man , Writer
answerman@rogers.com

The Answer Man has been answering nagging questions for Rogers subscribers (and others) since 2002. Strangely enough, the lion's share of his columns have been written in cafes in Vietnam. No question is too stupid or too small, but he sure wouldn't mind if it was about baseball.

Favourite word:
Donkey

Say you were a Hollywood celebrity. What scandal would you most likely end up famous for?
In my dreams: "Michael Douglas' wife leaves him for a younger man." More likely: "Dazed, disheveled Answer Man found eating out of Taco Bell dumpster."

Biggest pet peeve?
People who very confidently assert something that is demonstrably untrue. And telemarketers.

Flannery Dean , TV Writer
flanns@mac.com

You can have a cameo on any TV show you want! What do you choose?
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! or Deadliest Catch.

Favourite word?
Funion

Website you visit every day?
The Daily Mail website because no one trash talks like the English.

Mel Dark , TV Writer
mel@meldark.com

In 2004, Mel Dark left the offices of Britain’s acclaimed music magazines, Q and Mojo for a life of extreme temperature in Toronto. On arrival, she was lured into the world of high fashion, joining FASHION Magazine as a marketing brain/copywriter. Her overactive imagination and love of words has allowed her to craft concepts for many of the world’s leading brands such as Nike, BMW and CoverGirl. She currently freelances as a writer and returns to London biannually to shop.

You can have a cameo on any TV show you want! What do you choose?
The Office

Say you were a Hollywood celebrity. What scandal would you most likely end up famous for?
Lip-synching through the high notes.

There's a spotlight on you. What hidden talent are you going to perform for us?
Hiphop karaoke

Mike Lush , Senior Tech Mates Writer
mike.lush@rci.rogers.com

Mike is a geek and proud of it. With a curious nature, technical ability, skeptical attitude (not cynical - there's a difference) and a long history of working with computers, Mike takes pleasure in problem solving. Mike is a Senior Technical Writers for Rogers Communications but also spent several years on the Hi-Speed Internet technical support desk.

What does the last text message you sent say?
To my wife: "I hope you had enough gas to get to work this morning."

There's a spotlight on you. What hidden talent are you going to perform for us?
I'm really good with movie trivia. Name any two actors and I'll tell you what movie they were in together, the date of the movie, etc.

Favourite word:
Meh

Nicola Hanson , Tech Mates Writer
nicola.hanson@rci.rogers.com

Nicola Hanson loves a good story, in movies, TV shows, books or wherever she can get them. She also loves to solve puzzles. That’s where Tech Mates comes in. The story is solving some of the mysteries around the ghost in the machine and it’s as much fun saying supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Mark Merrell , Tech Mates Writer
mark.merrell@rci.rogers.com

Hi! My name is Mark and I am a technical writer for Rogers. I have been writing for about 7 years now and would like to branch into creative writing as well. Currently I am looking to buy my first house. Anybody out there selling …cheap?

You can have a cameo on any TV show you want! What do you choose?
Dexter as a murder victim or Doctor Who. I can't decide.

Favourite word?
Consistency!

There's a spotlight on you. What hidden talent are you going to perform for us?
A little bit of stand-up and vaudeville.

Andrew Steer , Tech Mates Writer
andrew.steer@rci.rogers.com

You can have a cameo on any TV show you want! What do you choose?
Definitely Mad Men - A simpler time when Men could drink and take naps in their offices!

Favourite word?
Sacrilicious

Quick! There's a spotlight on you. What hidden talent are you going to perform for us?
Playing rock-paper-scissors against myself and consistently losing.

Jason Andriulaitis , Tech Mates Writer
jason.andriulaitis@rci.rogers.com

Jason is a writer and designer working for Rogers and is married with a four year-old son. He spends most of his free time with family, but also manages to squeeze in designing, writing, gaming, and performing onstage with his retro dance band. He's 42, which makes him the answer to life, the universe, and everything.

You can have a cameo on any TV show you want! What do you choose?
South Park

Biggest pet peeve?
Clueless drivers who seemingly don't realize the road has other cars on it.

Admit it: what's the last movie that made you cry?
Iron Man. That suit is beautiful.

Jerry Langton , Tech Mates Writer
jerry5010@rogers.com

Jerry Langton is a best-selling author and self-confessed geek who can be coaxed into just about anything for a chance at something with a QWERTY keyboard and wifi. His abysmal attention span allows him to think in convenient 250 to 500 word chunks. He hopes one day to be smarter than his phone.

Biggest pet peeve?
Pets who lie

Say you were a Hollywood celebrity. What scandal would you most likely end up famous for?
Texting at a close personal friend’s funeral

Quick! There's a spotlight on you. What hidden talent are you going to perform for us?
Ability to tell when pets are lying.

Sheryl Steinberg , Tech Mates Writer
sheryl@sherylsteinberg.com

Sheryl Steinberg is the author of Opportunity Rings (Key Porter Books), the comedic novel about sex, singlehood and smartphones (think Sex and the City meets Bill Gates). A lifestyle writer who specializes in tech and design, Sheryl also contributes to The Globe and Mail, Style at Home, Canadian House & Home and Microsoft Home Magazine.

What does the last text message you sent say?
Where are you?

Favourite word?
That's like asking a parent who's their favourite child! I love them all!

You can have a cameo on any TV show you want! What do you choose?
Entourage in an Ari Gold scene! Also, Mad Men, especially if I got to keep the dress. I love vintage clothing!

The Gossipy Gal Pal , Daily Dish Writer
thegossipygalpal@rogers.com

The Gossipy Gal Pal is a Toronto writer who recently became the founding member of a local Gwyneths Anonymous chapter, a support group for gossip lovers suffering from a crippling, debilitating and way beyond reasonable obsession with H.R.H. Princess Paltrow.

Say you were a Hollywood celebrity. What scandal would you most likely end up famous for?
Exposed muffin top.

Biggest pet peeve?
People who brag about not owning a TV. Get over yourself!

You can have a cameo on any TV show you want! What do you choose?
Gossip Girl, for the wardrobe (And the chance to make out with Chuck Bass).

Elana Schachter , Editor/Writer

Former Montrealer, party girl and music industry geek, Elana is now a hard-working mom of 1.5 kids. She spends her days managing the Rogers Spotlight site and her nights reading the same books again and again to her two-year-old daughter.

You can have a cameo on any TV show you want! What do you choose?
Buffy, Gossip Girl or ANTM as a guest judge(!)

There's a spotlight on you. What hidden talent are you going to perform for us?
It's so lame in this word processing-rich world, but I am a dynamo when it comes to spelling.

Biggest pet peeve?
Cyclists with ipods and no helmets

Sophie Kohn , Editor/The Reusable Shopping Bag Princess
sophie.kohn@rci.rogers.com

If, for some reason, Tina Fey, Beaker from The Muppets, David Suzuki, and Catwoman got together and had a communal lovechild, three odd decades later (and I mean REALLY odd), that child might behave a little something like Sophie Kohn.

You can have a cameo on any TV show you want! What do you choose?
Saturday Night Live

Website you visit every day?
The Onion and Awkward Family Photos

Biggest pet peeve?
The insanely complex and unintuitive way maps are folded, and how I continually find myself on the verge of tears trying to fold them back into their ridiculous original positions.

Tiffany Quan , Editor/Writer

Tiffany's a west coast Vancouver gal at heart. Transplanted to the BIG CITY through the lure of bright lights, (better shopping) and her aspiring journalism pursuits, she's now made Toronto her home. Beyond working in online media, her wildest dream (this could involve whipped cream) would be to marry her two loves - food and writing - and pen copy for menus all day.

Quick! There's a spotlight on you. What hidden talent are you going to perform for us?
In a past life, I was a little Chopin.

Website you visit every day?
I check The Weather Network 3 - 5 times a day - I'm obsessed.

What's one thing you can't live without?
It's two - doughy carbs and sushi

Robyn Shanks , Editorial assistant robyn.shanks@rci.rogers.com

Born and raised in the 'burbs of Ontario, Robyn is a journalism grad with a love of magazines, blogs and gossip sites (don't judge). An avid traveler and entertainment junkie, she regularly writes our Fierce or Faux Pas Column.

Favourite word: Fugly

What does the last text message you sent say? "How come when you think it's gonna be an easy day it never is?"

Biggest pet peeve? The list is pretty long. Slow walkers, skirts and running shoes with tennis socks.

Paul Crimi , Designer

Favourite colour?
Green would be my answer - I suppose.

Quick! There's a spotlight on you. What hidden talent are you going to perform for us?
Keeping a solid backbeat while you dance to the music.

What’s one thing you can’t live without?
My iPhone - duh.

Peter Joseph , Designer

You can have a cameo on any TV show you want! What do you choose?
Battlestar Galactica as a cylon spy

Say you were a Hollywood celebrity. What scandal would you most likely end up famous for?
My secret stash of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups...like a lot...not just some...like...thousands

There's a spotlight on you. What hidden talent are you going to perform for us?
Amazingly accurate air guitar ability

Deepika Malik , Designer

Favourite word?
Circumspect

Quick! There's a spotlight on you. What hidden talent are you going to perform for us?
I can daisy chain cherry stems. Yes, with my mouth!

Congrats! You've just got your own reality show. What's it called?
Domestic Kingdom? Like Animal Kingdom, but a lot more boring.