It's time to walk the talk to stay relevant

Early last week, I was reporting from the Three Gorges Dam, a key component of China's flood control strategy 1,300 kilometers from Beijing, with feelings of excitement and nervousness.

I carried a new reporter's notebook and a pen that I'd collected from the newsroom assistant. I'd also learned to use my cellphone as a tape recorder. But I was no rookie reporter. I had dozens of tough questions to grill the dam operators.

I was also eager to prove that I could walk the talk after being away from the field for so long.