Life Doesn't Always Turn Out the Way You Planned

<---Is one of my all time favorite movies. It also has one of my favorite and most true-to-life sayings: "Life doesn't always turn out the way you planned."

Since I started at my current job as Senior Editor for an online lifestyle magazine for teens, I thought "hey, this ain't a bad gig." And it wasn't. I got to attend New York AND L.A. Fashion Week, I have interviewed some big names in music and got to write for a living. A few months in, I started feeling stuck. The ambition in me couldn't handle knowing that I couldn't move up, and the ADD in me couldn't handle sitting in one spot all day. In a short span of time I began looking for other opportunities, and came across some interviews fairly quickly to my surprise. Even received a job offer, but eventually declined because of two reasons: 1. cold feet and 2. it just didn't feel right.

I accepted a counter offer and still wasn't sure about staying, but I vowed to myself to stick it out a year and then start looking. Lo and behold, a few weeks later I get an email from my bestest friend about a job opportunity right up my allie (hehe). I applied, interviewed and got it.

I always have believed that everything happens for a reason, and I definitely believe that my days here at the mag are done. And I am excited for what my newest venture will bring me. It will be an odd adjustment period but I'm really looking forward to it.

Sex in the Newsroom, Part DUEX

I understand all the articles in women’s magazines about relationships at work not working well, but if you work all the time, when and where else are you going to meet someone worth meeting?

Is it more or less awkward to hook up with someone at work if you’re an intern? Look at it this way, you’re only going to be there for a set amount of time (unless you get offered a job, but for the sake of this post we’re ignoring that option).

I’ve always said that I thought I’d do well with someone who was in my field of work, or at least an artist of some sort. I love technical thinking guys as friends, but in a whole, I think I need an outside the box thinker like myself and engineers and lawyers usually don’t have a reputation for being right-brained if you know what I mean.

This article from askmen.com (a personal favorite) is a run down of dos and don't, pros and cons - the usual, but it has a men's point of view on all things co-worker.

Here are some of my pros and cons.

+/- you have to see that person every day. This goes in both columns.

- if you break up, they're still going to be there reminding you that they're still alive and well.

- as an intern, you might spark some jealousy with higher ups

+ someone to go to lunch with

+ let's be real here, everyone loves secret sex

At the beginning, it's all little knowing smiles and office intrigue. I am not looking forward to the potential nastiness that can come with an inter office break up. But I guess that's a perk of only being an intern - if you're not hired, you have a limited shelf life. Plus, it's kinda fun to keep the office gossip on her toes.

Beauty Addicts?

Beauty products rarely used to cross my mind.  It wouldn't even land on a top 50 important-items-in-my-life list.  But now that I have a beauty internship, seeing products come in and out, I'd like to share some of my good-deal discoveries.  (Dior lipgloss is fantastic, but not always practical.)

Beauty Products You Never Knew You Needed:

1.  Sunscreen.  Sunscreen. Sunscreen.  Nothing is stressed more in my department.  Everyone should be using some kind of SPF on their face and, ideally, your body.  Every day.  Rain or shine.  The fact is, your clothes aren't adequate protection and although we're invincible 20-somethings, the sun is the number one cause for aged-looking skin.  Not to mention, skin cancer!  And you don't have to slather on a thick, white, greasy beach-day lotion.  SPF comes in a lot of moisturizers and makeup.

Tried and loved:

Clean and Clear Soft Oil-Free Daily Moisturizer, SPF 15.  It's light, oil-free (which is key for me) and has a slight - yet not overpowering- scent of sunscreen to remind you of summer.  Every time my boyfriend kisses my cheek he says I smell like the sun!  Buy it.  

Sugar Tint, tinted moisturizer. - This is a fantastic tinted moisturizer.  It's sheer, yet gives descent coverage and a nice glow.  Plus, it's oil-free and has an SPF of 20.  Love, love, love it.  It's a bit pricey ($28 at Sephora) but it's better than settling for a cheaper, greasy tinted moisturizer or foundation that clogs pores.  Buy it.

Neutrogena Sunblock, Ultra Sheer Body Mist SPF 45 - This has UVA and UVB protection, plus it's a sheer spray-on mist which makes putting on sunscreen convenient. Buy it.

2.  Scalp exfoliate and dry shampoo.  We all know that if you want a clear complexion and healthy skin, exfoliate once a week.  It clears away dead skin cells which can clog pores.  Well isn't your scalp just an extension of your skin?  I never knew the difference a scalp exfoliate can make.  Unclogging your scalp (think of all the product build-up!) in turn reduces oil production.  This can prolong the time you need to shampoo -- another step in healthy hair.  For days that you don't wash your hair, use a dry shampoo.

Tried and loved:

Bain de Terre Sugar & Fig Scalp Massage Scrub - Natural sugars dissolve as you massage your scalp, and the rest is easily washed away with shampoo.  So refreshing.  Buy it.

Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo Spray - I've tried other dry shampoos and powders, and this is my favorite.  It soaks up any oil, and also adds some volume and life to dirty hair.  I know it sounds gross, but it's very important to not wash your hair too often -- it disrupts your natural hair oils.  Buy it.

3.  Eyelash curler.  It's just necessary.

4.  Eye brighteners.  This is one of the best things I've discovered.  Besides just using an eyelash curler and a good concealer (which I know is hard to find), white brightening powder and white brightening pencils make a huge difference.  Let's face it -- you're out late.  Maybe one or two or seven too many drinks, stressed about finding a job, staring at a computer screen too much. The result?  Panda eyes.  What you need to do is, first, use concealer not only under your eyes, but also on your eyelid and up to under your eyebrow.  Rub in.  This gives one uniform matte look.  Then use your eyelash curler and a curling mascara to open up the eyes.  Finally, take a white, brightening powder and dab it under your eyes, on your eyelids and up to the eyebrows.  Avoid your eyelashes and eyebrows because, well, it's white powder.  Then -- this is the kicker -- use a pinkish/white brightening eye pencil on the inner corners of your eyes and at a sideways-V shape along the outer corners of your eyes. Blend in. It gives a dramatic result.  Trust me.

Tried and loved:

Benefit eye bright - I've tried other white pencils and this is by far the best.  It's the most essential product in my makeup bag. Another really good use for this is for your lips.  For a naturally-enhanced pout: Use a natural-looking lipliner on your bottom lip (heavier under the middle of your bottom lip) and blend in.  Then take your handy white pencil and put a little where your upper lip dips in.  Blend in. A little gloss in the middle of your bottom lip help too, but I'm sure you already knew that.  Buy it.

Wet n Wild Beauty Benefits - They have a cheap concealer that comes with a white powder for eye brightening.  I think it might not be out until April, and there are tons of other white powders out there, but this is the one I've been using.  Benefit Miss Popularity is pretty good too.  Buy it.

 5.  Lip exfoliant.  When you have dry, flaky chapped lips, you can keep slathering on lip balm but the dead skin is still going to be there -- just a little softer.  Just like you need one for your face and your scalp -- guess what -- your lips are skin too.  I use a pretty expensive one from Jane Iredale but Smashbox has one at Sephora for $18.00.  And I love Smashbox.  But any will do.  Buy it.

How I landed my internship...

For all of you stressing about finding an internship, I feel you.  Really, I do.  It's an awful anxiety.  Especially in the media industry, you're up against Columbia and Northwestern-trained journalists with glossy clips.  You're up against kids whose parents have serious money and serious connections.  You are just a resume in a pile, right?  Exaggerated exhale.

For all of you not-so-worried, laid-back types who plan on settling for something easy -- you should know that an internship can really be a deciding factor in getting your dream job.  We all need to start building a resume, because most likely that's what's going to get you an interview.  Working for the school paper is good.  A 4.0 is overrated.  Stellar clips are crucial.  But above anything, the media world is built on connections.  CONNECTIONS.  Having a recommendation from an editor looks fantastic, and above all, you need the real-world experience.  Of course it's possible to get a job without one, but I'm guessing that you're going to have to work much harder.  I know that there is no way I could handle an editorial assistant position at a national magazine without having interned at one.  No. Way.  I don't mean to be discouraging, this is just what I'm experiencing.  It's harder to get into the door of a magazine without the proper experience and connections.

There are some of you wanting to go to a daily paper, a broadcast station or the radio.  Frankly, I know nothing about that.  What I can do is explain how I went about getting my internship and hopefully it will help.

1.  Don't be intimidated.  Yes, I've watched The Devil Wears Prada (the inspiration is located in my building) and I'm slightly addicted to The Hills.  I read all of the advice out there that says the competition is fierce and only the top contenders actually get an interview.  On Ed2010, Eds advise "whippersnappers" that there is a "don't speak unless spoken to" rule for interns, making me think that the staff walks around with their nose so far in the air that you're invisible.  Wow, not the case.  These are just people working very hard, eager to get some free help.  Just apply.  It's nothing you can't handle.  

2.  The first thing that I did was go to Ed2010.com.  I was looking for a spring internship in the fall (naturally) and I wanted to make the leap from regional mag to national.  The fact is, when it comes to big-name magazines the place to be is Manhattan.  Unfortunately, internships in the City are posted last-minute.  Postings for the fall were going up in October and November.  So I took all of the contact information for editors looking for fall interns and Emailed them.  All it took was a quick Email saying that I'm a journalism student interested in a spring internship.  Could they give me a deadline for when they'll be looking?  I'd say I got very friendly responses from 90 percent of the editors.  Tip: Always Email the lowest person in the masthead for the department you're interested in.  For instance, for beauty I would Email the beauty department's editorial assistant.  The department director, and especially the editor-in-chief, are the absolute wrong people to contact.

2.  After I got the responses back, I put all of the deadlines on a calendar.  With school work, outside jobs and such, it takes a long time to construct the cover letters and resume.  This is an extremely important aspect of the process -- work hard on these.  The fact of the matter is, you are just a resume in a pile and you have to get their attention.  I've learned that first of all, always enlist help from professors.  Have other people read it before you send it out.  The cover letters that I sent out (tailored to each magazine) had a balance of my experience and what I liked about the magazine that I was applying for.  This is a creative industry -- a boring, stuffy business format isn't appropriate.  Neither is something off-the-wall and obnoxious.  I'd look to the advice Ed2010 gives on how to write one.  I think that editors want to know that you can write, that you have experience and that you  "get" their magazine.  

3.  After I sent out my resumes, I got a very random Email from an editor at a major magazine that I, ironically, didn't apply to.  She was switching over to the magazine I'm currently interning at and she got my name from the previous editorial assistant that I Emailed.  This is a position that wasn't posted anywhere, so if I didn't send out those Emails then I wouldn't have been given the opportunity.  It was a freelance project that was actually paid and it started mid-November.  I responded with my resume and cover letter, and stated that I wasn't available until December because of school.  Even thought this was a winter position (therefore I wouldn't get credit for spring) it would get me in the door.  Take any opportunity.

4.  After a couple days of not hearing back, I started to panic.  Not available until December?  One of your favorite magazines in the world came to you with this paying position.  Skip school.  Go for it.  I Emailed the editor back and said that I could work Mon., Wed., Fri. in November and then full-time in December.  I only had one class on those days that I would skip for the last two weeks and I would quit my regional magazine internship early.  This was worth it.

5.  Five days later.  No response.  I looked at the Email that this editor sent me and it had her cell phone number on it.  Oh, yes.  I went there.  I called her and, thankfully, she didn't answer, so I left a voicemail message.  I basically told her who I was, that I was extremely interested in the position and that I would work my schedule around them.  I said I hoped to meet with her for an interview soon.  I was straight-forward, confident and brief.

6.  Three days later.  No response.  I was still working on other cover letters for the spring, but I couldn't get this out of my head.  I started to lose confidence because I've read advice that bluntly said, "if they want to hire you, they'll contact you."  Well, I didn't settle for that.  I called her cellphone AGAIN, leaving her ANOTHER message explaining why I would be a vital part of their team.  

7.  Three weeks later, I had pretty much given up on that internship.  I half-heartedly sent out other resumes, seriously doubting my chances.  Then, out of no where, I got a phone call from that editor!  She asked me to come down for an interview the next day (for which I skipped all of my classes).  Apparently they had pushed back the project because they were so busy.  At noon the next day I was in the building of my dreams, meeting with the editor I had been stalking.  Surreal?  You bet.  Rewarding?  Absolutely.  I ended up interviewing for about 10 minutes, and then an hour later she called my cell phone and said I got the job. I was very friendly, dressed cute and always remained confident.  Most of the editors are really young and really cool.  

8.  After proving that I was a hard worker, they then offered me the unpaid Spring internship position.

Moral of the story?  Enthusiasm, confidence and persistence are key.  You have to be pro-active.  Absolutely have to.  I brought a portfolio of my clips, none of which were that impressive.  I didn't have any other national experience, and I found out that being at a regional magazine isn't as much preparation as you'd think.  But I have to say, just by sending out those Emails in the beginning, then following up with creative and tailored cover letters and resumes, I was contacted for interviews by many editors, including those at Seventeen and Marie Claire.  It can happen if you make it happen.  

All About Me

3 words:

Hopeful.  Ambitious.  Stress-ball.

The Good Stuff:

I'm the newest member of the JayTooKru, and I add the national magazine scene to the mix.  I'm currently an unpaid intern at a magazine in the heart of NYC.  I'm not going to name specifics, but I'll just say that it's been one of my favorites since high school.  After two months, I still have to pinch myself.  It's not exactly the department that I saw myself working in (beauty) but I'm really enjoying it.  (The face that I'm set with shampoo, face wash and makeup for at least a year makes up for the lack of paycheck...sort of.)  I've heard that beauty articles tend to be the most read (and therefore the highest paying) so I'm grateful for the experience.  More than anything, the connections that I'm making at this internship are invaluable.  I spent a year at a regional magazine, which is nothing like the hectic and fast-paced national scene.  Hopefully my experiences will help future magazine interns know what to expect.

As for my future, I see myself as having a few years of stressful, long hours at a national magazine, and then quitting to have children and freelance.  Hopefully I'll find the time to travel and write books.  I don't see myself as living in the City forever (right now I'm in Brooklyn) but for now it works.  By nature I tend to be a little high-strung and a bit of a work-a-holic, but only when provoked.  I'd rather lead a low-key, quiet life -- just my family, friends and word processor.  Maybe I could live a glamorous life in the City That Never Sleeps, but I wouldn't be content.  At the end of the day, I just want to be a writer.  But magazines are fun and I'd love to spend a few years making connections in the industry.  I'll be graduating in May so we'll see where it takes me...

My Writing

I always saw myself as traveling for investigative pieces, telling people's untold stories and well, changing the world.  I'll still keep that dream alive.

I'm enamored with the elements of language and writing. Story structure, word choice and character development are crucial.  Conventionality bores me.  More than anything I look at writing as art; Writers can delicately compose a story by making every word, every punctuation, deliberate.

Writing is also a powerful tool for social, political and personal change.  Reading permeates your thoughts, becoming a part of your identity in a way that television scenes can't.  So much of what I recall on a day-to-say basis are from things I've read.  That's what I hope to accomplish one day.

Job Hunting, With a Stick.

That is how I feel. Like I'm on some prehistoric quest for sustenance, alongside about a million other people with similar sticks, a bunch with knifes, a couple with arrows, and maybe one or two with guns. All I can do is hope that my little sharpened stick will get lucky and pierce some sort of life line.

I need an edge. I came across a few sites catering to the stick wielding, and found them pretty helpful.

• Brazen Careerist has really helpful features. Coachology is my fave
• Collegegrad.com has a gigantic job database, and markets itself on being the "#1 entry level job site." They have career resources also, the basics -> resume, cover letter, interview, etc.
• Vault is a great resource, and it's free through certain schools, so New Paltz take advantage! (goto career resources and click "vault" in the right hand column. The school password is "hawks".)They have company profiles, interview and resume help, and the Vault Online Career Library. The library is a database of Vault career and field guides can download for free. I bought one for 20$ a few days before I saw this. Sooo obnoxious.

I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I was completely unaware of the immense work and concentration that goes into each resume, cover letter, follow-up, interview, and thank you note. I envisioned mass emails, wielding my perfect resume, going out to periodicals across the country. The next day, an inbox bursting. I hope these sites offer a little help.


happy hunting,
Lynn

p.s. Job hunting is stressful and can be depressing - I have a bag of Dove chocolates (the ones with little inspirations written inside the foil) I reward myself with after each resume I send out. Love yourself a little. <3

Sex in the Newsroom

I have to admit that I wasn't the least bit excited about this movie until I just watched the trailer. Granted I always wanted to be a journalist my entire life, Carrie Bradshaw made it a reality. Ironic since she is a fictional character. She had the shoes I wanted, the clothes, the job, the friends...I was living the single life vicariously through her. I was living my dream through her.

I always thought having a career in journalism would be awesome. Until I took in the harsh realities of the real world and Prof. Good. I don't mind deadlines, I mind when interviews are scheduled FOR me without my consent. I don't mind dealing with the freelancers and interns, I mind when I know more about a company than the CEO does. I don't mind writing about a shallow industry, I mind when J.Lo having her babies is the most important news of the day.

Carrie never really cared that she didn't fit in. I don't care either, but I don't fit in with political writing, business writing and really any writing at all. I like to write what I like, witty and entertaining. I like writing about people, amazing people. People that inspire me, people that make me think and make me a better person at the end of the day. Unfortunately, teenagers don't like reading that shit.

Off to the dark side I go.

All About Lynn

Me in three words :

creative – ambitious – neurotic

The Good Stuff

I try to focus on positive things: friendship, nature, art. I believe that life is what you make it, and that we all have that power.

I love my Dad, who never complains, my Mom, who’s always smiling, my boyfriend, who constantly challenges himself, my best friend, who makes the best of every day, and my kitten, who was born just a little slow.

Painting is my solace. I never let a day go by without a cup of Yogi tea, and I try to follow the principles of Ayurveda. Look it up.

My Writing

My writing is sarcastic, ironic, and sometimes funny. I’m not sure where it will lead me, although the Village Voice always seemed a good fit. I love investigative reporting, and the idea that my work can touch the life of another person.

I’m graduating in May and the job hunt is in full swing. A position as a newspaper reporter seems ideal, although my resume has seen the HR department’s of a few websites, magazines, and even The Blue Man Group.

Eventually, I want an old farm, maybe in South Carolina, or anywhere the sun shines year round. I can see myself the editor of a local newspaper, where I know the names of everyone in town. Or an author, who spends her work week locked up in a room with a typewriter. And if I ever win the lottery, I’m creating my own magazine, hiring the amazing writers I am so lucky to know, and starting a revolution.

Only time will tell.

Poopin Where you Nosh

Professionalism. To be professional. Conducting yourself professionally.

What do you do when there is a personal issue it your life that makes you want to crawl under the covers and die? Obviously you can’t let this affect your hard earned professional achievements? What’s the proper time allowance for grief? Talking about it at work is a no-no unless you’re close with someone and even then…it’s best to keep it to yourself.

Water cooler friends. Gossip mill. I’m currently reading The Devil Wears Prada (I know I know, it’s a mindless read, but I need that right now). Well, I’ve come to the conclusion that, though I want to go into fashion, I don’t want to have to deal with that kind of drama at work. My internship is relatively drama free. There is some talking behind backs and what not, that’d happen anywhere, but I don’t participate in it.

What about “pooping where you nosh” as it were? Meeting someone spectacular at work and watching as things go sour and get awkward. Has anyone had that experience? Unrequited love?

9-1-1? or 9/11?

As any one that knows me can attest to, I am a great fan of irony. I find irony in things that most people wouldn't. I think that it helps us all laugh a little at the things in life that can really get us down.

Anyways. Today I went to the same studio that I record in everyday. I dialed the number, including miscellaneous security codes, flipped the Getner on and waited for the line to be picked up. Instead of the cheerful voice of a Morgan Stanley representative who was ready to record the business for the afternoon, I heard this...

"Hello, 9-1-1, what is your emergency?"

Me: Uhh..um..no.

Operator: Hello? What is your emergency?

Me: No no, I dialed this by accident! Sorry!

Operator: I understand that you don;t want to talk to me miss, but I have to make sure there isn't an emergency. What is your address and phone number?


I gave him my information and hung up, laughing at myself and trying to figure out how I had mis-dialed so horribly.


Later in the afternoon, I went to production control to answer phones for the daily call-in talk show. Are you ready for the ironic part?

The topic was the pentagon's post- 9/11 case. 9-1-1 and 9/11 all in the same afternoon.

We have a list of banned and kooky callers. We're supposed to indicate to the host/hostess if one of the callers in on that list. Well lo and behold, my first called of the day was Bob. Bob happens to be a frequent caller. In a slurred and barely audible voice he informed me that the CEO of the station, who's a bit of a character around Albany, deserves to be paid more. Billions more. Oh and guess what else, Bob is a scientist. He's also been a prisoner of war. And he's a billionaire. But he didn't contribute at our latest fund drive because he's been "cut-off" from being on air. Gee, I can't imagine why. Did I mention that he's on the banned/kooky list several times because he calls and says that he's from all different locations? Yea.

The best part is that his friend Paul called yesterday and yelled at me. He was then put on hold for about forty minutes (he's on the banned list. he yells. a lot. about anything.). I tried to disconnect him, but the bugger called back. So after we stopped accepting calls and the show ended, he called to yell at me (shocker). He then told me that he was going to send me his cell phone bill for being on the phone over an hour. I calmly explained that I was a mere intern and that I have no part in deciding who is put on the air. He yelled. I told him to have a nice day. Click.

14:59

If you ask my parents what their only daughter's life long dream is, they would probably not know. What they do know is that I am addicted to fame. Shallow, sure, but I am utterly fascinated by it. Why are some celeb's 15 minutes longer than others? And what the hell happened to Alex Mack? I am always on top of the latest news on Britney BUT I can also tell you all of the aspects of the Presidential debates/caucuses/polls etc...I can tell you the latest fashion's from Milan as well as how badly the economy is doing. And not to sound too self indulgent I have a wicked sense of humor. It was said sense of humor (read: dorkiness) that got me to 14:59.

New York Fashion Week (read post below), oh how I love and loathe thee. On one of the better days, ie. Tuesday, I felt important, accomplished and "cool." I went backstage for the Tibi show (first of all, getting backstage passes made me feel ultimately cool) and interviewed the designer, Saleisha from ANTM and an extremely socially awkward model from Vancouver. After I interviewed the newest model sensation Saleisha, I was approached by a camera crew who was following her around, they asked me a few questions, made me sign a release form and said "OK look for yourself on television!"

My next brush with celeb status was when I was waiting in line for the Cynthia Steffe show. Blair and I were sitting on the edge of the fountain minding our own business when a young woman approached us and asked if we wouldn't mind posing for a few pictures. She then went on to say how we were totally fashionable and she asked us both some questions. Turns out, she is the Associate Fashion & Beauty Editor for Alloy (a catalog I frequently browse). I wound up on the Fashion Seen page on their website. The Editor was super sweet and we still keep in touch, and it is thanks to her that I felt famous for .5 seconds.

The next and last taste of the spotlight came when Blair and I were walking out of a show. A reporter from the New York Sun made a beeline to us and asked if she could ask us a few questions. She wanted to know if I knew my facts about the current Presidential campaign. It was, after all Super Tuesday. Contrary to the snotty reporters belief, I knew my stuff and gave some damn good answers. I caught her not writing stuff down and looking away frequently. So unprofessional. Too bad girly, I'm not a ditzy fashion slut with no brain and no opinion. I checked the next day to see if she used my quote, her article was no where to be found.

Although I have not reached paparazzi/Britney status, I hope the clock stays at 14:59 for quite some time.

It's All About Aramis

I am a college sophomore currently interning for the Legislative Gazette, a political paper in Albany, NY, that requires attendance at various press conferences, making intimidating phone calls, and non-stop trips to the lavatory due to an overload of caffeine.

College students are continuously encouraged to intern sometime during their college career, and as one of those students, I took it upon myself to apply for a couple. Now, every time I mention that I’m interning in my second year, people usually make reference to how early I started. That’s when I’m like “WTF!” I’ve been pushed into interning and now that I am actually participating in one people seem to have this problem with it. Even my adviser said that I was starting a little early, but of course he mentioned it the week before I was on my way to Albany.

In all honesty, I’m enjoying this. I get to live on my own (kind of - I have three female house mates), I don’t have classes (well …I have this one PolySci class every Monday morning, for an hour), and I get to party all the time! Okay, so not all the time since I’m usually tired from working, but it’s cool. This opportunity is one that I’m truly grateful for and the experience will help in the long run. There are so many new things I get to add to my résumé already, and it has only been a month.

The first day here, me and five other interns had to do the one thing that all new people dread. We had to introduce ourselves. Two editors, a.k.a. the bosses, said that six interns is smaller than most classes they’ve had yet. Four of them are from UAlbany, one from SUNY Purchase, and then there’s me … SUNY New Paltz. The editors also attended New Paltz, but that hasn’t gotten me any cool points. (I get those on my own :}).

I’d like to say that my writing has improved but journalists always think their writing is wonderful, until their work is handed in to a “know-it-all” editor. I’m not ripping on my bosses or anything, because these guys are actually cool. Plus, they always make this joke about not being “real” editors. One usually says “If I was a real editor, I’d be screaming at you right now.” Fortunately, he hasn’t directed that quote toward me yet.

The circle of six interns and two editors wasn’t big enough to allow time for me to take deep breaths before it was my turn but during my introduction, the main editor sort of finished it off for me.

Me: “Hi, I’m Aramis …”

Editor: “Grant? New Paltz?”

Me: “Yes”

Editor (with eyebrows scrunched as if he already knew my answer to his next question and wanted to confirm it): “How old are you?”

Me: “19”

Editor: “You’re the youngest intern we have ever had here.”

Well if that wasn’t enough to get me going, I don’t know what was! I was so excited I told all my friends (doing that little boastful thing we all do when making something out of nothing) and of course I told my parents. Boy, were they proud of their little girl.

That’s all done now. No one really cares about my age although I do get made fun of for “technically” being five because I was born on February 29, which by-the-way is actually on the calendar this year!

Aramis is currently interning for the Legislative Gazette. This is her first time in Albany. She also works for a shoe store and adores the discount. Her favorite color is purple; lucky number is 18; likes the way the word "forensic" rolls off the tongue; and LOVES to eat and laugh.

Let's Call it a Mid-Mid-Life Crisis

Ode to the Semi Colon

This weekend left me drained and tired of life in general and mine in particular. It may seem like it, but this is not in fact the beginning of a depressing "woes me!" post.

Today there was an intern luncheon and I met several other interns. I really enjoyed it. One of the reasons why I really wanted to start this post was because I like hearing other people's stories. I want to know how people got to the internship or job that they're in now. And lord knows I like to talk about myself.

The meeting got me thinking about my future and what I want and I really just...don't know. At all. Well that's not true. I do know basically what I want to do but the problem isn't know what I want it's knowing how to get to what I want which is what is proving difficult for me.

I want it all right now and I'm having trouble finding the energy to do all the little things that need to be done to get me where I'm going.

I just realized that I am talking in circles.


I'll lay out the facts:
I want to write.
I want to live in a city, preferably NYC or Barcelona.
I want to write things that I choose to write.
I want to stop writing about writing and just produce something worth reading.

I am in a slump. And I'm stuck in Smallbany to top it all off. Maaaaaaaather.

Do you want a piece of me?

Miss Bad Media Karma another day another drama

As the saying goes, all press is good press. I would tend to agree with said individuals, but not all press like to keep their employees around to feel that way. The New York Times is planning on laying off over 100 newsroom jobs as a result of decrease in advertising. All the news that is fit to print may not be all there anymore. This news comes after reports that the NY Times, Tribune, Gannett and Hearst are joining forces to attract more national readers to their online databases to create more revenue for advertising.

"The debut comes as newspapers continue to report print ad-revenue declines, even as many appear to be gaining a foothold online. According to a recent Newspaper Association of America report, Web sites saw a healthy increase in unique monthly visitors in 2007 - to 60 million a month. And print-ad revenue declined 9 percent in last year's third quarter to $10.1 billion, while online ad revenue rose 21 percent to $773 million in the same period, the association said."
-Newsday

I don't really have a point to my post today, I'm just sad and disappointed at what the world, the economy and now the journalism industry has come to. I suppose the four conglomerates had no other choice...apparently everyone wants a piece.

I'm Ready for my Close - Up.

Inspiration.

Movies about writers.

Did somebody say NetFlix?!