Auld Lang Syne

Happy New Year to everyone who reads this blog! I've had a mostly good start to this year. In the past, I haven't taken resolutions very seriously, but this year I think I got a little overzealous with them. Not only did I actually sit in a coffee shop on the 2nd and painstakingly write them out, I made 8 resolutions. Self-improvement is all well and good, but I think we can all agree 8 resolutions are a lot to be accountable for.
In any case, I'll be honest and say that I was on a bit of a New Year's shame spiral, the one that comes at the end of holiday gluttony and debauchery, etc, when you finally look in the mirror and say, "Okay, I need to get it together." So, as I mentioned, I took this sentiment into overdrive, and essentially laid out a road map to becoming an impossibly better person. I'm hoping to take little bits out of each resolution with the intent that it makes me happier, more unburdened, and ready to face the challenges and joys this year is bound to bring. Mid-conversation with an old friend last night, while talking about these sorts of things, we came around to the idea of the fullness of time. As I understand it, this means that time is sort of like wine or diamonds or something really amazing that you have to wait for before it reaches its full potential. So, like goals and resolutions and grandiose ideas for bettering oneself, it's sometimes necessary to wait for life to catch up, to let things happen to you in order for you to become that person who can change and move towards being better. It's great to have goals and hold yourself accountable, but time is always something to factor in. Yes, this means not being too hard on yourself if you can't accomplish everything right away, but, more than that, it means being able to step back and let things happen, trusting yourself to make the right decisions and grow into someone you'll like looking at in the mirror. That's what I hope for myself this year.
Yes, that was all very Oprah of me, I'm sure. Give me a break, it's a new year!
One big piece of news, Paris tickets have been purchased! And they're non-refundable! Which means we're really going! Let the planning begin!
There are more updates to be shared, but I've sort of exhausted myself with this post, so more soon. x

I Work in a Beautiful Place

The view from the color copier room. How amazing would it be to live in the clocktower building? Something to aspire to...

Happy Tuesday! x

Hi?

Ugh, so incommunicado for the last...(yikes) 20 days. Apologies all around. I don't suppose it would help to say that I'm working on a story inspired by what may be the best title ever? Maybe? Okay.
So, basically, life has consisted of working and weekend trips to the homestead for the past two weeks. In theory, all of these things are good. But I'm looking forward to spending the foreseeable future in NYC to focus more on things both immediate (cleaning my room) and long-term (actually finishing a story). Plus, now that summer is winding down, my psychological need to get out of New York at every possible moment is decreasing also. A lot of people say they like New York in the summer because there's no one around. I fundamentally disagree with this. Even though there are fewer people, I think that everyone who is still in the city starts to inhabit their own personal sphere of heat, sweat, and all-around rage at everyday tasks, like simply waiting for the subway. The overwhelming discomfort and fact that the heat makes people twice as pissed off at their morning commute than they usually are definitely makes up for the fact that a fair amount of the population is sunning themselves elsewhere.
Ok, that rant felt good, but onwards. I'm also throwing myself upon the mercy of friends, family, and now the internet to start a freelance tutoring business. While working with wine would be amazing, I've had to accept that a second job like that just wouldn't make sense right now, especially with how much I'm working. So, if you know of any Manhattanite (or Brooklynite) children in need of some educational guidance, please let me know.
So, this weekend is supposed to be completely perfect, and I plan on spending it outside finishing this gloriously-titled (and hopefully well-written) story - to be continued!

Bump in the Road & A New Plan

So, today, I found out I didn't get the job at Macmillan. The job I've gone on three rounds of interviews for, done two projects, and faked several doctors' appointments to pursue. Normally, this would not be that big of a hiccup in my plan to find a publishing job, but, if you're familiar at all with the history of my job search, you'll know that this is the latest in many, many of the same result. Ultimately, this was a job for which I was completely qualified and was called back for several interviews, but no offer. I've decided, after today, that going after a job in Publishing is not working, so I am going to pursue other things.
This is tough for me, since all of my internship experience has been in that realm, but I think the universe might be trying to tell me something. In a way, while this choice is a little scary, it's also liberating. Just thinking of all the things I might want to do...Advertising, Marketing, maybe go back to College Admissions, maybe take the LSATs (yikes). Luckily, I have my admin job to keep me from living on the street, so I'm going back to Barnard Career Development and meeting with my old career counselor to try to weave something new together. Plus, I got some calls back from wine stores today, so maybe I can turn drinking wine into some sort of career...cue me envisioning myself in Reims, guzzling champagne, and working at Veuve Clicquot.
So, bye, Publishing. It was good almost knowing you (I've interviewed at every major publishing house in the city, so I consider myself a fringe expert). I guess we weren't meant to be, but now I can find some other industry that will love me back.
God, I didn't mean for that to sound so pathetic. Onward and upward!