Dear (Potential Employer but most likely Assistant to a higher up)
My name is Lisa Warren, and I want to be your summer intern. Great, now we both know that. Truth is, I hate writing cover letters and you probably hate reading them too. You've probably got Tumblr or something open in another tab right now, just like me. So I won't waste our time.
Why you should hire me as a summer intern
-I'm not a crazy person
-I'm fluent in Starbucks
-I know how to make data entry not suck (Podcasts)
-I believe I have the traits of someone who works in publishing. I'm a registered Democrat, an organ donor, an English and History major, a liberal-intellectual Jew but I'm more spiritual than religious, and I don't have a Kindle.
-I will work really hard
-I learn things quickly
-I love books
-I know how to use a copy machine
-I'm not a crazy person
I hope you will consider me for this position, and I think I would make you proud.
Sincerely,
Lisa Warren
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
I'm BAAAAAAACK
HEY EVERYONE
I'm back after a long, long hiatus. Said hiatus was due to me being in London and keeping up a separate blog while there (semesterinlondontown.tumblr.com), and being unable to keep up with two blogs at once.
But I'm back now, and I've been home for about a week. My time at home has mainly consisted of a trip into New York where I got too jet lagged to stay at a party I went there for, half-heartedly cleaning my closet, and looking for paid publishing internships for the summer (that's an oxymoron, I'm learning)
I do miss London a lot, and it's seeped into me more than I had thought it would. I call New York subway stations "tube stops" and say I need to "top up" my Metrocard. But beyond public transportation, I can't get through a day without having some kind of second lunch ("tea") at 4pm and I call things "brilliant" a lot. People tell me I'll go back, and I believe them. But when I go back I want to do it right. I want to get a work visa and a job and a flat and really LIVE there. I'd be lying if I said I haven't thought about how great it would be if my kid had a British accent someday. There is NOTHING more adorable than a toddler who says "Mummy."
I go back to Hampshire in ten days though, and I'm really excited. I heard it through the grapevine that people actually miss me when I'm not there. I'm not used to being missed. I do most of the missing usually, it seems. More and more I realize that Hampshire is the place I was meant to end up at. We had a weird start, but now it's home. It was home when I was in London (though I think I could make London my home someday) and it's definitely home when I'm at either of my parents' houses. I can't wait to go back.
I'm back after a long, long hiatus. Said hiatus was due to me being in London and keeping up a separate blog while there (semesterinlondontown.tumblr.com), and being unable to keep up with two blogs at once.
But I'm back now, and I've been home for about a week. My time at home has mainly consisted of a trip into New York where I got too jet lagged to stay at a party I went there for, half-heartedly cleaning my closet, and looking for paid publishing internships for the summer (that's an oxymoron, I'm learning)
I do miss London a lot, and it's seeped into me more than I had thought it would. I call New York subway stations "tube stops" and say I need to "top up" my Metrocard. But beyond public transportation, I can't get through a day without having some kind of second lunch ("tea") at 4pm and I call things "brilliant" a lot. People tell me I'll go back, and I believe them. But when I go back I want to do it right. I want to get a work visa and a job and a flat and really LIVE there. I'd be lying if I said I haven't thought about how great it would be if my kid had a British accent someday. There is NOTHING more adorable than a toddler who says "Mummy."
I go back to Hampshire in ten days though, and I'm really excited. I heard it through the grapevine that people actually miss me when I'm not there. I'm not used to being missed. I do most of the missing usually, it seems. More and more I realize that Hampshire is the place I was meant to end up at. We had a weird start, but now it's home. It was home when I was in London (though I think I could make London my home someday) and it's definitely home when I'm at either of my parents' houses. I can't wait to go back.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
London bound!
I'm leaving tomorrow to go to London for the semester, and if I weren't so tired from all the planning that's been going on this past week, I'd be more articulate about it right now.
I have until about 6pm tomorrow to finish my packing, then it's off to the airport where I will probably do a little more crying and get on the plane, where I will attempt to sleep for a few hours but will be lucky if I sleep for ten minutes. Then I'll get to Heathrow, which is the cleanest place I've ever been in that isn't a hospital, certainly the cleanest place I've ever been in that doesn't have trash cans. I'll take the shuttle bus to campus, and then I'll probably say I should get to the pub and meet some people who will potentially become my lifelong friends, but I'll most likely pass out while I'm getting dressed.
I've wanted to do this for years. Study abroad in London, that is. Something about it has always drawn me. I can't wait to just be settled there.
I'll be keeping another blog during the next few months, documenting my time abroad. Don't know how this one will hold up, but I might pop in every now and then to ramble about things not England-related. But you should read my London blog (http://semesterinlondontown.tumblr.com/) even if it's just because you like the layout. I deliberated a long time on that.
I have until about 6pm tomorrow to finish my packing, then it's off to the airport where I will probably do a little more crying and get on the plane, where I will attempt to sleep for a few hours but will be lucky if I sleep for ten minutes. Then I'll get to Heathrow, which is the cleanest place I've ever been in that isn't a hospital, certainly the cleanest place I've ever been in that doesn't have trash cans. I'll take the shuttle bus to campus, and then I'll probably say I should get to the pub and meet some people who will potentially become my lifelong friends, but I'll most likely pass out while I'm getting dressed.
I've wanted to do this for years. Study abroad in London, that is. Something about it has always drawn me. I can't wait to just be settled there.
I'll be keeping another blog during the next few months, documenting my time abroad. Don't know how this one will hold up, but I might pop in every now and then to ramble about things not England-related. But you should read my London blog (http://semesterinlondontown.tumblr.com/) even if it's just because you like the layout. I deliberated a long time on that.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Come on, Irene too loo-rye-ay
At this moment, I'm in my bed waiting for the apocalypse. I mean Hurricane Irene. But all the news stations are making this look like the end of days.
Northern Westchester isn't in any of the evacuation zones, but we've filled the bathtub with water and stocked up on canned food anyway. I have so many books for when the power goes out. But it's hard to imagine anything now. It's eerily calm and quiet. Kind of like that scene in Carrie right before the hand shoots out of the grave. No one likes a tease, Irene. Give us some rain and gusts of wind so we can all stop waiting around.
All I want is for the storm to pass so I can get focusing on my next thing to wait for. I'm flying out to London on September 23rd. I'm a little nervous because I'm going on a red eye and I can't sleep on planes. Also because I'm worried I won't make any friends. I feel like a kid on her first day of middle school when I type that. At least I don't have a Trapper Keeper and haven't been to an orthodontist in years. But my hair still frizzes out a lot. Who am I kidding, I'll always be somewhat of an awkward middle schooler.
What I do know that is that I would be very unhappy and bored going back to Hampshire for this semester. It's time for a break. I'll miss all my friends dearly, as well as the cider donuts and packed mod dance parties and even the smell of cow farts wafting onto campus, but it's time for another adventure.
Northern Westchester isn't in any of the evacuation zones, but we've filled the bathtub with water and stocked up on canned food anyway. I have so many books for when the power goes out. But it's hard to imagine anything now. It's eerily calm and quiet. Kind of like that scene in Carrie right before the hand shoots out of the grave. No one likes a tease, Irene. Give us some rain and gusts of wind so we can all stop waiting around.
All I want is for the storm to pass so I can get focusing on my next thing to wait for. I'm flying out to London on September 23rd. I'm a little nervous because I'm going on a red eye and I can't sleep on planes. Also because I'm worried I won't make any friends. I feel like a kid on her first day of middle school when I type that. At least I don't have a Trapper Keeper and haven't been to an orthodontist in years. But my hair still frizzes out a lot. Who am I kidding, I'll always be somewhat of an awkward middle schooler.
What I do know that is that I would be very unhappy and bored going back to Hampshire for this semester. It's time for a break. I'll miss all my friends dearly, as well as the cider donuts and packed mod dance parties and even the smell of cow farts wafting onto campus, but it's time for another adventure.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Bucket Lists
Before I came to New York for the summer, I made a bucket list of what I wanted to do here this summer. I have nine days left and I've only crossed off two of those things. Somehow, I'm okay with that.
Those two things, in case you were wondering, were seeing the McQueen exhibit at The Met (kind of like a rush hour subway but with couture and the Schindler's List theme playing on loop in one part) and doing karaoke. They were really great, but honestly not the highlights of my summer. I've realized that when you're so focused on crossing things off a list, you miss out on other things that are happening around you, like ordering pizza at 11:45 pm on a weeknight in the park with your friends, as surprise Bastille Day fireworks go off on the river. Or swing dancing in Lincoln Center. Or making friends on fire escapes.
I think I'm abandoning bucket lists forever, starting now. They're stressful and keep you on a straight path, when you could be looking around and taking detours. I would burn the one that I made, but I don't want to set off the smoke alarm and I'm not one for theatrics anyway. But I will rip it up and throw it away. Because while I only crossed two things off of it, it's still been a great summer.
Those two things, in case you were wondering, were seeing the McQueen exhibit at The Met (kind of like a rush hour subway but with couture and the Schindler's List theme playing on loop in one part) and doing karaoke. They were really great, but honestly not the highlights of my summer. I've realized that when you're so focused on crossing things off a list, you miss out on other things that are happening around you, like ordering pizza at 11:45 pm on a weeknight in the park with your friends, as surprise Bastille Day fireworks go off on the river. Or swing dancing in Lincoln Center. Or making friends on fire escapes.
I think I'm abandoning bucket lists forever, starting now. They're stressful and keep you on a straight path, when you could be looking around and taking detours. I would burn the one that I made, but I don't want to set off the smoke alarm and I'm not one for theatrics anyway. But I will rip it up and throw it away. Because while I only crossed two things off of it, it's still been a great summer.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Things I've learned in New York so far
I've been here for nearly two weeks now and it's been pretty great, apart from a few unexpected boring nights that I end up feeling oddly guilty about because I'm in the most exciting city in the world and therefore should be doing something terribly exotic and wonderful all the time. But I'll get over that soon hopefully. My internship is actually pretty awesome. I haven't had to go on any coffee runs for other people yet, but I did have to file some things once. Mostly I write press releases and research blogs that will review books the company has published.
This is kind of a big summer for me since it's my first one living completely away from home, without any kind of adult supervision like camp counselors etc. So I thought it would be good to make a list of what I've learned.
-When a dude catcalls you on the street, pretend you don't hear him. If this is not an option, tell him you have a boyfriend who is very protective, weighs 300 pounds of pure muscle, and also happens to be Eastern Europe's top cage fighter. This is kind of hilarious to people who know that the guys I usually fancy tend to be smaller than me and won't even dare kill spiders in the bathroom. But Mr. Caneyehaveyonumbuh doesn't need to know that.
-It's completely hilarious to watch tourists reading maps, and it's nice to convince yourself you'll never need one, but the second you walk a block in the wrong direction and have to awkwardly turn your lost ass around, or when you're trying to find that one little coffee shop in the village that got five stars on Yelp and all you see are upscale clothing stores, you'll wish you had the ability to swallow your pride and get a map.
-The cops you see on SVU and the ones that circle the park at night and yell at you and your friends through a megaphone to leave at 1am sharp are completely different species.
-The only train that goes to your 116th street is the 1. The 3 says it goes to 116th, and it does, but it's not the one where you live. You will get off the subway and find yourself on 116th street and "the hood where you don't belong" avenue.
-You might like the Meatpacking district because it's got wide cobblestone streets and cute restaurants and stores, but so does everyone else. You'll find that you're the only person there with no product in their hair who didn't put her makeup on with a paintroller. However, it is always fun to get an outside table at one of those trendy-cause-they're-delicious restaurants, eat a fancy grilled cheese, and watch sixteen year olds in cocktail napkin dresses try to get into clubs with their fake IDs.
-No one here has time to judge you for going to a movie alone.
-But if you eat alone, it's fine to feel so awkward that you pretend to read a book.
-The people at Pinkberry will always try to guide you through all their options even though you go there every week and the same guy who's trying to tell you how to order swirled you your second lunch last Wednesday.
-Try and not be too creepy when you go to dog parks sans dog and pet other people's dogs.
I'll be adding to this list more as the summer goes on. I'm on a quest for some food right now.
This is kind of a big summer for me since it's my first one living completely away from home, without any kind of adult supervision like camp counselors etc. So I thought it would be good to make a list of what I've learned.
-When a dude catcalls you on the street, pretend you don't hear him. If this is not an option, tell him you have a boyfriend who is very protective, weighs 300 pounds of pure muscle, and also happens to be Eastern Europe's top cage fighter. This is kind of hilarious to people who know that the guys I usually fancy tend to be smaller than me and won't even dare kill spiders in the bathroom. But Mr. Caneyehaveyonumbuh doesn't need to know that.
-It's completely hilarious to watch tourists reading maps, and it's nice to convince yourself you'll never need one, but the second you walk a block in the wrong direction and have to awkwardly turn your lost ass around, or when you're trying to find that one little coffee shop in the village that got five stars on Yelp and all you see are upscale clothing stores, you'll wish you had the ability to swallow your pride and get a map.
-The cops you see on SVU and the ones that circle the park at night and yell at you and your friends through a megaphone to leave at 1am sharp are completely different species.
-The only train that goes to your 116th street is the 1. The 3 says it goes to 116th, and it does, but it's not the one where you live. You will get off the subway and find yourself on 116th street and "the hood where you don't belong" avenue.
-You might like the Meatpacking district because it's got wide cobblestone streets and cute restaurants and stores, but so does everyone else. You'll find that you're the only person there with no product in their hair who didn't put her makeup on with a paintroller. However, it is always fun to get an outside table at one of those trendy-cause-they're-delicious restaurants, eat a fancy grilled cheese, and watch sixteen year olds in cocktail napkin dresses try to get into clubs with their fake IDs.
-No one here has time to judge you for going to a movie alone.
-But if you eat alone, it's fine to feel so awkward that you pretend to read a book.
-The people at Pinkberry will always try to guide you through all their options even though you go there every week and the same guy who's trying to tell you how to order swirled you your second lunch last Wednesday.
-Try and not be too creepy when you go to dog parks sans dog and pet other people's dogs.
I'll be adding to this list more as the summer goes on. I'm on a quest for some food right now.
Monday, June 6, 2011
I'm in New York now!
I feel completely apologetic for the lack of entries. Does anyone actually read this? What happened was that I got totally swept up in the wave of final papers, and just became an essay writing machine for a while. I realize that feeling guilty for neglecting your blog is a total first world problem, but it's kind of how I've been feeling. I started this thing to encourage me to write more often, and I haven't really done that.But I digress. What I really wanted to write here is that I've moved into a cozy (that's a euphemism) room at the International House at Columbia University in New York. As you can see, I've got a sweet view of Riverside Church. I've been completely wiped all day, and I definitely forgot some things at home, but it's good to be here. I took a walk tonight and found a bookstore a few blocks from me that's open until 11pm, plays punk music, and has chairs for reading. It's nice to be somewhere that shares my sleep schedule.
I don't start my internship until the 15th so I've got some time here to just wander and get my bearings. It's my first time living in New York, and there's so much to do I feel myself going just a little bit crazy already. I passed at least ten restaurants tonight that I want to eat at (I'm becoming my mother. Food is everything.) and that's just within a ten block radius of my dorm room. That place where they always ate on Seinfeld is here. It looks almost the same as it does on the TBS reruns I watched in my living room this past year.
I'll write more later. Now I need to get into bed with the book I got in preparation for my semester in London this fall. It's called "The Anglo Files" by Sarah Lyall. I need to know what I'm getting myself into.
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