Good ol' summer storm

Took me a hundred pictures to get this one...

So thunder and lightening decided to make an appearance in the Bronx this week, so I took it upon myself to document the occasion (I'm sure there will be more to come).

Work is going well — I was extremely frustrated for a while, but now the editors are trusting me with more projects. Things are starting to fall into place there and I'm feeling a lot more comfortable. Today we had three writers for Rolling Stone come talk to us and it was the best professional talk I have ever been to. They gave the best to us: don't get so focused on your career goals that you forget about what you love about writing. Every other speaker I've heard has always told me that to succeed, you have to intern and then slowly work your way up through the organization. These folks were saying that you shouldn't put your life on hold for a career goal and that you should experience life. After that, everything will fall into place.

That's the quick update for now. I better go, Mark and Sue just got home and Mark and I need to finish the crossword puzzle.

First week down, bring on the rest (Happy Birthday Tyler!)

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A tree that I walk by when I come home.


This is the other face he has (I think it's a he and not a she).

Well I have survived my first week in New York without getting too lost. I have a pretty good homing beacon and I think it will serve me well.

Work is going really well — I was frustrated at first because all the other interns has been there for three weeks so I just felt like I was incredibly behind, but now I have a better grip on things. On Monday I'm planning on pitching a story idea to the Features editor so wish me luck!

On Friday, one of Rolling Stone's editors was leaving because she wants to be a full time mom to her daughter. Will, a fellow intern and I ended up helping set up for the event and in return, we were able to have a few drinks with the editors. They had REAL champagne (no Cook's or Andre). All the editors were swapping stories of their experiences over the last decade and it made me realize how similar they act compared to all the people I've worked with in the Front's newsroom. The whole experience showed me how attainable those poisitions are, and how they are not on some deity-like level that I can never reach.

Today I went down to Greenwich Village to explore and find a birthday present for Tyler — Happy Birthday Tyler! I really like the area a lot because of the small little cafes, restaurants and bistros. I bought some fruit and veggies at the outdoor market they had and I am going to cook up an awesome brunch tomorrow.

I have the apartment to myself because Mark and Sue went to the beach house in New Jersey for the weekend. So Glenn, Abigail and me are having a nice quiet evening in. I went out last night and the old person in me wants to chill out tonight. I'm still recovering from my week of goodbye parties as well.

Tomorrow I'm headed for Central Park to check out the free concert going on. I don't remember who is playing but that doesn't matter because, hey — it's free.

First day of work

Glen sleeping on my bed.

The first day of work was great — I was thrown into the mix right away and had to gather information for story ideas and then present the information to the three of the top editors so they could choose which story ideas and photo opportunities to follow through on. It was nerve wracking, but I loved it. Lauren and Will, the other two interns, said it was the most hectic day they've had since they got here. Both of them are super nice and fun to work with.

The Men's Journal staff is on the same floor as Rolling Stone and US Weekly, so all three magazines have their resources are intertwined, such as the library, computers, etc. There is also a wall completely dedicated to all of the Rolling Stone covers ever published. The posters start at the ceiling and stretch to the floor and all the way across the wall. The security is also really tight in the building. Four areas are dedicated to elevators and I can only use the section that leads to my floor. From there, I have to show my pass, then when I get off on my floor, I have to scan my pass so that the door to the Wenner Media publications opens. It's a little different than The Western Front newsroom.

After that, I met up with my friend Nate from high school. We hadn't seen each other for three years so it was cool to catch up with him. He is working at The American Lawyer magazine on Madison Ave. It took me a few tries on the subway to find him, but I managed to do it.

Tomorrow all the interns get to have lunch get to have lunch with all the editors from all three of the magazines. I'm hoping it will turn into a good networking session. But here's the best part: FREE LUNCH! Food tastes soooooooo much better when it's free...

A view from the Bronx

In the city

Well I'm here in what one of my friends called the Big Green Apple, and I just tracked my route to work for tomorrow. I am right next to Radio City Music Hall, which is surreal to me. I didn't start getting excited about being here until Sue and I walked up the stairs from the subway and I could actually see I was in the middle of Manhatten. We also met up with one of my friends from high school, who I just found out yesterday is living in Brooklyn. I hadn't seen him in three years so it was good to chat for a bit.

I'm happy to be living with in such a good situation; Sue and Mark are great people. Tonight Sue and I baked an angel food cake for Liam for Father's Day (he is there son-in-law who lives five floors down with their daughter Melinda), and yesterday we cooked a random tasty dinner together. Their grandchildren, Aine and Caera (ages 2 3/4 and 6 months) are wonderful too.

I should get some rest, so I'll cut this short. Glen (a cat) wants to go to bed and he already has taken to sleeping on my feet so I better accomodate his sleep cycle.