New York Nix

I'm officially homeless here in the city.  I moved out of my dorm last night and into Mandy's room (which luckily her roommates already left so I got a bed!).  The whole gang went out for one last supper last night and then out for drinks.  It was a good time but so strange to think I won't be seeing them again for a long long time. 

My last day at work wasn't too great to start with.  Barely anyone was in today and when it was time to leave it seemed like no one really cared that I wasn't coming back.  I got lunch and then came back and got to get a proper goodbye from everyone and some vh1 swag! yay!

I did all my final shopping today, got some I heart NY shirts, an MTV shirt, and a couple pictures to put up in my apartment to remind me of New York.  One is of my home away from home, Times Square, where I spent a good chunk of my time here.  The other is a helicopter view of Manhattan that is really beautiful.  Totally worth my 20 bucks!... and the old Russian lady I bought them from was hilarious.  I enjoy street vendors greatly, the tshirt guy told me I was pretty!  Then, since I was homeless until Mandy came to let me into her dorm, I walked around Union Square, sat in Barnes and Noble for probably an hour reading a newspaper and wandering, and then strolled around the Farmer's Market.  I was interviewed for the Today Show... so if you see me talking about grocery shopping - let me know! haha.  I'm gonna be famous!

Now I'm back in Mandy's dorm, she is gone out with her dad so I am stuck here.  If I leave I can't get back through security so I'm just hanging out watching tv.  I haven't seen TV in months!! I miss TLC so much! I forgot what life was like on channels other then VH1.

I don't really have big plans for tonight. I have to get a cab at like 7 tomorrow morning so I need to get a good night's sleep.  Then I'll be on a plane at 9:45 and back in Indiana by noon.  All I need to do is stuff all the goods I bought today into my overflowing suitcases and I'm good to go!

In other news:
I went to this concert last week and once again SPIN magazine is following me around -- watch a clip here;
http://www.spin.com/video/2007/07/31_motion_city_soundtrack_live/

Updated Celebrity Sightings:
Lifehouse (got to watch them play 4 songs acoustic for vh1 staff)
Tegan and Sara (at VH1 after an interview)
Kim from America's Next Top Model (she works at MTVU!)
Ashley Tisdale (coming out of Fuse to a mob of 14 year olds that I was just trying to get around... haha)

I Swear I Saw:
Clinton Kelly (from What Not To Wear - but I'm not sure since he was wearing sunglasses and walking down 8th which is not really an area anyone would want to be)
B.J. Novak (Ryan from the Office - in Barnes and Noble but he was wearing a hat and a "The Office" shirt which could either be the dumbest or the smartest thing a celebrity can wear, right? I mean, it can't be him if he's wearing a shirt from his show - or is that what he wants you to think?!)

Since I'm in my last week at MTVN, I keep getting asked whether or not I'm coming back.  Its very promising that a vast majority of the people I work with started as interns and are only in their 20s-30s.  My biggest problem, however, is that its a job with a huge company and I want to be creative.

There have been very few times this summer that I've felt like I gave any personal touch to something I did.  The only part of the site that you can tell at all was done by me are the little snippets of copy I write about TV shows on the video player.  That's it.  I want to have a say in what I work on and I really don't see that happening in the department I worked in this summer.

The company isn't a total loss though.  Today we had an off-site meeting where I got to learn a lot about all the facets of the Digital Department and found a couple areas I felt like I might fit in.  Most interesting to me was the Design department, of course.  The presenter from their group talked a lot about identity creation.  This means taking something, like a TV show or project and giving it a face, a look, a feel.  I've done this a few times before in making logos for WCRD and such but these guys are incredibly talented.  I would love to be able to do the things they do, I just don't know if I have enough art background to get there.

Another area I really liked, and was kind of surprised by, was Product Development.  Their whole job is to say, okay - lets think of something cool and then make it happen.  For example, they've noticed the popularity of applications and Facebook and have yet to design one from our company. So, they get into a group and start thinking about how they can use their content to branch out to this.  Later in the day, we got to split into groups and brainstorm ideas for things like this.  I had a lot of fun just talking and coming up with things that they might like and one of my ideas might actually make it onto the site in the near future!

As I've said before, moving to New York is a huge step and I really don't think I can just come back here after I graduate.  I definately feel like I should be a city girl but this one might be a little too big for me.... and a lot too expensive.  I don't really think I'm willing to come all the way here and work on data entry (which is basically what I do as an intern) and work my way up to MAYBE getting my ideas and creations seen and heard.  I feel like in a city like Indianapolis I could work for a design company and actually get to touch and code and flesh out things in a way I would have to wait many expensive, underpaid years to do here.

For now I'm ready to go back to BSU, learn as much as I possibly can, and then jump out into the world and see if I get lucky enough to find that job I will love.  I think it can happen!

p.s. I can't believe its August, seriously... where did the summer go?  I need to start packing!

in case you were wondering, this is what i would look like as a simpson... and ben too.

i apologize for not keeping to my promise and updating this as often as i had initially led you all to believe.  i have no idea how many people actually come here but for any possible loyal rachel-fans, i am sorry.

I am now part way into my last week here in the city.  My last Saturday, Sunday and Monday have gone and now I am left with just a few more days until I fly back to Indiana.  I'm a little torn at this point.  I am happy here but I feel like its time to go.  I am going to miss a lot of things about this town and not really notice the absence of others.  I can't wait to DRIVE to WALMART and not spend a fortune on pasta.  I can't wait to see my cat and watch TV for the first time in months.  I can't wait to cuddle on the couch and watch movies with my boyfriend.  I can't wait to actually talk to my best friend instead of chatting online for hours at a time.  I want some FRESH AIR.

But I will miss New York.  I'll miss the concerts, comedy shows, food, crowds, signs, subways, and all the great things that come from being in the biggest city in the US.  I kinda like not having to drive anywhere.  I love looking out my window 14 stories up and seeing buildings even taller and the Hudson River.  I love meeting the girls for dinner after work and walking home at night when its so bright you would never know its dark in most parts of the country. 

We're all trying to make the most of this last week.  Mandy, Elaine, Geetha, Brandon and I met for dinner tonight.  We have plans to see a movie and get desserts on Wednesday, and on Thursday we're celebrating Geetha's 22nd birthday with one last nice dinner out as a bunch.  Its so strange to think that I won't see Geetha and Elaine again for a long long time, if ever.  On Thursday night I begin my 2 days as a homeless person and am moving into Mandy's dorm as I am getting kicked out here.  I haven't even started packing but it can't be too hard, I only have 2 suitcase worth of stuff to my name this summer.

4 more days at work... I can't say I'll miss it a whole lot.  Lately I just feel like I'm not really making a difference there.  It's been a good experience, I've made some connections should I ever come back, and I'm ready to move on.  I keep wanting to come home and do something creative after being there all day but end up laying around doing nothing because I'm so tired.  I need to write more, a lot more.

I never did a lot of the things I wanted to do here, namely going to see live TV show tapings but I guess its not that big of  a deal... maybe another time.  I still think I might try to get into Letterman later this week since I'll be working every day next semester in a building that now has his name on it!  We shall see!!

I plan on writing more soon on my summer as a whole.  I'll have lots of time once I get back to Muncie.  This really has been the best year of my life so far and I'm really excited to see it continue.  At this point i want to be 21 forever.  I wanna go to school and spend the summer in the city and live life in ways I never could have dreamed I'd have the courage to do. 

i had a really fantastic weekend, even though it panned out nothing like i'd expected.  our all weekend party that the girls and i had hoped for kind of fizzled when everyone seemed to disappear in their own directions around midnight on friday.  luckily my friend jeff from home was in town and he and his friend joel and i headed over to the UCB theatre to begin one of the funniest and most entertaining weekend of my life.

this weekend at ucb was an all-weekend  non-stop improv comedy marathon, 24 hours a day from friday night to sunday at midnight there was at least someone on the stage being funny.  little did i know on friday that i would end up spending almost an entire day  of my weekend sitting or standing and watching comedy.  on friday 2am-6 am, saturday 3p-2a, and sunday 4p-midnight.  wow.  i had the best time and a lot of it was spent sitting on the floor or standing up in the incredibly uncomfortable heat... but i loved ever minute of it.  i now want to come back next year just so i can do it all again.  i got to see several semi-famous comedians from the daily show. colbert report, and just about everyone who does the show best week ever do improv.  these guys/and a couple gals are so incredibly talented and i can't even fathom how they do it!

more later...

today was a lot better.  i will write more soon but a lot of things turned around.  work still sucks but i'm finding ways to work around it and get through these last few days.  i got to go to the concert i've been dying to go to all summer tonight.  it was all i ever thought it could be and more.  thanks for worrying about me everyone, i really think your prayers worked for me today.  fate kind of stepped in and everything fell into place like it was all meant to be this way.  i love you guys!

i want to go home right now.  i've had the 2 most miserable days of my life here and i don't want to be in this town anymore.  everything is disappointing.  i'm done.

So, Its been a good week and a half since my last post.  Woops... guess I got busy.  I keep opening up the webpage and getting ready to write and I'm inevitably distracted.  But, never fear, I am here now to catch you up on the events of my life.

I've been busy I think.  Last week I don't remember too much worth talking about.  We went to Bryant Park for movie night again.  Yeah, wow.  I got nothing.

Last Thursday I volunteered at SummerStage again at the UCB comedy show.  I got to walk by Demetri Martin, that was exciting.  He is quite small.

My parents came last weekend, we went to 2 shows (Wicked and A Chorus Line), and ate lots of good food.  We did everything touristy in just 2 days.  Empire State Building, Central Park, Chinatown, Little Italy, Ground Zero, saw the Statue of Liberty... fun fun. 

Sorry to be so vague. I had a bad day, long boring and annoying at work.  I'm about ready to be done with this.

Current obsessions: Sherwood, New Starting Line!!!, New Rocket Summer!!!!

and, www.someecards.com

My Latest Review for RMR:
Straylight Run's "The Needles The Space"

Look for more soon, I interviewed MCR, TBS, and Linkin Park a couple weeks ago, went to a show the other night, and am working on another review of a new album by Forever the Sickest Kids.

I've been listening to Forever the Sickest Kids, Jack's Mannequin, Say Anything, Straylight Run, Limbeck, and Valencia a lot lately - check them out if you are in for some face-melting perfection.

Running List of Famous People I've Seen:
because you all want to know.. I've been within a few feet of all these people

Bono
Allison Janney
Chris Daughtry
Eve
Patrick Stump, Joe Trohman, and Andy Hurley of Fall Out Boy (Pete was at the concert but I was nowhere close)
Amy Poehler, Horatio Sanz, and Rachel Dratch of SNL
Jesse from Motion City Soundtrack (twice)
The Lead Singer of Armor for Sleep (like 3 times)
Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes (twice)
The Cast of Grease the Musical (my mom loves Max... he took a picture for us)

Concerts I've Attended:
Cartel's Big Bubble Burst Concert
Weakerthans on a Boat Cruise
Fall Out Boy on the Today Show
The Ataris
Limbeck/Langhorne Slim/Rocky Votolato
Valencia/Self Against City/Forever the Sickest Kids
Apples in Stereo/Television

Super Cool Things I've Done:
Movie in Bryant Park
Volunteered at SummerStage in Central Park
Attended Upright Citizen's Brigade Theatre's Asssscat 3000 Improv Show
Visited Cartel when they were in the Bubble
Been to several concert afterparties at Angels and Kings
Walked 40 blocks down 5th Avenue because I was bored
Ate a burrito ate least 3 times a week
Had an address in Midtown Manhattan (I feel so cool)
Danced to terrible country music on the bar at the crappiest dive bar in New York City... and loved it


Thats all I can think of right now.  I'll add more as time goes by - its New York so theres something new every day!

It takes a lot to really impress me.  Sure, I am easily distracted by shiny things often... a little too often... but it takes a lot to really make an impact.  Today, MTV Networks blew my mind. 

It was a normal day, message board in the morning, watched some shows on VSPOT, the usual.  As I grabbed my bag to go to lunch, our supervisor sent us an email inviting us to come to an all network meeting at the theatre in another part of the building.  It seemed as if it wasn't quite an invitation but a you're doing this... and so Jen and I headed out with our boss to the meeting.

As we walked in, we were given a box lunch and ushered into the theatre, which is a fantastic venue in itself.  Over 1000 employees of all parts of the company had gathered into this room to find out what the future of MTV would be.  The presentation began and each network got up to show us what they've been working on for future quarters.  In effort to revolutionize the music industry, the network has put together games and websites and computer programs for every type of person.  They're producing content like you've never seen and working to get users more intersted in all things music and MTV,  It was so cool and I was so excited to see that this huge corporation really believes that the internet is the future - which means... I'M GONNA HAVE A JOB SOMEDAY!

Just as I thought everything was over, they announced that they were bringing out MTV News legend John Norris for the final part.  Seeing him is pretty freaking cool in itself, the man has interviewed every major artist for the past 20 years of MTV.  I've seen him on TV hundreds of times and the things he's done and seen in the music industry as rivaled by few.  Then, the person at the podium started talking about how their guest was a very influential musician who has been working with the network for years as an activist... BONO! Like, the Bono.  I was in shock.  My jaw dropped as did almost everyone else's in the room as we realized that the man in all black and those famous sunglasses walking across the stage was indeed the lead singer of U2. 

The two of them sat in chairs on the stage and conversed about activism, working with the government, and ability to use celebrity to bring good things to those less fortunate.  Bono noted his biggest accomplishments being convincing Bill Clinton to absolve national debts in 2000 and getting George Bush to send millions of dollars in medications to Africa in effort to stop the AIDS epidemic.  Uhh... HELLO! This is amazing.  After a few more questions, they wrapped up the meeting and we all went back to out cubicles in awe.  I soon messaged everyone I know to tell them I just saw Bono... and they all wished they had such a cool job like me.

Well, get this out of the way first.  I didn't meet Pete.  He never showed up, Joe was there making Pete the only FOB-er I haven't seen.  sad face... I would have completely embarrassed myself in front of him anyways as I was in no state to be around famous people.  Oh well... its not like they're going to Uganda next week or anything...

I was sick all day today.  Its been miserable.  I hate being here when I don't feel well because there is no one to take care of me, I'm stuck in this room alone to sleep and hope I feel better when I wake up.  It was about 9 tonight before I felt okay and by then I was so homesick I barely noticed I wasn't sick any more.

This week will probably be more low-key.  All the girls, including myself, are running out of money so we gotta cut back on the going out.  We're watching a movie in Bryant Park tomorrow night, for free - yay!  Hopefully this week at work will be busier than last week, I was miserable most days.  And I get Friday off, so that is something to look forward to.  I'm going to a concert on Wednesday, not sure who my +1 will be though... gotta pick a lucky one - or just find someone who is bored.

I don't really have anything groundbreaking to say today, thanks for reading - if anyone actually does.  It's New York, I'm sure something fun will happen soon!

I'm in awe of the city.  After over a month of wandering, I still find something new every time I venture into the yet to be explored territory that my Manhattan.  Today was one of those days I couldn't believe that I live here.  I've seen this all on TV all my life, the tall buildings, busy streets, and millions of people all familiar. 

I woke up earlier than usual, especially for a Saturday, threw on some comfortable apparel and set out with no particular purpose.  I seem to do this a lot.  I'll start walking in any direction and turn towards any shiny sign or particularly interesting block grabs me.  A brief stint shopping, finding a surprisingly perfect shirt to wear to my friend's birthday party tonight, and wandering through a street fair in Herald Square rounded out the morning.  I decided that I could spend years just walking around the city and not seeing everything.  I want to stop every person I see and hear their story.  I want to know how they got here, where they live, what brought them to this street right now, and what they've learned in this ever-exciting city. 

Sidenote; I saw the coolest homeless person ever the other day.  Seriously, there should be Hobo Olympics and he would win.  It was almost as if he was proud and happy to be roaming the streets and perfectly fine with the fact that he hadn't slept in a bed in who knows how long.  In addition to his careless swagger, he had one of those push vacuum things adorned with Christmas garland and a white teddy bear.  It looked like he'd collected all these little treasures from trash cans after every holiday and carefully arranged them to look festive on his push vacuum.  Later, I saw him reclined on the side of the road smoking a cigarette without a care in the world.  I wish I had a picture, he was awesome.

I walked another mile or so to meet my friend Elaine in Union Square, which is a thing of beauty in itself.  The streets were blocked off and lined with tents filled with the last thing you would expect in the middle of the city, farmers.  Every weekend, and many weekdays, a Farmer's Market makes its way into this spot full of organic vegetables grown far from the smoggy haze of the city.  After wandering the market, we shopped a bit more off the square and then I walked back home.  In all, I probably wandered a few miles today, seeing parts of the city I haven't before... and I was only scared for my life once, when I was the only white girl for a good 8 blocks.  But thats New York, a couple blocks more and I was surrounded by blue eyed blondes eyeing overpriced dresses H&M.

After a disappointingly close call a couple weeks ago, the time has come yet again to acheive my ultimate summer in New York goal.  If I had left 10 minutes earlier just a month ago this would have already happened but alas, we are back to square one.  Well my friends, the time has come as our (as if you are part of this crazy obsession) stalkee has arrived back in this magical city of opportunity.

Yes, Mr, Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz III is in town for the weekend.  I will be attending the taping of the Today Show this Friday for a free live performance but that does not count towards the goal as I have seen him from afar several times before.  Our objective is to meet him and have that golden Facebook picture to cherish for ages and tell  my children about the day I met the guyliner-clad bassist of my dreams.  I also know that Mr. Wentz and Fall Out Boy crew will be at Live Earth all day on Saturday.  It is my only hope to meet him on Friday or Saturday night, most likely at his bar Angels and Kings. 

Look forward to a post with that fantastic grin that trumps all my hate for him soon.
haha.

In other news, my 4th pretty much sucked.  The only highlight was going to the Apple Store and playing with the iPhone which is one of the coolest things I've ever seen, but thats just until I see Pete in person.

i was at this concert reported on by spin.com and the photographer for spin had to have been standing next to me, i'm surpised you don't see red hairs in the corner of his shots..

http://www.spin.com/features/ithappenedlastnight/2007/06/070629_rockyvotolato/

wow its been quite a long time since my last post.

life has picked up to a more acceptable pace here in the city.  after a few upsets after i wrote last week i decided to take things into my own hands and make things happen and so far its been good.

on saturday night i hung out with a friend from back home and it turned out really well.  we went out for a nice italian dinner with some of his friends and they were all very nice.  then 4 boys and myself went to the dirtiest, cheapest little dive bar in new york city and it was a ton of fun.  finally somewhere you don't have to pay $6 for a beer!

on sunday, elaine and i went on quite the adventure when i decided i wanted to go to the free improv show at the upright citizen's brigade theatre.  it turns out people wait in line hours before the show starts to get tickets, we showed up about an hour before they gave out tickets and were 10 people from getting them... so, they told us that we could wait in a standby line for another hour and then we could get in but wouldn't have a seat.  feeling adventurous, we waited in line for yet another hour, i snuck around the corner to taco bandito, and we ate burritos on the side of the road in new york city.  haha.  it was quite the experience.

once we got into the theatre, we were told to sit on the stage around the perimeter so we were ON THE STAGE for the whole show.  several members of saturday night live were there along with a few other familiar faces from the colbert report and the daily show.  it was very cool and elaine and i have decided to go back and wait in line every sunday because it was so great!

after the show, i was in such a good mood i spent 2 hours writing for RMR - look for 2 new rachel nix originals up this week!!

fast forward to today, when i had a fantabulous day!! i woke up happy, got to watch pop culture trivia shows all day, ate a burrito for lunch, and saw a pretty decent concert, even though i was alone.  more soon, hopefully - if not it means i'm busy and happy and loving new york!

well today at work was fine. i was busy for a lot of the morning and then did nothing all afternoon.  it went on for eons.  then i met elaine after work but she got held up so i ended up sitting outside the mtv building for another hour after work people watching the emo kids going to the rise against show and the creepy anti-puppy killer people. elaine and i got some pizza and a drink after that and then headed down to what we thought was the right way to a free show. 

well.... there is a different between broadway and w broadway - who knew! we walked about a mile in a circle trying to figure out where it was and then found out that there are 2 different streets... grr... so we went back home, it started pouring down rain, and i had to walk 3 long blocks (like 6 blocks) in the pouring rain to my dorm.  boo.  didn't end up like i'd hoped but i guess tomorrow should be better.

tomorrow i work all day and then its thursday so its mtv intern night at blockheads - our favorite mexican place with $3 margaritas!! afte
r that elaine and i are going to a concert - yay! limbeck and rocky votolato - i have recently become infatuated with limbeck after submitting for tickets to the show for rmr and getting a person email from the guitarist of the band appologizing for not being able to get me on the list and insisting on an interview with me anyway.  hopefully that will happen tomorrow or friday and i am paying the 15 bucks to see the show anyway because he was such a nice guy and i really like their music after listening to it all day.

then its friday - which means half day and fun!! i dont know whats up for the weekend but i'm sure it will be fun.  geetha and mandy and i are already making plans for the 4th and i can't wait!  free show in battery park then a HUGE fireworks display - yay!

i really need a haircut but i can't decide - get it short again or let it grow - lately i miss my hair!

OR

yesterday was a fine day.  i was busy all day at work, but they were really impressed with what i did and thanked me lots of times throughout the day.  after work mandy and i went to chinatown.  it was fun and smelly and creepy and an adventure.  we got chinese food that was quite good but we both felt sick by the time we got on the train home... ugh. 

once i got back my eyes went wacko again and i could barely see anything.  i went to bed and it was still pretty bad when i woke up this morning so i didn't go into work today.  i was hoping a day off would help but they haven't changed a lot.  they got better for a while in the middle of the day but are bad to not good again now.  it makes no sense because i haven't left this room all day and its fluctuated still... i dont get it.

hopefully tomorrow will be better,  i can't really call in sick again so hopefully i will be able to see enough to get there and sit at the computer all day.  i have this computer set so that the text is really big so i can see it and i don't need to see the keyboard anyways... here's hoping this clears up soon!

no big excitement this tuesday, oh well - theres always next week.

its been a few days since i've written anything.  the end of the week was pretty normal.  ben got into town at 3ish on friday, we went for pizza and then walked to the boat for our little cruise.  it was fun - i love looking at the city.  i could ride around and stare all day - i sit and stare out my window for long periods of time already.  the concert on the boat was pretty cool - it was really small so not very many people were there but we could barely see the band.  it was a good time anyways. 



on saturday, we woke up, went to my favorite burrito place, and then walked all the way up 5th avenue to central park.  once we got there, we walked around the park for a while, i showed ben where summerstage is, and then we sat and ate a lemon chill while we watched some shakespeare in the park.  we went downtown a bit afterwards and saw some of chelsea and soho.  it was fun to see more of the city.  ben didn't want to do any tourist things so we just kind of wandered a lot and ended up walking for a few hours that day. 

we were exhausted and got a nice cheap dinner at a greek diner and then went out to meet my new york friends uptown.  the bar we went to was kinda cool - it reminded me a lot of the college bars back home.  danilo, sean, dusty, and mandy were all there and it was a big BSU reunion.  geetha and elaine came too and some of ben's friends from israel met us there.  i was glad most of my friends showed up for a fun night!!

ben had to wake up pretty early and leave this morning.  the whole weekend went so fast.  he was really only here for about 45 hours so i understand why.  i slept most of the day to catch up from the exciting weekend and then did laundry and ran some errands today.  i finally got an ice cube tray and a hot pad!! now i can have cold soda and not have to use my sweatpants to get things out of the oven! haha.  i'm a very good improvisor!

its gonna be another fun week.  mandy and i are planning on going to chinatown tomorrow after work, then out with elaine again on tuesday, we will see from there! i can't believe my time here is almost half way over! i don't wanna gooooo!!!

the last couple days have been fine.  i've been busy at work.  i started working exclusively with my production team and its been really good so far, especially since the things i get to do seem a lot more fun than what the other interns are doing... and i'm good at it!  i get to watch tv shows that don't premiere til august and write cheesy copy for them for when they launch on the website... so far they really like my clever wit and its been cool... and i really miss watching tv so its been nice.

last night i went out on the town with my friend elaine and some of her friends from work.  we went to the strangest bar and i had one of the most fun nights i've had since i got to new york.  everyone there was dancing and the dj was great, we danced for a couple hours straight and it was fantastic... all the boys were tall in tight pants and tank tops and were great dancers (which led me to believe we may have been in a gay bar... we don't really know)  either way it was fun to just dance and go out. 

i'm excited to go out with my friends again this weekend since we're all getting together on saturday because ben will be here. 

tonight i'm just kind of lounging.  i've been trying to write a review for RMR for a few days now and i can't seem to get it started.  i have a paragraph now and i just can't get it off the ground.  writer's block... ick.  hopefully, it will come to me soon.  until then i'll just listen to music and try to be creative.