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B.E.A.U.tiful – she be sweet like banana
I’ve decided to dedicate a post to West African Literature. This is in preparation for the 2nd Annual Ghana Day Parade in NYC August 21st. It is also a result of people in the U.S. and Ghana who are slow at uploading their photos which has made me long for Ghana.
Since I am a voracious reader and we did not have internet in our dorms (mostly because of the latter then the former), I read some books for fun. Unfortunately I did not take the African Literature course at Ashesi or NYU for scheduling reasons, so I obviously did not get the full force of the literature. But I think I have a fair sample. *note: this is all fiction, I read a good bit about philosophy but chose not to include those titles*
Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. This is a classic. I first read it in 9th grade and was indifferent to it. Reading it while in West Africa made some of the cultural nuances make more sense. I was able to appreciate the novel more.
Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus. This book was reminiscent of Things Fall Apart, and why I wrote my philosophy research paper comparing the views on religion in the post-colonial world. She is a great writer and really conveyed a sense of the current post-colonial world. It was like an update of Achebe. I’ve also heard her book Half of a Yellow Sun is good.
Amma Darko’s Not Without Flowers and Faceless. These were the first two novels I read and I thought they were fantastic. While Faceless is more of a mystery story, Fofo’s search to find out who killed her sister, Not Without Flowers is a more intricate look into the family, life, and culture of Ghana. Both books have intertwining stories, with endings that took me completely by surprise.
I would suggest reading any of these books. But then again, I rarely find a book I wouldn’t recommend.
Also, I would like to note, that while abroad I watched the Ghana Music Awards, which for $40 I could have attended. All the performers who were from Ghana, born and raised, were dressed sophisticatedly in suits and ties. The performers from Ghana who were heavily influenced by American and British style were dressed unimpressively with baggy pants, large shirts, and lots of bling. In all honesty, I preferred the performers dressed in suits – they looked so much better than the bums.
Currently: Book – Can You Keep A Secret? I’m re-reading my first book of Sophie Kinsella’s. It’s not bad for some very light reading. T.V. – Drop Dead Diva a light show which sometimes has deeper meaning, but is overall light and funny. Movie – The Invention of Lying wasn’t bad but it didn’t capture my attention. I was really trying to watch another Ricky Gervais movie Ghost Town and ended up with this.
Carol “getting ready for the move back to Baltimore” Monteiro
B.E.A.U.tiful – the new intern’s first blog
Hello World!
I am the new Beaufort Intern and I am ecstatic to be here. I won’t keep you long today since I’m not really sure what hard hitting topics to talk about but here are some basics you should know about me.
1. I am obsessed with books, television, and movies. (Hence the title of this blog is from Jim Carrey’s popular movie Bruce Almighty)
2. I am still in college (ONLY one more year left! ::gasp::) and just got back from studying abroad in Ghana, which to my friend’s despair is all I will talk about.
3. My current goal in life is to meet Neil Patrick Harris. It would be “legen…wait for it…dary”
4. I love swimming, reading, and long walks on the beach 😉
Currently (Book) The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Apparently is all the rage now since I have seen at least three people reading it on the subway daily, so far I’m captivated. (T.V Show) Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Having missed out on most of the ’90s, I am trying to find the antithesis to the ridiculous Twilight craze. (Movie) All About Steve. There is rarely a movie I don’t like, but this might be on that list. Fell asleep while watching it, but that might have just been exhaustion from the Fourth of July Weekend.
I hope this will be the start of a B.E.A.Utiful friendship!
– -Carol “recently rediscovered my love of fig newtons” Monteiro
Beau and Arrow – the old intern’s last blog
I am sorry for the huge delay since the last blog, but sadly my days at Beaufort Books are coming to an end. I have been training the new intern, Carol, who is great, you’re gonna love her!
I simultaneously find it hard and easy to believe that it’s been five months since I began this internship at Beaufort Books. It has been quite the adventure, and I’m glad you all got to tag along for the ride. I remember when I was first informed about my blog duties, I was actually, contrary to my typical behavior, really scared. What am I blogging about? Who out there in WWW will care? I legitimately had no idea what to expect – out of the internship, out of my last semester of college, out of this blog. I’ll admit, I’m still in the question mark phase of my life, but five months later I am without a doubt a little bit less confused. If there is one thing I know for sure, it’s that I don’t want to give up writing, probably ever.
Speaking of writing, this blog began as a literature and publishing-related blog, and I will continue that on through to its last. I just recently read Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games and its sequel, Catching Fire. It is edge of your seat suspense, and a phenomenal summer read, because the third installment hits shelves August 24th. There’s also a movie in the works, it’s YA, so it’s never pretentious, and your blogger loves it. ‘Nuff said.
Here is the last segment in my connections list:
Remember that rocker-looking famous dude from my building? The one I always see in the elevator? Well, last week we rode up together again, and we got to chatting (he’s a little chatty), and at some point I put out my hand and introduced myself as Rachel, fully sure this semi-famous man would gladly inform me of his first and last name, thereby giving me full swing to Google him. Unfortunately, all I got was a first name, and it’s Ricky. Not at all helpful. Well, you’ll just have to trust me that there is a semi-famous rocker dude who always rides in the elevator with me. And he knows my name now.
Whoa! of the day: Every single day that I’ve been at Beaufort Books, I have gone to a little place around the corner for lunch called Books and Bagels. It is one of the only kosher places in the area, and it’s a really sweet place, with daily soups (I got a free one last week!). I also find it kind of funny that it’s called Books and Bagels, because there are in total about five books on the shelves at any given time. Unimportant. What is important is that my friend was in Vienna two weeks ago, and in telling me about his trip, reported that he had eaten at this little kosher place he found called…Books and Bagels! I’m going to let you digest that. It is my mission for the day to find out what the connection is between the two. Apparently, there are much more books in the Austrian version of the cafe, which makes a lot of sense if the 19th Street version is an offshoot of it. Addition from the future post-lunch Rachel: Okay, so I just got back from Books and Bagels where I got a free lunch because it’s my last day! I asked one of the workers there about the Viennese Books and Bagels and he thinks either the owner used their ideas, or owns both! Mystery solved! Can someone say uncanny?
What else? I have officially moved to the Jersey shore for the summer. This means the number of persons living in my house has…quintupled? Is that a word? It also means Jersey cops, Jersey hicks, Jersey boardwalks, and most importantly, Jersey moonrise! If you have yet to watch the moon rise, and I have had to convince people in past that yes, the moon does in fact rise, this is a MUST SEE. Trust me. I took NJ Transit today, which made the F Train look like my nephew’s Thomas the Tank Engine toy. Over the weekend I saw billboards toting the following slogan: Jersey Doesn’t Stink! I went to their website, which you need to check out HERE. The concept is hilarious and yes of course I signed the petition. Even though when I arrived at the Secaucus Junction there really was a terrible smell emanating in the air, there are other, more important ways which make Jersey unstinky. One of which includes that your blogger lives there in the summer.
To celebrate the end of my blog, I have compiled a list of mine and your all-time faves. There’s nothing like a little reminiscing for a proper season finale. Here they are in chronological order (because that always makes the most sense). Click on the titles for a direct hyperlink to the blog post.
1) Imperfect Peyton – In this blog, my second ever, I explored my love for Manning and the loss of the Super Bowl. If there is one amazing part of the summer, it’s the fact that when it’s over, number 18 will be back on the field ready to conquer again.
2) Brand New Brand – When Rachel Lily was created, the connections list started, and my road to fame began.
3) Labyrinths – One of my favorites. In summary, I got lost in the city on the way to a book club on Labyrinths. Irony at its best.
4) Family Feud on the F – A look at the ridiculous mind of your blogger.
5) Orange Plates – Here’s something I never told you. According to the weekly website analytics, this blog post received a record-breaking number of hits – almost 250!
6) Random Facts of Blogness – A fan favorite.
7) Random Facts of Blogness II – The sequel.
Sadly, we need to wrap up and say our goodbyes. We have come a long way. Remember the snow day that kept me locked up at home? It’s now a sweltering, melting city out there. We’ve discussed Google, and Apple, great books, great authors and great ideas. I think the randomness of this blog has always kept me on my toes, and I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Since it’s my last blog post, maybe you’ll all consider commenting? Hm?
I want to thank Erin, who may not work at Beaufort anymore, but truly made my experience here unforgettable in the best of ways. I would also like to thank Margot, who is the backbone of this company, and who really taught me everything I will ever need to know about publishing. I would also like to thank the Midpoint crew – James, Josh, Antonio, Tony, Charlie, Laurie and of course, Eric. I was so lucky to be given this opportunity, and I thank you for making it such a memorable one. And lastly, I would like to thank all of you – friends, family and strangers alike, who have taken this phenomenal journey with me. Although I joked on my very first post about a network of “fans” that I supposedly had, I am very much humbled by the outpouring of support from my blog followers. I have named them without names throughout these last five months, but I hope they know how much I appreciate them. Gracias. You rock my blogging world.
In the words of William Shakespeare – “Parting is such sweet sorrow.”
In the words of Gov. Schwarzenegger – “I’ll be back.”
Your truly,
Rachel Lily
p.s. No seriously, I’ll be back. I am semi-planning to get my own blog somewhere out there. Google me. This is not the last you’ll hear from Rachel Lily. Goodbye Beau and Arrow, hello world!
Beau and Arrow – Blog Like a Butterfly, Spell Like a Bee
A couple of things to discuss.
Numero uno: The iPhone4 was introduced by Mr. Midas this week. My father the techie (who has already tried to pre-order it), boasted about his future toy and its glamorous features that put my Berry to shame. 5 megapixel camera, hi-def video, clarity 4x the iPhone3, and so on. But one of the most important new features of the iPhone4 is that the iBookstore will now be accessible to the phone, with over 5 million e-books already available. Additionally, all downloaded books can be loaded to any computer and device, even the iPod! Google Books better make their move quickly, or the Golden Boy will take over as usual. To sum up: e-books are the future of the publishing industry, and Apple is taking the bite.
Numero dos: One of my friends was very insulted to be excluded from the last blog post. About the last blog post! It has so far received a record-breaking number of comments, and I’ve heard a lot of buzz about it, so thank you readers for keeping the Random Facts of Blogness legacy alive. Anyway, so my friend is all insulted, but I explained to him that he missed the deadline to contribute. Either way, his complaint reminded me that he downloaded the Webster’s Dictionary app to his phone because of some words I had used in my blog. Here’s my thing with words. We’re…involved. I love words like people love math or sports. I can’t believe I’m admitting this publicly on a blog, but I used to read the SAT vocabulary book…for fun. What?! I’m allowed! I think broadening your vocabulary is vital to someone who enjoys writing and reading. Also, when Marty Markowitz called Don Lemon’s voice “melifluous” I was slightly proud to know what it meant (unlike Don Lemon who admitted ignorance). Also also, I have always been a very good speller which brings me to….
Numero tres: The Scripps National Spelling Bee! I tivoed the Friday night program and somehow convinced my friends to watch it with me. I won the 4th grade spelling bee on the word “soldier”. Now, without tooting my horn, which I hope I don’t seem to be doing a lot this blog, I consider myself a pretty good speller, as far as normal people and spelling are concerned. But these kids! The Scripps National Spelling Bee finds children and words that are so far beyond the norm, it seems like a big conspiracy. These are obviously high-IQ, mega-nerds who spend their time memorizing etymological roots and foreign, extinct languages. I was blown away by their smarts, but unlike previous years, none were nerdier enough to provide good entertainment. Either way, the show was fun to watch, if not solely for the overdramatizing of a dumb spelling bee. I was very much disappointed to see that in the final rounds of play “gnocchi” was one of the words given. Anyone who’s ever been to a restaurant knows how to spell gnocchi. The girl was jumping for joy, lucky kid. She didn’t end up winning, another mega-genius did. I wonder how Scripps National Champion looks on a resume…?
Numero cuatro: The World Cup is nearing, and I could not care less. The media has done a pretty good job trying to make me care about this sport I know nothing about, and it’s just not working for me. We have our football, you have your futbol, I’d say we’re about even. When I went to London a few years back, David and Victoria Beckham were more famous the queen. Who deserts that for the LA Galaxy?
Hasta la proxima semana,
Rachel Lily
p.s. Not sure why I went Spanish today.
Beau and Arrow – Random Facts of Blogness II
Since my last Random Facts of Blogness was such a hit, I’ve decided to bring it back for a sequel. Sequels are difficult to pull off, but in the world of media and entertainment, people are more likely to back a project that’s already been out there in the global market. Sex and the City 2, Toy Story 3, Shrek 4, James Patterson 78. Unlike these blockbusters, my hit came less in the billion dollar franchise category, but rather it received a whopping 2 comments, and much verbal praise from my loyal readers (love you guys).
-A lot of people ask me to mention them in my blogs. You see, everyone wants to be famous. Sure, my connection list has dwindled, but this is about my 30th blog, and I feel that is an accomplishment in and of itself. But a promise is a promise (I hold nothing more trustworthy than the famed “pinky promise”), and so all suggestions via Blackberry Messenger and my new Twitter account will be addressed.
-My first shout-out goes to someone who is obsessed with middle names as much as me. He is a staunch fan of my blog, a fellow Brooklyn College cafeteria junkie, and my recently wed niece’s best friend. After months of trying to convince me that he’s my friend too, I think now is a good a time as any to admit he’s right.
-My second shout-out goes to one my favorite red-headed cousins, whose request to be mentioned on my blog reminded me about a book he loves, and that I will soon be purchasing: Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games. Although it is a YA (Young Adult) book, I have never heard so much general praise for a title in a while, and with the third installment coming out in the summer, this could be the beach read I’ve been looking for.
-My third shout-out goes to another friend who wishes for me to speak about his awesomeness. As an owner and driver of a brand new Vespa, and another blog fan, he is pretty awesome.
-Silly Bandz. These colorful rubberbands have taken over children’s wrists across America. Just yesterday my niece was toting the princess collection, referring to the shapes each band takes. Apparently, the makers of Silly Bandz have entered a fad gold mine they definitely never saw coming. The Silly Bandz have become so popular, that schools everywhere are beginning to place bans on them because they are causing such a distraction in the classroom. Ridiculous. Insane. Cool?
-The “love” factor has come into question again. I am thinking to trademark my tagline “It’s sick until it sucks”. But let’s discuss this for a moment. Life is difficult because getting what you want is difficult. When you get what you want, and then lose it, it makes it that much more complicated. When you get what you want, lose it, get it back, lose it, get it back, and then lose it again – go on vacation. If you are yet to get what you want, find something else to want. In all cheesy seriousness, everything will work out if you stay positive.
– Speaking of vacations, a couple of my friends are traveling Europe this week as one last hoorah before work takes over their lives. They are currently in Stockholm, Sweden, where sunset tonight is at…11 PM!! And here’s the kicker. SunRISE is at 3 AM!!!!!! I am flabbergasted by this notion. While I knew that small towns in Alaska have to deal with no nighttime hours at all, I never thought someone I knew could be living through measly moon hours. As a night hawk, and someone who has difficulty getting anything done while the sun is in the sky, I am truly in awe of the Swedish. Their circadian clocks must be ridiculously messed up. (I did my 9th grade biology paper on sleep).
-One of my Twitter friends suggested I speak about Twitter. Here’s my thing with Twitter. I don’t get it. There’s this whole language/vocabulary/etiquette and I have little patience to learn it. I also feel like I need to constantly be witty and that’s pressure. Who needs more pressure in life? I’m not giving up yet. My current celebrities I am following are Conan O’Brien and Dane Cook. Dane Cook tweets A LOT. Too much. I miss Coco but I feel he has a similar pressure to be constantly funny. But hey, that’s his job.
-Another one of my Twitter friends said to blog about how to spend a summer in NYC. As a Jersey Shore summer girl, I will admit ignorance on this subject. This month does feel like summer though, and I feel like I’m melting into the city streets. Keep hydrated people, it’s a global warming world out there!
As with most sequels, nothing can compare to the first. Like my favorite movie of all time, The Matrix, this blog cannot compare to its predecessor, and number 3, if it happens, will be a little worse than this one. Or not?
Adios,
Rachel Lily
Beau and Arrow – BEA Blues
The wedding was insanely fun. When the music finally shut down at 1 AM, there were about 100 people on the dance floor who would have stayed on for hours more. My oldest niece is officially a Mrs., and I am well on my way to becoming the youngest great-aunt in Brooklyn. (I wonder how I can find that out…)
On an oppositely, bluesy (sorry for all the blues) note, I missed BEA. I practically passed out on the F train on the way to the Javits Center on Wednesday morning, and had to hail a cab to take me home ASAP. I had been looking forward to BEA since my interview for this internship position, and it all came to a skidding and screeching F train halt. My coworkers at Beaufort collected a whole bunch of books, and offered to share them. While this was quite generous, and definitely made me feel better, I’m still totally bummed about missing the publishing event of the season. Not cool.
My parents glued me to the couch so that I would feel well enough to attend my graduation the following morning. Luckily, I was feeling much better and headed out to Brooklyn College, my parents and brother in tow. The experience surpassed all expectations (if you’ve read my previous blogs, I had little hope for an exciting commencement). 2,250 graduates decked in maroon caps and gowns filed out of the encircling buildings and onto the quad. Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn Borough President, gave a hilarious and boisterous speech, reigniting my love for my borough and its college. There were also 100 graduates from the Brooklyn College class of 1960 who joined us, which had my mother bawling in tears. Actually, my brother noted that from the moment the ceremony started until it ended, my mother was crying. This came as no surprise to me because my mother is famously known for crying from the Price is Right (“Look how happy they are!”). Speaking of tears, Don Lemon of CNN ended up being such a cutie. He too, could not help from break out in emotional sobs during his speech, in which he spoke about the course of his life and how he didn’t get a chance to go to his own graduation. A truly sincere and uplifting speaker who said he started from nothing and worked his way up to success. Screw Sapphire! (But really don’t, because she’s awesome).
My Memorial Weekend was pretty memorable, slipping back into the comforts of summer days and nights. My freckles are now adundant. The 10 or so children who stayed over did not remove themselves from the swimming pool. And the policemen who wait on my street corner waiting for people to go down my one way street the wrong way seem to have gotten a new set of wheels straight out of Pimp My Ride. Ah, summer.
Book news: I’m in the middle of Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point, which has been on the New York Times bestseller list for about 4 million weeks. Having already read Blink, Freakonomics and taken a handful of Psychology classes, a lot of what I’m reading is a sort of review, but still fascinating nonetheless. As with Blink, the tone is enjoyable but I am not completely convinced.
I was however convinced to get a Twitter account.
Oh! My grandma told me last night that it’s possible to get artifical dimples. How strange/rude? As a bearer of two (or more) sunken spots in my cheek, I felt a little cheated. Ooft.
Till next week,
Rachel Lily
Beau and Arrow – Bad Book, Good Book
This past week an overwhelming sigh of relief cast over me as I realized one of the greatest benefits post-college life will offer: I can now read for pleasure.
For the past four years, my weekly Friday night readings consisted of a mountain of required reading books, booklets, textbooks,workshop pieces, research books…you get it. A lot of books that were not my choice. This forced me to read a whole lot of stuff I would never have picked up otherwise, both a good thing and a bad thing. That’s not to say I never had a chance to read for pleasure, but the moments were rare and difficult to come by considering the whole Creative Writing major thing = an English major with some extra writing. Anyways, I arrived at the Jersey shore last week for the Jewish holidays and realized I had nothing to read.
Bad Book:
My sister gave me a book she hadn’t read, but one which she said people loved, and three local book clubs were covering. Three book clubs?! I was willing to give it a chance. I can safely say it was one of the worst books I ever read, making the recently-criticized Little Bee look like a literary masterpiece. The bad book was A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick. It was obscenely sexual, to the point where I might call it pornographic, and that would maybe have been okay if the plotline was any good, except it really really wasn’t. I am dying to spoil the ending, but it just doesn’t seem like the moral thing to do. Here’s the gist – The year is 1907 and a rich, lonely man puts an ad in the paper to find a wife. A woman responds saying she is a “reliable, honest woman” and they get married. The woman is far from reliable or honest and she wants to poison him and take him for all he’s worth. It sounds exciting, maybe mysterious, but the twists and turns are so bizarre (again, I really wish I could tell you them here), that I wondered whether the author knew what was going to happen before it was written. Why? Whyyy do people make bestsellers out of terrible books? I need to understand this concept. Help me! And please, help yourself, and STAY AWAY FROM THIS BOOK. Or read it, and let me know what all the fuss is about. It’s an enigma to me.
I’m realizing I did not do a good enough job showing how terrible it was, so I’ll give one spoiler, and just promise me you won’t tell me who won Celebrity Apprentice. The “reliable wife” sleeps with her husband’s estranged bastard child she is secretly planning to live with after the murder. Oh, and she’s a prostitute. And the husband ends up finding out that she’s poisoning him, only he’s fallen so madly in love with her, that he knowingly ingests the arsenic to make her happy. It was more spoilers than I had planned but you really shouldn’t read it!
Good book:
After surviving through the bad book, I scanned through the bookcase for something a bit different. I landed on a section of books by Harlan Coben, a very well-known thriller writer, with a handful of bestsellers, none of which I ever had a chance to read. I chose one at random, and by page 6 I was completely hooked. The difference in measure of entertainment, quality of writing and overall readability was so immense, I was proud to be working in publishing again. The book is called Gone For Good, and you should definitely pick it up if you have never read any Harlan Coben books, or even if you have. I have five pages left, but I can safely say this will not be the last of his books that I read. I’m already a fan. I wonder now, if I would love it as much if it didn’t follow such a terrible book. Hmm…
BEA is tomorrow!!! I hope to bring back lots of good stories.
3 days until graduation! Almost forgot to tell you, just found out that Don Lemon of CNN is speaking! It’s not Alec Baldwin, but I’ll take it! P.S. I heard he was a boring speaker anyway. The master’s graduation is getting Sapphire (as in Push, as in one of the best required readings I had in college, as in the movie Precious with award-winning Gibourney Sidibe, as in why did this have to be the first year Brooklyn College decided to split up the two graduations!?)
Due to BEA and the impending niece nuptials, there won’t be a blog until June 2nd! Time flies when you have a million and one things to do…
Rachel Lily
Beau and Arrow – Pre-Grad Blues
10 days away from graduation, and I’m really feeling down in the dumps.
For four years when people asked me “What do you do?” I was comfortable, and proud to say, I was a Brooklyn College student. I used my scholarship as an excuse to stay on for 4 years, even though I’m graduating with tons of extra credits. I have two mini-papers due this week and then I’m done for good. The fact that they’re the last two papers I’ll ever write as a Brooklyn College student is just another reason I’ve been pushing them off. The point is…I’m depressed! Suddenly, I am being thrust into the world of a 9-5 workweek, the hustle and bustle of New York city transit, and the struggle to find a career to suit my future. I sooo want to crawl into a ball and hide away in Jersey for a while – which is the plan!
In other news, I went to a date auction last night, Saved By The Bell style. Auctioning off people for charity is much more hilarious than you would think. I didn’t win any dates, but my niece did. Not the one that’s getting married, obviously. By the way, that wedding is in 2 weeks! My bridesmaid sneakers are ready to go.
Other other news: BEA is next week!!!! Book Expo America is one of the biggest publishing exhibitions in the world, and it takes place at the Javits Center May 26-27. Lots of free books, and you get to see your favorite blogger in real 3-D (unlike Iron Man 2, which I saw in IMAX and was unimpressed with the difference in movie quality. If it’s not 3-D, it’s not worth the extra 5 bucks. The movie itself was fun though!). Hope to see you there!
Happy Holidays to my fellow Jews!
Rachel Lily
Beau and Arrow – Salinger and Allergy
Remember my downtown book club? I went last night. We discussed the works of the recently deceased J.D. Salinger of Catcher in the Rye fame. What I always loved about Salinger is that he’s so in-your-face. There’s no pretty words for the sake of seeming pretty. Everything is deliberate – full of angst, power and authenticity. The authenticity is perhaps the most interesting characteristic in that this epitomizes the themes so often mentioned in Salinger’s works – finding real, genuine people in the society at large. Last night we discussed the pureness of children, and how their candor is absent in adults. When I’m with my nieces and nephews, I know they’re never holding anything back. And for me, this quality is something I always look for in the people around me – not rude honesty, but just genuineness in nature. What we mentioned last night is the sort of paradox present in that everyone is looking for genuine people in their lives…so if everyone is looking, then why isn’t everyone genuine? A question to ponder. Also, now that J.D. Salinger is dead there is a good chance we may be blessed with more of his works going into print (he’s been in hibernation for like, 50 years, maybe more). We likened this rumor to the one about the iPhone coming out in Verizon. Hopeful possibilities…
Anywho. Why isn’t it blasting all over the news that people everywhere are sick with a cold in mid-May? I’ve spoken to and heard about dozens of people who have suddenly been struck with allergies they never had before. Something occurred this past Saturday and I think experts need to find out what is going on because I am officially breathing in more pollen than oxygen. Is this a conspiracy theory? Why aren’t more people talking about this?
Tomorrow is my last day of Brooklyn College. Ever.
Whoaaaaa
Rachel Lily
Beau and Arrow – googlegoolegoogle
What can I say, Google is everywhere and everything, ahead of the game even after the game has already started. A recent announcement by Google stated that by this summer they will be offering online books that can be bought and downloaded to any e-book device and any internet browser. Its called Google Editions, and people, this is HUGE. Not just for e-book readers, but for publishers like us, and readers like you. Even non-readers like you, because now you can buy the e-version of a book straight to your home computer or handheld device, giving you less excuses as to why you can’t read. Google is always coming out with ways to make even Mr. Midas Jobs shake. iPad, Kindle, Nook? See ya. Wouldn’t wanna be ya.
Wouldn’t exactly wanna be me either…I have a terrible cold and cough and it’s the beginning of May. Do I automatically assume allergies (of which I never had)? Or do I blame the F-train/my nephew who was sneezing on me/not wearing socks to sleep? You know it’s bad when you need NyQuil. Oh, NyQuil, your drug is my love (I <3 Kesha).
I’ve been holding out on my connections list. I saw Miranda from Sex and the City a few weeks ago and I didn’t even tell you. She was in the city. Predictable…I’m also pretty sure I was just with someone famous in the elevator. Rocker dude type. He was talking to other people in the elevator about writing a song for some album, and he’s going to playing with Sheila E. next week, who apparently once played with Prince. It is officially my goal for the remainder of my time at Beaufort to figure out who this guy is.
Speaking of my time at Beaufort, I have great news. I will be here for an extra month! Your favorite blogger just extended until mid-June. A big deal.
THIS JUST IN: I asked Margot who the guy is and she doesn’t know, BUT, lo and behold, there is a famous acupuncturist on my floor who apparently has A-list clientele. Margot said she’s seen an Olsen twin, and Elizabeth Berkely (Jesse from Saved by the Bell) in the elevator, and Charlie, another co-worked spoke to Sting for like a block! I will be lingering in the hallway from now on. This is bigger news than the Google Editions (times like, a thousand??).
I’ll be sure to remember you all when I become famous.
Or maybe only those who comment.
Yes, that’s a blogging threat.
Comment!
Please comment?
I’ll mention you in my blog if you comment.
I’m outty,
Rachel Lily
Beau and Arrow – Things I Miss
1) Conan O’ Brien
2) Football
There’s no one like Conan O’Brien who can put me to sleep in a happier mood. I just read the script for his interview on 60 Minutes, and I was literally laughing out loud. He joked about his new TBS show saying, “My own show again! I just can’t wait to have my own show again. I’d even take a primetime show that’s on at 10; anything to have my own show again,” taking a nice jab at Jay Leno’s disastrous 10 PM show, a guy he hasn’t spoken to since the Tonight Show debacle began. “Coco” proved to be a stand-up guy through the whole NBC fight, and when he cried during his last taping, I wanted to travel through my plasma screen and give him a comforting hug. Looks like TBS just recruited another faithful fan.
Football is still months away, and I miss it terribly. During my rainy Sunday writing my thesis paper, I was wishing I could wander my eyes over to some solid Manning pigskin. I know nothing about the NFL draft, but I decided I don’t have to. As a female, I reserve my right to not take part in every aspect of the sport. If I need some filling in, there’s always ESPN. Speaking of which, I watched the Kentucky Derby this weekend. Kind of felt like I was watching a foreign country. Did you know they have their own anthem?! I still don’t understand the whole hat thing.
Other stuff:
-The bomb scare in Times Square wasn’t very scary.
-A gorgeous new prison was just built in Norway for $252 million, include sporting facilities, cooking classes, and hotel-quality bedrooms with no bars. It will be housing murderers, rapists, etc.
-I love Buzz Lightyear and everything, but I have an idea to save the country’s financial crisis. I think we need to shut down NASA for a few years. We made it to the moon, and as we say in my community chulas. Billions of dollars need to be re-circuited to those without jobs, not microbes in outer space.
Thank you SO much to all those who commented on my last blog. Really appreciated. Maybe it’ll start a trend?
24 days until graduation!
Rachel Lily
Beau and Arrow – Orange Plates?!
Unthank you to all those who didn’t comment (aka everyone).
I thought it was appropriate as self-appointed Brooklyn blogger with opinions, that we discuss the crisis of the new New York orange license plates. Apparently, somebody was drunk or high as they redesigned the already perfect plates to become a nasty neon orange, reminiscent of absolutely nothing to do with New York, except maybe the Knicks. Moreover, they resemble the dreary yellow/orange of New Jersey. I always rely on associating such colors with slow, inexperienced, and annoying drivers. I am admittedly prejudiced against foreign plates, and now my eyes will need to adjust and differentiate between different shades of orange. It turns out I wasn’t the only one who found the new plates atrocious, and I totally missed a fun protest in Albany. Thank G-d there are others in this world concerned with vehicular appearances and color clashes across the state. Although the political higher-uppers promised there would be no new plates, like most political higher-uppers – they lied. It’s just not mandatory to switch. But all newly ordered plates will arrive in bright orange – what the city has marketed as “empire gold.” Sorry Patterson. The only gold I understand comes in karats.
All of this hullabaloo reminds me of last year’s Tropicana fiasco. Another orange disaster. My favorite drink attempted to make their product less unique by changing their carton to show a glass of orange juice. It was nasty, looked like formula, and became difficult to see the difference between different sub-brands. For example, I almost choked on Tropicana with Lots of Pulp, because they all looked the same in the grocery store. Like a proper American citizen, I exercised my right to complain. I called Tropicana and told them I couldn’t stand the new cartons. The man on the other end asked for my address, and I told him I didn’t want to be on any kind of mailing list, I just wanted my old Tropicana back. He said it was a one-time mailing only, and sent over $8 in coupons and an apology to Tropicana’s biggest fan. Just a few weeks later I got another letter from Tropicana saying they took my advice, and were returning to the orange-with-a-straw-stuck-in-it logo. (And they gave me another $8 in coupons). Freedom to Complain can get you places. I’m sending this blog to Albany.
Oranged out,
Rachel Lily
P.S. Want to make a personal shout-out to my amazing Big Brother Big Sister committee who were all awarded last night at the annual awards presentation. You guys are the best!
A Pitch Worth Considering…
I spend so much of my day sorting through spam and unsolicited pitches in my inbox that I almost don’t even bother reading them any more. And then this one caught my eye. I do not have need for a overseas freight carrier but I am posting the entire thing here, because if any of you do- use this company for humor and creativity points alone.
toinfo@beaufortbooks.comdateTue, Apr 27, 2010 at 8:32 AMsubjectyour seafreightmailing list<info.beaufortbooks.com>
So UK plc is back open, more or less. Suddenly we’ve all become volcanologists, rediscovered that Dunkirk spirit and realised that:
a) we live on an island in the middle of the North Sea
b) the world is really, really big.
And you don’t want to think about the repercussions for the supply chain. Here’s a small factoid that may be of interest: Air freight accounts for only 0.5 per cent of the UK ‘s international goods movements by weight, but 25 per cent by value; including pharmaceuticals, luxury goods and fresh produce. Some urgent freight has pinched slots in other modes of transport and the knock on effect will be with us for some time to come. The vast majority of air freight comes to us in the belly of passenger planes so freight is in exactly the same boat as passenger traffic. Or rather aircraft not boat – that’s the whole problem!
This is why you need to count on UGL, the reliable specialist with 35 years experience, for all your supply chain needs irrespective of which Shipping Line or Carrier is involved in moving your freight to the UK .
At UGL we understand that lack of innovation and change tends to be a problem in the end, even if you thrive for a while. Just ask the dodo – except you can’t because they are extinct. They were king of the food chain on the remote island of Mauritius. They evolved from pigeons perfectly for these conditions. They grew fat as they had no need to run. They lost the ability to fly, a waste of energy with no predators; and they laid their eggs on the ground as nothing ate them and they couldn’t fly into a tree to nest. The result was loads of thriving, perfectly adapted, dodos.
At UGL we have an innovative team of dedicated experts in their own fields to advise and guide you throughout the whole freight movement process and keep you up to date with modern practices. Extra costs that you may have incurred with others in the past can be avoided and our responsive teams communicate with you to avoid eating into your profit margin, which we are only too well aware can be even tighter in today’s market.
When the inevitable crisis came for the dodo (in their case the arrival of hungry Dutch sailors) the highly adapted and successful bird went extinct within a century. Yes sailors bludgeoning them to death for food didn’t help, but apparently dodo meat was really cloying and fatty so it wasn’t the full problem. Their real problem was the rats that came off the ship and ate their eggs; and the pigs the sailors introduced as a food store, ate the berries dodos thrived on and trampled the remaining eggs. If only the dodo could have had the benefit of UGL, it might have kept up to date on the options available to it and realised retaining flight capability would have been a good idea.
Get in touch; It could just give you the opportunity to gain ground on your competitors. Just like the dodo’s should have.
Charles Hogg
Import Department
Unsworth Global Logistics
3 Lemna Road
London
E11 1JL
Tel: +44 208 539 8899
Fax: +44 208 988 8077
Website: www.uglog.com
Beau and Arrow – HABO (Help A Blogger Out!)
Part of my daily ritual here at Beaufort is reviewing the HAROs for the day. HARO, short for Help A Reporter Out, is basically a resource guide for anyone making queries for an article, blog, website, TV show, radio show, you get the gist. Or maybe you don’t. Say I’m a blogger. Say I want to write an article about, I dunno, how rainy Monday mornings can have a substantial effect on the quality of a week’s work. So I pitch my story on HARO, asking for experts on weather, quotes from random employees, and anything else that might directly support my argument. Anyway, sometimes the queries are hilarious, and I figured I would share some with you, because I’m nice like that:
*Need surgeon to verify claims made by horror film* (LA WEEKLY) : A new horror film claims to be “100% medically accurate.” I’d like to show the film to a surgeon and/or gastroenterologist, and have the weigh in on the accuracy. I have a DVD that I could bring to any location in the Los Angeles area. Be forewarned: the film is not explicit, but what it implies is extremely gruesome. This is not an assignment for the easily offended or weak of stomach.
Okay, maybe you didn’t laugh out loud, but I did. I’m that type. When I laugh, I really really laugh. And I think this is very funny! Sometimes the headline alone is enough to make me stop and smile. Usually the pitch is so specific, I just wonder why in the world they are writing such an article and who in the world is going to answer them. And sometimes it’s just downright LOL:
C-Level execs with advice for new managers on dealing with office politics (Nicholas Brealey)
Looking for humorous paperless office stories. (www.productivity501.com)
looking for the biggest Justin Bieber fans in NYC (Anonymous)
How romantic movies influence audiences (Anonymous)
How to Survive Your Plane Being Grounded (Fox News.com)
Does Bread Really Make You Fat? (Examiner.com – National)
Beard and Mustache Competitions (Various magazines)
40 – 50-year-old Carrie Bradshaw types / authors (NYC Nespaper)
50-year-old-ish publicists / “Samantha” from SATC types (NYC Newspaper)
Calling All Curvy Brides To Be (Book)
Need someone to get a Sally Herschberger haircut (LX New York / NBC Local Media)
and my personal favorite…
Seeking Moms with a Crush on Justin Bieber or other embarrasingly young stars (Boston Globe)
Here are some topics I, Rachel Lily, as your blogger would like to pitch. If these topics are something you are able to comment on, or want me to write about, let me know!
-Looking for an umbrella that doesn’t get wet
-Career coach for those right out of college, right out of an internship, right before breakdown
-Seeking a way to get people to actually comment on your blogs
-People who didn’t like Avatar (meeee)
-People who are sick of bridal showers (meeee)
-Fans of BerryBuzz app who are having difficulty with the new upgrade. Or just fans.
-Experts on reality shows to explain why I am obsessed with Top Chef even though I can’t cook and I don’t understand half the things they’re making
-Anyone at all who wants to finish writing my thesis for me. For free.
-Those who agree that sometimes you leave Staples and just want to push a button that says “That was hard”
Let’s pick anything above to discuss for Wednesday. Your votes count!
Gracias,
Rachel Lily
Beau and Arrow – Shake ‘n’ Bake
In honor of the fact that I just saw my Shakespeare professor on the F Train, let’s talk a little William. Last week I went to my downtown book club on The Tempest. We discussed the Renaissance Man and his insurpassable talents as a playwright that set up the remainder of the history of literature as we know it. Suddendly, characters and storylines became complex structures one could never summarize into just one theme or thought. I could go on, but I’m not sure Shakespeare really needs another endorsement from little old me. But one thing I do want to mention is Shakespeare’s aptitude for a postmodern-like ability for breaking down the fourth wall. For those of you who are unaware, this basically means that a writer or playwright is exiting the constraints of the work, leaping off the pages, and off the scene to speak to the audience or reader one-on-one. I always found this tool of breaking down the fourth wall particularly exciting in my own writing because it empowers the reader to feel as though they are as much involved as the piece itself. One could say it was the genesis of the blog – writing for the people, from the personal. Me and Will share a little something in common! Woo hoo! Also, now that we mentioned my Shakespeare professor, let me just add that once upon a time I went to her office to discuss my final paper and she asked me if I could babysit for her kids. Definitely one of the funniest moments of my Brooklyn College life.
As for the “bake” part of the title, I had no plan coming in, other than a play on words featured in The Air Up There, which is a really great movie for someone who hasn’t seen it. The Mint Juleps are a personal favorite of mine. Also, if you’re living under a rock and haven’t listened to the radio in the past few months, it’s also featured in Drake’s “Bedrock,” which has been played over and over and over again, almost to the point of ridiculousness. The only real baking I do is a from-scratch chocolate cake with frosting. It is my specialty, although I wouldn’t say it is particularly “special” in any way. It is a recipe I can recite off-hand, and whip up faster than I can drive to the nearest bakery (parking time included).
Other stuff: Did anyone look up flash mob on You Tube, because I can’t stop watching clips. These ImprovEverywhere people are hilarious! I think we should get together and do one in Times Square – wadya think?! Very excited. Feedback is welcome.
Rachel Lily
P.S. Feedback is really welcome. My “comments” sections have been lackluster, as in nearly non-existent except for my biased mother, and one or two others. Let’s change that por favor? I want to hear from you!
Beau and Arrow – Family Feud on the F
Dearest Fans,
I apologize if you feel neglected in any way. Last Wednesday I was swamped with interny things to do to get the team at Beaufort over to London. Only one small problem…due to Icelandic volcanic ash, the entire city of London has been deemed a no-fly zone, so the trip was canceled. For 6 days now, no one has been able to fly in and out! Craziness…
I also want to double apologize for having neglected to update my favorite fans on my life. Here’s the lowdown: my last month as a member of the Brooklyn College student body is nearing. Remember my first blog post with the sad face? Swap it for the crying baby face, this is such a disaster. How will my life feel complete without it? How will I possibly be able to find intellectual challenges outside of Bedford Avenue? Jeopardy? (Did anyone see Isaac Mizrahi on Friday night? He was so so funny). Although my penchant attitude for Alex Trebek is helpful, there is nothing like sharing a classroom discussion with the nationality soup that is Brooklyn College. Today on the F Train I had a full-fledge daydream, imagining a Family Feud type game show breaking out – my bench vs. the law school student across from me. I could beat him and his Regulation textbook, memorizing highlighted notes, practically rolling his eyes with “duh”ness at the test I assume he is having today. The Asian man standing in the middle of us would announce the show as an educational feud of the masses (mass transit that is), and me and lawyer dude would face off to name the Top 100 Things People Worry About After Graduating. My daydream came to a literal screeching halt as we entered the station at 23rd Street and I realized this was the saddest daydream ever, and I really should just go for my masters in blogging and call it a day. (Does that exist? Someone find out).
In other news, who knows what a flash mob is? I just found out and you’re going to love this clip. Glee fans rejoice! CLICK HERE. Bottom line, I NEED to be involved in this the next time it occurs. Too cool to pass up. Also, an interesting anthropological study on society’s inherent need to be part of a random community of fans. Thanks for being a part of mine!
Best,
Rachel Lily