Chasing Unicorns

See, I used to play with unicorns... and feed them coffee. And yes, I am a dork.*

Thank you all for your sweet comments on my last post! I am happy to report that, yes, unicorns do exist... because I got the job! Ok, well, it's not the job, it's a job, but it's a journalist one, and that's what I'm most excited about. It's only taken me, oh, three and a half years to get here, but I'm here now! And everyone has to start somewhere!

I am still working at my current job, and will be for the next few weeks, but pitched my new editor three stories today. He picked one of them, and then assigned me nine more. Nine?!? I freaked, which included tears and hysterical laughter (I was by myself staring at my laptop in bewilderment, so no one knew, thank goodness!). I mean, I'm excited and all, but it's been a few years since I've written anything besides a blog post! My last published paper article was in 2007! A little freaking out is definitely in order. But, hey, this is what I wanted! So I'm going to calm the crap down and just go for it.

My first front-pager, back when I was 21. I was a baby!*

And because I have a tendency to blather on about things that have very little to do with my, oh yeah, fashion blog, I am creating a space to blog just about work/writing stuff... because wouldn't reading the witticisms and woes of an aspiring reporter be fun? Or something? I'd like to think so! And if you think so, you can check out This Gal Friday. Yup. Super original, I know. ;)

Thanks, again, for all of your kind words and support! And do check back soon for a few new giveaways, plus a super-cool all new blog layout... I've been dying to unveil the new designs for a while, and everything is finally coming together!

Have a wonderful weekend... I'll be in New York, and hope to throw a little Oscars viewing party! While we're on the subject, who are your favorite nominees? I am firmly entrenched in Camp Franco. I'm also on Team Portman, simply because I like her... and haven't seen all the other nominees' performances. And hey, it'd be cool if all the big winners this year were twenty- and thirty-somethings, no?


*Please note that these horribly embarrassing images are from my college days, when I was horribly embarrassing and unabashedly dorky on a daily basis. Well, ok... Some things never change... ;)

This Gal Friday

I'm a big believer in dreams coming true, even if they take a little while. Since childhood, it's been my dream to write for a living. And since graduating college (a few years ago now), I've been trying to break into the newspaper business. But a big and nasty villain called the economic recession decided to gut that business in particular and make it nigh-on impossible to find work in the field. Nowadays, full-time writing jobs are so elusive that I'm beginning to equate them to unicorns... as in, it would be cool if they actually existed, but at some point we have to grow up and face the fact that they're nothing but a myth.

If only there existed a job where one can wear pink, and type on a pink laptop and, ooh... unicorns!

Well, not anymore.

Call it a comeback! More and more publications seem to be opening their doors to new writers once more. As I've spent the past few years freelancing, working odd jobs, just trying to "make it" as a writer, I'm more than ready to brush up the ol' resume and take the paper business by storm.

Yes, I'm a dreamer, but I really feel that this is the year "my dreams will match up with my pay," to quote Feist. Not that journalists get paid a lot... but at this point, any salary would easily fit into my dreams scale; all I require is a roof over my head, some Ikea furniture, a few whimsical odds and ends from Anthropologie, and some Trader Joe's groceries in the fridge.

Do I sound like a hipster-writer-blogger, or what? ;)


Of course, as a fashion blogger, I just had to create a journalist's dream wardrobe. Thank goodness Polyvore allows me to indulge my love for Kate Spade and Anthropologie without actually spending my whole paycheck on their lovely wares...

Gal Friday by erincathleen featuring slingback pumps

I would love to sprint around in an outfit like this, whether I become a big city professional or remain a small-town typist. But no matter where I end up, I know one thing for sure...

I need an iPad so I can rock this sweet case by Kate Spade!Kidding. Mostly. :) But I do love the newspaper print, and black, white and red happens to be a favorite color combo. Perfect for the aspiring writer, no?

So. I plan to be dashing off to interviews here and there over the next few months. Of course, I will continue to post updates here... and get back to blogging as usual. And you'll be happy to know that I have a few goodies up my sleeve before the month is out... more exciting giveaways! Stay tuned!

I hope wherever you are, you're enjoying the middle of February, inching ever closer to spring!

There can only be one...

... winner of the $100 Shopbop giveaway, but I wish there could be more! Thank you all for entering, and for following my blog! I appreciate each and every one of you and like to take any and every opportunity to say thanks and give back.

That said, I put all of your names into a hat (some of you earned multiple entries!) and have found our winner... Carmen! Congratulations!

I want to thank Shopbop for this amazing contest!

Again, thank you all for entering and for keeping up with my blog! I have some exciting new content on the way, so stay tuned!