I made it.
It's Christmas break and time for a long-overdue update. For the past few weeks (how they've flown!) I have been busy creating
1) an editorial proposal for a new book
2) a marketing plan for an online finance publication
3) the design and layout for a natural history book
not to mention taking exams, attending conferences and a few odd lectures here and there.
But those aren't the only reasons I haven't updated. Franky, it's hard to sit in front of this screen and distill life into a few coherent sentences. Especially when Facebook surfing or watching BBC 'Life' beckons from the next Firefox tab. But reading some of my friends' blogs just now has inspired me...
On Tuesday my mom is flying in from Seattle to spend Christmas and the first part of January with me in England. It will be my first Christmas away from home and without my dad. Almost all of my international friends are going home at some point. Why am I not?
I don't know how to say this without sounding unfeeling, ungrateful, and unpatriotic, but not for one single day have I been homesick. And you have to understand earlier this year I dreaded leaving Washington. I left a beautiful home and friends and family I love dearly. I still love them just as much, and after this course I'll be plenty happy to return to the USA.
But in the 9 months remaining, I don't want to do anything but soak in this place. The delight of England has not worn off and there is so much more to see. Mom and I are going on our own version of the 'grand tour,' including London, the Peak District, Windsor, Bath, Southampton, and of course my own Oxford. Last night, after handing in my last project of the semester, I could not help skipping a little as I crossed Magdalen Bridge into the city. A whole month of freedom stretches before me, and what better place to spend it?
If publishing is a language, this has been a total immersion experience. Just a few things I didn't know 12 weeks ago:
how to use InDesign and Photoshop
what XML is
the meaning of 4/0 CMYK sheet fed-printing on 120 gsm paper
how to write an editorial proposal
what the heck all those marketing people want anyway
We've come a long way. I am so proud of everyone on this course. Their creativity and professionalism humble and inspire me.
For a few weeks though, it's time to look at books like a normal person again. Not dissecting the potential market, author royalty, and design elements. Just as creations to be enjoyed, given, loved.
All in time for Christmas.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Home Is Where the Coffee Is
Flying into London with fireworks exploding over Big Ben. That was my homecoming to England after spending three days in Germany for the Frankfurt Book Fair.
The time in Frankfurt (my first trip to mainland Europe) was great. The book fair itself was very eye-opening as to the sheer size of the industry. It was also humbling being in a country where I spoke the foreign language! I've never really appreciated just how central language is to identity, both personal and national.
So returning to England was a homecoming on several levels. The nearly two months I've been here have flown by -- I can't believe it's November. Last weekend I went to the seaside with the postgrad group from my church. It was great hanging out with everyone in the beautiful scenery and goofing off. Let's just say there was an impromptu performance of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." And real American s'mores. (It was funny seeing the British people try them..."what's a graham cracker? Is it like a digestive?")
Coursework is starting to get intense, which makes breaks all the more important. One friend has set up a Wednesday pizza and movie routine--so far we've devoured Dominos and watched Shawn of the Dead (hilarious) and V for Vendetta (perplexing).
Today was my first time in a Starbucks since moving here. It was dark and miserable outside. Rain coated the streets. Then I stepped inside and the familiar red cups and warm lighting instantly welcomed me home. They were playing Viva la Vida.
And just another reason England is awesome: the baristas here ask if you want your drink for here or to go. My friends and I sat in big comfy chairs drinking Toffee Nut Lattes out of REAL MUGS!
Does that happen in Seattle? I think not.
The time in Frankfurt (my first trip to mainland Europe) was great. The book fair itself was very eye-opening as to the sheer size of the industry. It was also humbling being in a country where I spoke the foreign language! I've never really appreciated just how central language is to identity, both personal and national.
So returning to England was a homecoming on several levels. The nearly two months I've been here have flown by -- I can't believe it's November. Last weekend I went to the seaside with the postgrad group from my church. It was great hanging out with everyone in the beautiful scenery and goofing off. Let's just say there was an impromptu performance of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." And real American s'mores. (It was funny seeing the British people try them..."what's a graham cracker? Is it like a digestive?")
Coursework is starting to get intense, which makes breaks all the more important. One friend has set up a Wednesday pizza and movie routine--so far we've devoured Dominos and watched Shawn of the Dead (hilarious) and V for Vendetta (perplexing).
Today was my first time in a Starbucks since moving here. It was dark and miserable outside. Rain coated the streets. Then I stepped inside and the familiar red cups and warm lighting instantly welcomed me home. They were playing Viva la Vida.
And just another reason England is awesome: the baristas here ask if you want your drink for here or to go. My friends and I sat in big comfy chairs drinking Toffee Nut Lattes out of REAL MUGS!
Does that happen in Seattle? I think not.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Goodbye Academia, Hello Retail
As I was catching the bus into town today, a sign caught my eye. It was an advert for my university touting "education for livelihood" rather than "education for life."
My English-major heart cringed at this, because I still believe education means more than the top line of your resume. But I admit, the vocational focus here has been a welcome change.
I'm studying publishing, which, let's face it guys, is all about SELLING BOOKS. Yes, hopefully they are quality products that will enhance someone's life. But at the end of the day, publishers care as much about the bottom line as any other company. And after 6+ years of studying literature, I find that oddly refreshing.
My courses are Editorial Management (finding/refining books that will sell), Design & Production (making them look good), and Marketing (convincing you to buy them). So not much of an ivory tower here. But of course Oxford has enough mystique of its own. Yesterday was beautiful, so I took my books to a nearby park and stretched out on the grass. This was my view.
So yes, I'm finding that livelihood and life combine quite nicely.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Enter England
I'm finally here! This week has been an insane rush of setting up my room, going to course orientations, and meeting people. A few random observations from my first days in England:
- There are NO pickup trucks. I didn't see one on the whole trip from Heathrow to Oxford.
- The UK really needs Fred Meyer. I've been running all over Oxford to find bedding and kitchen stuff.
- People in England and Ireland don't refrigerate their eggs. Seriously, I was at the grocery store today and the eggs were on a shelf with the cake mixes.
There's been so much going on I haven't had much of a chance to properly explore Oxford. We didn't have internet for the first several days so it's a bit hard to drag myself off the computer right now. But I'm going into the city tomorrow and will take lots of pictures so you can see my new home.
There are 80 students in my publishing program. Only about a third of them are from the UK, with the rest coming from the EU and elsewhere (I am one of five Americans). I was very excited to meet someone from South Korea last night who has also worked with InterVarsity Press and is interested in Christian publishing. We've been informed that "publishing is the booziest industry in the UK" and there are plenty of social events to attend! Our modules (aka classes) don't start until next week, but we've already met the tutors and had IT workshops. Everything looks uniformally challenging and exciting.
It's been easy meeting people since we're all in the same boat starting at a new university. My flatmates are splendid, and I already found a church thanks to a wonderful former publishing student who befriended us newbies. So life has been good.
My goals for the year are to become a competent and employable member of the publishing world. But more so -- to get out of my head and relish this amzing place and people.
Soli Deo gloria.
- There are NO pickup trucks. I didn't see one on the whole trip from Heathrow to Oxford.
- The UK really needs Fred Meyer. I've been running all over Oxford to find bedding and kitchen stuff.
- People in England and Ireland don't refrigerate their eggs. Seriously, I was at the grocery store today and the eggs were on a shelf with the cake mixes.
There's been so much going on I haven't had much of a chance to properly explore Oxford. We didn't have internet for the first several days so it's a bit hard to drag myself off the computer right now. But I'm going into the city tomorrow and will take lots of pictures so you can see my new home.
There are 80 students in my publishing program. Only about a third of them are from the UK, with the rest coming from the EU and elsewhere (I am one of five Americans). I was very excited to meet someone from South Korea last night who has also worked with InterVarsity Press and is interested in Christian publishing. We've been informed that "publishing is the booziest industry in the UK" and there are plenty of social events to attend! Our modules (aka classes) don't start until next week, but we've already met the tutors and had IT workshops. Everything looks uniformally challenging and exciting.
It's been easy meeting people since we're all in the same boat starting at a new university. My flatmates are splendid, and I already found a church thanks to a wonderful former publishing student who befriended us newbies. So life has been good.
My goals for the year are to become a competent and employable member of the publishing world. But more so -- to get out of my head and relish this amzing place and people.
Soli Deo gloria.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Frodo Lives
I swear I'm not reverting back to adolescence. Well maybe just a little bit. But indulge me this once and maybe we'll get somewhere...
Back six years or so ago I was a die-hard, completely obsessed Lord of the Rings fan. I'm not ashamed to admit it now, it was perhaps excessive. I didn't become anti-social or anything, but I could quote frighteningly large portions of the movies by heart and knew the difference between the Quenya and Sindarin languages.
Maybe you can relate to the feeling I had after the last movie came out. While I loved it, it wasn't too long until the story lost its power. I had lived in that world for too long and it didn't mean anything anymore. Real life took over. I grew up.
A couple nights ago, for some reason, I pulled out my massive boxed set of the LOTR dvds and started watching the "making of" features. Seeing the joy these people had in what they were creating, the intense camaraderie, was like rediscovering something I didn't even know I lost.
It was hope. The hope that good prevails, that friendship endures, and that the most pain heralds the most joy. That MY adventure is just beginning.
That I'm heading to Oxford is purely coincidental.
;)
Back six years or so ago I was a die-hard, completely obsessed Lord of the Rings fan. I'm not ashamed to admit it now, it was perhaps excessive. I didn't become anti-social or anything, but I could quote frighteningly large portions of the movies by heart and knew the difference between the Quenya and Sindarin languages.
Maybe you can relate to the feeling I had after the last movie came out. While I loved it, it wasn't too long until the story lost its power. I had lived in that world for too long and it didn't mean anything anymore. Real life took over. I grew up.
A couple nights ago, for some reason, I pulled out my massive boxed set of the LOTR dvds and started watching the "making of" features. Seeing the joy these people had in what they were creating, the intense camaraderie, was like rediscovering something I didn't even know I lost.
It was hope. The hope that good prevails, that friendship endures, and that the most pain heralds the most joy. That MY adventure is just beginning.
That I'm heading to Oxford is purely coincidental.
;)
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Time
Have I mentioned that I hate time? Most days it feels like an enemy. It attacks on two fronts, putting MORE distance between me and the good old days and LESS distance between me and whatever trial is coming up next.
I was complaining about this to my mom a few days ago. Then at my friend's wedding on Saturday, the pastor talked about time (I was the maid of honor so I was standing right next to him).
He talked about embracing time as a gift. (Yeah right, I thought. If only it came with a receipt.) He talked about how it's a natural rhythm meant for our benefit, and that we can abuse time with either extreme busyness or procrastination. And of course that we should make time for God and (if applicable) our spouse.
It got me thinking that my fight against time is not only futile, it's pretty selfish. The desire to go back to the best years of my life (cue Bryan Adams) is all about a time *I* felt good, connected, whatever. It shuts me off from other people and being part of their lives.
Not to mention it's pretty stupid. Sure there are trials ahead--I hate thinking about saying goodbye when I leave for England. But I wouldn't be going if I didn't think there were good things waiting too.
On earth we can only live in the present. But I think the feeling that time goes by too fast, that we can't get enough out of each moment, is different. To me, it's pretty good evidence the soul was made for somewhere else.
I was complaining about this to my mom a few days ago. Then at my friend's wedding on Saturday, the pastor talked about time (I was the maid of honor so I was standing right next to him).
He talked about embracing time as a gift. (Yeah right, I thought. If only it came with a receipt.) He talked about how it's a natural rhythm meant for our benefit, and that we can abuse time with either extreme busyness or procrastination. And of course that we should make time for God and (if applicable) our spouse.
It got me thinking that my fight against time is not only futile, it's pretty selfish. The desire to go back to the best years of my life (cue Bryan Adams) is all about a time *I* felt good, connected, whatever. It shuts me off from other people and being part of their lives.
Not to mention it's pretty stupid. Sure there are trials ahead--I hate thinking about saying goodbye when I leave for England. But I wouldn't be going if I didn't think there were good things waiting too.
On earth we can only live in the present. But I think the feeling that time goes by too fast, that we can't get enough out of each moment, is different. To me, it's pretty good evidence the soul was made for somewhere else.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
The Bard, Brides, and BMWs
On Friday night I drug my grandma, two cousins, and cousin #1's girlfriend to the free performance of Shakespeare's Richard III in Redmond. It's definitely one of his most confusing plays, so I was really pleased they enjoyed it. And seeing it outside surrounded by families with picnic baskets is truer to what drama was like in Shakespeare's day. (Who needs a stuffy theater and textbooks?)
Saturday we hosted my dear friend's bridal shower, and afterwards I attended my first minor league baseball game at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma. It was fun sitting closer to the action (at Mariner's games we're usually in the nosebleeds) and spending time with friends. And let's face it -- the difference in game quality isn't THAT drastic.
This afternoon I spent with my parents looking at BMWs/convertibles. My dad hasn't bought a car in 21 years (that's right, ever since I was born), and right now (for a "toy") he's considering a convertible as an alternative to the motorcycle he's wanted for awhile. The argument being a convertible gives you more options and keeps you out of the rain.
Speaking of motorcycles, I'm reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. Sometimes I only make it through a few pages before I have to stop and digest. He manages to balance the philosophical abstractions (i.e. rethinking the nature of reality) with the grit of a cross country motorcycle trip. Both of them are intriguing enough to keep me going.
The summer is going by too fast, but after this 100+ degree weather, England is sounding pretty darn good.
Saturday we hosted my dear friend's bridal shower, and afterwards I attended my first minor league baseball game at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma. It was fun sitting closer to the action (at Mariner's games we're usually in the nosebleeds) and spending time with friends. And let's face it -- the difference in game quality isn't THAT drastic.
This afternoon I spent with my parents looking at BMWs/convertibles. My dad hasn't bought a car in 21 years (that's right, ever since I was born), and right now (for a "toy") he's considering a convertible as an alternative to the motorcycle he's wanted for awhile. The argument being a convertible gives you more options and keeps you out of the rain.
Speaking of motorcycles, I'm reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. Sometimes I only make it through a few pages before I have to stop and digest. He manages to balance the philosophical abstractions (i.e. rethinking the nature of reality) with the grit of a cross country motorcycle trip. Both of them are intriguing enough to keep me going.
The summer is going by too fast, but after this 100+ degree weather, England is sounding pretty darn good.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)