An Eternal Entrepreneur?

Haha Rose, I tried to get hooked to Lost, but I really never got sucked into it...it just seems like such a random show!! I read an article a while ago, about how it's a show that really doesn't make any sense at all...you would think there's an incredible story line behind it with a strong message to pass and story writers scratching their heads for incredible inspiration for upcoming episodes...but apparently it's anything but that!! It's just their random thoughts/ideas thrown into what we know as "Lost"! Haha, I'll try to find the article for you...

So how's vacation though?? What are you going to be doing now that your latest internship is over?? Are you "Eternal Employment" hunting?

My employment hunt has stagnated a tad...no, I'm definitely not stopping (I can't!!), but I've been so busy the past while (reason for my MIAness...) that I haven't been able to focus 100% on it!

My head has been spinning recently with the upcoming "novio" departure...my soon-to-be singleness on this side of the continent (well metaphorically speaking...)...endless problems with my hole in the wall studio (one problem after another...when it's not the water line, it's a prob with electricity....you'd think I was living in the middle of the forest!! not the UES!)...and endless reminiscing from last weekend's rooftop apero conversation with C's entrepreneurial boyfriend...

Business ideas are spinning through my mind (as they always seem to!) and I can't seem to shut them up...I've always been an entrepreneurial person, and I'm starting to think that maybe unleashing my wild creative, business, innovative persona may be a good thing!! C's boyfriend totally inspired me, and proved to me how one really can follow their passion on the side line. You can have a career and a business too. And who knows...perhaps one day that passion can become one's full-time job. Since I've got a few ideas in mind why not give it a shot? Whether it works or not, this type of adventure can only bring one additional incredible experience...an outstanding opportunity.

What do you girls think?? Am I crazy to embark on yet another adventure?? Eternal interning, eternal employment hunting and starting my own business??

Must run chiquitas....but....am I crazy???

besitos,

Flora

Holy Tear Jerker Batman :'(

I just finished watching the epic LOST finale on the west coast and I pretty much spend the entire 2.5 hours crying.  Usually once I start I can't stop and why should tonight have been any different?!

I had a lot of emotions that I had bottled up inside for a while and P allowed me to let it all out.  I don't like saying goodbye to things, and I think that is why I  got so upset tonight.  I was emotionally invested in these characters and saying goodbye to them brought back memories of leaving family and friends... and if I am honest with myself... I am a little home sick.

I just wanted to reach out and let you guys know that I cherish our friendship, and I really hope that soon we are all stable enough in all aspects of our lives, to be able to create a routine of seeing each other more often.  I miss you guys like crazy and it has been tough being an Eternal Intern without my dearest friends by my side.  Thanks goodness for email!

Thinking about you

xxx Rose

p.s.  I have one more week left on my vacation so you might not hear from me until I am back in the City of Angeles.

gLeeked out

Ophelia, it is so difficult and stressful to the find the right apartment on a deadline.  Sorry you are going through a rough time, but just think that in less than a couple of weeks you will be refurnishing and celebrating life without Victoire.  We are here for you to vent away!

Flora, how is the weather in NYC?  I hear it is patio weather?  Have I been informed accurately, and if so have you been taking advantage?  Also, how are things going with the long distance relationship planning?  London is such a beautiful city.... you and I should plan a trip to see your man and then have an Eternal Intern reunion with Ophelia in Paris.

I am going to the Glee concert tonight!  I feel totally ridiculous, but one of the people I had 'work drinks' with recently scored us a couple of free tickets! The Glee phenomenon represents all that is great about the entertainment industry.  The creators found a niche that wasn't being filled, and with creativity and determination have one of the highest rating shows on Fox.
So tonight, I am taking a break from my break for the concert, which is at Universal City.  My date is an assistant at of the largest agencies in LA and I think he works in the talent department but, to be honest, I am not quite sure....

Happy Friday Interns!

xxx Rose

An Intern Sans-Abri

Hello my lovelies,
How are things?  I am sorry for not writing sooner, but it's trouble in Paradise for your dear friend Ophelia!  Victoire is determined to make the last two weeks of my internship miserable (and she is succeeding!) and my lease is up in two weeks and I haven't found a new apartment yet!  Normally, I love looking at apartments but the added stress of being sans emploi is weighing heavily on me.  I would love to find a gorgeous place like yours, Flora, but I doubt I'll stumble on a little gem in the 6eme before I am forced to move in two weeks!

In the meantime, between my frantic visits to some of the most depressing apartments I have ever seen,  I have been planning on how I will decorate my fabulous pied-à-terre when I finally find it!  Like the dream job, the dream apartment is on the top of this Eternal Intern's wish list!  It seems that everyone I know is either engaged, working at some fabulous job or buying an apartment!  I don't have any of those!  Not a one!  Not that I mind feeling like a child compared to my grown-up friends (who am I kidding, I hate it!), but don't I at least deserve an adult apartment while waiting for the job situation to line up?  haha!

I just came from yet another dump and I am filled with a sense of dread that I will never find the One!  At least I can rest assured that when the lease has been signed, I'll have plenty of beautiful things to fill up my fabulous new home!


My Apartment Must-Haves: 

A pretty desk to write those handwritten notes and Thank You cards I love so much!  

A library (Ok, so I won't have a library for a zillion years, but a girl can dream!)

Le Creuset Cookware.  Living with the Global Gourmand means a great kitchen!  

Fresh peonies...  My fave!  

Well les filles, I must run!  More apartments to see!  As soon as I'm settled, you both owe me a visit!
Bisous x x x Ophelia

Encounter of the Third Kind

I just ran into my ex-fling on the beach!  We had only hooked up a couple of times when I interned on a TV show years ago... but I can't deny that we had the most intense chemistry that I have ever felt in my life!

I was just coming back to the house, after dipping my feet into the ice cold Pacific, and there he was... carrying his surfboard across the beach!

Being the spazz that I am, I was totally content with ignoring him... but he noticed me after I screamed in terror when a bee came buzzing around!  NO JOKE!  This actually happened.

Background story:  The ex-fling and I me during our intern days.  I was there a couple of weeks before his internship ended, and he had the pleasure of training me.  (We shared numerous moments of the coffee runs you love so much, Ophelia.)  He was super sweet, but after a couple of incredible days together, he moved to San Francisco and I never heard from him again.  I was truly heart broken at the time, but we could have never worked out... He HATED Lord Of The Rings!  Enough said!

Anyway, after he moved and decided to ignore my texts and emails, I decided to get my revenge and DE-friended him on Facebook!  I guess that is our generation's way of telling someone to 'piss off!'

Our encounter was highly unpleasant until P Came out and introduced himself and saved me from the hell of the Land of Ex-es!  Phew...

Crisis diverted... now back to my vacation.

xxx
Rose

Melting Away...

Yes! I am enjoying the ocean breeze as I write this!  I feel like mush lately!  I am a little sun burnt, a little thinner, and a whole lot more relaxed.  P and I are definitely making up for lost time.  We hadn't had a day off together for about a year and now we are spending 24/7 together in beautiful SoCal with absolutely NO distractions!  I literally haven't worn anything except a bikini for about 5 days and have no intention of doing so for the remainder of my stay here!  I definitely need to retire into a beach home in Malibu...

Besides working on my script, I have been putting together a couple of story ideas to keep my juices flowing!  It is a great exercise for a 'writer' ( I dare not bestow upon myself the title until I have actually received some acclaim for my work) to try to find a concept in every day life.  I must sound like a hobo, but what can I say... I'm feeling inspired!

I have also booked lunches/work drinks with everyone I have ever spoken to, for when I am back from vacation. Like you always say Flora, network and network and then network some more ;)

That's it from me...  

xxx Rose

P.S. I have applied for an incredible PAID internship experience in London, England!  Fingers crossed.

Where in the world are the eternal interns?

Ophelia!! Has Victoire locked you up somewhere??

Rose!! Have you already deserted LA for the beach??

Where in the world are you chicas?? I miss you!!

An Inspirational Encounter

Dearest Interns!

How are you? I'm writing you a quick morning note before heading out to Pain Quotidien for my weekly Sunday brunch. I'm dying for a cafe au lait right now!!

I've had a wonderful weekend so far, enjoying NY spring weather! Last night in fact a few friends threw a rooftop party in a brownstone up in the high 90s on the UWS. I hadn't had a Corona in ages, and it served as the perfect "apero" on such a nice and sunny day!

I started talking with old friends I hadn't seen in a while...what they were doing now...what their plans were for the future... Doctors, lawyers, bankers...there was a bit of everything (a very typical NY crowd!)... The one person who caught my attention, however, was the boyfriend of a fabulous girlfriend, who, despite a great job in advertising and fabulous benefits, had decided to start afresh and start his own business.

His idea was interesting, original and kinda catchy! And he spoke about it without reserve and with immense passion! It was contagious! Absolutely and utterly contagious. Of course, for now, he's keeping his full time job as back up for the financing of this "entrepreneurial gig", but perhaps long term should this venture work out, he could ultimately be following his passion full-time! What a dream!

I listened to him like a kid in a candy shop...This new adventure he's embarking on sounds so tempting, so alluring...so fantastic! I've always dreamed to have my own business and have worked on a number of little projects, but it always seems so "impossible"... Listening to Cs boyfriend made it for once seem so "real" and "attainable".

This said, however, Flora's gotta keep her feet on the ground for a bit! As tempting as his professional plans are, and as much as I would like to forget the job search, find an investor, get tons of capital and begin a fabulously successful business...haha...I realize that it's just not possible for me right now! One step at a time... What this guy proved to me, however, is that everything is possible! It's never ever ever too late to start something new...

Perhaps one day this Eternal Intern could really try her hand at starting her own business? Perhaps one day...

Stay tuned tomorrow for more from The Eternal Intern

To Each Their Own

Ophelia! I know so well how you feel! A few internships ago I was relegated to the daily coffee fetching duty...it sucks!!! But the same way young M&A analysts work overnight and perform horribly horendous tasks to break into the high powered world of Investment Banking...well...sadly...haha...coffee fetching, coat hanging and co, are part of the countless horendously mind-numbing tasks we "fashion", "hollywood", "luxury industry" interns need to face at some point or another to break into these 3 universes! To each their own!

Well, as for myself, I have been happily recovering from last week's incredibuly busy schedule. I've finally had time to, myself, grab a coffee! Things are well at work and Sofia has just been incredibly gracious for all my help last Friday. The "Eternal Employment" question mark, however, is still lurking...and making me quite nervous to tell you the truth.  With only 2 months left here at the X group, I'm starting to properly freak out a little...

On top of that, I'm beginning to do what an intern should never do: compare myself to others.

The golden rule to feeling good and positive, is to never compare oneself and one's achievement to those around you. As my incredible mum used to say: there will always be those with less than you...and those with more. Clearly right now, I'm focusing on those with "more" - those who have the job, the money, the career, the responsibilities, the corporate BBerry (haha to think I bought my own...I'm probably the only person in NY to have done so...)...Bref I'm starting to feel a little crappy compared to others...

Even compared to el novio...He's so brilliant and so fabulous and how the hell has he been able to do so well so young!! A full-time job at 24, expatriated at 25, MBA at 27, insanely incredible internship overseas...incredible prospects ahead!! I'm def gonna drill him for tips tonight!

I mean how the hell is it that I can't seem to get my hand on anything! I've litterally done everything by the book...sure I've had a few stumbling stones thrown my way...but still!!

Ok, Flora, wake up! The worst thing I can do is lament and regret and recreate the world by saying "how things could have been"...I have to stop f*cking comparing and lamenting!!!! I am a fabulous 2* year old girl and I know things will get better!! I know it!

Ok chicas, let's try to start this day on a positive foot!! I have much to tell you about a little project I've started working on again, but I'll save that for next time! In the meantime I'm off for an early morning chat with el novio before I jet for work...we're still trying to figure out logistics for this summer and being fully "transatlantic interns" together!

Lots of love,

Flora xoxo

The Ungrateful Intern

Hello my dearest Eternal Interns,
I am sorry for my absence.  It has been a very difficult week!  I haven't had many complaints about my tormentor (Victoire), because she has been out of the office a lot lately.  All that changed on Monday when she decided to stick around for the whole week and make our lives hell.  When I say "hell," you may think I'm exaggerating, but this woman is a whole new level of psychotic.  Not only were we all sent to walk her damn dog, but I cannot tell you how many coffee runs I have done when she sits right next to an espresso machine!

What's worse, is that V has now resorted to verbal abuse of interns. I am pretty sure she is violating some law!  Today, she had the nerve to call me "ungrateful"!  For what?  For the opportunity to get her coffee and take care of her dog?!  No thanks!  I am so grateful for my internship at a fabulous magazine with a lovely boss, but I am not thankful for her devil of an assistant who has been tormenting me for 2 months!  Heureusement, my internship comes to an end in three weeks and then it will be a victoire for me when I am finally rid of Victoire!

As you can see, I am in a bit of a mood tonight.  I guess I am just frustrated that I have put in 10 months at the fashion magazine and it will amount to nothing in the end!  I am trying to keep my head up and to see the positive in any opportunity I get, but Victoire is really getting to me!  So what's a girl to do?  Is there yet another internship in my future, or will this Eternal Intern finally land that dream job?  Stay tuned!

Bisous x x x x Ophelia

Know Your Audience

Ophelia, where are you?  Hope all is well... kinda worried.  Just drop us a quick line to let us know you are OK.

My vacation is tremendous thus far.  I spend the first couple of days trying to relax... but that is beyond an Eternal Interns wildest dreams.  Alas, I have managed to clear my mind to a satisfactory level, which is also the level that I will work to maintain for the remainder of my vacation.

I saw Iron Man 2 during the weekend and it got me rethinking where I was heading with my story.  The filmmakers of Iron Man have identified a clear target audience, and amidst a theater full of them, it became clear to me that I need to redefine who I am writing for (NOT myself!). This audience was so excited about the set up for the Avengers movie and also the sneak preview for Thor (also a character in the Avengers movie) that they waited for over 5 minutes until the last credit was over to catch it!

Right now I am developing the beats of my story (or rather RE-developing them).  It is a coming of age story that is extremely dear to my heart, and so it is no wonder that it was with great difficulty that I finally decided to input the cheap conflict that I believe is necessary.  So today I am working on recreating the essence of my story by developing a love triangle that I was so against before, but that is 100% necessary for increased movement, conflict, stakes and a greater resolution.  To make this story work I need to clearly define who my audience is.

Come to think of it, this can be extended to more than my story development issues...  as Eternal Interns we also need to identify what it is we are selling to what audience.

With that I shall get back to my morning caffe latte.

Enjoy the rest of your days!

xxx Rose

"Thanks and congrats my dear"...

Rose, congrats mi amiga!! Amazing work there, and you are seriously in for good recommendations from your boss - an amazing thing to have!

An amazing recommendation is one thing I think I've lassooed as well! Lately, I've been spending my time lamenting over my "Eternal Employment" search, and I haven't been speaking too much about my amazing internship...One thing is for sure, it's still just as fabulous and yesterday confirmed just why it's gonna be so hard to say goodbye in 2 months once it ends!

We threw the most spectacular event yesterday, an exclusive, oh so fancy, cocktail bringing together the top women from the political, business, fashion and artistic spheres of NY at the most insane penthouse, terrace crazy set-up on 5th I have ever seen! All this for a very worthy cause and all benefits going directly to an amazing charity. There was seriously every key women from the NY scene...a tough  act to coordinate and execute, but a day that most definitely ended brilliantly after much, much, much preparation!

Come 8pm, after a day of running around... panicking over last minute details... trying to figure out exactly how to use my little weird ear-thing-walky talky... I was ready to kick back, call it a night...switch to the Burch flats I had wisely thrown into my bag...and just go home...That is, however, until just as I was about to say goodbye to everyone, Sofia swept in with a coupe of champagne and handed it to me. Tired, exhausted, I thanked her but said I probably shouldn't, but she insisted!! And insisted! And then, out of the blue, to my amazing embarassement, and in front of everyone who remained (just colleagues thank godddd!) she asked everyone for their attention, cleared her throat (I guess a few too many cigs cuz of the stress of the day...) and exclaimed her gratitude to ME and thanked me for MY help on this big event! She went on about how she couldn't have done this without me and how valuable an asset I have been!

Yes...oh yes my friends! In front of many X group people!! Including V. hehehehe!! Yes, Sofia congratulated the intern on her work - something so rarely done, but hell did it ever feel good!

Following a round of applause... red embarassment covering my cheeks...and friendly pats and hugs from fellow co-workers, I decided to drink the coupe up and definitely take advantage of the soiree! We took ourselves down to Pastis where to the surprise of everyone I had my usual fav meal there: trippes! Haha! yes they were all shocked! Hahahaha! But we seriously had a great night.....an amazing night! I was relaxed, I felt so good about my work, and for once I was super proud...an very proud to be an intern!

Just as I got out of the cab to get home after dinner, my BBerry got a msg...It was from Sofia...thanking me again for my amazing work!

A msg...a thank you...a hug...it sometimes seems like nothing, but my goodness, did it ever make me feel good last night!

Bisous!

Flora xoxo

Woo F***ing Hoo!

Eternal Interns!

I am so excited right now I can't even express in words, but I absolutely had to write and let you guys know that I had the best last day ever!

My boss gave me the hugest hug and everyone was simply awesome! I have no doubt that I will be working with everyone again in the future, and that is all I could ever ask for... and with that I am off to enjoy a celebratory drink or two!

Watch out Orange County beach house... here I come!

I love you guys so much!

xxx Rose

A Dirty Shame

Hello my darling interns,
Rose, is there a room for me in this fab beach house?  Flora, you are too funny!  A lady never reveals her salary!  haha!

I've had a pretty uneventful week... until last night!  Last week, I got an email out of the blue from an old friend.  I use the term "friend" loosely as I haven't seen or heard from the guy since high school!  So you can understand my shock when he emailed saying he was in Paris and wanted to have dinner.  I hesitated at first, but I must admit that I was curious and was sure he would have some fabulous Eternal Employment tales to both motivate and irritate me!  B. was always a star!  No one was surprised when he was accepted to Harvard or when he was offered a ridiculously well-paid job at some suit and tie, fancy pants company in Boston.  He was primed for success and nothing could stand in his way... or so I thought!

In typical B fashion, he insisted on having dinner at Brasserie Lipp.  Fearing that my Eternal Intern status would make me a pariah in B's eyes, I tried to at least dress like the successful young woman I aspire to be.  I arrived at dinner a few minutes late and the maitre d' informed me that my party had already arrived.  As B. stood to greet me, I almost fainted!  Instead of the $5000 italian suits I saw plastered over Facebook,  he was wearing dirty sweatpants and a t-shirt with the F word on it!  There was nothing Harvard-grad-fancy-Boston-job about him!  He was a bum!

Long story short, B. lost his amazing job a few years ago and has since been living off of his impressive severance package.  Sure, it's perfectly normal to enjoy the time off after leaving such a stressful job.  Like any normal 20-something, he traveled the world, but once back in New York, he decided that work was overrated and he was going to retire.  Retire?!  Along with his two "best buds" B. is now a "professional Frat Boy!"   He works in a cafe on his street and parties every night.  He and his "buds" have perfected the "keg stand" and they are training for the "shot-athon" (A marathon of tequila shots!)!  B. actually bragged about waking up at 3pm, blacking out every night and he showed me his beer-belly... at Lipp!

Again, I really shouldn't judge, but I was so pissed to see someone wasting such potential.  He had the world at his fingertips and he threw it all away.  At first I was concerned, but he assured me (very eloquently) that he "just doesn't give a f*ck!" Apparently all you need in life is "booze, broads and buds"!  I couldn't help but think of the Eternal Interns who want nothing more than to find the dream job and you have people like B. who take it all for granted!  B. and I agreed to disagree, but I'm pretty sure I'll never hear from him again...

What a shame!

Bisous x x x  Ophelia

A Rose Production

Flora, I couldn’t stop laughing when I read your email!  What a response.  Love it!

Small change of plans for my long awaited vacation ... P and I decided to rent a beach house in Orange County for 3 weeks, instead of our cross-country road trip.  We figured that with the money we would be spending on the drive, we can relax in a beautiful house just steps away from the beach... and neither of us will have to drive!

The new plan is perfect because now I am going to have dedicated time away from the stresses that arise from an Eternal Interns life, to just relax with my adorable boyfriend (with whom I haven’t had a day off for about a year because he works weekends!),  and also really get into finishing my script.

As an assistant to a producer, I pretty much spend 15 hours a day just organizing every aspect of his life, and besides learning how he likes to handle business through rolling calls, I am always way  too tired to spend my weekends trying to better myself or advancing my knowledge of such things as story development.

I find the mentality of frowning on gaps on resumes so mind-boggling.   I definitely need some time to catch up and educate myself about a few things in my industry!  I desperately need to catch up on all the new players, not to mention my list of 500 movies that I need to watch, and the 50 scripts that I need to read asap!

Maybe I should just include on my resume that I had a Story Development Internship at ROSE Productions.  Ha! That’s actually not a bad idea....

Xxx
Rose

Eternally Fooled

Rose!! How freakishly horrible!! Look if that's the way those girls are climbing the corporate ladder, good for them...but I'd rather use the 'merit' way up!

As for me chicas, I'm still a little perplexed by this new transatlantic situation...I've been checking flight tickets to visit el novio this verano in London, and I can't hide the fact that this is really gonna dent my intern budget...Like seriously carve the barely filled bank account!! I've started budgeting a little here and there...thank goodness I don't have AC, at least that's one expense I can make do without!! Yet, it still feels as though this summer is going to be a tough one for this Eternal Intern.

Funny side note though...yes humour is good right now - the novio situation has gotten me a little tense recently!! I had an interview today, for a horrible Eternal Employment position...I knew going in that I wouldn't be the least interested in the job, but I thought that any interview is a good practice session!!

So I get there...I sit down...all dressed up in my usual "interview" attire...The typical meet and greet proceeds, followed by the inevitable "please tell me about yourself...your recent experiences...etc.."...all is good...all is well...we even do a little stint in French, to ensure my language skills are up to par....and then the interview veers off yet again on a topic that seems to perpetually catch me: the salary dance!!

What is funny here, however, is that instead of asking me how much I was expecting, the interviewer asked me, "how much are you making at your current job"...Job??? Full-time position??? I guess he didn'trealize I was STILL an intern!! Actually he clearly didn't realize I was still an intern, as he insisted on the "job" fact....

I sat there, perplexed...with my mind spinning 100 miles an hour...should I make up a salary?? should I tell the truth - but in that case he'll realize I'm an intern and rip my application up?? should I just tell it straight up: I'm an intern??

What I did decide to do was: not to lie...but not to tell the truth either. I let him continue to think I was not an intern...I simply looked at him perturbed and said "I'll have to get back to you..."..WTF???? HAHA??? As soon as the words left my mouth I began to laugh histerically on the inside! The little devil on my left shoulder couldn't stop giggling! I had just dug myself in such a deep hole!! Who doesn't know their salary!! Haha!!

Luckily this gig didn't interest me in the least...Luckily also by accepting to do this interview it prepped me for others....Sure, ethically I shouldn't have accepted an interview I knew very well did not interest me, but at the end of the day, it was great practice and my goodness, what a good laugh! And, honestly, I walked out relatively proud of myself...I clearly fooled the guy into thinking I'm Eternally Employed.............not too bad!

Chicas I must run!

Flora xoxo

Mixing Work And Pleasure

Dearest Eternal Interns,

I write to you this evening disturbed by the latest gossip that has come my way.  I just found out that an intern at the production office next to ours is sleeping with a big shot executive and is being promoted to an assistant gig at a studio!  This girl is blond (of course!), super thin (so thin that her hips have not developed and she pretty much has the body of a 12 year old girl, which people fail to realize is the same as having a body of a 12 year old boy! ew!) and she dresses so completely inappropriately it makes my head hurt!

As if that weren't enough... I also recently learned that a woman I previously worked with is having a fling with my current boss!  Thank goodness I am leaving because I simply don't know what I would do if I ever ran into her while I was having to run an errand to my boss' house! 

I mean, if I weren't happily committed to P, would I find these men in 'power' irresistible?  Mind you I am generally not interested in getting intimate with men that are about twice my age!  But let's say, for arguments sake, that these men were exactly my type, how would I feel after getting a promotion that I did not work my ass off to receive (poor choice of words... I know)?

I'm not judging these girls at all.  They are super friendly and know what they want... I'm just a little dumbfounded and needed to vent is all.

Hope you ladies had a wonderful weekend.  I spent the majority of mine at the beach working on my sun burn, and relaxing prior to my last week of work.  My NEW replacement is definitely a downgrade from the 1st, but he is NOT my problem at this point... I have a roadtrip to plan !

xxx Rose