I want to share with you all (y'all) a bit about my internship. For those of you who are wondering (as I was in my last post!). My "title" is Multi-Media Intern. I work on the marketing aspects of the magazine/online community. I post from NMG's Google+ page to organizations about upcoming events on NewMoon.com, I write the weekly Girls Enewsletter (my first one goes out this week!), I also update the Enews emails lists when needed, I post on NMG's Google+ page about upcoming events from our affiliates, and I also moderate the website (4 hours/week checking and approving EVERYTHING the girls post on the site).
Today I had a mini freak out moment when I realized, again, how exciting and awesome it is that girls all over the world are going to read MY enews this week! I am so excited to be able to reach all those girls, even if it is only a weekly update on what's going on at NMG. My enews impacts thousands of girls worldwide; how cool is that?!
Also, I'm finally getting the hang of things around NMG. It's completely online, which is great for my schedule, but hard for me to keep up with. I have to constantly push myself to check/remember what I need to do and when I need to do it. It's a challenge for me so far, but I'm keeping up with it and learning along the way. I can already tell that this internship is changing me for the better. I can't wait to re-evaluate myself after the semester's over!
So, at the risk of sounding like Miss Marketing of NMG, check out the site, register as a parent or girl ages 8-15 or even a gift-giver, and get involved! I hope you enjoy it!
Ayla R. Otto, Multi-Media Intern
Monday, September 24, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
an EXCITING update on my life (seriously)
So, holy cow it's been a long time since I blogged! Sorry for any of you looking for updates =]] But since school starts next week, I've been forced to think about my plans for the school year, and decided to update anyone who wants to know.
First of all, I'll be a senior this year! My last year of college, I'll graduate with 2 degrees: a B.A. in German Studies and a B.A. in English-Liberal Arts. I'm not sure what I will do with either of these degrees, but I'd love to work at Hallmark, study abroad/work abroad, and/or go to grad school for English or Creative Writing. A lot to think about, but I have time. I'm only 20 after all.
Which leads to my next life event: my 21st birthday! I'll FINALLY be 21 on September 10th. It's a Monday night, and a school night, so I'm not sure what I'll be doing, but Trista, Jason, and Nova will be up here for part of that weekend, as will Mike's parents. It will be a good weekend seeing people I miss from home =]] I'm excited to finally be "old" lol.
Speaking of feeling old, Jenna moved into her dorm on Sunday! Holy crap! I'm so excited for her, but I also feel kinda old.... Haha. She's going to do so many big things. I can just feel it. She's so dedicated to her music and school, she'll go far. ("You're gonna go far kid")
Anyway, back to me ;) I got an internship! I'll be working for school credit for New Moon Girls, an online magazine for girls ages 8-15. I'm not sure exactly what I'll be doing, but it could be anything from editing to marketing to writing blog posts for the website. I hope I'll get to do lots of writing. It'll be at least 10 hours a week, and I get to work from home! Which is super convenient for me this semester since I'll have school AND my job at Holiday Inn.
I'll be working 2-3 days a week at the hotel, hopefully only 2 days. If it gets too busy I'll drop it down to 2 days. Anyway, work has been going well. I work 5 days a week, although the last month and a half I've been getting faster at cleaning my rooms and therefore getting done with work early. Which significantly affects my paychecks. But at least I get more freetime =]]
In my freetime I've been hanging out with Mike, my roommates occasionally, reading (I've read all three Hunger Games books and then some), and yesterday crafty projects! I made a case for my Kindle out of an old book (which kind of failed, but it'll be useful anyway). I've been working on "decorating" a Crown Royal bottle with the drippings of candles (2 candles dripped so far, super cool). I also hung pictures of shoes on a portion of my wall (Kelly gave me a page-a-day calendar last year of shoes). It's pretty sweet.
Now onto bigger and better things :) I'll FINALLY be going to Germany this year! Yes, I know, it's a miracle. I've been studying German for 7 years and am finally going to go there. I haven't been accepted into the program yet, but I'm pretty sure I'll be a shoe-in =]] It's over winter break starting December 26 and going until January 13. It's a hardcore program with a ton of learning involved. It's worth 4 credits (which leaves me with 1 extra German credit for my major), just barely making enough credits for graduation =]] We stay in a big house, there's 15 of us. We go to tons of museums and historical places. We do a bunch of projects and presentations, ALL in Deutschland! I'm actually really nervous/freaking out about the whole thing, but I can't WAIT to be in Germany! Speaking German with other germans! =D
So, that's my update. Feel like I'm forgetting something, but I can always blog again soon =]]
Tschussi! (cutesy Ayla-esque way of saying goodbye in German =]])
First of all, I'll be a senior this year! My last year of college, I'll graduate with 2 degrees: a B.A. in German Studies and a B.A. in English-Liberal Arts. I'm not sure what I will do with either of these degrees, but I'd love to work at Hallmark, study abroad/work abroad, and/or go to grad school for English or Creative Writing. A lot to think about, but I have time. I'm only 20 after all.
Which leads to my next life event: my 21st birthday! I'll FINALLY be 21 on September 10th. It's a Monday night, and a school night, so I'm not sure what I'll be doing, but Trista, Jason, and Nova will be up here for part of that weekend, as will Mike's parents. It will be a good weekend seeing people I miss from home =]] I'm excited to finally be "old" lol.
Speaking of feeling old, Jenna moved into her dorm on Sunday! Holy crap! I'm so excited for her, but I also feel kinda old.... Haha. She's going to do so many big things. I can just feel it. She's so dedicated to her music and school, she'll go far. ("You're gonna go far kid")
Anyway, back to me ;) I got an internship! I'll be working for school credit for New Moon Girls, an online magazine for girls ages 8-15. I'm not sure exactly what I'll be doing, but it could be anything from editing to marketing to writing blog posts for the website. I hope I'll get to do lots of writing. It'll be at least 10 hours a week, and I get to work from home! Which is super convenient for me this semester since I'll have school AND my job at Holiday Inn.
I'll be working 2-3 days a week at the hotel, hopefully only 2 days. If it gets too busy I'll drop it down to 2 days. Anyway, work has been going well. I work 5 days a week, although the last month and a half I've been getting faster at cleaning my rooms and therefore getting done with work early. Which significantly affects my paychecks. But at least I get more freetime =]]
In my freetime I've been hanging out with Mike, my roommates occasionally, reading (I've read all three Hunger Games books and then some), and yesterday crafty projects! I made a case for my Kindle out of an old book (which kind of failed, but it'll be useful anyway). I've been working on "decorating" a Crown Royal bottle with the drippings of candles (2 candles dripped so far, super cool). I also hung pictures of shoes on a portion of my wall (Kelly gave me a page-a-day calendar last year of shoes). It's pretty sweet.
Now onto bigger and better things :) I'll FINALLY be going to Germany this year! Yes, I know, it's a miracle. I've been studying German for 7 years and am finally going to go there. I haven't been accepted into the program yet, but I'm pretty sure I'll be a shoe-in =]] It's over winter break starting December 26 and going until January 13. It's a hardcore program with a ton of learning involved. It's worth 4 credits (which leaves me with 1 extra German credit for my major), just barely making enough credits for graduation =]] We stay in a big house, there's 15 of us. We go to tons of museums and historical places. We do a bunch of projects and presentations, ALL in Deutschland! I'm actually really nervous/freaking out about the whole thing, but I can't WAIT to be in Germany! Speaking German with other germans! =D
So, that's my update. Feel like I'm forgetting something, but I can always blog again soon =]]
Tschussi! (cutesy Ayla-esque way of saying goodbye in German =]])
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
vegetative state, monotony, routine, and all those exciting things.
I should be in bed right now, considering I have to be up at 7:30 to get ready for work, but I feel like I need to write instead. This is my second week living in Duluth, completely on my own, working almost everyday, seeing Mike almost never, and my roommates even less than that. I thought I would be THRILLED to move up here, finally live in Duluth, be on my own all summer, working to pay rent, etc. I am far from it. I feel like my life is completely monotonous. I do the same thing almost all the time, and even when I have a plan with Mike or to clean, etc., I still know that I'll be working 9-5 the next day, and the next day, and almost everyday all summer long. I am one for routine, but apparently not for summertime. I feel like my life has no purpose right now. I don't know how to describe it, but I'm going to try, for my sake =]]
I get up in the morning, take the bus to work, get my room cleaning assignments, hopefully finish them in time but sometimes having to stay late, take the bus home, shower, eat something (often not anything that I have to cook because I'm too tired and unmotivated), vege out until 10 or 10:30 when I make myself go to bed. I am REALLY living the life up here. I'm trying to change my outlook on things, make myself not focus on work, so that when I have time off or to myself, I don't have to think about going to work the next day; just live in the moment. That is something I've struggled with most of my life, and it's not getting any easier the more monotonous my life gets.
It's so strange that I'm in this funk. I never thought I'd need time to adjust to the "ease" of living up here and working. That should be simple. All I do is work, read, sleep, eat, and occasionally hang with the roomies or the bf. Nothing to worry about but that. On the contrary, I am completely unsatisfied with myself, except for the fact that I'm making money. But my own personal "Ayla-ness" and my inner persona is not shining at all. I can't decide if I just have to accept that and move on, or if there's some way I can make that work within my monotony.
Tonight is an especially awful feeling night. I had a wonderful day off with Mike, got home around 8:45 or 9 ish, then all I had was a couple hours before bed and work and the rest of my routine starts again. I want more time off to contemplate life and think about things that I need to. I want more time to read and write and blog, as the case may be. I was able to watch the first episode of Pretty Little Liars tonight, which was GREAT. I'm addicted all over again. And I am SO thankful I'm blogging, but tomorrow I'll feel the same way again.
I'm hoping this is just one of those moments in my life when I just need time to adjust to my new life. I seem to have a lot of those (I'm sure everyone does). I know that in the past I have been exceptionally great at adjusting, but maybe that was just a front I put on for my friends, family, teachers, etc. Here and now, when I'm alone most of the time (which I really don't mind, by the way), all I can think about is how lame and boring my life is. About half the time I'm ok with that, the other half of the time I'm kicking myself for being a homebody, for this job that's the same hours everyday, for this townhome that isn't amazing. All I can think about is how it's been almost two weeks here and I'm still not settled in, both mentally and physically. Some of my stuff is still in boxes because I have no time and never want to unpack. My mind on the other hand has already unpacked itself, leaving me to deal with all the shit that goes on up there in my head all on my own. It's really frustrating.
I just want school to start again, I want to be able to see my roommates, my boyfriend, and my best friends all the time. I want to be able to go see a movie when I want to. I want to play mini golf (or putt putt as Mike calls it) and go to the beach. I want to sit on my ass and do nothing for more than just a few hours at night. I want to stop feeling tired all the time. I realize that most of this stuff is a lesson in mind over matter for me. I just need to think positive. I've been doing that, for the most part. I'm a pretty positive person, except when I'm alone in my room thinking about all the things I want to do with my summer, and all the things I probably won't get to do.
And now I must apologize at least a little for this post. I enjoy my own posts, they're mainly for my own personal gain anyway, but I realize that some people may actually read this, and be bored with it. But at least you get a taste of what's been going on inside my head. That's always intriguing and interesting to me. Hopefully I'll start blogging more. It helps me, and it's fun =]]
Be true to yourself!
A
I get up in the morning, take the bus to work, get my room cleaning assignments, hopefully finish them in time but sometimes having to stay late, take the bus home, shower, eat something (often not anything that I have to cook because I'm too tired and unmotivated), vege out until 10 or 10:30 when I make myself go to bed. I am REALLY living the life up here. I'm trying to change my outlook on things, make myself not focus on work, so that when I have time off or to myself, I don't have to think about going to work the next day; just live in the moment. That is something I've struggled with most of my life, and it's not getting any easier the more monotonous my life gets.
It's so strange that I'm in this funk. I never thought I'd need time to adjust to the "ease" of living up here and working. That should be simple. All I do is work, read, sleep, eat, and occasionally hang with the roomies or the bf. Nothing to worry about but that. On the contrary, I am completely unsatisfied with myself, except for the fact that I'm making money. But my own personal "Ayla-ness" and my inner persona is not shining at all. I can't decide if I just have to accept that and move on, or if there's some way I can make that work within my monotony.
Tonight is an especially awful feeling night. I had a wonderful day off with Mike, got home around 8:45 or 9 ish, then all I had was a couple hours before bed and work and the rest of my routine starts again. I want more time off to contemplate life and think about things that I need to. I want more time to read and write and blog, as the case may be. I was able to watch the first episode of Pretty Little Liars tonight, which was GREAT. I'm addicted all over again. And I am SO thankful I'm blogging, but tomorrow I'll feel the same way again.
I'm hoping this is just one of those moments in my life when I just need time to adjust to my new life. I seem to have a lot of those (I'm sure everyone does). I know that in the past I have been exceptionally great at adjusting, but maybe that was just a front I put on for my friends, family, teachers, etc. Here and now, when I'm alone most of the time (which I really don't mind, by the way), all I can think about is how lame and boring my life is. About half the time I'm ok with that, the other half of the time I'm kicking myself for being a homebody, for this job that's the same hours everyday, for this townhome that isn't amazing. All I can think about is how it's been almost two weeks here and I'm still not settled in, both mentally and physically. Some of my stuff is still in boxes because I have no time and never want to unpack. My mind on the other hand has already unpacked itself, leaving me to deal with all the shit that goes on up there in my head all on my own. It's really frustrating.
I just want school to start again, I want to be able to see my roommates, my boyfriend, and my best friends all the time. I want to be able to go see a movie when I want to. I want to play mini golf (or putt putt as Mike calls it) and go to the beach. I want to sit on my ass and do nothing for more than just a few hours at night. I want to stop feeling tired all the time. I realize that most of this stuff is a lesson in mind over matter for me. I just need to think positive. I've been doing that, for the most part. I'm a pretty positive person, except when I'm alone in my room thinking about all the things I want to do with my summer, and all the things I probably won't get to do.
And now I must apologize at least a little for this post. I enjoy my own posts, they're mainly for my own personal gain anyway, but I realize that some people may actually read this, and be bored with it. But at least you get a taste of what's been going on inside my head. That's always intriguing and interesting to me. Hopefully I'll start blogging more. It helps me, and it's fun =]]
Be true to yourself!
A
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