About three weeks before the Brooklyn half-marathon, I was out enjoying one of my long runs. On one particular Saturday the weather was beautiful out (about 85 degrees, which is rare in New York), so I went out along the East River all the way over through Battery Park to Tribeca, where there is a great view of the Hudson and the Statue of Liberty. As I was running, a quote displayed along a fence caught my eye:

"One need never leave the confines of New York to get all the greenery one wishes -- I can't even enjoy a blade of grass unless I know there's a subway handy, or a record store or some other sign that people do not totally regret life." - Frank O'Hara from "Meditations in an Emergency"

I am definitely someone who enjoys traveling, I think its extremely important to experience other countries and cultures. Yet, something about this quote still stopped me in my tracks and made me smile. I think people all over the world live life free of regret, but I think for me personally, New York City is exactly what this quote illustrates - a place where people are inspired to live life to the fullest. I am inspired to branch out of my comfort zone on a daily basis and that is something worth staying for. I'm very much enjoying living in a city that allows me to pursue my wildest dreams and I'm grateful for every day spent here.

We surf the Internet.

We swim in magazines.

The Internet is exhilarating. Magazines are enveloping. The Internet grabs you. Magazines embrace you. The Internet is fleeting. Magazines are immersive. And both media are growing.

Barely noticed amidst the thunderous Internet clamor is the simple fact that magazine readership has risen over the past five years. Even in the age of the Internet, even among the groups one would assume are most singularly hooked on digital media, the appeal of magazines is growing.

Think of it this way: during the 12-year life of Google, magazine readership actually increased 11 percent. 

What it proves, once again, is that a new medium doesn't necessarily displace an existing one. Just as movies didn't kill radio: Just as TV didn't kill movies. An established medium can continue to flourish so long as it continues to offer a unique experience. And, as reader loyalty and growth demonstrate, magazines do.

Which is why people aren't giving up swimming, just because they also enjoy surfing. 

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This ad (created by Young & Rubicam) has been out for a while, but I only recently saw it in GQ. It is now going to serve as a form of motivation and a daily reminder that my industry isn't going anywhere. Which is great, because I don't plan to either. 

all you need is love

“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination, full of hope.”       ― Maya Angelou

live like you were dying

A new year, a city that still feels new and a new me. It sounds so simple … that should be how it works, right? A new year always seems to offer new beginnings, a chance to start over in a sense, whether you're ready to or not. Most people (including me) spend January making resolutions, some actually attainable and others so far fetched that they never really intend to keep them. To hold myself accountable for what I plan to achieve this year, I’m posting some of my resolutions here for everyone to see. None are earth-shattering, but all will hopefully lead to a happier and more improved me. And thanks to one of my besties Jackie Jones (check out her talented work here), who is insanely good at multi-tasking and staying on top of personal projects she’s passionate about, I have a plan to actually get through my entire list this year instead of just checking a few off and letting the remaining goals slip through the cracks. 

*Write more frequently - both blogs/Examiner posts   

*Apply for more freelance writing gigs

*Devote more free time to reading. Free time is hard to come by, but I miss hanging at bookstores and reading for fun. 

*Run at least 4 days per week and complete one half-marathon and the NYC full by year-end.

*Volunteer at least once a month

This month not only signifies a new year for me, but also a big birthday. Turning 25 has always scared me. It's a number that causes an uncontrollable reaction of panic every time I hear it. When I was younger I thought my life would be totally figured out at 25. I would be set in my career, successful, happy and already conquering the world. As unrealistic as it sounds, I’ve always felt pressure to have everything totally figured out by the time I turn 30 and I freak out when I think that 25 is ONLY five years away. I think it has finally set in just how unrealistic those ideas truly are. In no way do I have to have everything figured out by a certain age. Living in a city where people are independent, career-driven, OK with being single and headstrong (unlike anywhere I’ve ever seen) has helped me to realize that.

At almost 25, I’m a lot better off than I was at 24. I lucked out by landing a job I absolutely love, which in turn might also get me one step closer to accomplishing another very important goal of mine – to run the NYC full-marathon. I’m happy, I’m young and I’m pursuing my dreams in a city that still makes me feel like a kid in a candy store even over a year later.

Being 25 doesn’t have to be so scary, if I tell myself that age doesn't matter. What matters is that I'm happy, healthy and doing what I love. Now that’s a simple idea I can wrap my head around. 

what goes around comes around

I've been working at a new job (probably my fifth since I've been here) for almost three months now and my first official day was Monday. Enter sigh of relief here. For probably the first time since I've been here I'm truly happy with the daily grind. As part of a writing assignment for this job, I was asked to work the red carpet at an awards ceremony and I learned firsthand that everything comes full circle - A phrase I've heard quite often, but never really believed until now. For those of you that know me, this assignment was huge. My daily life sadly revolves around reading celebrity gossip blogs and even though this event was more focused on designers, I was excited and I was overly eager to jump on board. I was more nervous than I'd like to admit, surrounded by other reporters from well-known and respected magazines. The night went surprisingly well and I found myself stepping up to the plate with relative ease. As I got to chatting with another reporter, I began to wonder why she looked so familiar. It hit me pretty quickly that I had interviewed at a staffing agency that she worked for, almost exactly a year prior. She told me at the time that she was a full-time freelancer for People magazine and Life & Style. I left that meeting (with my roommates Phoebe and Jeni) and said "I want her job, I know I can do what she does." I had a conversation with her a year later about how I remember being thrilled about her writing gigs, wishing I could be there myself. She responded with "well look at you now, you're doing it." It was such a simple moment, but also surreal. Over a year ago I moved to the city jobless, never imagining that I would find myself in her same shoes. Although I might not be exactly where she was and now is, I'm closer than I've ever been. I loved everything about that conversation, because it was humbling, it was real and it proved to me that everything does come full circle. 

On a side note - a few weekends ago I went out with the roommates and a visiting friend. We were lucky enough to be with someone who has a car in the city (not very common). He drove us across the Brooklyn bridge on a foggy night, which made for an amazing view of the skyline, covered in a misty fog that closely resembled something straight out of Gotham City. As we admired the view, Jay Z's "Empire State of Mind" came on (our theme song) and as we belted out the lyrics we know so well, I thought this is it. I'm here, I'm in love and thanks to the security of a full-time job again, I know I'm not going anywhere for a while.

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“Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragement, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak.” 

* My roommate sent this quote to me and said it reminded her of me, which completely made my day. I think it sums up what I've been through in the last year career-wise and I hope it continues to play a role in my life if the toughest city in the world decides to throw something an obstacle my way again.

life's a game but its not fair

Before I left for New York, I had a somewhat stable job in California. I added somewhat in there because unfortunately no magazine or newspaper is every truly stable in my industry. Unless you're a powerhouse like "Vogue," but we'll get to that later. I worked for a good magazine and I worked with even better people. Sure, we experienced layoffs as most magazines do, but I was lucky enough to survive the first round - due to my low pay and fairly low place on the office totem pole - so I probably could have survived a few more. I might have worked there for another six months and I would have known every morning the exact route I would take to work. Instead of playing it safe, I opted for a rather large risk when I moved here, a place that is not exactly known as the safest city in the world. Are there lots of magazines and publishing giants in the city? Of course. Are any of them ready and willing to open their doors and hire a struggling writer and former editorial assistant from California? Not so much.

In the last year, I've transitioned jobs so many times it's hard to remember all of them. I had my very own "Devil Wears Prada" experience, where I played Anne Hathaway and I interviewed for what felt like hundreds of random jobs, a lot of which were outside of my industry. I was willing to take anything until things settled and then it would hopefully be easier to get my foot in the publishing door again. I would stare at a computer screen for hours on end, for long enough that I thought I might go cross-eyed. Now, a little over a year later, I seem to be on the right track again (knock on wood).  

I'm working in editorial finally and after seeing "The September Issue" last night, I couldn't be more excited about it. The documentary follows the production of the 2007 September issue of Vogue, also known as "the fashion bible." Vogue was probably the first magazine I ever read, I've always been drawn to the genius outfit stylings, the well-written cover stories and their ability to always be one step ahead of the fashion curve. Prior to this movies release, Vogue's Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour was already extremely well-known in the industry, just not necessarily well-liked. She is a very powerful person in the industry and both the book and movie of "The Devil Wears Prada" show that she is certainly not the easiest woman to work for. I was pleased to see that the documentary showed a different side of Wintour, not quite as crazy of a side, but still cold. Although when managing a magazine with a circulation of over a million, you probably have to be stern at times.

If you've read any reviews you know that most critics agree standout star Grace Coddington - a former model who has worked as Creative Director at the mag for the past 20 years - actually steals the show. I couldn't agree more. I've been following Vogue's photo shoots in the magazine for as long as I remember and it was so amazing to finally put a face behind the stylists name. She is not quite as dominant as Wintour in the office, but still evokes such a respectable presence that it must be a joy to work beside her on a daily basis. Especially when she utters lines such as "nobody is perfect, but models are." Her ideas for the spreads are astounding and inspiring. The film also touched on the works of a few of my favorite photographers, Mario Testino and Patrick Demarchelier.

I'm not quite sure that I'll ever work for such a phenomenal magazine or generate the same fame that some editors do, but now more than ever I'm motivated to try. For the last six months a tiny voice inside my head has been screaming "get out while you still can" and even though that might be the wiser choice in such a shaky industry, I don't think it's the best choice for me. For every door that slams in my face, I have a renewed faith that another will open. I plan to devote myself to the industry I love in the city of lights - another new love of mine.

concrete jungle where dreams are made of

"The present in New York is so powerful that the past is lost"

I decided to move to New York for a number of reasons. I was hoping to jump start my career in the journalism world and I was searching for a drastic change outside of the OC bubble I lived in for 23 years. New York was a new start for me, I could leave the past behind and only bring the good memories that I will always hold close to my heart. For a while I thought I was doing well, I left my problems behind me and I was off to a great, fresh start. To my surprise, I quickly found a new set of problems waiting. This last year has been a whirlwind of emotions, I've transitioned jobs more times than I ever thought possible, my family has spent countless difficult hours at the hospital and I lost a very close family friend. Today, we are celebrating our one-year anniversary in the city and everything I've been through doesn't seem quite so bad in retrospect. Life seems to turning around and I wouldn't change the last year for anything. Even the rough patches add to the overall journey and at the very least make us that much more grateful when the good times finally come. 

I can't believe it has already been a year. It's hard to find the words to describe my experiences, but I can say this has been one of the craziest, most stressful, adventurous, rewarding and overall best years of my life. I feel so alone here at times without my family and friends, but I have learned from the independence and I'm stronger because of it. 

Some of my fav moments so far (the list could go on forever):

*The first time I saw snow falling in the city

*My 24th birthday weekend and Nicole's - I'm so lucky to have BFF's who will fly to NY to celebrate

*Tyrone Wells concert at the Highline Ballroom, where he sang "Dream Like New York" to us in an exclusive back stage performance - we were like giddy school girls 

*NYC half-marathon - through Central Park, Times Square, along the Westside Highway with the finish line in Battery Park - it was the most amazing feeling to have my teammates and coaches cheering me on and I felt so accomplished when I crossed the finish line

*Cruise along the Hudson for Phoebe's last weekend - we had perfect NY weather and the skyline view was priceless 

*Susan G. Komen 5K in Central Park - this cause hits close to home and it was such an empowering feeling being with so many survivors and supporters

I have no idea what the next year will bring, but I'm excited for new adventures and opportunities in the city that never sleeps.

My theme song of the moment from Jay Z:

"In New York

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of, 
There's nothing you can’t do, 
Now you’re in New York, 
these streets will make you feel brand new, 
big lights will inspire you, 
lets hear it for New York, New York, New York"