This book nerd’s secret passion.
So I just discovered The PR Girl Blog (which I am loving), randomly enough while trying to learn more about Cision, since a certain big book publisher out here in SF just posted a publicity job that (among other bits that completely disqualify me) requires candidates to be proficient in it. Anyway, speaking as someone whose route into something resembling PR (?) was rather circuitous, it’s a fun insight into the field from someone who lives and breathes it (and was trained in it!). I won’t lie to you, though, I am also totally eating up the posts about shoes and fitness and relaxation and fashion and stuff. It got me thinking about why I never write about all those lifestyle things… really I am all about it, but as a literary type and a San Franciscan, I don’t know, it just feels so politically incorrect. Maybe it’s a Nor Cal/So Cal thing? (PR Girl is in San Diego.) Besides, I’m barely qualified to write about that stuff, considering that I’m too broke to indulge in anything ever and I just bought boots in the freaking comfort shoe section (although in my defense, they are really cute). I honestly feel kind of silly even writing this. But hell, my most-commented post here was about books and dating, so I know we book nerds can appreciate the frivolous side of life when we want to. And although I haven’t been writing a lot here about my internships or my attempts to “make it” in publishing, there are definitely days when I need to find ways to relax. Like… every day.
So, stressed-out book nerds of the world, what are your guilty pleasures? How do you unwind? (No fair saying reading!) I can’t say fashion is fun for me anymore because I spend too much time stressing about all the people in San Francisco who are better dressed (and better paid) than I am, but I love me a frothy overpriced coffee drink, and once upon a time I was all about running (I keep saying I’ll pick it up again once I get a real job and the craziness dies down). When I was in Korea in May, I did like the locals do and went completely crazy for skincare and makeup brands Skin Food and Etude House, which I’m still kind of obsessed with even though they’re prohibitively expensive in the States. And if I can break my own rule and choose something book-related, it’d definitely be chick lit… I rolled my eyes at all the Sophie Kinsella and Jennifer Weiner titles floating around on expat bookshelves when I got to Japan, but I read my way through a bunch of them my last couple of months there and loved it (Twenties Girl? Pure genius.) Oh, and I have seen every episode of Sex and the City. Twice. And I am not ashamed.
(Okay, I’m still a little afraid that someone I work with will see this and be like “YOU are a big fake who secretly wants to live in the suburbs and eat at the Olive Garden every Saturday night, and you are hereby banned forever from this hip, glamorous industry! Also you should see someone about those neuroses.” I think this even though I know that book publishing is a very accepting place. I mean, there is a crystal ball in my office. What is wrong with me?)
In other news, today is the first day of Litquake! I’ll be volunteering at the Off The Richter Scale event (do you see now why I don’t have time for running?). I finally just got around to looking at the schedule of events (again, insanely busy), and I’m really excited to attend some of them. So off I go again!
Barbary Prose 