This is part of a series on my work as a title editor for Demand Studios. As I mentioned last time, I’ve developed a collection of rather absurd or unexpected google searches — anything that’s caught my fancy. Some are discussed below. So… one of the largest categories of…
About a year ago, I read an article in Wired magazine about Demand Studios. I was intrigued. Here’s an online company that pays experienced writers terrible prices ($15 for a well-researched article) to write detailed “how-to” articles for eHow and LiveStrong. The writers take titles and keywords from Google searches and…
Back in the day they used to call it the “missionary barrel.” Some frontier church in New England would gather up everything they couldn’t really use anymore – little boy’s breeches, navy blue; old candlestick holders, slightly tarnished; fifty embroidered handkerchiefs, a little yellowed; the pieces-parts of a phonograph,…
I participated in a taste test for a major restaurant chain today. After responding to a Craigslist ad last month, I was told to show up today at 5pm to evaluate a product in development at “Greaseburger Labs.” Sitting in the waiting room, I observed the other testers. A…
I was checkout-girl at work yesterday. I had a never-ending stream of customers all night: wrinkly old people buying cheap cigarettes, smelly guys buying condoms, a girl with Vogue and mascara in her basket, high schoolers buying energy drinks (for what? they didn’t have school today), parents with little…
Crazy day at work today, at the Photo Counter. Machines breaking down and customers innocently asking, “but why can’t I have my photos in one hour?” Because the machines don’t work. I am going to move to Nebraska soon, or maybe start my own country off the coast of…
Having just graduated college and not sure what to do, these just might be the options I am vaguely entertaining… ± Florist. ± Bartender. ± Photo specialist (the path of least resistance). ± Satire writer. ± “Braille Proofreader” (it…
Yesterday evening Mr. Lewis called and left me a message saying that I had passed my drug test and could start work as soon as… today. So I called him back this morning and was like, uhh, do you still want me to work today? So I did indeed…
You agree to the terms of this End User License Agreement (EULA) when you unwrap this Book. If you disagree, immediately return the Book to your campus Bookstore. Yet because your professor requires this book, you must agree. This is an agreement between Resource and Textbook Suppliers (hereafter “RATS”)…
“Thank you for calling Cedar Point Central Reservations, my name is Celia. How may I help you?” Yep, this summer I took a job at Cedar Point, an amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. Sandusky is a lake town with one Wal-mart, 53 hotels, 10 bars, 43 churches (more on…