Should you choose to accept it…

/ sarahelund / Leave a comment 
Mission: Work Placement Episode One
Objective: Successfully integrate into a professional publishing environment, completing tasks as they are set by superiors while outwardly displaying a friendly, competant manner.
Estimated Length of Mission: 13 business days
Status: Ongoing

Day One Mission Report

0831:  Transportation arrives. Travel with agents Ken Jennings and JT, who are on intersecting missions.
0935:  Approach headquarters. Prepare for first face-to-face meeting with commanding agents.
0937: Briefing on mission specifications. Acquisition of necessary tools and documents. Construction of home base.
1125: Meet with JT re: rations and intelligence exchange.
1150: Review documents. Begin task UMP001.
1400: Discussion with commanding agents re: past missions and qualifications. Return to task UMP001.
1647: Deconstruct home base. Confirm transportation arrangements.
1800: Enter residence. Prepare for Day Two.

Agent inksplAt bookworm

I’ve been placed.

/ sarahelund / Leave a comment

‘Ello. Hi.

It’s 2010 and here I am, five days in, at a crossroads. What to do with this literary blog of mine? I describe ink splAt as an “adventure in bookselling”, but that particular adventure has ended for the time being and without the silliness and story of my former job I’m not quite sure what this blog is anymore.

Luckily, I won’t have to make a decision about this lovely collection of musings for about three weeks. I’ve been placed, you see. My first of two work placements begins tomorrow and I’ll be working in the marketing department of a small publisher. I’m nervous, to be honest, but also excited. The point at which books and PR intersect seems like the ideal place for me and should potentially give me fuel to keep this book-devoted train chugging for the rest of the month.

I feel as if JT is sending me disapproving glances for not paying closer attention to the Canada vs. US final, so I’m going to stop typing and be patriotic. Ooh. Down 5-3. Not so good.

A soon-to-be publishy inksplAt bookworm.

Look, Ma. I’m in a box.

/ sarahelund / Leave a comment

Evening ink splAters.

It’s exactly one month until my birthday.

That actually has very little to do with anything I was planning to write today, I just thought I’d let you know to give you all a fairly good head start on the gift buying.

I was planning on doing a post describing what a day in the life of a bookseller is really like, but then I went on a pop culture blog I love and ended up taking a quiz that tidied up my thinking style so nicely, neatly, and accurately that I’m going to share it with you thinky-type folks.

I do love taking quizzes like this one. There’s something about being put into a category that actually sounds as if you belong there…

Maybe I simply got too giddy at the quizzes issue of Teen magazine in Grade 7 (before it re-branded and became just like every other teen magazine, Teen used to publish poems and short stories, and tackle issues more serious than trying to mix plaids), but I’m a sucker for a good quiz that’s just specific enough to sound like the result was made especially for you.

If you’re even partially as lame as me, you’ll understand that half the fun of taking quizzes is finding out what you are NOT. The great thing about this “thinking style” quiz is that it takes this idea a step farther, allowing you to graph to what degree you are a Concrete Sequential, Concrete Random, Abstract Random, or Abstract Sequential

I’m an Abstract Sequential. Here’s a lovely description of my box:
“Abstract sequential thinkers love the world of theory and abstract thought. They like to think in concepts and analyse information. They make great philosophers and research scientists. It’s easy for them to zoom in on what’s important, such as key points and significant details. Their thinking processes are logical, rational and intellectual. A favourite activity for abstract sequentials is reading, and when a project needs to be researched they are very thorough at it. Generally they prefer to work alone rather than in groups. If you’re an AS, give yourself exercises in logic. Feed your intellect. Steer yourself toward highly structured situations.”

Eerie, isn’t it? Abstract Random came in a VERY close second, and Concrete Sequential was a solid last place.

I’m predicting some VERY good news tomorrow, ink splAters, so stay tuned.

Much love and loveliness,

S.E. Lund