Internship: Theme

by Alena Cason

It all began with a call. From Hank. At 8:30 in the morning. Usually a terrifying thought. This time, though, he had a lead for me on an internship at Theme Magazine in New York’s Lower East Side neighborhood. The magazine is technically a lifestyle publication, with a bent for “global Asian contemporary culture.�

I checked out the website, picked up a copy from the local stand, and instantly fell in love. It’s a smart read; John Lee and Jiae Kim even make the surface-y cultural content, such as fashion or hip-hop, into something substantial. It’s also a fun read; they never let things get too serious, even when the subject is incredibly brainy design.

To my own surprise, I managed to put together a mini-book in the span of about 8 hours and have it mailed out that night. As the weekend folded, I got a response. I had gotten in. Which means. I had. to pack. everything. in three days.

Again to my surprise, I got packed and up to NYC just on time. Seriously, with seconds to spare: I found my way to the office, after being lost on the F train and opting to walk the twenty-odd blocks instead. And just so you know, twenty-odd blocks is far.

I got to the office, sweaty, swollen, and ready to find my little intern’s desk in the closet and start proofreading. Within minutes, I found out that I would not be in a dark closet with a red pen and a stack of paper. I would actually be generating the content: stories, reviews, cover copy, titles, and so on.

Don’t get me wrong, though, there is a bit of errand-running, but it’s actually fun. The week before we shot a fashion story, I was charged with driving—DRIVING— around Manhattan to pick up the items for the shoot. I drove in Times Square. And proud of it.

This internship is like no other internship I’ve ever heard of. My work is internationally published; my name is in the byline. Holy crap. So far, I’ve written pieces on MUJI’s Kenya Hara; the new Cobain documentary, “About a Son;� and a fun little story about dogs that look like their owners.

Right now, Issue 12, the “I Want� holiday issue, is going to press and is due to hit the shelves in December, which means long, but rewarding hours. I saw the final proof for the first time yesterday, and I have to admit, it’s a pretty amazing feeling. We’ve also started on Issue 13, the “Rebel/Rebel� Issue, which hits in the spring. Don’t leave me hangin’. Go grab one!