The long-touted, much-promised, eagerly anticipated story of my name could not be here today, due to recent tragic events. Ok, not tragic really – just busy. Just busy doing my 10 jobs, like a Jamaican (does anyone get this reference to the long-deceased sketch comedy show, that I’ve heard several times in the last week?).
But it’s good news: I’ve been published, several times in fact. As a part of my new reporting internship at Manhattan Media, publisher of several quality local weekly newspapers such as Our Town, The West Side Spirit, The Westsider, and The Chelsea-Clinton News.
I love reporting. Totally love it. Yesterday I was on the phone with a Lieutenant Colonel, and made him get very defensive. That was cool. The day before, I pushed through the crowd to get an interview at a retail-store opening – ahh the power. And I get to write – which is the coolest. If you live, work, or love in either the Upper West or Upper East Side – look out for Our Town (east) or the West Side Spirit (west) in boxes and dusty corners in your local coffee shop. I’ll also have a clips site put together sometime when I have 5 minutes to spare.
My 7th job is teaching tennis to an adorable group of 12 year old girls in Bed-Sty, They are naturals I swear it. At first I admit, I was a little worried. Worried that all of us had no idea what we were doing, and this would be a very long two hours. By the end of the first hour, they were really hittin’ the balls around though. I was impressed. Meanwhile, I am really getting into the role of dorky tennis coach. I must have said “Ready position – who’s in ready position?” like a hundred times. That was cool.
Also I’m taking a class at NYU: Interviewing. Which is ok, except that I haven’t a smidgeon of time to do the homework. I bring it up because, fellas, continuing ed classes are a goldmine of cute girls. There are 2 men out of the 20-person class, and I’m pretty sure half of them are gay. The rest is 20 – 30 something girls who are a little confused about their future, and for some reason, maybe just in my class – are all really cute. It kind of intimidates me to be honest. Anyway – tip from the inside. I hope you were paying attention.
Otherwise I better get going cause my to-do list is getting the better of me, as it has been for the last 2 weeks.
New Angeles Monthly, June 2008
Weekend America, March 30, 2008
Los Angeles Times, March 13, 2008
Los Angeles Times, March 6, 2008
Nil by Mouth is written by Neille Ilel. Neille is a writer, reporter and user interface specialist in Los Angeles. If you think that's a lot, she's also got a host of meandering sidelines including improv comedy, tennis, cooking, drawing and thinking about learning to play the guitar.
Nil is her given name. It's a long story.
E-mail her here:
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.com