The strength of Gawker Media lies in the diversity of our talents and the fluid collaboration between team members. We Are Gawker Media gives you an inside look at who we are and what we do behind the scenes.
In this edition of We Are Gawker Media, I had the pleasure of speaking with our resident Systems Administrator, Erin McGill about otters, dogs, and how the company has changed since she's been here.
Where did you grow up and what drew you to NYC?
I grew up in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC. To my family, NYC was where all the horrible crazy liberals lived so, of course when I found a job to bring me to New York, I took it right away.
So...what is it that you do at Gawker Media exactly?
I'm a Systems Administrator here. Along with the Ops team, I make sure that the servers are up and running, have the right programs installed, are networked properly, and that the databases are up and running, etc. I was the lone wolf for about four years and now I'm lucky to have a team of four others to help me do the job of keeping the sites up and running.
Why don't you bring your dog into the office anymore? I've missed George!
Ha! Well, George would love to visit, but I have moved a bit far for him to walk. He's getting up in years and isn't too interested in walking all the way down here. Plus, he's a bit obsessed with food and is a menace to trash cans.
You've been working here for quite some time. How do you think Gawker Media changed the most over the years?
It's changed from a rag-tag group of trouble makers working in a storefront on Crosby street to an almost corporate company. I used to know everyone and now it seems that every day there is a new face. When I first got here, Gizmodo posted Tub Girl as a prank on the front page of Kotaku. That would never happen now. BTW - Tub Girl is VERY NSFW.
Time for the profound question, if you could be any animal, which would it be?
I would be an otter. Have you ever seen those guys?! They are freaking adorable and always having fun. The party animals of the mammal world!
How do you relax?
Slouched on the couch, feet up.
Do you have any secret talents you want to reveal?
I'm not sure if this is much of a talent, but I love to draw. Being creative keeps me sane. Also, I am able to shake my eyes at will.
What artists/bands do you jam out to?
The Magnetic Fields, The Smiths, The Bad Plus, Xiu Xiu, Tom Waits, Sam Cooke, Owen Pallett, and The Pixies have been high on my rotation lately.
If you could travel to any far off land this weekend, where would it be?
If you must know, Bali. I know a lady who runs an eco resort out there and it looks AMAZING!
