The strength of Gawker Media lies in the diversity of our talents and the fluid collaboration between team members.We Are Gawker Media provides an inside look at our company and what we do behind the scenes.
In this edition, I had the privilege of chatting with Rose Annis about hipsters, tattoos, and traveling. Rose is one of our stellar copywriters whose talents and tenacity continue to drive our sponsored editorial program to new heights.
How long have you been working at Gawker Media? How'd you get started here? Any favorite memories from your first years?
Do I get to count all the time I worked for free? Because, if so, I've been with the company for almost 2 and a half years! I started out as an intern for the now defunct Gawker.TV. I had been reading the site since almost day 1 (I went to college in the city and that's what liberal arts kids do apparently, read about insidery New York stuff and pretend you actually lived it.), so I was thrilled when I finally weaseled my way into the office. After that, they couldn't shake me. I eventually landed a freelance position as a copywriter in the creative department (by the way, I thoroughly attribute my successful initial interview to fact that Megan, our Sr. Copywriter burnt herself on soup that day and couldn't be present for our meeting.) From there it turned it into a full time job.
Where are your favorite hangouts in NYC?
Well, I have 46 check-ins to my living room over the past 6 weeks, and I'm still not the mayor, which I find incredibly frustrating. Besides that, I guess I'm totally a typical Brooklyn hipster. If I could pass the written exam, I'd use Roberta's as my clubhouse. Strange artisanal cheese never fails to charm me. I also have a deep affection for the Turkey's Nest by McCarren Park, mostly because I prefer the company of grouchy old men.
What's your drink of choice?
A Whiskey and Soda with 2-12 maraschino cherries.
What inspires you (as a writer/human)?
Other writers/ humans. I'm a total eavesdropper and love listening to other people's conversations—mostly because I know I could never write dialogue that well. And again, a Whiskey and Soda with 2-12 maraschino cherries.
You've traveled all over the world (London, India, etc). Could you tell us about some of your favorite trips? Where's your next destination?
That's a very good question! I'm currently in negotiations with my boyfriend as to where we'll spend his spring break (He's a high school teacher, not in high school. I promise!) I happen to really love traveling within the United States—there are so many bizarre and unique landscapes trapped between the two coasts. People tend to overlook them in favor of the more exotic, but have you ever been to a truck stop in Nebraska? They're weird, man! That being said, I think I'd rather go to a beach on my next trip. Or maybe Iceland.
Is there a story behind your tattoo? Do you have a tattoo? Sorry, am I making that up?
I actually have two fairly discreet tattoos! One is a small stick and poke of an ellipses and an ampersand ("And...", get it?) on the inner arch of my foot, that my best friend gave me when I lived with her in Oakland. The other is a series of gradually dilating circles on my upper ear (does anyone know the anatomic name for that body part? I'd appreciate it.) The one on my ear, I got just after my 18th birthday. My boyfriend at the time was just getting into his nautical star and stretched earlobe-phase of his life and gave me a $50 gift certificate to our local tattoo parlor. Let me tell you, 50 bucks doesn't buy much at a tattoo parlor but it is enough for a teenage girl to permanently disfigure her head. People always ask if it hurt, and for the most part, no, it didn't. However, the sound of a tattoo machine piercing your head-parts is incredibly loud, and the artist who did the work had just eaten a lot of Middle Eastern food. That isn't an experience I would wish on anyone.
Funny added-value story: When I say my ear tattoo is discreet, I mean it. Most people don't notice it unless I wear my hair up. My family didn't notice it at all until my high school graduation. I went to a very tiny private school where each student sat with their family during the ceremony until they accepted their diploma. Just as I was standing to receive mine, my sister whispered, "Rosie, you have some shmutz on your ear." She then licked her finger and tried to wipe it off. As I tried to wiggle out of her grasp, she loudly goes,"Oh my god! It's a tattoo!" At which point my father stood and tried to follow me down the aisle.
In a perfect world, what would you do everyday?
Read a book. A whole book, from start to finish. I'd also call my mother, because I do that anyway, and it's probably my best habit.
If you met 10-year-old Rose, what would you tell her?
First, I'd hug her real hard, and then possibly suggest she get braces, because later when she's in her twenties, that crooked front tooth might occasionally bug her. Furthermore your parents are still obligated to pay for those sort of things when you're 10. I would also encourage 10-year-old Rose to keep going to Shakespeare camp and reading as much as possible, because that year will be her intellectual peak and she should appreciate it while it lasts. Oh, and I'd buy her a nice hat. And tell her how awesome being a grownup is.
