Hair-Do or Hair-Don't? | Madison Reed

me with my orange(ish) hair and thelonia

TIA HERE with a different kind of post. As you may know (and may know more about fairly soon!), I've been on a bit of a hair journey, finally getting an opportunity to play with my hair like most people do in middle/high school. But let's be real: I'm no expert when it comes to what is healthiest for my hair. I definitely thought rinsing with cold water increased shine. At least I know not to shampoo daily!

Happy Holidays from the Duo!

Witchy Ghosts, Murderers, and Shia LaBeouf | Recent Film Projects

TIA HERE with some videos for you! I've been doing a lot of stuff lately, but haven't had much to show for, unfortunately. It sucks when you put a lot of work into something, like a project or a paper, and then it sort of disappears into oblivion to later become a part of your GPA. But the good thing about videos is that you can hold onto the evidence that you did something and actually show it to the world. So that said, here are the films/YouTube videos/music videos I've been creating lately, both WIP (unlisted) and completed:

Thankful, but Passing on the Thanksgiving Food

TIA HERE with an obligatory, cheesy Thanksgiving post. Because the truth is, I have a lot to be thankful for. A whole lot.

Central Park Chillin' | NYC Adventure

VICTORIA HERE to show you how to perfectly enjoy a solo day on your own in NYC. If you're anything like me, you get super anxious when you spend everyday indoors sulking over the fact you have no friends in the huge and busy city you've suddenly found yourself in... Well, maybe not that particular. BUT, I'm sure everyone gets the feeling sometimes that they have to get out every once in a while to feel sane! Over the summer, I only worked four days a week at my internship so I had Fridays completely to myself. I was determined to spend each and every one of those Fridays doing something new to familiarize myself with the city and to become more used to spending quality time alone. I spent my first adventure on a mission to find Central Park.

September & October | Favorites

TIA HERE with a slightly late duo-monthly favorites post. To excuse my lateness: I am currently in the craziest part of the semester in terms of papers/big projects/work/club activities, so finding a free hour for Duo Diaries has been a challenge. But you'll never find time if you don't make time! So here I am, making time.

MUSIC

Justin Bieber was never one of my favorites, but as of late, I've become a huge fan of his music, namely: "Sorry," "Where Are Ü Now," and "What Do You Mean." I'm seriously hooked. I've always thought the Biebs was a good singer, but I never cared much for his lyrics or sound. These new songs, though, tell a different story. I feel like his lyrics are more genuine now, and the embracing of the sorta unique electronic sound is doing him well.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, VICTORIA!

Guess what? Today is Victoria's 21st birthday!! Let's all wish her the very best!

Much love,

T.

Job + School + General Panic | Diary

TIA HERE and hoping to turn Duo Diaries a bit more personal from time to time. This is effort #1. Because here's the thing—as much as I love writing blog posts with a topical focus, sometimes I don't feel I have an adequate amount of time to create a post of the caliber I'm really hoping to achieve here. Currently, the DD drafts include "How to Listen to Lana Del Rey's 'Honeymoon' Album" à la this Taylor Swift 1989 post, several video tours of the Cornell University campus, and "How to Write a Query Letter," in the same vein as this post about reader's reports. So what's the holdup, right? Life, it seems, and all of the resulting anxiety.

How to Write a Reader's Report

TIA HERE with some advice for any editorial intern-wannabe who has been asked if they can write a sample reader's report as part of an application to a publishing industry-related company. If you haven't written one before, you probably aren't sure where to start. Based on my experience interning at three different places within the publishing industry (an ebook publishing company, literary agency, and publishing house), here is my outline, with examples, on how to write a killer reader's report that will get you hired:

Summer Favorites | Honeymoon, Broken Monsters, and Lemonade

TIA HERE with my summer favorites, covering everything I've been digging from May through August. Enjoy!

MUSIC

Hayley Kiyoko is a singer and songwriter who is best known for playing Velma in the live-action Scooby Doo movie (YES, that was her). But I've also found that I really dig her EP, This Side of Paradise. Her song "Girls Like Girls" has one of the most awesome music videos I've seen in a while, too, so I hope you check it out! Gotta support my fellow half-asians.

DoubleBooked | AFTER DARK vs. KAFKA ON THE SHORE

THE DUO HERE, with something new for you! Introducing, DoubleBooked: a novel collaboration comparing our latest reads, lit-erally. Each month (hopefully), in an effort to read more, we will be reviewing two trending titles so you know what to check out next.

Review | "Jupiter Ascending" is a Beautiful Disaster in Space

TIA HERE with something a little different. You're probably wondering, why is she reviewing this movie that came out months ago? Well, this is a review I happened to write for my "Writing and Editing for Online Magazines" class that I took last semester. I didn't want my blog posts for that class to go to waste, so I figured: What better place to put them than here? I hope you enjoy these upcoming short posts, which are a bit sassier in tone (since they were written for a fictional magazine for my class), while I am currently finishing up my internships and preparing for my penultimate semester at Cornell.

Interning Abroad in Cape Town, South Africa | Guest Post

walking with lions on the Garden Route

JANABETH HERE—are you surprised? As DuoDiaries’ (self-proclaimed) number one fan, it was only a matter of time before I got the chance to write a post of my own.

Between bugging Tia about when the next DuoDiaries will be out and listening to T. Swift, I have been spending my time interning in South Africa. When Tia asked me to write this post, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to reflect on my experience as it comes to a close…

Industry Expert Quincie's Must-Watch List Of TV and Film | Guest Post

QUINCIE HERE. Hi friends! I am back to do what I love best, which is discuss TV and films. Who missed me?! 

My last post on DuoDiaries was all about my summer internships working at film and TV production companies, so I thought I’d put my money where my mouth is and shout out a few things I have recently been watching and loving. My selections encompass a pretty broad range of tastes, so hopefully there is something on this list for everyone.

Review | New York City's Cat Café: The Meow Parlour

TIA HERE and oh my god, guess who just went to another cat café. Yep. Me.

In case you've forgotten somehow, I'm currently in New York City, where there is a wonderful little cat café called the Meow Parlour, among other things. My wonderful study abroad friend Alanna and I spent the day at the Natural History Museum and had brunch at Broadway Bites and had great fun. As night fell (around 7 p.m., although we were a bit late because subways never run when you want them to), we arrived at the Meow Parlour where we had made a reservation months prior with friends Thelonia, Lea, and Winnie. This is not the first cat café Alanna and I had visited together, and it certainly will not be the last!

13 Reasons Why Every Swiftie Must Attend Taylor Swift's 1989 World Tour

TIA HERE and recently returned from an insane Saturday night, MetLife Stadium, Taylor Swift concert!!! (Okay... Maybe not so recently. Because believe it or not, it didn't take me five days to travel home, although the train ride back felt like an eternity.) Some backdrop: I've been to MetLife Stadium before to see Beyoncé and Jay Z, I've seen Taylor Swift in concert in the past (for the Speak Now tour), and I was and am obsessed with her album 1989.

But rather than just blather on about my own experience at the concert, I thought I'd give you all some reasons why you should consider dishing out the (insane) amounts of money needed to see Taylor Swift at a distance with 60,000 other people. Doesn't sound worth it, right? Well, it is.

Here are my thirteen reasons why you should see Taylor Swift in concert for her 1989 World Tour if you have the chance:

What's It Like to Intern at a Production Company? | Guest Post

QUINCIE HERE—Wait, what?! Not who you were expecting, right? My buddy Tia, who you all know and love, asked me to write a guest post about my summer internships. Of course, being the good friend that I am (*insert sassy hand flip girl emoji*), I agreed. I previously appeared on Tia’s other post about internships, but here are some more specific details and tips about the industry I am working in, which is… *drumroll*... the entertainment industry!

Top 15 of TWENTY FIFTEEN (so far) + Playlist | a kpop roundup

VICTORIA HERE supplying you with my top Korean pop hits from the first half of 2k15! Though I do not consider myself an obsessed kpop fangirl, I do definitely stay up to date on the latest releases and there are a lot of great ones this year so far! This list is based on my own personal preferences rather than how popular each song actually was on the charts. Even so, I think kpop newbies and extreme fans alike can enjoy these songs and I encourage you to take the time out to listen! You might just find your new summer jam~

15. Taemin - Danger
SHINee's youngest member, Taemin, is all grown up in his solo debut. Danger is not too far a cry from a typical SHINee song which, of course, means it is a great pop track. Check out the MV (linked in the title) to awe at Taemin's Michael Jackson-esque dance moves (and his spectacular style)!

10 Things I Wish I Had Known as a Cornell Freshman

TIA HERE with a little advice for all you upcoming Cornell freshmen. Compiled from things I've learned as a senior (class of 2016, woo!) and what my friends wish they'd known, here's my list of ten things I wish I'd known as a freshman at Cornell:

What's It Like to Intern in Publishing?

TIA HERE and interning at a literary agency and publishing company this summer (which, if you've read even a portion of DD, you already know). Before my internships began, I googled wildly for advice from publishing interns to prepare for what was coming, and I was totally disappointed by the lack of things I could find. Maybe I'm just bad at googling, or maybe it would help others to share my experience so far.