  In case anyone other than Jared reads this little suaret into the inner workings of my brain, I'm attempting to start a magazine. I think I've mentioned it before, but I just wanted to give everyone an update: 1. Dave is finalizing the website. Last time I talked to him, he was working out the glitches in the online submission mechanism, which absolutely rocks. I saw a demo of the intro page, and it rocks. Dave style, definitely, with the smooth steel look and lots of intricate designs, but awesome nonetheless. 2. Julia (the soon-to-be CFO/CPO of the company) is hounding all of her journalism school friends to submit to the magazine. I don't know how big the initial press run is going to be, but I'm hoping we get like 15 good, solid pieces in, plus a bunch of pictures. I'm not sure whether Dave is talking about launching the website by the end of July or the actual print magazine - I guess I should clarify that.
3. I've been pitched the idea of starting a publishing company for the first time. Instead of a magazine, we publish the travel essays and photos in like a limited book release. I think its a good idea, but I like the fluidity and constant freshness of a magazine. For the reasons that its safe to do a book, its also boring and void of good ideas. However, a publishing company could also be utilized to produce my book on the Fashion of African Dictators, which will be an instantaneous hit.
4. I've got to get some potential donors/advertisers lined up as soon as we get a proof of the magazine. Then, hopefully, people will line up to associate with this corporate juggernaut. I also need to do a bunch of operational shit, like find an office and see what that costs, etc. Goddamm, there's way too much involved in starting a fucking business. I need my MBA. Its a great setup though - here's the designations: CEO, COO - J. Null CFO, CPO - J. Ramey CIO, CTO - J. Moran Manager - C. Parkhurst Design Director - D. Barry Editors-at-large - M. Serazio, C. Malisow, J. Shenkman Then there'll be a bunch of staff writers, plus some interns that i get to yell at. I keep having this vision of the executive offices above the "pit" where the writers are, and me, peering through the blinds with binoculars and a cigarette strategically placed between the blinds. I am a management maniac, and I'll stay the hell out of the way of my writers, but goddammit, I'm a nasty fucker when it comes to getting shit done. Not to mention, Julia is a good bearer-of-bad-news. Jared, well, he'll probably design an office that like floats in space on some sort of semiconductor or mag-lev theory. He's good at that shit, and thats why I want him being head of the tech shit. Oh yeah, and he's exempt from the dress code, under the condition that he starts a band with other people in the office.
As for the writers, my god, i don't envy them. If Shenkman thinks its tough running a fucking carousel, I don't think he'll be prepared for corporate America. I'm not trying to be a dick, but I don't think a lot of my friends take this seriously. I will get this publication off the ground, if it kills me, which it probably will.
It'll be plush though - they get to go all over the world on my dime and write stories. So if their work lacks something, I won't hesitate to fire them on the spot. Goddammed Julia won't fire anybody, even though she's director of personnel. I like the idea of me being seen as an office tyrant. Anyway, enough rambling, I need to develop a business proposal on a magazine and a publishing company... Lay-tron Means Peaches 
