About Vanessa Muri
Montreal City Editor Vanessa Muri has lived in London and Tokyo, but finds the charms of her hometown irresistible. From the latest scoops to the best deals in Montreal and everything in between, don't miss her weekly take on life in the fair city.
Some of you have wondered what a day in the life of an editor is like. Is it all fancy parties, free-flowing champers and sample after sample after sample? Depends. Every job is ultimately what you make of it, right?
On that note, I have a confession to make: I’m naturally shy. I’m not likely to run up to you in the street, the latest It-bag slung over your shoulder, and exclaim “OMG, where’d you get that?” I’m the quiet girl who passes you on the street and keeps looking back futilely at your retreating figure. “I wonder where she got that…” Silly, I know.
Actually, that’s not entirely true anymore. This job has taken me out of my shell a bit. I do talk to strangers now in my hunt for the latest sweet spot. ;-) And I am nowhere near as tongue-tied and awkward as I used to be. God, at least, I hope not.
Now that I think about it, most of my jobs have required me to break the shell in one way or another; I must be drawn to them instinctively. Flight attendant (there’s only so long you can hide back in the galley), yoga teacher (all eyes and ears are on you) and my first job ever, scooping at an ice cream parlour on St-Catherine Street. (Does anyone else recall Swenson’s as “fondly” as I do? Let me know!)
So what is a typical day like? Waking up, making a beeline for my laptop station, turning it on. Reading and responding to emails. Making tracks to my preferred working spot (insert coffee shop of the moment here). Typing, typing, and more typing. Scooting off at some point to teach yoga (not only do I need it, I love to teach it). Throw in the occasional launch or event and there you have it.
Glamourous? Not necessarily. Fun? Absolutely. The best thing about this job? Making your own work hours. The worst thing? Perfectionism and laptop separation anxiety.
And on that note, I’ll end by posting a link to my favourite time-waster of the week. I keep entering every job title I can think of: www.payscale.com. The funniest and simultaneously scariest bit? When it says: “We couldn’t determine the future for this job.” Gulp.