Room 127
Malcolm Pierce
Copyright 2013 Malcolm Pierce
[email protected] (Jason DeVries) – 5/13/13, 10:33am
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[email protected] cc:
[email protected] re: Internship Offer
Mr. Norman:
I am pleased to offer you an internship position in our Online Media division with the staff of GameCore.net. As we discussed in our interview last month, this will be an unpaid position. You will report to GameCore Senior Editor Ken Greene, and your internship will begin on May 20, 2013 and end approximately on August 16, 2013.
This position is considered temporary and either party may discontinue the internship relationship at any time and for any reason not prohibited by law.
On your first day, please bring with you documentation showing that you are eligible to work in the United States. This would include but is not limited to a passport or valid driver's license and social security card.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at
[email protected]. We look forward to the prospect of you joining our team at GameCore.net.
Sincerely,
Jason DeVries
Director of Human Resources
CDN Communications – Online Media Division
[email protected] (Steve Norman) – 5/13/13, 11:05am
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[email protected];
[email protected] cc:
re: I GOT THE JOB!!!!
Hey guys! I just wanted to let you know that I got the internship I was hoping for! Just got the e-mail and I'm totally excited. It's at GameCore.net, a really popular videogame website. I know it's unpaid, but I only applied to one internship that was going to pay me and that was a longshot. Don't think I wanted to work there anyway. It was an advertising company and I don't want to end up in advertising. Ick.
Anyway, the job is here in San Francisco so I guess I'll talk to my landlord about staying out here through the summer. Don't worry, I saved up enough money from the bookstore to make it until my next loan payment comes through. Just have to eat a lot of ramen, that's all.
Steve
[email protected] (Steve Norman) – 5/13/13, 12:12pm
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re: Summer
Hey Sam, I guess I've got some good news and some bad news. I was accepted to a really awesome internship at GameCore.com. That's the website with the funny Halo videos I sent you a couple months ago. They're like the only videogame website I trust. All their stuff is really cool. Anyway, I'm going to be working there in a week! It's so exciting!
The only problem is that it's out here in SF, which means that I won't be coming home for the summer. I'm already looking into extending my lease. I don't know how much they'll expect me to be at the office, but I don't want to miss any time, so I might not even be able to make it back to Fresno at all before school starts back up again.
Ugh I feel terrible about this all coming up so quickly. I did apply to a lot of places back home, but this actually came through for me and I really want to work here. These guys get to write about videogames for a living. Can you imagine that? If I'm ever going to get a job like that, I have to start somewhere and there's no better place than GameCore.
I just thought I'd let you know... Any chance you might be able to make it out here during the summer? I know my place is cramped but I really miss you!
Love,
Steve
[email protected] (Ken Greene) – 5/13/13, 3:30pm
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re: Welcome Aboard!
Steve:
I just got the word from HR that you'll be joining the GameCore team this summer. I wanted to be the first to welcome you because I know if Brett was the one to do it, he'd probably send you running for the hills.
Don't worry, this isn't like a lot of bullshit internships your classmates are going to be putting up with this summer. You won't be getting anyone coffee or making copies. Your writing sample impressed us enough to know you'd be wasted on that. We can find better ways to exploit you. You'll still have to do the stuff we don't want to do, but with us that means previewing shitty games, not cleaning the bathrooms.
Jason tells me you're a fan of the site, so you know we're all pretty laid back around here. Don't show up in a suit and a tie unless you want a really unflattering nickname for the next three months. And probably the rest of your life. The internet never forgets.
Ken Greene
Editor-in-Chief, GameCore.net
[email protected] (Greg Norman) 5/13/2013, 5:01pm
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[email protected] cc:
re: re: I GOT THE JOB!!!!
Steven:
I took a look at the website. Is this what passes for journalism these days? I don't want to discourage you, but will you want to put this on your resume when you graduate? I can just imagine what an editor from the New York Times or the San Francisco Herald would think if they loaded up www.gamecore.net. They'll think you spent your summer goofing off. I know you don't want to hear that, but it's my job to point these things out to you.
Dad
[email protected] (Steve Norman) 5/13/13, 5:21pm
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re: re: I GOT THE JOB!!!!
Dad, the San Francisco Herald shut down like five years ago. This is where journalism is headed. But more importantly, they say they're actually going to let me write previews and stuff. I'll actually get to put my name on something. That's something I do want on a resume!
Steve
[email protected] (Steve Norman) 5/13/13, 6:10pm
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[email protected] cc:
re: re: Welcome Aboard!
Mr. Greene:
Thanks so much for the e-mail. I really appreciate the chance to work with you and the rest of the editors at GameCore. It's one of my favorite websites. I watch your review videos every week and send them around to all my friends.
Is there anything I need to bring with me on Monday? Let me know!
Steve
[email protected] (Samantha Strickland) 5/13/13, 7:43pm
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[email protected] cc:
re: re: Summer
Steve, I can't say I'm not disappointed. I was looking forward to seeing you for more than a few days. I thought when you transferred to SF State you said you'd come back every summer. It's hard enough being apart for most of the year, and I was already making plans for all the stuff I wanted to do together.
That said, I'm also excited for you. I know how hard it is out there to find anything, and GameCore is an awesome website. I'll try and make it up there on the weekends when I get the chance. The drive sucks, and I know you've made it a lot during the school year.
Do you think they'll let you be in any of the videos? They better if they're keeping you away from me this summer.
Thinking of you,
Sam
[email protected] (Ken Greene) 5/14/13, 9:51am
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[email protected] cc:
re: re: Welcome Aboard!
If you're gonna call me Mr. Greene, we're gonna have a problem. I'm Ken. Brett is Brett. Dave is Dave. Jill is Jill. Anything else and we all start feeling awkward about not wearing pants around the office.
And you don't need to bring anything. I already have the IT monkeys setting up a computer and a cubicle for you. You're getting the machine that's still running Windows Vista so have fun with that.
Ken
[email protected] (St
eve Norman) 5/14/13, 11:44am
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re: re: Summer
Thanks for being so understanding, Sam. Probably any other job here in SF and I wouldn't have taken it. I just can't turn down the opportunity. Not now. I couldn't even go out last night to celebrate with the guys from my class. Hardly any of them have anything for the summer, and I'm going to be working at GameCore. I don't even want to tell them!
I don't know about the videos yet, but we'll see. I'm nervous just about writing for them. Ken Greene said he liked my sample, which is amazing enough!
I'll keep you updated with everything that's going on. And if I'm going to be in a video, you'll be the first to know. But you should be reading the site either way!
Steve
[email protected] (Theresa Evans) 5/15/13, 10:15am
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[email protected] cc:
re: re: I GOT THE JOB!!!!
That's great to hear! I know you were worried about finding something this summer but I knew things would work out.
Have you told Samantha yet? Don't put it off too long. She will be disappointed, but I know you two are strong enough to make it work. You're only a few hours away from Fresno, you'll be able to visit each other plenty just like during the school year.
Love,
Mom
[email protected] (Brett Jackson) 5/18/13, 1:22pm
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[email protected] cc:
re: Your first assignment
So you're the new guy? Ken said to drum up some work for you to do. We just got in a copy of the new Iron Man 3 game for the 3DS. It's based on the movie, so that means the company probably had to push it out half-finished and barely playable.
We weren't planning on covering it. Games based on superhero movies are usually shit and we just don't have enough people around here for that.
How would you like to put together a review for us next week?
Brett Jackson
Associate Editor, GameCore.net
[email protected] (Steve Norman) 5/18/13, 2:30pm
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[email protected] cc:
re: re: Your first assignment
Brett:
Sure, I'd be glad to do that! Should I bring in my 3DS or do you have one I should use at the office? Either way works for me.
Steve
[email protected] (Ken Greene) 5/18/13, 4:00pm
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[email protected] re: Don't Listen to Brett
Steve, if there's anything you need to know before you start on Monday, it's not to listen to anything Brett says. We're not going to make you review the Iron Man 3 3DS game. We both tried it this morning and fuck, we're not that cruel.
I know you were probably excited to write something for the site, so we'll figure out something else for you to review.
Brett, I copied you on this for a reason. We don't want the kid to freak out on us.
Ken
[email protected] (Samantha Strickland) 5/20/13, 7:15am
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[email protected] cc:
re: First Day!
Hey Steve! Good luck today! It was really good to talk with you on Skype last night. Hopefully they won't keep you so busy that you can't keep up with me this summer. I miss you a ton, but I'm also really happy for you! And don't worry, I'll be checking the site constantly now.
Sam
[email protected] (Jason DeVries) – 5/20/13, 8:47am
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[email protected] cc:
re: CDN Communications Policy Manual
Mr. Norman:
Attached is the CDN Employee Policy Manual. I know that the GameCore.net staff has its own standards and practices, but you should still familiarize yourself with the central company rules.
If you have any questions let me know.
Jason DeVries
Director of Human Resources
CDN Communications – Online Media Division
[email protected] (Anna Walker) 5/20/13, 8:49am
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[email protected] cc:
re: Your CDN Account
Steve:
Welcome to the CDN networked server.
Your USERID is: NORMAN2
Your TEMPORARY PASSWORD is: xq67tta
Please be sure to reset your password as soon as you log in to your account and you are prompted.
If you have any trouble with your computer or accessing the server, please contact me at extension 488.
Anna Walker
CDN Communications IT Manager
[email protected] (Brett Jackson) – 5/20/13, 9:55am
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[email protected] cc:
re: Employee “Policy” Manual
attachment: CDNPolicy2013.pdf
Hey Steve, did the suits send you the company policy manual? They send that around every year saying how important it is, and that all CDN branches have to abide by it.
Check out page 5. It talks about proper language in the workplace. Fuck that. Page 7 has the dress code. Fuck that, too. Page 8 talks about sexual harassment. Don't fuck that, at least not where we can see it, because then we might have to let you go.
In all seriousness, just chill out and don't worry about stuff like that now. As long as you're not a psycho or anything I'm sure you'll fit right in.
Brett
[email protected] (Jill Wright) – 5/20/13, 11:22am
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[email protected] cc:
[email protected] re: Open Wheel Dynasty
Steve:
What do you know about F1 Racing? We got a preview build in for a game called Open Wheel Dynasty and none of us really follow the sport. It looks to be some kind of management simulator and we wouldn't know where to begin. But I know you're eager to put something together for the site, so I thought I'd forward it along to you.
Let's talk if you're interested.
Jill Wright
Associate Editor, GameCore.net
[email protected] (Steve Norman) – 5/20/13, 12:03pm
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re: F1 Racing?
Hi dad,
What can you tell me about F1 racing? I know you're more of a NASCAR fan, but it would be a huge help if you know anything about the sport. My first assignment at GameCore is previewing a F1 management game. I'm looking at all these buttons on the screen and I don't know what they mean.
Steve
[email protected] (Greg Norman) – 5/20/13, 2:10pm
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re: re: F1 Racing?
Steve,
Give me a call this evening. We'll go over it together. In the mean time, maybe you should avoid biting off more than you can chew on your first day?
Dad
[email protected] (Steve Norman) 5/20/13, 8:58pm
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[email protected] cc:
[email protected] re: Open Wheel Dynasty Preview
attachment: opwhlprev.wps
Jill:
I've attached a rough draft for a preview of Open Wheel Dynasty Racing. I'll be upfront with you: this game confused the hell out of me. I even ran some of it past my dad, who watches a lot more racing than me, and it confused the hell out of him.
This game is obviously made for a racing enthusiast, so I'm not sure how valuable my preview will be. I didn't know what I was doing and drove my first racing dynasty into the ground. Pun intended.
Let me know what you think. I won't be insulted if you don't think the site should publish it.
Steve
[email protected] (Jill Wright) 5/21/13, 9:14am
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[email protected] m
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[email protected] re: re: Open Wheel Dynasty Preview
Steve, this looks great.
You're right, Open Wheel Dynasty Racing is definitely a game for F1 fanatics. Still, it's good to have the opinion from a complete newbie to the sport. You were up front about that in the preview, and with a few edits we can make it clear that your preview is designed for the reader with only a passing interest in the sport.
As long as Ken signs off on this, congrats on your first piece published on the site!
Jill
[email protected] (Dave Ritter) 5/21/13, 11:30am
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re: First Preview
Way to go on the Open Wheel Dynasty preview. Ken passed it along before he put it in the queue for uploading. I typically write a lot of the sports games reviews and I know it can be a hassle when you're not already an expert.
Be ready, a lot of people are going to comment on the article and tell you that you don't have any idea what you're talking about. They'll correct you on points that aren't even technically wrong. That's the thing about writing on the internet. You need a thick skin. You wouldn't believe the fucking hate mail I got for my Madden 13 review last year.