There's the Caryn Brooks who's an award-winning television producer in Chicago. There's also the Caryn Brooks who seems to be an activist in the Bay Area focusing on women's issues. And then there's the Caryn Brooks in England, a single mother who adopted three children.

If you’re looking for any of those Caryn Brookses, I’m sorry to inform you that you’ve come to the wrong place.

Those Caryn Brookses are my Google clones. Hello Ma’ams. We'd make a kick-ass gang, wouldn't we?

I am Caryn Brooks; writer, reporter, producer, editor, dot-com resident. You can hunt me down in New York City where currently I'm the Arts, Entertainment and Special Projects editor of time.com. Previously I was the Arts and Entertainment editor of a new media imprint at The Associated Press called asap.

I came to Manhattan in 2003 to complete an arts journalism fellowship at Columbia University. The National Arts Journalism Program was my generous sponsor, allowing me to study at the school for a year. Another slice of my fellowship time was spent working on a report that presented an in-depth look at the state of arts journalism.

Previously I lived in Portland, Oregon. Some call it the Cradle of Western Civilization. OK, maybe only I call it the Cradle of Western Civilization, but it’s a pretty neat place and you should try to visit if you can. August is the perfect time.

Though small in scope, Portland has a particularly vibrant independent arts scene and some vanguard restaurants. For more than five years I was the arts and culture editor at a legendary (and recently Pulitzer Prize-winning) alternative newspaper there called Willamette Week.

I used to blog with my friend Amy about rock shows in New York, but she moved away and I got busy. More In The Monitor will rise again...some day.