Irene Richardson

Recent submission:
PUT DOWN THE (NEEDLE) GUN
as of May 17, 2012

Born in Gelnhausen, Germany, Irene has always had a penchant for international travel. As a baby Irene toured Europe, from pint-sized Lichtenstein to the ancient land of Turkey, from the French countryside to German beer halls. She remembers none of it.

Irene grew up in Laguna Beach, California. Her junior year, Irene was surprised to discover that her high school was the subject of a popular reality television show. Irene and her band of weirdo friends eschewed beachside drama for star gazing on the roof, raucous punk rock concerts, and marathon movie nights.

For college, Irene left sunny California to attend Tufts University in gloomy Somerville, Massachusetts, causing many to question her mental health. She spent a semester living with a Tibetan family in Nepal and traveled across Buddhist pilgrimage sites in northern India. Upon graduating, Irene avoided the question of employment by taking an internship in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Highlights of this trip include taking her wallet back out of a pickpocket's hand and doing shots of vodka with a Mongolian police officer at three in the afternoon.

Having seen enough grassy steppes, Irene moved to Shanghai and interned for an English language magazine. With five dude housemates, Irene had a hard time picking up boys but did learn a lot about fantasy sports.

Now Irene manages an antique and gift store in her home town and spends her weekends perusing flea markets for funky vintage finds. Irene's career is just beginning and she wishes a wizard from the future would just tell her what her next move will be already.