Wowzers! I'm so busy today. The July 4th festivities are coming up which means deadlines have been pushed up a bit. It also means I'm pulling my hair out in frustration.
My story on the Porter Mills exhibition made the front page of the Beverly Citizen and I'm tickled pink over it. I don't think it has sunk into my mind yet, reading my name on the front page of news publication and such. It won't occur to me until a few months later when this internship is over and I'll finally think to myself, "Wait, I made the front page? Holy shit." That's just how my mind works.
My editor is now starting to have me take pictures to go along with this story, which is hilarious because I have to pretend I'm a professional photographer while snap photos with the camera on my iPod touch. One of my photos was published in last week's Citizen and it came out well, so go me. My editor will sometimes send photographers to the places I'm assigned to go and I'll spot them snooping around taking photos. It's like I have this weird camaraderie with them. I'll nod to them whenever I see them as if we're part of this secret brotherhood or something.
Contacting people for stories can be frustrating, especially when someone doesn't bother to pick up their phone or check their email for days. If everything goes smoothly, it's quite easy work. However, one missed phone call can send everything into chaos. I'm working on a story right now and I finally heard back from someone after days without a response, so now I'm on a time crunch when trying to write the story. Not fun.
The best news I've heard all week is when my editor informed me at our story meeting that I get to attend a July 4th parade called The Horribles. It's a parade in Beverly that makes fun of current news events. I'm hoping for a float dedicated to the Kanye West/Kim Kardashian pregnancy fiasco, but that's just me. Anyway, I never get to do enough on America's birthday, so this assignment is more than welcome.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Kristen--Post 2
Hello everyone,
I hope you are well and finding time in your busy schedules to enjoy the summer, too.
I have been very busy lately getting more and more into the Art From The Heart program and integrating it into outside projects as well. The outside projects are really the more direct "writing-related" aspects of what I'm doing; however, every time I'm at the hospital I'm using my writing skills through communication, stories, or distractions.
Since our last posting, I've started doing some reading and writing with some of the kids. Last week, I made my first fill-in-the-blank story--it was intended for a very young age spectrum, say 3 to 7, and fit on the front side of a construction paper sheet. What I did here was move a story through a beginning, middle, and end but didn't actually regulate much of the content. About 70 percent of the story was blank, with instructions under each blank as to what kind of word/thing they should put there. (Obviously, for younger children this will be done with the help of someone else.) I'll show you an example of one sometime soon so maybe it will be a clearer picture.
Here's what's interesting about these blank stories, though: it seems like it would be really easy and almost lazy to write a story with so many empty spaces, but it's actually very difficult. I have to make sure that the story will make (somewhat) sense regardless of what anyone chooses to put in the blank based on the instruction for that particular blank and also have to make sure that following blanks will allow a story to be cohesive enough to either send a message, be funny, be impactful...anything. I have other story ideas too, but this is the one I've practiced already and have found helpful. The biggest motivator for these stories with blanks is one with a bigger meaning that I've learned in the hospital in my time there.
In the hospital, kids don't really get to make many choices. There is not a wide array of options for them to either approve or disapprove of what's going on in their lives and with their own bodies that they may or may not understand all too well depending on their age and development. So, volunteers and people like me working with them find that when you ask them a question pertaining to what they want to do...they wait for more direction or slink back, not being confident in their ability to control much. Thus, these blank stories and several other activities I do with the kids myself, allow kids to recognize their creative ability and furthermore their creative ability in a hospital setting where either they or someone they know is being hospitalized and controlled.
Here's a better example maybe: I was painting with a little girl last week and asked her what she wanted to paint and like almost all of them, she said she didn't know. So instead of offering a list of examples of what she could paint, I just got her talking about things she was interested in. Butterflies came up so I suggested she paint one if she wanted. She said yes and got the paint ready...but then hesitated again and asked me if I could draw the caterpillar part and she could draw the wings. Now, it would be incredibly easy for me to paint a "caterpillar part," but I instead put my hand over hers and had her essentially do it on her own. This way, she realized she could actually paint that portion of it and had control the whole time over the picture.
I'm realizing now that I've probably written enough and should leave you all to go on and read other posts. To wrap it up, my goals for next time are to have done more blank stories and started a new reading or writing project, to continue the consistency of being at the hospital two or three mornings a week, to remain involved in the outside writing project (I still can't tell you about it but I will be getting official permission and consent this week so I will be able to next time) and to of course, remember that at the core of all of these things I am doing with this internship is the well-being of patients and their families and how I am honored to be a part of their lives each and every time.
Everyone have a safe and fun holiday week!
-KO
I hope you are well and finding time in your busy schedules to enjoy the summer, too.
I have been very busy lately getting more and more into the Art From The Heart program and integrating it into outside projects as well. The outside projects are really the more direct "writing-related" aspects of what I'm doing; however, every time I'm at the hospital I'm using my writing skills through communication, stories, or distractions.
Since our last posting, I've started doing some reading and writing with some of the kids. Last week, I made my first fill-in-the-blank story--it was intended for a very young age spectrum, say 3 to 7, and fit on the front side of a construction paper sheet. What I did here was move a story through a beginning, middle, and end but didn't actually regulate much of the content. About 70 percent of the story was blank, with instructions under each blank as to what kind of word/thing they should put there. (Obviously, for younger children this will be done with the help of someone else.) I'll show you an example of one sometime soon so maybe it will be a clearer picture.
Here's what's interesting about these blank stories, though: it seems like it would be really easy and almost lazy to write a story with so many empty spaces, but it's actually very difficult. I have to make sure that the story will make (somewhat) sense regardless of what anyone chooses to put in the blank based on the instruction for that particular blank and also have to make sure that following blanks will allow a story to be cohesive enough to either send a message, be funny, be impactful...anything. I have other story ideas too, but this is the one I've practiced already and have found helpful. The biggest motivator for these stories with blanks is one with a bigger meaning that I've learned in the hospital in my time there.
In the hospital, kids don't really get to make many choices. There is not a wide array of options for them to either approve or disapprove of what's going on in their lives and with their own bodies that they may or may not understand all too well depending on their age and development. So, volunteers and people like me working with them find that when you ask them a question pertaining to what they want to do...they wait for more direction or slink back, not being confident in their ability to control much. Thus, these blank stories and several other activities I do with the kids myself, allow kids to recognize their creative ability and furthermore their creative ability in a hospital setting where either they or someone they know is being hospitalized and controlled.
Here's a better example maybe: I was painting with a little girl last week and asked her what she wanted to paint and like almost all of them, she said she didn't know. So instead of offering a list of examples of what she could paint, I just got her talking about things she was interested in. Butterflies came up so I suggested she paint one if she wanted. She said yes and got the paint ready...but then hesitated again and asked me if I could draw the caterpillar part and she could draw the wings. Now, it would be incredibly easy for me to paint a "caterpillar part," but I instead put my hand over hers and had her essentially do it on her own. This way, she realized she could actually paint that portion of it and had control the whole time over the picture.
I'm realizing now that I've probably written enough and should leave you all to go on and read other posts. To wrap it up, my goals for next time are to have done more blank stories and started a new reading or writing project, to continue the consistency of being at the hospital two or three mornings a week, to remain involved in the outside writing project (I still can't tell you about it but I will be getting official permission and consent this week so I will be able to next time) and to of course, remember that at the core of all of these things I am doing with this internship is the well-being of patients and their families and how I am honored to be a part of their lives each and every time.
Everyone have a safe and fun holiday week!
-KO
Post Dos
Hello there,
So this week at least was rather slow since it was the end of the July publishing cycle for us. Therefore, I did some out of the office work, which is on freelance time. Probably the biggest news I have is the cover story I asked to write up for one of our magazines. It's rare that interns do the cover stories, so I was pretty souped. Anywhoo, it is on urban agriculture and East Side community gardens.
My favorite part of the story was when I got to converse with people at Brown University on their community garden. They have some pretty awesome technology over there, so they sort of stood out. Obviously the part that was difficult was being able to get in contact with all these different places, given that it isn't a full time commitment with everyone. However, I got the story in a full week before the deadline, so I guess I did okay.
Besides that, a-okay. I am currently watching Arrested Development as I am doing this and contemplating the potential of terrific or shitty TV storytelling that is made possible by the lack of ratings pressure that comes with Netflix. Wowy-zowy.
Fin.
Sarah
So this week at least was rather slow since it was the end of the July publishing cycle for us. Therefore, I did some out of the office work, which is on freelance time. Probably the biggest news I have is the cover story I asked to write up for one of our magazines. It's rare that interns do the cover stories, so I was pretty souped. Anywhoo, it is on urban agriculture and East Side community gardens.
My favorite part of the story was when I got to converse with people at Brown University on their community garden. They have some pretty awesome technology over there, so they sort of stood out. Obviously the part that was difficult was being able to get in contact with all these different places, given that it isn't a full time commitment with everyone. However, I got the story in a full week before the deadline, so I guess I did okay.
Besides that, a-okay. I am currently watching Arrested Development as I am doing this and contemplating the potential of terrific or shitty TV storytelling that is made possible by the lack of ratings pressure that comes with Netflix. Wowy-zowy.
Fin.
Sarah
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Jillian- Second Post
Hey everyone!
So I am in the middle of some hardcore last-minute packing for Ireland, and while I was throwing things in my bag I stumbled across the latest edition of The Chronicle. In the issue I have one rather large piece about a local softball team winning a state championship, and if I had to pick something I am most proud of this summer so far, that would be it.
I live in a small town, and Fort Ann is even smaller, so for the girls to win a state title is rather awesome all on its own, but the same day a baseball team from the same school won a state title as well.
For that reason I was super intimidated at the idea of writing an article that was so important to the community. It was challenging, and I had to conduct a phone interview in the office with zero privacy. But I was able to get some really great quotes from the coach, and he encouraged me to keep in touch in the future if I needed anything, so I think I made a good impression, which is always a plus.
When it came time to actually write it, I was unsure where to start, because even though The Chronicle encourages each writer to showcase his or her individual style, they are formulaic in a lot of ways. So I went searching through the archives for a copy of a previous edition for an example or a similar piece, per the orders from my boss, and I got to work.
The editor and owner of the paper was very pleased with the final piece, and admittedly so was I. It came out well from the get-go and had really minor edits. But when the paper came out last Thursday, I was pissed, not gonna lie.
Another writer on staff tackled the boy's team while I wrote about the girl's, and while I had been restricted to a specific formula while writing, he was not. His lede was witty where mine was super blah, unimpressive. The article was more personal and less who-what-when-where-why-how in comparison to mine.
It probably bothered me more than it should, given that I'm an intern and I'm still really new to journalism overall, but still. I am a good writer, and I wish I had gotten the chance to show them.
That said, I'm still really proud of the article, and I am still enjoying my experience overall. I just want the freedom to do my own thing, and while I recognize that I was given a huge opportunity in writing the article at all, I just think there was so much more I could've done with it.
So I am in the middle of some hardcore last-minute packing for Ireland, and while I was throwing things in my bag I stumbled across the latest edition of The Chronicle. In the issue I have one rather large piece about a local softball team winning a state championship, and if I had to pick something I am most proud of this summer so far, that would be it.
I live in a small town, and Fort Ann is even smaller, so for the girls to win a state title is rather awesome all on its own, but the same day a baseball team from the same school won a state title as well.
For that reason I was super intimidated at the idea of writing an article that was so important to the community. It was challenging, and I had to conduct a phone interview in the office with zero privacy. But I was able to get some really great quotes from the coach, and he encouraged me to keep in touch in the future if I needed anything, so I think I made a good impression, which is always a plus.
When it came time to actually write it, I was unsure where to start, because even though The Chronicle encourages each writer to showcase his or her individual style, they are formulaic in a lot of ways. So I went searching through the archives for a copy of a previous edition for an example or a similar piece, per the orders from my boss, and I got to work.
The editor and owner of the paper was very pleased with the final piece, and admittedly so was I. It came out well from the get-go and had really minor edits. But when the paper came out last Thursday, I was pissed, not gonna lie.
Another writer on staff tackled the boy's team while I wrote about the girl's, and while I had been restricted to a specific formula while writing, he was not. His lede was witty where mine was super blah, unimpressive. The article was more personal and less who-what-when-where-why-how in comparison to mine.
It probably bothered me more than it should, given that I'm an intern and I'm still really new to journalism overall, but still. I am a good writer, and I wish I had gotten the chance to show them.
That said, I'm still really proud of the article, and I am still enjoying my experience overall. I just want the freedom to do my own thing, and while I recognize that I was given a huge opportunity in writing the article at all, I just think there was so much more I could've done with it.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Internship at the Beverly Citizen - Cameron Williams
Hello to all my fellow interns! I hope all of you are having an adventurous, rewarding summer!
I'm interning at the Beverly Citizen where I'm writing 2-3 feature stories per week about various events occurring in the city of Beverly, Massachusetts. Even though Beverly is only a twenty minute drive from my hometown, I'm admittedly more unfamiliar with the city than you might think. All I ever knew about Beverly before this internship was that driving in the downtown area is always a huge pain in the ass (which is a proven fact). But that's what I love about this internship. It encourages me to explore unfamiliar territory, meet interesting people, and explore new areas in the Bay State I never knew existed. And the best part? On top of everything, I get to do what I love—to write.
It's difficult to pinpoint the exact reason why I wanted an internship this summer. There were just so many elements factoring into my decision. First of all, I grew desperate to not have to experience yet again the typical summertime doldrums of a college student, which mostly includes slaving at a soulless part-time job and then spending the remainder of the summer sleeping/watching movies on Netflix (although those two things are quite enjoyable). I wanted something new and I realized if I didn't attempt to get an internship, I'd spend the summer as a miserable couch potato, wondering why my friends are doing cool career-related things as I waste my life and refuse to do a thing about it. Also influencing my decision to get an internship was my semester abroad in Dublin, Ireland. I was forced to encounter all my little fears and anxieties about living in a foreign country over the course of five months and when it ended, I said to myself, "Well, if I can conquer all of that in five months, what else can I tackle in my life?" I fear less things now than ever before, and the thought of getting an internship didn't make me shake in my boots as much as, say, when I first arrived in Dublin.
The Beverly Citizen was actually the first place I applied to, so I'm somewhat lucky in that regard. My editor, Natalie Miller, is young and energetic. I wasn't expecting someone so young to be the editor of a news publication. I don't spend much actual time in the Beverly Citizen offices. When I say I'm out in the field, I am literally out in the field, driving around Beverly and speaking to people. I do have to go into the offices every Wednesday at 3 for story meetings. Wednesday is also deadline day, and it's important I'm more alert and attentive than usual.
I'd tell you about the stories I've been working over the past few weeks in lengthy paragraphs, but I'd rather not bore you with all of that and thought it would be better I told you through bullet points because I have a perverted obsession with bullet points.
* Jason Maxwell Honored at the One Hundred: Jason Maxwell is a Beverly business owner who, after years of watching his family and friends suffer from cancer, launched the nonprofit fundraising venture Fed Up With Cancer. Fed Up With Cancer has raised over $10,000 in cancer research and awareness over the past three years. Maxwell was honored Massachusetts General Hospital's One Hundred event, which honors 100 people each year for their efforts in the fight against cancer. It's really inspiring stuff. I got to speak with Maxwell personally, who was honored to have his story told.
* Beverly Farmer's Market: Okay, this was fun. I got to attend the Beverly Farmer's Market on its opening day and speak with a few of the vendors. The most interesting vendor I spoke with was an herbalist who sells herbs that improve well being. The herbalist said her favorite herb was schizandra, an adaptogen that relieves stress. Man, I need that stuff.
* Casa de Moda Unveils Mural: Casa de Moda is an alternative gift store known for selling cards, art supplies, and accessories. They unveiled a new mural on the side of their store called "Calle Casa" painted by Phillip Coleman, a local artist. The mural is inspired by the street art of various European cities, which made me happy to hear because it reminded me of the mural I saw on my trip to Belfast. The real highlight of this story was me getting lost on my way to the store and violating traffic laws.
*Porter Mill Art Exhibition: Porter Mill is an art gallery housing four floors of studios featuring fifty artists around the North Shore and Greater Boston area. They hold an exhibition every summer. I got to speak with several of Porter Mill's artists and gaze at their beautiful artwork. One artist is a fashion photographer who took photos of models wearing plastic animal masks in abandoned cottages in Rhode Island. It's weird but, hey, I like weird.
Now, here's a tiny list of things I'm not enjoying right now . . .
* Bouncing between my Comcast and Champlain email has been rough so far. I've mainly worked on my Comcast email yet that means I miss important messages in Champlain email. I need to get better at managing that. But, right now, it's frustrating.
*Bouncing between my internship and part time job at a grocery store has also been rough. It's an interesting dilemma— do I spend more time doing something career-oriented I enjoy and don't get paid or do I spend more time doing something I don't enjoy yet get paid? Hmmmm . . .
*Also, driving through downtown Beverly is a pain in the ass. Did we already establish that?
I'm interning at the Beverly Citizen where I'm writing 2-3 feature stories per week about various events occurring in the city of Beverly, Massachusetts. Even though Beverly is only a twenty minute drive from my hometown, I'm admittedly more unfamiliar with the city than you might think. All I ever knew about Beverly before this internship was that driving in the downtown area is always a huge pain in the ass (which is a proven fact). But that's what I love about this internship. It encourages me to explore unfamiliar territory, meet interesting people, and explore new areas in the Bay State I never knew existed. And the best part? On top of everything, I get to do what I love—to write.
It's difficult to pinpoint the exact reason why I wanted an internship this summer. There were just so many elements factoring into my decision. First of all, I grew desperate to not have to experience yet again the typical summertime doldrums of a college student, which mostly includes slaving at a soulless part-time job and then spending the remainder of the summer sleeping/watching movies on Netflix (although those two things are quite enjoyable). I wanted something new and I realized if I didn't attempt to get an internship, I'd spend the summer as a miserable couch potato, wondering why my friends are doing cool career-related things as I waste my life and refuse to do a thing about it. Also influencing my decision to get an internship was my semester abroad in Dublin, Ireland. I was forced to encounter all my little fears and anxieties about living in a foreign country over the course of five months and when it ended, I said to myself, "Well, if I can conquer all of that in five months, what else can I tackle in my life?" I fear less things now than ever before, and the thought of getting an internship didn't make me shake in my boots as much as, say, when I first arrived in Dublin.
The Beverly Citizen was actually the first place I applied to, so I'm somewhat lucky in that regard. My editor, Natalie Miller, is young and energetic. I wasn't expecting someone so young to be the editor of a news publication. I don't spend much actual time in the Beverly Citizen offices. When I say I'm out in the field, I am literally out in the field, driving around Beverly and speaking to people. I do have to go into the offices every Wednesday at 3 for story meetings. Wednesday is also deadline day, and it's important I'm more alert and attentive than usual.
I'd tell you about the stories I've been working over the past few weeks in lengthy paragraphs, but I'd rather not bore you with all of that and thought it would be better I told you through bullet points because I have a perverted obsession with bullet points.
* Jason Maxwell Honored at the One Hundred: Jason Maxwell is a Beverly business owner who, after years of watching his family and friends suffer from cancer, launched the nonprofit fundraising venture Fed Up With Cancer. Fed Up With Cancer has raised over $10,000 in cancer research and awareness over the past three years. Maxwell was honored Massachusetts General Hospital's One Hundred event, which honors 100 people each year for their efforts in the fight against cancer. It's really inspiring stuff. I got to speak with Maxwell personally, who was honored to have his story told.
* Beverly Farmer's Market: Okay, this was fun. I got to attend the Beverly Farmer's Market on its opening day and speak with a few of the vendors. The most interesting vendor I spoke with was an herbalist who sells herbs that improve well being. The herbalist said her favorite herb was schizandra, an adaptogen that relieves stress. Man, I need that stuff.
* Casa de Moda Unveils Mural: Casa de Moda is an alternative gift store known for selling cards, art supplies, and accessories. They unveiled a new mural on the side of their store called "Calle Casa" painted by Phillip Coleman, a local artist. The mural is inspired by the street art of various European cities, which made me happy to hear because it reminded me of the mural I saw on my trip to Belfast. The real highlight of this story was me getting lost on my way to the store and violating traffic laws.
*Porter Mill Art Exhibition: Porter Mill is an art gallery housing four floors of studios featuring fifty artists around the North Shore and Greater Boston area. They hold an exhibition every summer. I got to speak with several of Porter Mill's artists and gaze at their beautiful artwork. One artist is a fashion photographer who took photos of models wearing plastic animal masks in abandoned cottages in Rhode Island. It's weird but, hey, I like weird.
Now, here's a tiny list of things I'm not enjoying right now . . .
* Bouncing between my Comcast and Champlain email has been rough so far. I've mainly worked on my Comcast email yet that means I miss important messages in Champlain email. I need to get better at managing that. But, right now, it's frustrating.
*Bouncing between my internship and part time job at a grocery store has also been rough. It's an interesting dilemma— do I spend more time doing something career-oriented I enjoy and don't get paid or do I spend more time doing something I don't enjoy yet get paid? Hmmmm . . .
*Also, driving through downtown Beverly is a pain in the ass. Did we already establish that?
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Dobar dan! (Kathryn's first post)
Greetings from Bosnia and Herzegovina!
It's gonna be interesting meeting that noon posting deadline, 'cause I'm six hours ahead of all of you, but we'll see how that goes. Also, sorry I'm late on this post-- in addition to forgetting what my gmail account was, when I did manage to log in, everything defaulted to Serbian. Joys of living abroad.
I am currently an intern at Internews in Sarajevo, the capital city of BiH. They're a really cool international organization that specialize in working with post-conflict societies and societies in transition (think Orange Revolution) in establishing and supporting independent, local media.
So far, most of my work has been editing reports. Since our mission is to support LOCAL media, most of the people who work here speak English as a second language, so it's my job to re-read the work they write and make it sound more fluent and native. I've also sat in for a couple meetings for this project called Innovation Lab. I don't know much about it yet, other than they want me heavily involved. It'll be happening sometime around the end of July, so I anticipate my workload increasing over the next month.
I'm also taking four classes through American University at BiH, so I work here 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week, and then take classes in the evenings. It's a pretty packed schedule, but I really feel like I'm making the most of my time here.
Cao for now!
Kathryn
It's gonna be interesting meeting that noon posting deadline, 'cause I'm six hours ahead of all of you, but we'll see how that goes. Also, sorry I'm late on this post-- in addition to forgetting what my gmail account was, when I did manage to log in, everything defaulted to Serbian. Joys of living abroad.
I am currently an intern at Internews in Sarajevo, the capital city of BiH. They're a really cool international organization that specialize in working with post-conflict societies and societies in transition (think Orange Revolution) in establishing and supporting independent, local media.
So far, most of my work has been editing reports. Since our mission is to support LOCAL media, most of the people who work here speak English as a second language, so it's my job to re-read the work they write and make it sound more fluent and native. I've also sat in for a couple meetings for this project called Innovation Lab. I don't know much about it yet, other than they want me heavily involved. It'll be happening sometime around the end of July, so I anticipate my workload increasing over the next month.
I'm also taking four classes through American University at BiH, so I work here 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week, and then take classes in the evenings. It's a pretty packed schedule, but I really feel like I'm making the most of my time here.
Cao for now!
Kathryn
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Jillian- First Post
My internship is with The Chronicle, a small weekly newspaper in upstate NY. I started at the very end of May, and they sent me to a local theme park to attend the official opening a new ride. It was super exciting to be given that sort of opportunity at the very beginning of my time at the paper--literally it was the first things I did--but also be the only writer to cover the launch.
Since then I have been doing quite a few different things, from writing briefs to writing articles. I have three written at this point and all three are relatively substantial subjects in that they are big events or issues in our area, so I am definitely learning a lot.
I have also been assisting in various office tasks, like filing and putting together press kits and handing out the paper in the community. Small papers like this really interest me because everyone is expected to contribute to the mundane parts of a company, like the filing and the press kits, and there's a sense of equality that isn't really present in bigger papers.
That said, before the first day was over I could see that everyone had a ton of experience and knowledge I could benefit from, and I'm enjoying the learning process. Cathy, my supervisor, has been a huge help with edits and any other questions I may have.
Everyone is really accommodating with my schedule, because I have plans to travel to Ireland for two weeks at the end of June, and I have another job that consumes my nights and weekends. I got really lucky in that I can fit my fifteen hours in during the morning, three hours per day during the week, and they always have something new for me to try and do when I come in the next day.
Since then I have been doing quite a few different things, from writing briefs to writing articles. I have three written at this point and all three are relatively substantial subjects in that they are big events or issues in our area, so I am definitely learning a lot.
I have also been assisting in various office tasks, like filing and putting together press kits and handing out the paper in the community. Small papers like this really interest me because everyone is expected to contribute to the mundane parts of a company, like the filing and the press kits, and there's a sense of equality that isn't really present in bigger papers.
That said, before the first day was over I could see that everyone had a ton of experience and knowledge I could benefit from, and I'm enjoying the learning process. Cathy, my supervisor, has been a huge help with edits and any other questions I may have.
Everyone is really accommodating with my schedule, because I have plans to travel to Ireland for two weeks at the end of June, and I have another job that consumes my nights and weekends. I got really lucky in that I can fit my fifteen hours in during the morning, three hours per day during the week, and they always have something new for me to try and do when I come in the next day.
Christina- Post 1
So my internship is with True Tone Studios, in Richmond, VT. It is a relatively new company that helps small businesses promote themselves through video, audio, etc. I am helping with their new project, MyTrueBrand. It hasn't officially launched yet, but when it does it will help individual people promote themselves by using video and audio clips instead of, or in addition to, traditional resumes.
I am going to be writing articles for the website, which will be used as resources for the clients. I will also be editing and re-writing pieces written by the clients, which will then be used in audio or video clips.
I started at the beginning of June, and I have written two articles so far. Generally, Brian (my supervisor) will find an article about something that is relevant to the company, and send it to me. I read it and find similar articles, then write my own based on the information I find. Brian reads my articles and then we meet via Skype on Thursdays to discuss them. Then I do some revision and send them back.
As of now, everyone at TTS works from home. This works really well for me because I'm in London for another three weeks. I get to make my own schedule, which is awesome, since I have another internship here and a job at school. I've been working for TTS about ten hours a week so far, but it's probably going to be more like fifteen hours a week when I get back to Vermont. I usually spread the work out over three or four days.
I am going to be writing articles for the website, which will be used as resources for the clients. I will also be editing and re-writing pieces written by the clients, which will then be used in audio or video clips.
I started at the beginning of June, and I have written two articles so far. Generally, Brian (my supervisor) will find an article about something that is relevant to the company, and send it to me. I read it and find similar articles, then write my own based on the information I find. Brian reads my articles and then we meet via Skype on Thursdays to discuss them. Then I do some revision and send them back.
As of now, everyone at TTS works from home. This works really well for me because I'm in London for another three weeks. I get to make my own schedule, which is awesome, since I have another internship here and a job at school. I've been working for TTS about ten hours a week so far, but it's probably going to be more like fifteen hours a week when I get back to Vermont. I usually spread the work out over three or four days.
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Sarah - Post-1-tada
I will follow Kristen.
Hiya, let’s just jump right in.
This summer I am
interning at Providence Media as an editorial intern. They are essentially the
publishing house of a variety of magazines in the state of RI (where I’m from),
which include Providence Monthly, East
Side Monthly, The Bay, SORhodeIsland, and SoBlockIsland. I work under the Executive Editor, Julie Tremaine,
and the Associate Editor, Grace Lentini. They are hella good bosses, and my
work relationship with them is laidback, casually cool and informative. There
isn’t any of that tight-ass professionalism, more of a mutual respect for their
experience and insight. They are both relatively young, quirky and insert the
occasional, humorous, well-timed swearing smack down at the frustrations and
pressures that come with the publishing business. Best boss scenario.
I’ve
actually been working at Providence Media since May 6th; and I work
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 10-4pm. The times are super accommodating
due to the hell ride that is Providence traffic (Despite the name, the office
is in Pawtucket, which is past Providence). There were fewer interns when I
originally began because we get out so early, but now there is a healthy gang
of us. Having worked so many summers alongside people 20-30 years my age, some
other people in my own psychotic age group is nice. Favorite people so far are
Courtney and Jacks, two other editorial interns who are widely entertaining.
Lunch time consists of reading missed connections on craigslist for kicks, or
picking something up from the vegan ice cream truck that randomly parks itself
outside the building.
So what do
I do there? Lots! I copy edit, edit and fact-check pages, from start to finish
for the different magazines; I write blurbs for our dining guides on various
restaurants in the area; I do photo requests and credits from small local
business to production companies; I pick up taste test for us(get reimbursed);
I conduct interviews and write articles, blurbs and front matter stuff as well.
Once in a blue moon I do basic clerical stuff like answer phones and weigh the
mail. The writing style varies with each magazine. East Side Monthly is more casual, while Providence Monthly is more professional. I guess you can kind of
think about each magazine in terms of Seven
Days-ish-ness, but monthly. The office is funky and colorful; the people
are creative and quirky. The only complaint I can think of is the meetings they
have in the mornings that drag on sometimes. But honestly, it just lets me
focus on doing this side of the internship and the logs.
Honestly,
the fact that I’m enjoying this internship so much sort of reinforces the focus
I think I’m drifting towards with my writing. It’s such an outgoing side of
writing, and as stressful as it may seem at times, it makes the day
entertaining.
One of my
favorite things we do at my work is the monthly taste tests. We pick a foodie
theme for each month to write about in The
Bay, Providence Monthly, and SORhodeIsland.
We call four businesses and ask them if they would like to donate food for
about ten people for us to write about. We schedule pickups throughout the
month, and we write notes on what we like about the things we try. I’m sorry,
but what’s better than having some of the best food in the state for free?
BOOM, NOTHING! Last month we did smoothies, but I wrote this month’s on clam
cakes and clam chowder; delicious! For SORhodeIsland
we are doing crab cakes this month, I think.
Given the
freedom of the publications, there is no real politics involved in what we do
and do not write. From gay marriage to environmental cleanup to food – it varies!
I look forward to going to work,
what’s better than that?
Friday, June 14, 2013
Kristen Post 1
I guess I'll go first.
Hello all—I hope you are well and enjoying your summers so
far.
I am interning with Rebecca Schwarz, the coordinator of a
program at the Fletcher Allen Hospital called Art From The Heart, an incentive
to engage pediatric hospital patients and their families through any kind of
art or creative communication. The program is extremely flexible to each
volunteer, so it is easy and natural to change the activities of the program to
fit our individual interests and strengths. This being said, while AFTH is
primarily art projects like painting, drawing, and so on, I am going to be
implementing reading and writing once I get going.
There will be obvious gaps in my ability to write about this
experience or provide specific examples because of patient confidentiality
rules and obligations, but I promise that it will not hinder communication too
much.
Last week was my first integration into the program and it
was a whole lot of information and policies and sanitation guidelines to take
in all at once. Most challenging of all, being the should-be-simple act of
navigating the hospital. Let me just tell you that most hospitals make
sense—once you figure out one floor and how it functions you can usually take
that understanding and incorporate it to every floor. Not here. Every floor is
different because there are technically three separate hospitals and buildings
happening that are connected by a series of tunnels and talking elevators with
different names. Luckily, so far I have been partnered with people who know
where they are going so one instance where I walked confidentially in the wrong
direction and right towards the morgue—I could be stopped.
Anyway, training went well—Rebecca took myself and the
second intern, a psychology-art major from Connecticut through all the steps
and we learned the behind the scenes functions of the Art Cart, proper hand
washing, and our service to every single person we meet in the hospital
environment. We were also lucky enough to be able to squeeze our Contact
Precaution training in, too. This means that we will be allowed in hospital
rooms that require us to wear PPE for our own health safety and that of the
patients.
After training last week I went on two Shadow Shifts, meaning I tag
along with the scheduled AFTH volunteers and jump right into the program but
have their seniority to fall back on. I've done three shifts this week--they are for about 3 1/2 or 4 hours in the morning. The first part of the morning is always
spent on the inpatient ward, where children stay overnight (or many nights) and
can either occur in the playroom or their individual rooms if they are not well
or interested enough to go to the playroom. We are given a list of children’s
first names, rooms, and any precautions that we have to take specific to each
room. We are not allowed access to specifics such as why they are in the
hospital or anything like that—that way, when we walk into a room, it doesn’t
matter what’s “wrong” with the children, we’re just there to play.
This is probably the most awkward part of the day because we
walk around and knock on each door and ask the patient or their parents if
they’d like to come to the playroom or if we can come inside to do any kind of
art activity they want. I’m learning that in some situations it’s very easy and
comfortable to ask and that in others I’m an unwelcome interruption. Two other
big lessons so far are that 1) most pre-teens and teens are still very much
asleep at 9 AM and 2) my biggest competition is, and will probably remain to
be, iPhone products.
The second part of the morning happens in the Children’s
Specialty Center, where patients go for appointments that they don’t have to be
hospitalized for but where they still welcome distractions. Our first priority
there is the infusion room—that’s where things like chemotherapy happen.
Outside of that, we occupy the waiting room and grab any child’s attention we
can.
If there aren’t any patients who are up for art-making in
either place, there is time to organize the Art Cart or make Art Kits—little
paper bags filled with a pre-determined project for children or whomever wants
to create an art project on their own.
You select a few craft supplies that might somehow go together and write
a tag-line on the bag that someone can follow. I made one Tuesday morning where
I made an astronaut out of construction paper and pipe cleaners and put some
more paper and fun things in the bag with the tag-line “Create a Super
Spaceship for the Astronaut.” I’m thinking that these kits might be a good
opportunity for stories. For example, if I write a small story appropriate for
content and age of the ward and then ask them to draw a picture of the
characters or something like that. I’m also going to create some interactive
stories…like stories where there are blank parts and instructions of what kind
of noun to put in the blank so the children are actually creating their own
stories. This is one of my goals to have going by the next time we post.
Other than that, I’d like to get to know the program a
little better and how I can change or help it where necessary. There are some
extra writing opportunities on the side that I’ll be able to be involved with
too, such as a separate blog for AFTH, writing for a coloring book, and
potentially a very special project involving poetry that I can’t tell you about
yet. Of course I’d like to also get better at going place to place and avoiding
getting hopelessly lost. I need to be more wary of Insta-Foam, too—when exiting
a patient’s room Monday I got sprayed in the face whilst trying to sanitize my
hands. Most importantly though, I’m excited to continue to have the opportunity
to connect with the kids and take a little of the burden and emotional impact
off the parents for even the smallest moments.
Here’s a few short stories I can share that will tell you a
bit about what I’m up to:
On Tuesday my partner and I were laughing with a boy who accidentally threw the paper airplane we had just made over a railing
and down onto a lower floor.
Another time I played with a sibling of a patient so the
parent could relax a little. This one was
too young to do art or anything, so we just made a tower out of blocks and
knocked it over.
At the Specialty Center I had been working with a girl for a
while and she decided to ask if I would help her make a Father’s Day card. We
did—complete with two poems and cut-outs of things her father likes and a
special message.
What happens in these moments is that I can feel the
hospital disappear. It disappears for all of us, and for a few minutes, it
doesn’t matter that the hospital has brought us together or that we have to
play around IV poles and cords or that anybody’s sick at all. No one is
thinking about what we are doing there—we’re just playing. If that had to be my
only accomplishment for a whole month, I’d take it.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
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