A Clean Slate

New on the job at Slate V, but I fit in like a regular.

I will not drown you in hyperboles to spitshine my internship, in order to make it look cool. However I will say this, I'm learning more than I ever thought possible.

And it's practical stuff, not some institutional method of experience (i.e. class lectures). I get to delve into the Slate V domain, getting lost in a world of video clips, text, and website upkeeping. And that's just my usual day to day, not to mention the spontaneous work I'm assigned on the whim.

See, I came to DC for a fresh outlook on life, and what I got was a clean slate. It's amazing how life works sometimes.

Journal entry one

So much has happened in the last 2 weeks that I don't know what to even add! Every time we do something I say,"This was my favorite thing we've done so far." So it's hard to highlight my favorites since they all are!

Probably my most most favorite was going to a taping of the CNN special "The Next President" and it was basically a conversation with former secretaries of state: Madeleine Albright, James Baker, Warren Christopher, Henry Kissinger and Colin Powell. It was so cool to see so many great minds in one place. Whey they asked what they thought was the most important thing for the new president to do. Powell replied we need to restore the world's confidence in the United States. Everybody strongly agreed with that, but Albright added that not only do we need to be 'popular' around the world, we also need to be respected.

I also started my internship at XM-Radio, at a show called POTUS (President of the United States.) I'm having an awesome time there! Today one of our guests was the director from FactCheck.org. I LOVE factcheck.org. He came in to talk about debunking some of the myths/non myths that surround the campaigns right now.

I'm really enjoying DC at this very exciting time!!!

The Georgetowner

So, as many of you already know, I don't have any first impressions of DC because I live in DC. But I do have a myriad of first impressions of my internship at the Georgetowner and the Georgetown way of doing things. So far, all of my impressions have been positive or nearly so, and most more than a little humorous.

The people in georgetown seem nice enough, possibly because the atmosphere bears little resemblace to the frantic hustle of the rest of the district. At ten thirty in the morning, banana republic clad men, shabby-chic young ladies, and manicured moms line up outside Dean and Deluca for their morning coffee and a glance at today's paper. Even the business casual tweed suited 30-somethings seem to prioritize scones over work. Hmm, perhaps that schedule could work for me...

As I round the corner, I can see my office in the charming brick townhouse nestled comfortably beside the down dog yoga center. Despite being cramped, cluttered, and under construction, the interior is equally charming. Our four rooms of space in the converted old house can most flatteringly be described as "intimate." The occupants of the Georgetowner office, (I hesitate to say employees because many of them spend their lives working on the paper), are all lovely ladies. I'd venture to say that the coolest of us all is Sonya, my boss and the woman whom Amos appropriately dubbed "a force of nature." She truly is the creative force behind the paper as well as our mentor, friend, and resident motivational speaker.

The others are Charlie, the hilarious ad guru; Jenniffer, the in-country adventurer; Dan, the endearingly rumpled real estate expert; Alyssa, the telecommuting graphic designer; Siobhan, the events coordinating queen; and last, but certainly not least, Erin, the mild-mannered make-it-all worker. If sonya is the grand poobah of the paper, Erin is certainly her Chief of Staff and most level headed advisor. Then there's me, the only in-house writer, in charge of doing a little of everything and writing about all-things-style-related (as well as misc. stories without writers). The job couldn't be better suited to me, I get in around 10:30, get out by 5:30, and spend time running around with people that I now consider my friends.

First impressions? It's well worth the commute, and that's saying something since I live in Maryland!

Alphabet District: From O, to DC

Tell me how to get to Sesame Street--

Just hitch a ride to our nation's capitol and every street you cross is brought to you by a letter , number or state.

So, for a guy like me, who is called "O" by my close football friends back at Penn State, this city and specifically that street was made for me. At least the political/news me.

But there is more to these elementary named streets. I feel comfortable saying that this city has the most diagonal roads you will find in the states. I mean rapper Paul Wall introduced me to "sittin' sidewayz", but this is something new.

The guy that designed this place apparently was not opposed to taking shortcuts. Like, what kind of street is NW? Come on, now. Furthermore, there is no J street; it skips from I to K.

From what I have heard, designer Pierre L'Enfant did not get along with the thriftiness of John Jay during the formation of DC, which led to there being no J Street. Sounds childish, right?

Just because his last name means "the child" in French does not mean it's a description of how Pierre behaved.

The story is a myth. There is no reason to hate the French here.

But once you get over the simple street names and tilted roads, DC sends you on a ride you'll never forget. And it's called the metro.

The metro is a stage filled with countless characters, ready to perform at the tip of a hat.

Have you ever been serenaded by a rag times group of bums, whose melodic tones and smooth moves reminded you of Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions?

It's alright if you have not.

I mean they got down and dirty, no pun intended, as they broke into an oldie but a goody. You could see the lines and wear of stress, frustration, destitution on their face, but their voices and moves sent a contagious smile and rhythm to all those who watched them.

In fact, my friend, a metro worker, and some other patrons began singing along with the group. I, being an off key singer, decided to hum the notes. I need not embarrass myself in front of such a sharp group of performers.

Then the train came shooting through, and as we got on, I could not help but think they deserved more than our pocket change for the brief joy they brought to us.

For a city that is the epicenter of American freedoms, there's little to be desired about the ridiculous amount of bums that migrate throughout the city.

Where are the politicians, the businessmen, the cavaliers of justice, peace and the American way?

They're stuck in the traffic-- of bureaucracy. Is it me or does this whole city seem like a macrocosm of paper pushing? Swipe a card to use the metro, to get your lunch, to enter your building, to wash your clothes, to use the elevator, to breathe, to live.

My roommate has joked about how you might have to submit a petition for dying in this city.

Don't get me wrong, I have come here with an excitement to delve into a place that holds the center of attention at a very important time in our history.

It's election year, and we're at a taping of Washington Week (thanks SIWJ) and a bold man in a tank top and shorts decides to question host Gwen Ifill, on why we're talking about the candidates and their personalities. He was tired of the back and forth of the parties and wanted to hear about something different.

Are you following me? If not-- that's the point. The guy made no sense. You go to a taping of Washington Week and basically yell how you're tired of politics. That's like going to Taco Bell and saying you're tired of tacos. What?!

Then, he asked to have the mike and get on TV. Aside from his less than decor dress attire, the guy's hostility was not going to play well over air.

In the end, he booted himself out. His best move yet.

However, the trip the Newseum was the highlight of week one for me. Just look at me trying to be a TV news reporter. Not as good as my acting performance in the student movie Gone.

But as aforementioned, I am enjoying being in DC. I begin my Slate V.com internship tomorrow. This online video log is part of the Washington Post family. And the man I'm working with seems as free-thinking in mind as I am.

In short, to me DC stands for do come and deliver change. And I shall do so every NW step, swiped card, and metro ride along the way.

...so what's next?

What a summer this has been! It feels strange that I am leaving a few days; I kind of feel like I'm supposed to live here now. D.C. is such a great city; culture and history are infused in everything here...and it's all so accessible. Let's just say it's been almost 2 months since I drove a car, and I've grown to love public transportation.

I signed up for SIWJ with intentions of being solely focused on my internship, a position with the Office of Communications and Outreach at the U.S. Department of Education (DoED). All that mumbo jumbo simply means public affairs for the DoED. While I valued my time and learning experience at DoED, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the SIWJ classwork.

(P.S. That's me INSIDE the White House gates, after my West Wing tour as a DoED intern!)

Learning how to edit video, make a piece of video journalism, and organize the process with a varied group of people was the highlight of the class for me. Through all the moaning and groaning of group work, I loved being creative in a completely different and digital way.

Now, I came at this program from a very different angle than most other students, as a recent graduate (of Harding University--go Bisons!) with a public relations and Spanish degree. I wanted to learn about the media in our classes and about public affairs through my internship. I was able to apply what I'd learned in classes and from guest speakers directly in my public affairs job.

One of my best pieces of advice for living here: make yourself a "business card" and hand them out to anyone interesting you meet--and keep in touch. Ask them advice about jobs, career paths, etc. Be saavy about it!

So what's next? Next I'm moving to Mondéjar, Spain to be a culture and language assistant in Spain for the next 8 months or so. BUT, when I get back, I'll have a good sense of where to look for a job, and I'll have a wealth of contacts--from my classmates to my co-workers--all of whom have shaped my summer into the productive, self-discovering adventure that it's been.

The end is near....

My experience here this summer has taught me so many things about the journalism field, and more importantly it taught me a lot about myself. I came into the program gung-ho about producing for news. All I wanted to do was be the person who got to play with the run down, organize the stories and compile them into the show we see on the newscast. But coming out of this program I have realized that what I thought was my dream job is actually very far from it. And it was not that my internship was bad, it was wonderful. Working at WTTG (local fox station) was a great experience. I got to go anywhere I wanted within the station and learn all aspects of broadcast news. But while there I realized I did not have the drive, the passion, for producing for news. And after talking with Amos I knew what direction I wanted to go in. I remembered that in my statement of interest for journalism school, and then again for the summer program talked about my other dream...

"After achieving a dual degree in journalism and history I would like to be able to produce historical and educational programming. By doing this I would be able to help people learn about a subject in which I am very passionate about. I would love to be able to have the opportunity to help others fall in love with history and its many exciting events..."

It was right in front of me the whole time. This was always a dream I thought I could have later on, after I had fulfilled my dream for the news. But I needed to pursue production for documentaries, maybe historical documentaries now. I watched them all the time as a kid with my dad. We would turn on the history channel and watch something on World War I or World War II. I was the kid in high school who loved watching those history clips your teacher turned on...I was never the one to fall asleep. And while I am disappointed in myself for not being able to love news production as much as I thought I would, I am happy that I still have time left at Georgia to explore other aspects of journalism. I am trying to enroll in a documentary class which will help me to learn more about that field.

I truly believe had I not come on this program I may not have had this realization until later on in life. After I had been at a production job I did not 100% love. I don't want to be one of those people staring at my watch, waiting to leave work. I want to love every minute of it. Otherwise, is it really worth it? And by knowing where that love is not at, I can search for the place I will be truly happy. And if I do not find that place...well I may just have to make one up. After all, journalism is constantly evolving and changing. And I am excited to be a part of that change.

All I can say is that this program was worth every penny we payed because the knowledge and skills are wonderful and I know they will serve us well, but what we learned about ourselves is priceless.

The Future Begins

Thanks be to God. This has absolutely been the best summer of my life. The people I've met, the experiences I've had, and the lessons I've learned have all met and exceeded expectations.

I spent the first two years of college in a small school in Carrollton, Georgia, with few opportunities to grow as a person. The University of West Georgia is largely a commuter school, and students who attend the school have more than likely grown up in Atlanta and attended high school in the city as well. So, I knew my surroundings, went home whenever I wanted, and didn't get an opportunity to venture out of my comfort zone at all. 

Broadcast television and politics have always been two obsessions of mine, so I knew that eventually I would end up in Washington, D.C. So, during the Fall semester of my sophomore year, I knew it was time that I did something about that. I applied for this program, and by the grace of God, Amos gave me the opportunity to spend a summer with SIWJ. When I visited the school over Spring Break this year, I was so struck by the school and the opportunities available that I decided to apply. I was admitted as a transfer student about four weeks ago.

Most of the students in this program will be leaving in a couple days, but I'll remain in the city for another month of my internship, plus another two years while I finish my degree at GW. So, this doesn't feel like the end to me--at all. It feels like my future is really just getting started. This program gave me the opportunity to see things I never thought I would ever see, and do things I thought I would never do at age 19. My internship at CNN in "The Situation Room" was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Working alongside Brian Todd, Carol Costello, Abbi Tatton, and Wolf Blitzer is something I never would have had the chance to experience had it not been for SIWJ. It's been amazing to see firsthand how the news is made, and I'm extremely blessed because I also know what I want--and DON'T want--to do in this business. I've helped produce packages that hundreds of thousands of people watched on TV. I've also seen people do jobs that I once thought were for me--and now I know unequivocally that they are not. And this is all before I take my first class as a GW student! 

SIWJ has been an incredible experience. I know there's so much more in store for me at this school and I couldn't be more humble and thankful for this opportunity.