Bri bought an iPod Touch yesterday. Now I can contact him when he's at work and anywhere else that there's wifi, hahaha.
Work has been super busy. I can't believe I've only worked their four days! It's been a lot of fun, although technically I haven't had too much to do. Today I was working from home because I am working on a story about the Stampede. I was out interviewing streeters about their opinions on it. Honestly, the info I got from my friends via facebook was much more interesting than their answers, but I ought not use them lest it become a bad habit.
We're supposed to put this old issue to print on Saturday but My Editor isn't sure that The Old Editor will be ready on time. Meanwhile I will write my 1000 words on the stampede and a 500 word food review (which has to be written between eating the meal @ 6 and going to work at the bar at 8!) It will be a stressful finish the workweek, followed by two busy shifts at the bar, back to back. Hopefully I can keep up both jobs. We'll see.
Here's a snippet of the Stampede story so far, feel free to give feedback!
It’s lunchtime, two weeks before the Stampede parade marches through the downtown core and Stephen Avenue Walk is conspicuously flush with cowboy hats.
A small amount of sleuthing reveals the source of the shiny white Stetsons is the Calgary Stampede Promotions Committee. A handful of committee members are distributing the trademark caps out of the back of a chuckwagon, handing one to each of the hundreds of people who have stood in a line that stretches down the entire block before wrapping around the corner. Stampede mascot Harry the Horse, a goofy but endearing fellow, is mingling with the crowd, entertaining toddlers and businessmen alike.
The line moves quickly through the already bustling eighth avenue. The sun beats down hard as people eat lunch out of Styrofoam containers and others sample various types of food-on-a-stick and meats-on-a-bun. Between the crowds of people standing brim to brim and the sidewalk shops selling trinkets, it’s not hard to imagine that the “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth” is already in full swing.
Nobody is under the illusion that the legendary Calgary Stampede is truly limited to within its ten official days. However, whether the infectious Western spirit is more like that of laughter or influenza, is in the eye of the beholder.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
The first hours
Well, I am 2.5 hours into my internship! 437.5 hours to go!
We've got three pages to fill, plus an empty 2-page spread so I've spent the morning writing out contact info for potential advertisers. Now I've moved onto calling businesses to find out who the actual contact for advertising is. My office is extremely echoey (yes! I have my own office with a desk and doors and everything!) which makes it a bit awkward to talk on the phone, but I think I'm doing alright.
The only people left to call on my list are restaurants and I know from experience that restaurants think your company is stupid if you call them during lunch, so I decided to wait it out.
I am looking forward to decorating this place a bit. It's got nice doors and marble-looking floors but plain white walls and lots of empty flat space. Some photos at the very least, I think.
I think the real excitement will start later in the week when we get to start talking about the next issues and making dramatic changes.
We've got three pages to fill, plus an empty 2-page spread so I've spent the morning writing out contact info for potential advertisers. Now I've moved onto calling businesses to find out who the actual contact for advertising is. My office is extremely echoey (yes! I have my own office with a desk and doors and everything!) which makes it a bit awkward to talk on the phone, but I think I'm doing alright.
The only people left to call on my list are restaurants and I know from experience that restaurants think your company is stupid if you call them during lunch, so I decided to wait it out.
I am looking forward to decorating this place a bit. It's got nice doors and marble-looking floors but plain white walls and lots of empty flat space. Some photos at the very least, I think.
I think the real excitement will start later in the week when we get to start talking about the next issues and making dramatic changes.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Completely unrelated to food
Hours after my last blog entry I had a meeting set up to discuss a possible internship. At least I thought it was a "possible" internship, but it turned out to be a case of "we really ought to hire a reporter for our magazine, and didn't we hear about a young journalist looking for an internship?" on their end! So I went in for a meeting with the EIC and she was very sweet and excited about what the magazine will become in the next year - we will be completely overhauling the design with a brand new team of young folks.
So yes, I am starting my internship on Monday! I thought I'd be starting a lot sooner but they had to figure out the payment logistics (positive results!) and scheduling etc. I don't know exactly what I'll be doing from day 1, but I know that it will include research, reporting, layout, photography and related things. Writing for example.
My biggest problem at this point is the school side of things. This being an internship, I am obligated and required to pay $600 and somethin' dollars so that I can do some little assignments to chat with one of my profs via email. I don't have problems with that financially, but I do have problems with the technology. I was told to change my password to my school email due to maintenance they are performing on the system. Unfortunately I did so and now I'm locked out of the system. Arrggghhh.
And the work experience coordinator who said he would work things out so that I could sign up for this class waaay past registration date is on vacation now so I don't know if he accidentally sent the info to my school email or what. Maybe I'll check the email right now...
Oh! Hahhaha. It's fixed! Sweet.
Holy shit! So, work exp coordinator is on vacay, but he got some lady to get me registered, so I got an email (dated yesterday at 12:56) saying that I'd been registered and that I had 24 hours to pay my fees. That was scary because I assumed that I had missed the opportunity since I woke up at 12:55 today, but it seems like I made it../ Now I have a suspicion that I overpaid because I popups blocked the first time I used my VISA, and the second time I used it it was declined (weird) and the third time I used my mostly-stagnant mastercard and it worked. The good news is that I have to pay another $3000 in August anyway for next term so it's not like the money won't go somewhere. Whew.
I think I did pay it on my VISA, on closer inspection...because I only have $17 available credit there now...hahaha
Geez
So yes, I am starting my internship on Monday! I thought I'd be starting a lot sooner but they had to figure out the payment logistics (positive results!) and scheduling etc. I don't know exactly what I'll be doing from day 1, but I know that it will include research, reporting, layout, photography and related things. Writing for example.
My biggest problem at this point is the school side of things. This being an internship, I am obligated and required to pay $600 and somethin' dollars so that I can do some little assignments to chat with one of my profs via email. I don't have problems with that financially, but I do have problems with the technology. I was told to change my password to my school email due to maintenance they are performing on the system. Unfortunately I did so and now I'm locked out of the system. Arrggghhh.
And the work experience coordinator who said he would work things out so that I could sign up for this class waaay past registration date is on vacation now so I don't know if he accidentally sent the info to my school email or what. Maybe I'll check the email right now...
Oh! Hahhaha. It's fixed! Sweet.
Holy shit! So, work exp coordinator is on vacay, but he got some lady to get me registered, so I got an email (dated yesterday at 12:56) saying that I'd been registered and that I had 24 hours to pay my fees. That was scary because I assumed that I had missed the opportunity since I woke up at 12:55 today, but it seems like I made it../ Now I have a suspicion that I overpaid because I popups blocked the first time I used my VISA, and the second time I used it it was declined (weird) and the third time I used my mostly-stagnant mastercard and it worked. The good news is that I have to pay another $3000 in August anyway for next term so it's not like the money won't go somewhere. Whew.
I think I did pay it on my VISA, on closer inspection...because I only have $17 available credit there now...hahaha
Geez
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Poised for a comeback
Okay, so the whole not buying stuff week never worked out. Maybe I wasn't trying hard enough, or maybe it was because I just didn't really have a goal or motivation to do it. Maybe another day I will try it out.
As for ignoring my blog since March - whoops! Partly it was the busy nature of school, then it was my computer breaking down (just got a new [Free!] hard drive from the Mac store, woohoo!). But since I've started reading the blogs of friends, I am definitely in the mood to write.
The summer isn't exactly going as I imagined it would. In my late-winter era mind, I foresaw myself get a sweet internship, possibly one that paid at least minimum wage. I would be wracking up my story count, or at least learning how to use excel and writing some intra-office memos.
But, as the cold winter stumbled clumsily into a brisk spring chill, I was still short one internship. An awkward interview at the University followed an uninspiring face-to-face with some honcho at CBC.
And now, the job board is empty, the only mailed-out "self-identified" job offers are not remotely journalism, nor am I capable of creating the diversified and dynamic communications plans that they want me to make. As if.
So I am an intern shipwreck at sea, perhaps.
All through the winter I vowed that I will fill the potential gap (of no work term) with volunteering in a writing capacity, somewhere. And I am nervous about writing for the Journal, although that is not for any good reason, to be honest.
But I really do want to work on my portfolio because I don't want to be in the exact same situation a year from now when I am under the proverbial gun to do my work term.
I'll be fine though, I feel positive about the next three months.
In the meantime, I am bartending at Broken City. It should be a fun time once again, but it doesn't exactly develop integral journalism skills by any means.
Anyhow, I am going to go enjoy some fresh air!
As for ignoring my blog since March - whoops! Partly it was the busy nature of school, then it was my computer breaking down (just got a new [Free!] hard drive from the Mac store, woohoo!). But since I've started reading the blogs of friends, I am definitely in the mood to write.
The summer isn't exactly going as I imagined it would. In my late-winter era mind, I foresaw myself get a sweet internship, possibly one that paid at least minimum wage. I would be wracking up my story count, or at least learning how to use excel and writing some intra-office memos.
But, as the cold winter stumbled clumsily into a brisk spring chill, I was still short one internship. An awkward interview at the University followed an uninspiring face-to-face with some honcho at CBC.
And now, the job board is empty, the only mailed-out "self-identified" job offers are not remotely journalism, nor am I capable of creating the diversified and dynamic communications plans that they want me to make. As if.
So I am an intern shipwreck at sea, perhaps.
All through the winter I vowed that I will fill the potential gap (of no work term) with volunteering in a writing capacity, somewhere. And I am nervous about writing for the Journal, although that is not for any good reason, to be honest.
But I really do want to work on my portfolio because I don't want to be in the exact same situation a year from now when I am under the proverbial gun to do my work term.
I'll be fine though, I feel positive about the next three months.
In the meantime, I am bartending at Broken City. It should be a fun time once again, but it doesn't exactly develop integral journalism skills by any means.
Anyhow, I am going to go enjoy some fresh air!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Still not buying it
So, I spent $10.25 on my cab home last night. This was taken from tip money that I made last night, which totalled $52 before cab and after tipping out the doorboys. I don't think I really broke a rule there. Maybe stretched it though because there were other ways for me to get home: could have walked to the train, took the train, walked from station to home. But when it's cold and almost 1 a.m., I think a cab is a safe choice.
Today I spent four hours at the Jubilee Auditorium volunteering for the Kiwanis music festival. It is for an assignment on altruism. I didn't really feel very altruistic, but I know that my time did go to a good cause. Considering I would have probably just sat at home playing Valkyria Chronicles otherwise, I think this is a good thing. The volunteer coordinator suggested I grab lunch at a nearby food court (more money I didn't need to spend) while I waited for my first session to start. Instead I had a complimentary coffee (I even had cream in it! It's not as good as soy, but it was actually quite lovely) in the volunteer lounge and read some of Brave New World.
The rest of the day will include dinner with the boyfriend - cooked by us with ingredients from our combined pantries. I'm thinking asparagus risotto and somethin, but I'm not sure we have enough veggies to make it properly. I really want to pick up some mushrooms and/or chard. But I'll see what I have first. Part of this whole exercise, a big part in fact, is to clear out my over stuffed food stores. It's good to have supplies so I can whip up a meal anytime. But when I have so much food and just keep buying more, it means plenty of it goes to waste.
Then we'll probably watch some Firefly and take some photos before we both go to work at 9. There's a new menu at work and I'm sorely tempted to try the new homemade vegan burger, but there's no sense in eating at 9 pm anyway. I'll wait until I'm working next Saturday afternoon.
All the bus transit was paid for in my tuition months ago, so that isn't an expense either.
So far, so good, I'm thinking. But now I want some wine.
Today I spent four hours at the Jubilee Auditorium volunteering for the Kiwanis music festival. It is for an assignment on altruism. I didn't really feel very altruistic, but I know that my time did go to a good cause. Considering I would have probably just sat at home playing Valkyria Chronicles otherwise, I think this is a good thing. The volunteer coordinator suggested I grab lunch at a nearby food court (more money I didn't need to spend) while I waited for my first session to start. Instead I had a complimentary coffee (I even had cream in it! It's not as good as soy, but it was actually quite lovely) in the volunteer lounge and read some of Brave New World.
The rest of the day will include dinner with the boyfriend - cooked by us with ingredients from our combined pantries. I'm thinking asparagus risotto and somethin, but I'm not sure we have enough veggies to make it properly. I really want to pick up some mushrooms and/or chard. But I'll see what I have first. Part of this whole exercise, a big part in fact, is to clear out my over stuffed food stores. It's good to have supplies so I can whip up a meal anytime. But when I have so much food and just keep buying more, it means plenty of it goes to waste.
Then we'll probably watch some Firefly and take some photos before we both go to work at 9. There's a new menu at work and I'm sorely tempted to try the new homemade vegan burger, but there's no sense in eating at 9 pm anyway. I'll wait until I'm working next Saturday afternoon.
All the bus transit was paid for in my tuition months ago, so that isn't an expense either.
So far, so good, I'm thinking. But now I want some wine.
Things I want to Buy
Since 5 pm today, I have thought about purchasing:
- shower head
- french fries
- cup coffee
- a fancy briefcase
- hot air popcorn popper
- soy silk creamer
- michael rault cd
- slice of pizza
- shower head
- french fries
- cup coffee
- a fancy briefcase
- hot air popcorn popper
- soy silk creamer
- michael rault cd
- slice of pizza
And I am going to break my rule a bit because it's really cold and late and I am going to take a cab home from work. And in the morning: hashbrowns!
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry
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