What a great Thanksgiving!

After a wonderful Thanksgiving in NY with my boyfriend and his family, I feel refreshed and ready for my last two weeks here at the Kennedy Center, as well as finals. Hopefully, everything will tie up neatly, and I will be able to get all my work done. I'm so excited about going home for Winter Break and seeing my family.

I have begun seriously looking for a part time job for next semester. On Wednesday, I found two job openings that looked like good prospects for me. I asked Holly for some advice on applying, and she had some good pointers for me. Also, my supervisor Kara will be looking at my resume and cover letter for the job opening at KC that I am applying for. I'm lucky to have such nice people in this department with me, who care about where I end up! Anyway, the help and guidence I am receiving is so kind, and I just wanted to mention it in my blog.

The week has been pretty short because of Thanksgiving, but I will still do a brief re-cap. I got to help out on Wednesday and Sunday with the Joffrey Ballet's production of The Nutcracker. It was great to be backstage, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of it. I was starting to feel really far away from the production side of things in development. That is something I need to think about when I am deciding on a future career path. Right now, however, I am trying out all things, and not limiting myself in any way. Volunteering was a great time...I got to help out with the children (70 in all) who were in the production. We had to take them from the dressing room, to wigs and makeup, to the stage...and back again! It was really fun, and I was glad to help out. Next up...the Honors. Hopefully, I get to volunteer and see the event in person.

Other than that...not too much. I'm hoping to see Thoroughly Modern Millie in the Opera House. The one show I've been so anxious to see!!

In the news...The Washington Post (11/25) reviewed the Joffrey's Nutcracker, and also reviewed the show that Catholic University was workshopping. It's a musical featuring Jerome Kerns songs. The Post (11/29) also wrote up a review of the Texas Prison Museum, which looks like an interesting museum, to say the least.

The New York Times (11/27) writes that Eve Ensler (of the Vagina Monologues) has created a new show focusing on women and body image, entitled "The Good Body." The review was a positive one, and its a show I would be interested in seeing. Also in the Times (11/29), in order to close a debt in the city, Chicago will be utilizing eBay to raise money for its cultural affairs office. The city will be auctioning off items, tours, and experiences that are important to it. The creator of this, Louis Weisberg, is responsible for the cows that invaded the city and raised a lot of money for culture in the city.

Back to the grind, but not for long!

This week has gone by really fast, which is awesome. I have been feeling, lately, that I have been contributing to what is going on in the office, as well as in the development office. While National Advancement prepares for the busy Honors weekend, I will be assisting their office with some various tasks. I have already helped them out with two separate projects: the state reports, and the press packet. Both of these gave me a reason to look at something different in the greater scheme of the DEVO office. A new look on something is never bad, so I was glad to accept the work from National Advancement, which is something I would like to learn more about.

On Friday, I finished up a bunch of work, including a briefing I had been working on for a while. The Forbes 400 has been an interesting project, but definitely not one of my favorites. The process of getting Kara the briefing has not been working, and I don't know how else to make it work. This is something that I will bring up with her when I have a moment to talk with her. It's something I would like to pass on to the next intern in the MG Intern Binder (which I also plan to revise and continue the letter ritual!).

This week will hopefully go by quickly, and then it's Thanksgiving! However, I have a lot of work to get done until then. Setting goals has been an effective way for me to manage my work. When I reach my goals, it feels really awesome for the week. I am still continuing work on the Annual Reports project, and only have about 14 or so organizations left to call. Hopefully, I will be able to complete that before I leave. It's something that has been on my list, and something that has helped challenge me, as I am still honing up my telephone skills.

But on Friday, I was busy doing work for National Advancement, something my supervisor arranged for me to do. I happened to hear her on the phone, since I try to listen and get pointers about how she handles herself. She was talking about "the intern," which I guess to be me. I was sad when she mentioned the same points she had critiqued me on during the mid semester review. I have been working hard to get things accomplished, and learn in the process. I had hoped to work on the tips she gave me, however it will take more time. I am kind of sad that I happened to overhear this, especially on Friday, when I was feeling very confident of my work. I guess Rome wasn't built in a day, and I should be grateful that she still thinks I am doing a good job with the work.

In the news...The New York Times (11/17) reports that the Public Theatre of NY will appoint a new Executive Director, chosen by the board. He is currently the Executive Director for a theatre company in Connecticut, and is very interested in bringing new works from well known playwrights to the stage. Tony Kushner, the author of Angels in America, gives most of his new work to Oskar Eustis, the man taking over the Public Theatre. This should provide an interesting opportunity for the company.

The Washington Post (11/19) reports that Jerry Seinfeld left the "Puffy Shirt" from one of the episodes of his hit show to the Smithsonian Institute. The shirt will be showcased in the Popular Culture section of the American History Museum (along with Dorothy's red ruby slippers, and the Bunker's arm chairs). Also in the Post (11/22), the Studio Theatre is expanding its premises, with the purchase and renovation of two additional old automobile shops. The shops will be renovated to include more space for a theatre, bar, more restrooms, and additional scene shop space. The newspaper mentions that this will aid the theatre to continue putting on great shows, and keeps the community on the cutting edge of architectural change.

Beginning another week.

So, the post didn't exactly make it on Friday. I was quite busy that day! Liana and I went to Chrome in Georgetown twice, so that we could get the photograph of Stephen A. Schwarzman's carving to his mother. I think the gesture is so nice, and the effort shows real thought and sensitivity to a very cherished chairman of the board. Way to go, MG team!

Other than helping the office to get that done, I have been continuing work on my Forbes 400 list project. I finished a briefing on Friday on John W. Kluge, who is very instrumental in the entertainment industry (he is the founder and chairman of Metromedia). I spent a pretty good amount of time compiling information on the man, who actually had a very interesting life. I try to set personal deadlines for each briefing, so that I know everything will get done. Its just very interesting to me to piece together all the little bits of an individuals life, and form the big picture in a short document. One of my critical incidents was getting this briefing out, as well as knowing that my briefing on Larry Ellison went out to staff members to look over. He is a potential donor, who MAY be attending the Honors awards this year. I was happy that I could finish up the work quickly and thoroughly, send it to Kara, who then sent it out to Marie Mattson. It's very exciting to know that my work will make it that far up the chain! Either way, the briefings have been going well, and I cannot complain in that department.

I am really starting to see how intergral the work I do is, and what happens to it after I complete the research. I would like to continue to learn about the next steps in the process. The most positive thing I am so thankful to be bringing out of this experience is that my research skills have really improved. This is a skill that will be helpful no matter avenue in arts management I choose to pursue. With all the briefings I have prepared, I know that I'm ready for the next step.

So, I believe those are all my "critical incidents," at least for the moment. I don't have too much else to report, except that things are going well. I'm starting to think about my final paper for the internship class (eep!), which will be a lot of work to get done. Hopefully, I will be able to pace myself for all the work to come. Just wait for grad school...

In the news...The Washington Post review of "Two Trains Running" (11/11/04) was fairly good, noting some line issues with the actors, as well as a pacing problem for the entire production. I would really like to see the show, as I read the play while I was in high school, and I really enjoyed the text. August Wilson is a skilled playwright, and his work is always thought provoking and interesting. In Saturday's Post (11/13/04), there were two articles of interest. The first discussed the actor who had a heart attack during Baryshnikov's Forbidden Christmas. He remains hospitalized at GWU Hospital, and everyone is praying for his recovery. The other article highlighted the BSO (Baltimore Symphony Orchestra) and their wonderful last production to take place in Baltimore. The orchestra will be moving to Strathmore Hall in North Bethesda (near where I live). The review was great, and it sounds like a show worth seeing and hearing.

Winding down.

I was given a new project to work on when I got back on Monday. I am researching selected indivduals on the Forbes 400 list, running the "brief" briefings by Kara, and then launching some of them into full blown briefings. Its really interesting, because there is so much information on these people, and putting it all together in only a few pages of information is a real challenge. But I was happy to be given this chance to try a different list to pull names from, and ones with so much clout!

Generally, things are going well and I feel very comfortable here. The MG office is a great place for me, and I couldnt have wished for anything better.

Today I drove with Liana to go pick up a picture that was taken for Stephen A. Schwarzman (Chairman) of his name engraving in the Hall of States. I was really thrilled because it showed that I am being included in what is going on with office activites. So many things have been happening, and I cannot even begin to document every since "critical incident."

I have been thinking about the talking points Kara mentioned during our mid-semester review. I am working on my professional demeanor on the phone, and listening to others in my office in order to learn from them.

The Presidential Election is taking up most of the news, so not much to report on that front (at least I got a ballot).