lundquia's blog

So the July issue of Revue is out. Sadly, none of the articles that i worked on for this month's issue made the final cut. I did however, spend some time proofing the articles that are there, and I have listings that I posted to the web. I also got started on several article for the August issue, so hopefully I have some stuff in there.

This week I wrote a short article about a concert that the Indigo Girls will be performing in July. I hadn't listened to them before so I spent some time researching them, figuring out what genre (folk), their general sound, how many albums, best known songs, etc. They definitely have a unique sound.

"Damn!" I mutter under my breath as I realize that I've just passed the next business on my drop off list and need to turn around YET AGAIN on this insanely busy street. I have gone through 4 years of college in the GR area without a car; this is my first summer with one. Slowly but surely I am learning my way around, the old fashioned-way too. Armed with only my chicken scratched notes of street names and which way to turn (all of the gps's need to be charged as they are worn out from the big drop off a week ago), I am slowly, painfully learning my way around GR.

Let's see, what happened this week?
I spent part of Monday out canvassing GR with posters for the upcoming 19 Windows competition that I wrote the article for in the magazine. Since I've survived 4 years at GV without a car, I'm still not real familiar with Grand Rapids. I was lucky enough to go with another intern that lives downtown, so at least he knew where we were going! The weather was gorgeous, so that was another huge bonus. We hit up a bunch of businesses in the Easttown area, and passed several coffee shops that I need to go back and visit later. :)

This week, the tension level was significantly lower when I walked in the door on Tuesday morning. Deadline had passed, and delivery was almost done. The giant iron cloud that kept everyone firmly hunched over their computers was gone, and my coworkers were making basic chit-chat between assignments.

This week, I've been helping to get the last of the moving done, and I've been working on a web story. I was entirely in charge of the interviews, writing it, and finding out more information on my subject. It was a little intimidating at first; the feeling of sink or swim hasn't quite faded yet. The interviews went fairly well (I think), and I've just sent the latest copy of the story to my boss.

So first week at the internship was unexpected to say the least. Monday morning, I showed up bright and early, ready to tackle the day. Within minutes of arriving, I was put to work on writing Art Listings for the magazine. Freeze.

To say I was thrown by the lack of introduction to the jobsite is an understatement. But, as the week progressed, I got the feeling that that is just the way it is. Deadline has to be met, and as long as the newbie can follow directions and write the article, then everything will be okay.