To The Top

It was a bittersweet week, going to Cincinnati knowing this would be my last week at Cincinnati Magazine. I didn't plan for any big adventures, because I finally realized something. Cincinnati was the adventure. I've spent the last two months exploring new places and new things. I've experienced the city.

Even though I never got to go a museum because of the hours, I still visited numerous parks, and restaurants that are Cincinnati favorites. The staff at the magazine was amazing. They were patient when I had questions, and I got the opportunity to learn about how magazines are created. I also got to see my name in print. I know that the smell of ink is one that will forever bring me joy.

On my last day, I had quite the tearjerker moment when I walked in and found a card laying on my seat. Shelly and Kristen and I finally went to the top of Carew Towers. After 45 floors, you have to take a much smaller elevator that is created only for four people. We went to the observation deck, paid our two dollars and walked out. Afterwards, we walked down to Skyline and I allowed myself one last small three-way, before I start back to eating healthy and working out all the time.

From the top of the tower, we could look down and see Fountain Square, the river, and even Union Terminal. A lesson that I learned, if you want to see the city, really see the city, start from the tallest structure.

Afterwards, we hugged and said our good-byes and exchanged information so we can keep in touch. The publishing world isn't very big and I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again.

So, I hope you've enjoyed my adventures. I will take the rest of summer to spend with my kids, and family and friends that I have neglected during this time. Don't think my adventures are over. There's already talk about a day at Toledo Botanical Gardens, and plans to maybe go to the Chicago Jazzfest. The world is huge, and there are so many things to see, and experience.

I'm ready for that next adventure.

A week of Reflection

So there wasn't a big adventure this week. That can mostly be chalked up to a surprise storm, in which I hydroplaned down 75 before I slowed down. After that, I decided that was my sign to just kick back for the afternoon and take a nap.With my internship being halfway over, this therefore is time for reflection.

Back at the office on Tuesday, things were fairly routine until Sue popped in and asked me to write a personal essay about my online college experience. I said of course, how could I not. I had it written and turned in by the following morning and am keeping my fingers crossed that it makes copy. When I turned it in, Sue said she loved it. It was exactly what she was looking for.

So, I'm halfway home, halfway done with my internship. I realize I've been learning a lot while I'm there. I am getting better at editing, even if I'm not quite there yet. This afternoon I popped in for a short question and answer session with our graphic designer. I asked her some of the same questions that I've asked Kara and Sue. One of my most popular questions is, "How do you find inspiration?"

The answer is "watch what is trending." Because this is an answer I've gotten from all three of my questionees, I've realized that their offices are covered with magazines, all sorts of magazines. I also realized, I'm becoming obsessed with magazines. A quick trip to the grocery store turns into me admiring a magazine, trying to figure out what it is about the cover that makes people pick it up.

I've also watched how they work together. Each one says that every issue that comes out is a team effort. The sales team can't put out a magazine with no content, but the art team, the editors, and the graphic designer can't put together a magazine with no sales team. 

When I was all done with that, I popped into Kara's office to practically beg for a chance to go on a photo shoot, any photo shoot. If I'm going to see things from the ground up, this is one thing I'd like to experience.

Of course my fellow interns and I had lunch today. We didn't visit any unusual spots and while we did go to Skyline, I opted for a salad (still counting calories). I asked them for directions on how to get to a local park, so that I can visit that sometime soon. I also convinced them that on my last day, we need to go to the top of Carew Towers.  Viewing the city sky line will be my final tribute to the city. (for the time being)

As the skies opened up and poured down rain on my three block back to my car, I realized, I've never seen the John A. Roebling bridge with the lights on. It was a breathtaking sight, even as I stood there drenched, I had to have a picture.

I have an adventure in mind next week. It involves crossing the state line into Convington, KY, to see a certain famous church that working on Wedding, I have seen and read a lot about. 

By the way, the homeless guy who stands outside Starbucks in the mornings with the sign that says "When you give to the poor, you loan to the Lord", he was missing today. Probably due to the storms, but last week I noticed, his shift ends at five when the other offices downtown close.

Excitements and Worries

After a disastrous weekend at the paying job, (I will call it that so that I don't get into trouble for naming it outright, when I slip and grumble about it) in which I dented something, ruining my accident free streak, I was excited to get back to Cincinnati Monday. I left early Monday armed with a plan. My first stop was to be to Ikea, since I discovered my room in the sublet has no light. Then I would hit the Cincinnati Art Museum.

Plans ended up getting changed, and it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Here's the first piece of advice, the little button on your navigator that says places? There's a good chance you should just Google the address before you go, rather than trusting Navigator. While driving my way around a neighborhood that there is clearly no museum in, I did pass the Krohn Conservatory. Finally I decided that I was already right there, I might as well stop.

Parking was a little bit of a trial and I ended up parking a few blocks away. The seven dollar admission price is cheaper than what I thought it would be. (It was listed as 9 somewhere). The current exhibit is Butterflies of Morocco. Of course I instantly fell in love. As you walk through you can hear the soothing sounds of fountains, and see vibrant colors that give the area a Morrocon  feel. Before you are ushered into the butterfly conservatory, you are given what looks like a cardboard coaster and told only one rule. "Don't touch the butterflies with your hands."

When you enter, the views and sounds are breathtaking. Colorful butterflies take flight, and you can listen as little children tell their mom "Mom, a butterfly landed on your head!" You can read about the different species of butterflies and try to coax one onto your waiting cardboard. When you've had your fill of the color, before you exit you are stopped in a tiny room, and asked to turn around. If you have a purse, flap your purse too, this is just to make sure none of the beauties are trying to escape with you. From there, you can walk through the "rainforest" under glass, which offers a spectacular waterfall, and take the picturesque stone tunnel under the waterfall.

After I exited, I decided to walk to the address for the art museum. There are signs directing you, and it's only a few blocks walk. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way that the Cincinnati Museum of Art, is closed on Mondays. Instead I walked through Eden Park.

Eden Park has The Cincinnati Playhouse, an outdoor theater, a beautiful and intensely hued gazebo, walking paths, a wonderful magnolia flower garden, two old architecturally-styled walking bridged, and Bettman Fountain. (again with me and the fountains) All totaled the approximately 6 mile walk around was worth the time.

It dawned on me that like most cities, not only is there a rich cultural offering, but there is also poverty. About two blocks away from Eden Park, I stopped at the gas station and was approached by someone asking for spare change.

Back At the Office

I spent the next morning, doing more research and fact checking. That afternoon Kara asked me to attend a staff meeting with her. This was that moment, I played it completely cool and said of course. I grabbed my notebook and pen, but knew if she hadn't been watching, I would have done my infamous "I'm so cool because" dance.

Watching a soft pagination (a tentative layout)  is pretty exciting, well for a rookie anyway. When you hold glossy magazine  pages in your hand you never stop to think about the team or time that it took to put them together. I can appreciate now that it takes a team of people from sales, to graphics and art, to editing to make it come together smoothly. Magazines get planned sometimes months ahead of time. Needless to say, I walked out with a page full of questions to ask. (I didn't want to interrupt the team while they were working)

Wednesday was more fact checking and researching, a few tweaks here and there. Each new thing that I learn, (like how copy gets edited, or how art gets chosen) makes me more enthusiastic for the steps I'm taking.

I have worries too, inevitably I worry about my kids. I worry about how they're doing with me three hours away, even though we're in constant contact. I worry that I may have to cut an adventure or two short and pick up some extra hours at the "paying" job,  to pay for upcoming expenses. I even worry about what path I'll take when I'm finished with this next few weeks, and how my boys will adapt to a changing path that will force them to change.

As I left the office, I stopped to listen to the Reggae band that was beginning to warm up for the evenings music at Fountain Square. I would have stayed longer, but looking down the street I noticed Moms, Dads, Husbands and wives wearing Reds t-shirts and gear, walking towards the Great American Ball Park. I realized there must be a game tonight and that meant traffic wouldn't die anytime soon.

Sometime soon I will go down late on a Monday and stay until Thursday so that I can visit the Museum of Art, and the National Underground Freedom Center that I pass every day. (both closed Mondays) Kara did encourage me to visit the Botanical Garden, and the Cincinnati Zoo. I'll let you know if I have to choose a shorter adventure next time to put in extra hours at the paying job. What do you think my next adventure should be?

View from Eden Park Walkway

Zebra striped Butterfly

Waterfall Krohn Conservatory

Gazebo Eden Park

"I'm new to Cincinnati,"I nervously explained to the girl working the parking lot booth as I fumbled with my ticket. Pulling the rest of the way into the lot, I realized I was two hours early for my first day. I had left so early in case I got lost, or ran into rush-hour traffic.

As I sat quietly, I penned a quick text to my Uncle, detailing the life lessons I've recently learned from him.
1. Fake it til you make it. (Always walk like you know exactly where you're going, even if you don't)
2. Never pack more than you can carry. (Dry cleaners exist for a reason)
3. Sometimes you have to push your way through the crowd to get anywhere.
4. Dress the part.
5. If you walk the city, rather than drive it, you will get to know the city better.
6. Make friends everywhere, you never know when a friend could become an important contact or resource. 


Little did I know I was about to put several of these lessons into play, along with a couple of added ones.

Sitting in my car, I checked my GPS quickly, to give me the direction I needed to walk in. Of course, I walked like I knew exactly where I was going. Once I spotted the Starbucks on the corner, I realized I indeed knew where I was. After a quick stop for some java, I saw my building. I didn't want to enter it this early, and of course I had time.

As I looked across the street I discovered a city square. The city square is named Fountain Square, for the obvious reasons, there's a fountain in the middle. The fountain is a large bronze statue called "The Genius of Water." Sitting there listening to the fountain, I felt the knot I had been swallowing start to dispel. I admired the building that my new office would be in, Carew Tower, a 49 story building, with French Art Deco architecture, that brags a mixture of offices, shops, and cafes.

Finally it was time to go in. As I approached the building I forced myself to breathe again. Stopping at the restroom to check my appearance again, I realized, my office is business casual, so I'm slightly overdressed, but dress the part right? Besides I want to stick out from the crowd.  I walked the stairs to the second floor where my new office would be. (I know, big let down in such a tall building that boasts views of the city) After being ushered in, Sue, the editor of Cincinnati Magazine and the person who hired me showed me around, took me to my office and showed me how to log onto the Mac. (Mac!? another new experience) Then came the first assignment.

"Do you have any fact checking experience?" she asked

I was forced to admit that my only fact checking experience was my own research for school papers. After giving me a quick lesson, she introduced me to Kara, for my first assignment (editor of Cincinnati wedding, and Custom Publishing).

My first fact checking assignment wasn't horrible. I realized right then however; that city traffic is not the bane of my existence, commas are. See the thing with commas is in AP style there is a different rule than in good ole regular English.  I really need to study these. I admit to using Google for simple questions such as, "how do you copy and paste on a Mac?" Remember that fake it til you make it lesson?

The first week went pretty much like that. I did fact checking. It might not seem interesting right off-hand, but I also know that learning from the ground up is important.I asked a ton of questions about how certain feature decisions happen. Through that conversation, I found out not only do I have something in common with my editor, but she has a friend that is an editor of a travel magazine. (Stored information for when I finish that Spain story) I found out I'm the first intern that has had grown up children.  I actually managed to complete one assignment before I left the office for the week, and get ahead on a couple of others. 

 That gut-wrenched feeling I had at the beginning of the week is now gone. I know the next few months will bring challenges. Bouncing back and forth between two homes, two jobs, three kids and homework isn't going to be easy. I'm learning though, and based on the award I've seen hanging on the walls I'd say I'm learning from the best.

So here, I'm proposing that for the next few weeks I give you a glimpse into the city from the point of view of someone new. Rather than fight rush hour traffic on Wednesdays in an effort to rush back home to my boys, I plan to visit a new city spot and let traffic die down. So what would you like me to cover first?