NYC: Part Two, the part that really counts.

The photo above was taken on my most recent trip up to the Big Apple. It's a view of the NYC skyline as seen from the Brooklyn Pier (I think.) I'm thinkin I might go back up again in two or three weeks. We'll see. It all depends.

In any case, I'm really starting to think NYC might be my next move. After all, this blog is about my adventures and the people I meet along the way. How many more adventures and people could there possibly be to talk about in D.C.? I've been in D.C. longer than I've been anywhere since college. I'm antsy in my pantsy and ready to move again! The itch started back in August when I was first looking for a "real" job. As my loyal readers know, I got a job and ended up staying in D.C. But, obviously, I've been ready to get outta here for a while.

I started thinking about moving up north a few months ago. Actually, I was thinking about going back west to San Fran, but with the recent news about this giant thinking about shuttering its windows, I'm thinkin it might not be such a wise move. So why not go north? 

I already knew a few friends from home and college who live there and after going to Israel I met even more great people who live there, so it's almost as though my life is waiting for me up there. The biggest obstacle of making this move happen is a job. Yes, a job. That three-letter word that seems to be everyone's biggest problem these days. I have three friends who've recently been laid off and possibly another today. Still waiting to hear about that one. So, how does someone like me, who has a fairly stable job in a completely unstable field, a lease and a "life" feel like she has the right to want more? Well, because I deserve more. That's why. I didn't see myself being where I am today two years ago. I figured when I graduated from college I'd do a few internships and end up at some kick-ass newspaper chasing cops and photography babies and puppies. Well, those things happened on the internship, but not in the real world. I want that in my real world and I'm determined to make it happen. 

So NYT, Hearst, Conde Nast, I'm comin full speed ahead to you, begging, pleading to take a chance on a rookie who really wants it. If any editors are out there reading this, you can find my resume here.

Two weeks down, 50 to go.

Today is the second Friday of my first two weeks at the Fort Myer Pentagram. The boss is out of the office so I can do some of my own writing now. The above photo was my attempt to go feature hunting in the area (notice the spots... the camera's at this place are all filthy and need a desperate sensor cleaning.) I did end up finding a feature that day, a woman shopping for pumpkins, but the boss decided the woman didn't look friendly enough, so instead we ran a feature of the pumpkins on the ground in the parking lot. I guess that's more journalistic than humans? Whatevs.

I guess it's going ok. I'm still trying to find my footing. I'm designing a little, shooting a little more and copy-editing more than anything else. I guess they don't realize I'm not a copy editor! But I hold my own. I find plenty of mistakes. I guess this isn't the dream job I was hoping for, but it's a foot in the door, right? Hence the 50 weeks to go. Apparently when you work for a Washington Post owned publication, if you old out for a year, you get preferrential hiring within the company. So, hopefully, in 50 weeks, someone will have quit or retired or whatever from the Post's photo department and I'll find myself a job!! Here's to hoping.

In the meantime, I hope everyone is getting ready for the election. Do your research and make the right decision!!

Back in the Game

Last Saturday I shot my first freelance assignment for the Times Community papers of Northern Virginia. I covered a district little league championship game. Let me tell you something. I was SO rusty. I was out on the field, shooting the game. Trying to keep up with the action (I mean, it's not like it's fast, they're 11 years old), yet I still felt like I wasn't getting anything good. Lucky for me, I surprisingly caught the play of the game (not the photo above), and that's what ended up running. And, I got a phone call from the mother of the boy in the photo telling me the photo was "phenomenal" and that she wanted a copy. So, needless to say, I felt flattered.

Now I realize it's been almost a year since I did anything with any kind of journalistic edge and I miss it! I totally miss being out there, talking to people. Running after people trying to figure out who I need to talk to and where I need to be. It's becoming more and more evident to me that I need to get a job, and ASAP! If I stay in D.C. any longer, it might never happen, oddly enough. You would think that the nation's capital would need lots of coverage and what not, but apparently everyone's got a handle on it. I suppose that means I'll be leaving D.C. to find work elsewhere, though I make no promises.

On a side note, I got published in the Post again. I think I'm 3 for 5 now. 60%, not bad. And I met the former editor of National Geographic magazine today. That was a pretty cool moment I must say. Oh, and, I got to shoot Earth, Wind & Fire in their dressing room last night, though I'm not at liberty to make those photos public.

The Newseum: It's About News

Lucky me, my friend Danny came to town last weekend for a brief, yet enjoyable, visit. So, being the nerdy journalists we are, we invited Ethan down to the Newseum to check out what the fuss was all about. For those of you that have never been to DC before, let me tell you something: all the museums (with the exception of like 3 or 4, so mainly all the Smithsonian's...) are FREE. The Newseum, is not. Once again, lucky for me, Danny using his big brains, got us two free tickets. Where am I going with all this? Let me tell you. The Newseum typically costs $20 to get in. For an adult. It's 6 floors of pure journalism goodness, including a new exhibit on G-Men and Journalists featuring Ted Kazcynski's cabin and the DC Sniper's car. Well, those 6 floors took us about... maybe 4 hours to get through, which included an 8-minute orientation and a 4-D movie (water and wind included). But, unlike a FREE Smithsonian, I wasn't totally wiped out and dying from exhaustion when we finished. Let me tell you why: There's practically nothing inside that 6 story building. Yes there's lots of history and information about news and journalism, but it's not jam packed the way I expected it to be. So, needless to say, I was a little disappointed. But, to end on a good note, I'd still recommend for any journalism-geeks out there, to go check it out. I mean, there is a huge room with all of the Pulitzer Prize winning photographs dating back to 1945 in it. (For me that was probably the most exciting aspect of the whole place.) So go get educated and journalism-afy yourself.