Monday, September 27, 2010

Week 5

September 19 - September 25, 2010

Monday 3:30 - 6:45
Tuesday 11:30 - 5:45
Wednesday 3:30 - 5:30
Thursday 11:30 - 3:30

Total Hours: 15.5

Still on deadline. I hear this process takes a few weeks, so I might not see my boss for a while.

The good thing about email is, my boss can still get work to me. The bad thing about email is, my boss can still get work to me. :)

Email is a major source of communication in this office. I think that's both good and bad. Great because it's quick and efficient, not so great because building strong team relationships requires face to face interaction.

I'm just factchecking articles this week, and they need them all yesterday.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Week 4

September 12 - September 18, 2010

Monday 3:15 - 6:00
Tuesday 11:30 - 5:30
Wednesday 3:30 - 6:30
Thursday 11:30 - 6:45

Total hours: 19

We're on deadline!

I'm not sure what that means exactly, but everybody in the office has said it at least once this week.

Okay, I guess I have some sense of what that means. The editorial staff has started layout for the Nov/Dec issue, and the timelines to have everything completed are getting tighter. As the copy editor told me, "we need everything yesterday."

There were some things I liked about being "on deadline." First, the office was quieter, because the editorial staff was working off site. And second, with the frenetic pace, the week just flew by.

People were a little testier than usual in conversation, but that's to be expected when the pressure is on.

I will be glad when we are "off deadline." Mostly, because I have questions for my boss about how that whole process works. I wanted to ask a million this week, but something tells me now is not the time.

Oh, and something else really cool happened. The copy editor was running short on time and asked for ideas on a story headline and subhead. I learned I'm not very good at subheads yet. This was good to know, because I can start working on this. But, the cool thing was, she used the headline I suggested. It was so fun!

Monday, September 13, 2010

Week 3

September 5 - September 11, 2010

Monday - Labor Day
Tuesday 11:30 - 5:30
Wednesday 3:30 - 5:45
Thursday 11:30 - 5:30

Total Hours: 14.25

For a short week, it was very busy. The holiday made tracking people down tricky, but I managed to finish 4 of the 5 stories I was factchecking.

The magazine is working on a military issue for Veterans Day. Some of the stories are very interesting, which is kind of the neat thing about what I'm doing. I get to read all the stories before anyone else does.

It's heartwarming really, to see how the state of Oklahoma supports veterans. My family has a rich history with the military. Besides a plethora of uncles who served in WWII and Korea, my brother served in Viet Nam with the U.S. Air Force, and my son served in Iraq with the Marine Corps.

Because I know firsthand the challenges veterans face when they come home, I am deeply grateful to those who donate time, money and resources to support the men and women of our military. They sacrifice more than many can imagine in service to our country.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Week 2

August 29 - September 4, 2010

Monday 3:15 - 5:30
Tuesday 11:30 - 5:30
Wednesday 3:30 - 5:45
Thursday 11:30 - 5:30

Total Hours: 16.5

I had forgotten how cold business offices could be! Although it's 95 degrees outside, I have to dress for winter inside. Jackets are a must. Plus, they hide a multitude of sins.

My internship at Oklahoma Today is going very well. I get to talk to many different kinds of people on the phone as part of the factchecking process. It's one of the things about journalism that I love-talking to interesting people and learning about interesting topics.

Since OT is a bi-monthly magazine, the deadlines are not as tight as they would be at a monthly publication. I think this is helpful to someone learning the business.

It is getting busier, though. I was given 5 stories to factcheck this week. But, so far, it's tons of fun.

My editor told me I will make a good journalist this week. She said having real-world experience is helpful in what I'm doing. This was a truly wonderful thing to hear, since I thought being old was a detriment. Interns are supposed to be twenty-something. Right?

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Week 1

August 22 - August 28, 2010

Day Time Hours
Monday 3:15 - 5:30
Tuesday 11:30 - 5:30
Wednesday 3:15 - 5:30
Thursday 11:30 - 5:30

Total Hours 16.75

Rush home from class each day and get ready to drive to the city for my internship.

The rushing part is easy, getting ready is a little sketchier. It's been three years since I've dressed in business clothes-three years and 20 lbs. College has not been good for my health.

During the first week, I learned the flow of the office, and what my major tasks will be. Factchecking and research mostly, and maybe a little writing thrown in.

I don't care really, I'm just excited to have this opportunity to learn how a magazine editorial department operates. I'm a very lucky lady.