Friday, July 24, 2009

did I forget to mention...


I went to the NY Times building a couple of months ago? No, I don't mean I stood outside, or even that I just stood in the really cool lobby... I went upstairs. Okay, okay, say what you want about the fading glow of newspaper journalism, but going inside the beehive of the NY Times was pretty cool. I was one of the people from my office there to meet with one of the multimedia guys about multimedia stuff (I won't bore you...). Anyway, if you've ever been in a newsroom, you'd note this too: It was ridiculously quiet in the newsroom. So quiet, I'm pretty sure Bill Keller heard our guy when he whispered "Yeah, that's Keller. Whatever you do, don't mention The Daily Show..." The cubicles were only waist-high — which is bad if you'd like to be out of your neighbors' site lines for even a second. And apparently you have to go 20 blocks to find "anywhere decent" to eat. (Also, there were several full-grown trees in their courtyard. A feat in New York, New York.).

Actual academic thing learned (from the horses' mouth): If you want to see some great online media (minus the frickin' awesome typeface in its print version), go to The Guardian — where ny times online media guys find inspiration.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Acadia, Mount Desert Island, Maine

Recipe for regrouping: grab some friends, your dog, and head back to nature. Headed up to Acadia National Park this past weekend with some friends. We camped at Blackwoods Campground with two tents, and managed to not get wet ("Stay away from the sides of the tent!"), eat some delicious food (despite some harrowing hibachi cooking, and Diane's efforts in the dark), and find all of Lucca's poo (a very necessary thing in a campground).

Met up with some other friends for some barbecue, and one of my best Fourth of July's. There were some amazing moments driving out of our misty campground, and being enveloped in sunshine — and vice versa. The weather this summer has definitely made an impact on everyone's moods. You can tell when it's finally sunny. Believe me.

We managed to hike the Acadia Mountain Trail (rated strenuous), most of the Cadillac Mountain South Ridge Trail (also rated strenuous, and booty-defying, considering how slippery the face was due to all. the. rain.), and swim in Echo Lake. Of course, there were jaunts into Bar Harbor for ice cream and parades, and an amazing ferry ride, or mail-boat ride depending on who you asked, to Cranberry Island — beautiful until the mosquitoes came out of hiding.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

some such thing


this semester, I've been taking a sign language class. yes, yes, it's all fine and dandy to be taking a sign language course, and learning your ABC's,
but then you're expected to be thrust into the world of the deaf social, and then write a paper about it. and this paper will say: How awkward. For me, not for those forced to interact with me. It's like walking into a theoretical math seminar, in French, and being able to say, "Bonjour. Je m'appelle Kim."