In case my plugging The Birth of Freedom in my last post didn’t get the point across, I’m bringing it up again.
This is a very well-done project and I’m excited to have played a (very, very small) part in it, and I’m really geeked that I know the people who did most of the work on it.
Here is the trailer:
And this is the teaser (first 2 minutes of the movie):
It gives me chills whenever I watch it.
(I work here)
Sometimes I do this thing where I imagine in my head what my life would look on TV or in a movie sequence, complete with a soundtrack and credits. I kind of wonder if this habit is one of my random weirdnesses, or if other people secretly do it, too…
Anyway, the opening sequence for the TV episode version of this week in my life would have shown various cuts of me trucking down the highway and stuck in traffic bright and early Monday morning, and then driving in circles downtown a couple of times, trying to figure out exactly which parking lot it was that I could access with my magical Dashlot passcard. The song “Under Pressure” By Queen (or maybe the My Chemical Romance cover version) would play in the background. Just as I begin to freak out because I can’t find the right parking lot and I’m going to be late, I find a gate that my passcard opens and I park my vehicle just as the DASH (Downtown Area SHuttle) bus is pulling up. I slam the truck door and race (in high heels) to the waiting bus, and ride GR public transportation for the first time since a kindergarten field trip. As the bus lumbers away from the stop I start freaking out, worrying I got on the wrong one. But soon it stops in front of my building and I’m there, breathlessly just-on-time for my second week of work at my RealJob(tm). (and the song ends.)
Every day when I walk in to the lobby of the big downtown office building, with the sound of my high heels on the tile floors echoing off the high ceilings, I feel a sense of naive, childlike wonderment, as if it’s all just a big game of pretend. I still can’t believe I’m here, working in such a cool place, doing this job. In the morning when I’m putting on my fancy work clothes and high heels and perfect makeup I feel like I’m a little girl playing dress-up. I mean, I expected to become a barista upon graduation. Working at an internationally renowned nonprofit research institute, not so much. *grin* Honestly, I love it and hope that this feeling never quite goes away.
I cross the lobby and take the elevator up to the third floor, and there I am in our office suite, the office suite where I have my very own desk. This is the hallway outside our suite. Maybe I’m just a nerd for posting this. But I can’t get over how pretty it is and that i get to work here.
And here it is, the place where all the action happens. My very own cube with my very own filing cabinets and my very own desk with my very own MacBookPro. As you can see, I’ve been settling in OK, with all of my special stuff set up nicely on the desk. Supposedly a tackboard has been ordered too, so I can put more stuff on the walls. I hope it comes soon, because I like stuff. (You really should click on the photo to visit its flickr page and see all the little descriptive notes on it, because that’s fun).
the other corner of my desk
My tassel, proudly displayed
My very own phone. As you can see, it helpfully displays the date, the time, and my extension, in case I’ve forgotten, as well as my very official title, which makes me smile all the time. I may be just a lackey, but doggone it, I’m a senior lackey.
“Biggby” Coffee just opened a new location right across the street from my building, and all week they’ve been giving away free grande mocha mochas and white lightnings and caramel wonders and chilled mochas and whatever else you could want. So I’ve had at least one free coffee every day this week. Methinks I’ll be sad next week when the promotion is over and I will not be able to afford coffees every day.
This is the back hallway from our suite to the bathrooms. I love these wood floors. I love the way the light shines on them and my shoes click-clomp on them. Sometimes I feel like dancing and/or skipping down the hallway. Sometimes, if I’m sure there’s nobody around who will see, I do.
Although the week was filled with glee and wonderment, it was pretty intense at times too. My boss (the webmaster) was away at a web conference, leaving three-day-old me in charge at the controls. Fortunately, I didn’t break anything or make too much of a fool out of myself. But it was a little overwhelming at times. I was kind of lost, I did manage to design and build this website, which I’m pretty proud of: Birth of Freedom Documentary. This is a kickawesome website for a kickawesome project. “The Birth of Freedom” is Acton’s new documentary on the history of freedom, starting with ancient Greece and following it all the way through Martin Luther King Jr. The documentary premiered tonight with a party at the VanAndel Museum Center and will be released to DVD this fall. I believe it will also air on PBS at some point. Anyway, you should watch the preview. It’s pretty awesome and inspiring, in my opinion.
Anyway, I get to do it all again next week.
Work is still great. I’m geeked about having my own cube and MacBookPro, and I also can’t wait to meet my friend Tinney for lunch on TUesday. I haven’t seen him in foreverz.
The best thing about having a job (besides getting paid to do stuff) is being able to come home at night and have no papers to write or Greek to look at. I get to participate in normal activities like doing the dishes or grocery shopping getting beat by my 5-year-old brother at Mario Cart Racing on his Wii. (pictured below)
I have all sorts of things I want to do in my newfound “free time”. Here is a list:
1. Reading
2. Riding
3. Relaxing
4. Reminiscing
5. Roofing (as in, fix the barn roof that got ripped up in a windstorm
6. ‘riting
7. Redesign my blog (again)
8. Keep the church podcast up-to-date (I ran out of R’s)
9. Make this filthy fat beast into a clean, conditioned, respectable-looking show horse
10. Organize my paperwork
11. Edit video in iMovie
12. Teach my little boy Max how to do things like not freak out when I spray him with a hose, step into the trailer without throwing a fit, and carry a rider
13. Work on my Latin vocab (ironic as it is, I never had time to do that while i was in school)
14. Take pictures of flowers
15. Spend long hours browsing at the bookstore, just for the fun of it
16. Clean the barn
17. Build things. (like a bookshelf, a swingset, a hitching post, a workbench…)
18. Clean my car
19. Take pictures of cats
20. Spend time with friends
21. Lay on the beach
22. Visit Carrie in Chicago
23. …..
I could get to enjoy this “Real life” thing.
I started my new job today.
it was, how you say,
Last night and this morning I was totally all nervous that really, I was in way over my head, and that they would hate me, or that it would be totally the wrong place to be. I was definitely wrong. The coolness just doesn’t end.
First of all, working downtown is going to be flippin’ sweet. The massive old building where our offices are located is really neato. I still love that there’s a fountain in the lobby. It’s within a 3-minute walk of Rosa Parks circle and all kinds of eateries and coffeehouses (not that I intend to spend too much of my paycheck on eating out). I just love that i get to work in such an exciting place but then come back home to the lovely country. It’s the best of both worlds.
The first thing I did was meet with the HR manager, and she showed me around the place and introduced me to about a zillion people (or maybe about 25) whose names I all promptly forgot. The office is gorgeous. My favorite part is the library, which is stocked with all kinds of awesomeness, everything from Seneca and his stoic buddies to Nietzche to Calvin to Piper to Plato. The library is there for employee use. I can’t wait to use it. 
We finished our tour in the area where I will be working–the office ‘pod’ where the all of the media-related people work. I get my very own desk in my very own cubicle with my very own shelf and filing cabinet. It makes me feel so growed up. And on my desk, there is a new 17″ MacBookPro!!!!!!!!111111one
I also get my very own phone and my very own extension. I’m actually scared to use the phone. It has way too many buttons on it.
My boss is really great. So is his boss. And his boss’ boss. My boss said to me more than once today: “I’m so excited.” He’s been a one-man show for way too long…I’m really impressed with his work on the website, it’s a very huge project for one person to have managed and I’m really excited to have the chance to help him out.
The whole day was just really surreal. I felt like I was a little kid again, pretending to be a grownup. I just hope nobody discovers my little game of make-believe.
Jaci and I are gorgeous. I love Jaci.
There were lots of graduates. Like, two thousand or something ridiculous like that. We spent lots of time standing in line. And then we marched in while Pomp and Circumstance played.
My family was situated really close to where I was sitting. This is a photo of their row. you can see Ethan in the light blue on the right with his hand up in the air.
Finally getting called up to get my diploma was definitely one of the most thrilling moments of my life. My heart was pounding as Jaci and I followed the line of blue-shrouded lemmings towards the stage. And then, right on the front row before the stairs to the stage, were Dr. Anderson (Only he says I have to call him Peter now) and Dr. Rayor. When I saw them I screamed a little and jumped up and down. They laughed and waved. After that it was up onto the stage, have my name read, shake about 4 hands, smile for the camera, and sit back down.
The area around VanAndel arena was chaos, with 2000 graduates and 20,000 of their nearest and dearest exiting the building. Thankfully, cell phones were quite helpful when it came time to meet back up with the fam.
Afterwards we went out for dinner at Applebees. It was a nice way to end the evening.
And now I am a graduate and it’s all really quite over. And I’m this weird mixture of happy and sad…but mostly sad at the moment. How can these have been simultaneously the longest and shortest four years of my life?
We’re adults now. When did this happen? And how do we make it stop?
Change, even good change, is almost always difficult, I’m convinced.
The reality of all this sank in today. As of tomorrow, I am not a student I am not an undergrad student anymore. And on Tuesday, I will enter the working world for real.
It was at the “Honors College Recognition Ceremony”, aka Honors Mini Graduation, aka Lots of Pointless Speeches and Other Boring Stuff. I only went because Dr. Anderson strong-armed me into going. “Consider it your final service to the department.” (He knows I’d do nearly anything in the name of “service to the department”.) They did have a chocolate fountain at this event, which made it easier to put up with the pointless speeches. And I got a cool stole and medallion (pictured above) which I get to wear tomorrow with my the rest of my graduation regalia. If I’m going to wear a blue shroud and one of those hats that make EVERYBODY look absolutely stupid, at least I get to accessorize it with extra doodads that proclaim how intellectually special I am. (snerk.)
And so there we were at this ceremony (we being Devin and I and all of the professors in our department except for the one on sabbatical) sitting around listening to name after name being called up to get their special doodads and shake hands with the dean and whatnot and I’m trying not to fall asleep, I’m just so impressed with the lameness of it all. And then I called to mind my first day of school, my first class. It was Greek 101, 209 Lake Superior Hall. I crept in, scrutinizing my schedule, toting my new backpack, hoping I was in the right classroom, and I sat down next to one of the handsomest guys I’d ever seen in real life. And I admit it–I dropped my pencil on purpose.
Devin and I sat next to each other for the entire semester. And the one after that. And then in our sophomore year, we had identical class schedules and sat next to each other in Latin and Classical World. And things continued this way. We’re good friends, but we’ve never talked excessively. I don’t think we have to. We just get each other. He can get kind of cocky sometimes. I think he’s allowed, seeing as he’s arguably the most intelligent and dedicated scholar the Classics department has ever seen.
{my senior thesis was to write a unit study on Roman Citizenship for use in high school and undergrad classrooms.}
Devin and I were both nominated for “Outstanding Honors Senior Thesis” awards. Devin won. I’m proud of him.
The Lord knew what he was doing when he put Devin and I together in Greek 101, and I feel so fortunate to have shared my academic career with him. He was the Gilbert Blythe to my Anne Shirley (although I’m pretty sure our story won’t end like theirs did!)–there was always, always, always the drive to one-up Devin. He generally scored higher than me on everything, by about a half a point. But once in awhile, victory was mine, and it was sweet. I wouldn’t have tried so hard, if I didn’t have Devin.
Who would have known? When we first met, I was an art major, and he was going to transfer out of GVSU as soon as he possibly could. Yet here we were. We’ve learned so much and come so far and experienced so much together. I feel like Devin and I are the yin and yang of Classics…Devin is the scholar. I am the….the what? The free spirit, maybe. He and I, we are so different. Yet so alike. And four years later, we’ve come full circle. And he’s off to grad school and I’m going to work at a big girl job. I sat there reflecting on all of this as the Honors director continued droning off names, and I began to weep like a baby.
It’s so over.
I cannot imagine staying at Grand Valley another year–I loved school but it’s really time for me to take all that I’ve learned and live with it. I am excited about my amazing new job and can’t wait to start it (which happens way too soon, on Tuesday). Yet even though I know I need to move on, and even though I know the future holds amazing things, it’s still so hard. Because the past was amazing, too. And I’m scared to leave behind the place and the people that I was so close with. I cried a lot on the way home, and I believe I will continue to cry. I’m not ashamed of it.
Speaking of my amazing new job, I am the new rockstar in the department. I have the official distinction of being the Most Gainfully Employed Graduate of the Year. (Going out in a blaze of glory is fun.) All of a sudden, I am the poster child for “Classicists can too get jobs!!!!111″. Soon my face will be plastered up on the department website, and I have been informed that my story will forever be an inspiration to Classics students despairing of employment. Today I popped in at the department before the ceremony. It was deserted of students, but Ginny and most of the faculty were there. One of the professors had produced a bottle of red wine from some corner of their office, and another came up with some cheese, and they had just succeeded in opening the wine with a letter-opener and a drywall screw, when I walked in. “Brittany’s here!” Dr. Anderson exclaimed. “We must have a toast for her new job.” Ginny poured the wine, all raised their glasses and fell silent, and Dr. Levitan said simply, “To you.” “Hear hear,” was the reply, and everyone drank.
It was absolutely precious.
And now, I will begin my capstone paper, which I intend to write all tonight. I dislike all-nighter writing marathons, but this particular one shall be a celebration, for tonight I write, and tomorrow I will have become an alumna.
I had my last class tonight.
I have to finish my capstone paper and then commencement on Sat. afternoon, and that’s that.
It was a good evening. After class a few of us went out to Main Street Pub. Dr. Levitan tagged along and ended up buying our dinner. I think that was pretty cool of him. It was an enjoyable way to culminate my educational experience.
After that, Renee, Loretta, and I went to Jaci’s apartment to watch Grey’s Anatomy. That was pretty great. We plan to make a weekly tradition of it.
I feel nothing. (Maybe it’s because i still have to finish a 15-page paper.) Just really, really tired.
p.s. - bonus points for anyone who gets the reference in the post title.
I had a birthday this past week. Sources say I’m 22 (and that claim can be substantiated if you choose to count the candles on my blazing inferno of a cake).
I spent the day writing a presentation. Doing research wasn’t such a bad way to spend my birthday, seeing as the topic was fairly interesting. I also took a break to go riding. At one point on our ride, Jezebelle threw a tantrum over some noisy plastic caught in a tree. I didn’t fall off but I think that was definitely the goal. It was pretty hilarious, after it was all over.
On Thursday I had my last ever “regular” class at Grand Valley. I gave a presentation without feeling nervous. That was an accomplishment of which I am proud.
Afterwards Loretta and I did our beach thing, that is, the thing that we go to the beach after class and talk about school and life and what we’ve learned. Last year when we did this, we brought along booze. This year we opted for coffee instead. Apparently in the space of a year we’ve turned into such responsible, mature little munchkins.
On Friday, I was offered–and I accepted– a position at Acton Institute, “a Christian research institute dedicated to the promotion of a free and virtuous society”. I will be working 25-35 hours a week as their website assistant to start with and likely eventually become involved with editing their publications…perhaps even writing for them. They seem pretty optimistic/open about what my role with them may be in the future.
I am extremely excited about this job and I still can’t actually believe it’s going to happen. It really couldn’t be a more perfect situation. I will be working for an organization whose mission I am interested in. They have already stated that they are supportive of my other pursuits (i.e. teaching) and will be able to be flexible with my schedule in order to accommodate that. Their office is downtown in the Waters Building. This is the sort of building that has plush carpet, all kinds of old woodwork, and a fountain in the lobby. And It’s as if the position was tailor-made for me and my unusual conglomeration of gifts–I mean, computers and Classics. How much more scattered could you get?
But see, there’s no “as if” about it. I know beyond a doubt that this situation was custom-designed for me by God himself. It has His handwriting all over it. Two weeks ago, I had a freakout and sent out about 15 resumes to everything from libraries to law offices. Acton was the only one who called me back, and the only interview I had. I had never heard of them before, but when I was doing my research for the interview, I was extremely impressed with them and all of a sudden, I really wanted to work for them, and I said that several times during the interview. The interview itself, I thoroughly enjoyed. Apparently my interviewers thought it went well too, because the rest is history. And now I have a perfect job that I know I’ll love, which should modestly but adequately provide for my needs. God has outdone himself this time.
After dealing with the “Classics? What are you going to do with THAT??” question (and sometimes wrestling with it myself), and after listening to four years’ worth of skeptics wisecracking about “living in a cardboard box” and working in fast food after I graduate, I have a real job, straight out of the box, no assembly required. And I got that job because of my Classics major, even though they probably had other candidates with fancier computer science credentials. It’s incredibly validating.
Stephenie: Thanks for the birthday card.
I had my last Greek class today. I cried. Dr. Rayor did too.
This last week is a bittersweet thing. I’m so sick of writing papers and prepping for exams and reading x lines of Sophocles/Suetonius/Tacitus/X author every night. I’m so ready to have my life back and be able to spend extra time brushing my ponies, playing Super Smash Bros. with my little brother, and building things. Yet I will miss the academic realm, the forced mental calisthenics, and most of all, the amazing people I’ve gotten to spend so much time with for the past four years.
Today we had our Classics end-of-year get-together, which is basically a party where we get together and talk about how awesome we are and make nerdy inside Classics jokes.
This is Me and Kate. Kate is such a dear. She is amazing with languages. She was awarded the Sophia prize, which came with a “Big Liddell”, the Holy Grail of All Greek Dictionaries. I am jealous, but not terribly jealous, because I got this:
This is the Oxford Classical Text collection of Seneca’s complete dialogues. OCTs are the holy grail of all classical texts, and obscenely expensive. I intend to sleep with this book tonight because I loves it soooooo much. Before he presented it to me, Dr. Anderson made a really nice speech which made me cry (again) about Classics, Life, and Calling.
Here I am with my Seneca and the venerated Dr. Anderson himself, famous for snarky comments and astonishingly effective pedagogy. He is nothing short of an amazing educator and has been such a mentor to me, both in the classroom and in our office-hours conversations.
And this is Ginny. Her official title is office manager, but her actual position is more like “Everybody’s Surrogate On-Campus Mom”. She is the keeper of the stapler, forks, coffee creamer, Ibuprofen, and the latest departmental news. She is good at soothing ruffled feathers and listening to people whine. She straightened everything out yesterday when the registrar’s office failed my degree audit because they had marked me as the wrong major (in spite of my repeated efforts to make them change it). Without Ginny, we would all be lost.
I cannot believe it’s gotten to this point. I have way too much to do yet (4 papers and an exam to write) before I can call it quits. But it’s pretty surreal that after four years of work, this is it and before long, it will all be over. Life goes on, though. The end of the semester means I get to see my dear Stephenie again and we will gallop over the fields side by side on my horses. This is why I can’t be too sad, even about the end of a good thing.
“And that’s all I have to say about that.”
Although the weather called for cloud cover, it is sunshining.
The world smells new. (new smells like rain and manure mixed with sunshine and pineforest.)
A choir of a thousand black birds congregates outside my window. If I don’t sing, they will.
I could actually get things done. But I start to fall asleep around 1 or 2. I just can’t brain anymore.
Went to the dentist today, and I have NO cavities, as usual. While my teeth may not be perfectly aligned, they ARE especially hard. I am proud of this fact (like I had anything to do with it…)
16 days until I walk. I have about 30 pages of papers to write between now and then. yipes.
job interviewing is fun (but I’d rather not do any more of it).
and that’s all I have to say about that.
Blog. Student. Teacher. Designer. Writer. Equestrienne. Musician. Thinker. Doubter. Friend. Sister. Daughter. Christian. That's Me.
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