Storm on the Beach

It’s over. I am done. Well capstone is done at least The process was tasking and long, however; I walked away with more then just a classroom lesson. During my presentation, an audience member asked what the biggest thing I walked away with was. Comments flew through my mind, but one stuck out more then the rest. It was a lesson about life. Not broadcasting, or technical work…. no it was about life. I learned that living in the moment, living for today is what is important.

Let us start by looking at me. To understand why this lesson affects me, we must do a before and after. Ask any one of my friends and they will tell you the same thing: She’s a good girl, she works hard, and she is nice… however she learns to need to say no. Now, they are not talking about drugs or alcohol. They are talking about doing jobs, favors, etc. I love to help people and I love to be right in the middle of everything so naturally I love to be busy. I never just sit. For me, its odd, unnatural. So, I am busy person but it gets to the point that I can’t enjoy the moment. I am so far ahead in my mind I tend to forget the day. It may be Monday but I am worried about the event, meeting or test I have in three days. I tend have to slow myself down when talking and taking action on a plan because I am usually ten steps ahead of myself.

This is how I went into my capstone, but not how I came out. During my capstone, I did interviews with ladies who had overcome breast cancer. The ladies were positive and happy but the interviews were full of sadness, strength and courage. They touched me in a way that I will always remember. The realization that life is the greatest gift of all and being happy is living for the moment did not come right away. One of the women, Sherry, said in her interview, “You never know what is going to happen tomorrow, it could be your last day so you have to live for today.” It finally hit me like a summer storm on the beach. I spend so much time worrying about what is going to happen tomorrow I forget to enjoy the moment. I forget to enjoy the small things in life. Work is important, school is important friends are important but if you are not happy and enjoying life then nothing matters does it? I have always enjoyed life but now I can enjoy it more. I have learned that today is more then just minutes turning into hours it living life to the best of your ability. So you ask what I learned… I learned to live for today.

Nice computers… Niiiiice computers

I had a dream. It was a dream a documentary, a good documentary. It had emotion, caught everyone’s attention. It was interesting and it made a person think. But then the computer came to life and ate the documentary and there were only crumbs left. Everyone ran away and I stood in aw of the technological monster. I stood appalled at the time it took to completely disappear. Then I woke up. I sat there in my bed and realized that I absolutely despise technology and was working on my capstone way too much. For those who do not know capstone is what Westminster College calls your “senior project”. Depending on your major depends on the project. Overall, it is a class in which you exhibit the skills you have accumulated over three years of study. Well for my capstone project I settled on a set of three women who have all battled breast cancer and come together with an amazing story. The challenge to choose my project was easy to my several technology blunders and bumps along the way.

Starting this I was nervous. I am still nervous. my biggest fear was technology and my absolute horrible luck with it. Everything started when I filmed four interviews and captured background shots. I checked my equipment before I went to interview; however, when I got there the audio decided not to work. Now I am not a complete camera wiz but I know my stuff. The lovelier microphone (mic) decided not to work so I went with the stick mic. Then camera started beeping like I’ve never heard it before … in all 2 1/2 years of being a BC major. Figured out it was the battery so I changed it. Finally I finished.

The hard part came when I started to edit. I have the software on my laptop, so I decided to reap the benefits of working from home. Well in the middle of editing my computer crashed and took 2 of my interviews with it. Luckily I did a better re-shoot. So that put me here at today when I tried to capture but the computer will not work (I’m not the only one who had that problem) and then I had a “lost-all of my documents scare” but they were just hidden for some reason. Through it all I have learned something. Patience and living in the moment. Being patient and taking your time will cut down on stress and usually produce better outcomes. The second living in the moment ….. meaning you can only do so much at one time things will get done just take it one step at a time and live the best you can and do the most you can right now. Through the bumps and blunders I have managed to gather and produce a nice beginning start... more then once... with a very good prospective end. So basically I am pretty happy with it.

Manners Please

Keys and secrets to life what are they? Respect, Kindness, compassion, leadership, fairness, loyalty, happiness. In my eyes these intangible items mold life into something worth living. However there is one common element that link them all. … Know yet? ethics morals are both good answers but its something more tangible. Manners. Simple, but so true. Manners play a major part in all of areas listed above. Think about it … you are in a store and arguing loudly start blurting obscenities causing a scene. After a scenario such as this you cause disruption to people around you and have more then likely hurt someone’s feelings (if no one in the crowd then certainly the person you were arguing with). Now if Momma had taught this person to use and inside voice when in public, not to cause a scene, talk things out and use the old rule “if you don’t have anything nice to say then don’t say anything at all” the situation would have been much neater. The point is by using manners you are respecting not only the person you are with but also the person you are talking to.

As a child grows they are taught to be (or hopefully taught to be) proper and polite. Manners are taught over time. Usually by the time you are a senior in college you understand most manners. There are some manners however that a person in college is not familiar with. Specific manners or just very proper manners used during dinner interview are, at least in our generation, not normally used in everyday dining. Our career center hosts a Dine n’ Shine event in which we eat a nice meal and a speaker explains how to dress for interviews and also how to give a good dining interview. Now I have always considered myself pretty well mannered I put my napkin in my lap always pass the bread before taking it and never talk with my mouth full. But there are a few things that I learned that I did not know. For instance, name tags are always worn on the right. A great misconception is to place it on the left. This happens especially with right handed people. Also the napkin goes on your lap the very first thing folded on the diagonal with the widest part on the upper portion of your lap closest to your body. Luckily I have always done that but I never knew that it was an actual “rule”. The biggest thing I learned was to take small bites. I have an awful pride in how fast I can finish a meal. I have just learned to eat fast-on the go. taking small bites though allow for you to talk more and also at a moments notice of a question is asked. It also helps to make you not look gluttonous and eat everything. There is also a trick to introducing someone. You say the most important persons name first. For example if you and your boss were meeting a client the most important person is the client. So you say client so and so this is my boss blah blah and … obviously you would use names and not client and boss.

So you see just knowing what is the proper way of introducing someone keeps you respectful, and everyone happy. Understanding how to properly pass the bread and the salt keeps you kind. Eating slow and small bites keeps everyone happy so they don’t see your food all over you and it is just respectful. In the end manners are an important factors of making life happy.

This is just a class TEST

Well technically it is not a test. It is just a class assignment. So please, whoever maybe reading this…. fair warning I am not publicly advertising and/or applying for this position.


November 5, 2008


As I search for a part time job, I came across your opportunity to get a foot in the door with as Promotions Assistant. My attention was directly drawn to the position because it is in the Promotions field which is my main area of interest.

From my enclosed resume you can easily see my skills needed for a promotional field. My Broadcasting classes have sharpened my skills for video editing, filming, photography as well as writing. Westminster College prides itself in preparing its students for the real life and my extensive experience with radio has more then qualified me for a position within a radio station. Combined with the extensive extra-curricular leadership positions in event planning I have a very detailed perspective from two different perspectives. My leadership positions in extra-curriculars have not only taught me to pay attention to detail and double check everything but also time management. Along with extra-curriculars and classes I have worked in a very professional setting a sales and marketing intern. My research methods and skills were polished during this time along with my understanding of the professional world from a sales and marketing position. I easily adapt to different situations so changing my duties from time to time is not a problem. I have no doubt the Promotions Assistant position would allow me to grow in the professional world and help me understand the promotional field a great deal better.

Thank you for your time in reviewing my résumé. Your consideration of me for this part time position is taken with utmost appreciation. Please if you have any questions at all, contact me at 7**-***-**** or email me at aegerber@gmail.com.


Best Regards,



Aimee Gerber



Enclosure

When God Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade

Write your homework down. Be prompt. Pay attention. Do not procrastinate. Have good attendance. Ask questions. Never settle for less. All of these will lead to good grades and a great education. However, there are certain points in life that some people will never grasp. For instance a mathematical mind may not be able to grasp the details of the color wheel. Or possibly a music major understanding the laws of physics. People are not made to be good in all matters. I had one occurrence with this when I took and economics class. I never studied so hard and did so bad in a class as I did in that class. My mind is creative. It likes color schemes and logical flows of pictures and hands on learning. This occurred in high school and when I came to college I swore I would never take an econ class. I have yet to take one as a senior. Out of all my classes I manage to come across the hardest class for me my senior year. Radio News. Radio news has challenged me more then any other class, but also taught more then all my others as well.

What is radio news? We write, produce, along with the reporting and anchoring for a two minute news minute each week. Seems simple right? Well, at the beginning of the semester I was not even close to knowing what I was doing. For whatever reason, I could not sync my thoughts with my actions. For the first time in my life I felt like I was cooking in my own kitchen for the first time. Meaning I had all the skills and tools but I did not know how to put it all together. I was frustrated. I did not like the class. I did not care to do radio news. I thought it all stupid, pointless and played only to my weaknesses. Unfortunately I needed this class to graduate. I was stuck. It was either suck it up and work until I was blue and crazy or not get a degree. Easily guessed I choose to suck it up. I started being proactive about my life and my grade. I went to the professor shared my concern about not passing because of my “mental block”. I re-arranged my schedule to dedicate more time to the classes demands. I even went so far as to taking a pre-test for ADD. I became so adamant about doing well in radio news that it was almost sickening. Although I was in a dead belief that nothing would work and I was destined to fail radio news, things changed. My thoughts changed.

My perseverance for doing well started to pay off. I changed my schedule to dedicate Sundays to news. I found new ways to focus in class. I and believe it or not it helped. I was not a lost and helpless puppy. I knew my stuff. Slowly I started grasping the concepts in action. My writing was improving. my sound clips were getting better. I anchor better and my reporting is better. I feel proud that I have turned myself around so much. I also feel more confident in myself that I can do it. I have the abilities I just need to apply them fully. As much as I hate to admit it the class has actually taught me a lot not only about myself but also about life real world. Learning how to talk to people for a beat has been one of the things I learned. Asking people to help you and learning to ask the right questions is par t of what I have learned as well. A big part of what I learned is learning to listen and take my time. Because I lie to be involved and do a lot I feel that I should be speedy with everything. After much ado I have come to realize what I have learned transcends just the news room. My efforts have bared fruit (lemons) and I am proud of what I have made with them (lemonade).

“Scary Judge of Talent”

I maybe a senior but I will be the first to admit I do not know everything. I do however consider my self to be a “scary judge of talent” (Quote From The Recruit). Well a decent judge at the least. Of my many successors in the broadcasting major I would have to say there are few who interest me. One of these successors Andy Bortz sparks my interest. He may not be on air talent but he is amazing at music. Now what do I mean Music? Well there are some people who can sing or play music but there are others who listen to music. Listening is Andy specialty.

OK go ahead call me crazy. But there is a definite difference in listening to music for fun, listening with a critical ear and listen to capture the moments. Andy captures the beat the moment the personality of the music. When he listens to music he listens to the details. The drum, the flute, the piano, the down beat, and the upbeat. He has an uncanny ability to take music and mix it to fit the ear. Andy knows what people want. He can take a group of people define the audience and choose music accordingly. The transition is smooth and there is just enough old and new in the mix to make everyone happy. So what exactly would I say Andy is good … no, no, great at? DJing. Yes he knows the ins and outs of a radio station. Fro working the board or on air talent, it just comes naturally. He sounds great too. He understands how to move his voice with the music. Understanding when are appropriate times to be excited or calm is key. Working the Audience is another thing, he is good at. Lets use the “who cares?” rule. Taking a group of Caucasian 42 year olds and playing 50 cent, is not going to do much good for anyone. But take a group of male 18 to 21 year olds and that is much more reasonable. Andy grasps this concept. What is even more impressive is what he does with the music. He can mix songs that most people would never know can go together. I have heard some music and he honestly just has talent.

There is no rhyme or reason why people have certain talents. But to be able to find what your talent is at a relatively young age is quite and amazing. I believe that if you thoroughly enjoy something then it makes it your efforts twice as good. And I think in Andy’s case this happens. He does genuinely enjoy music working it and molding it. And maybe that above all else is what makes him shine.

My Mentor

There are a few things in college that will surmount anything you learn or do in any class. Mentors, best friends, and Just dealing with life through college will teach you leaps and bounds beyond what you would imagine. For many, including myself, you will find a person, a friend, who look up to and admire. I have found that person. Carsen Nesbitt… a very professional person, fair, a good student, a good sister and a great friend. I can honestly say that I look up to her more then anyone I know. Beyond my family, beyond my best friend, beyond any mentor or teacher that could pass my way… Carsen proves to be a person I can admire. There are so many reasons I look up to Carsen on a personal and professional level but I only want to give you a few instances.

I meet her through Sigma Kappa, Student Government Association, and Theta Chi. After I got to know her I started to watch what she did in SGA, in the sorority, how she handled herself in tough situations. She was professional and fair in every position she held. I started asking her opinion on different decisions I was making in my personal life as well as leadership positions. There is one specific instance that I remember made me think she knows what she is talking about.
My first semester Junior year I had my heart set on one thing, being president of Sigma Kappa. Now what you have to understand is I like to be involved, so I tend to be in everything… or at least as much as possible. I like to be busy. But I was so dedicated to being president, I was willing to give it all up. I did my homework too. I talked to the current president and Carsen. I need her opinion. She told me what people thought and how it could hinder me. She told me people thought I was too busy. Her honesty allowed me to try and to position myself so people would my dedication. Things happened and I didn’t end up running, but it was her who was able to walk me through my decision.
Carsen graduated May in 2008. I miss her dearly but I found that I have so much to learn from her still. She is in Law school and loves every minute of it. She knows what she wants and knows how to get it. She is also amazing at what she does. I love taking to her about what I should do when I graduate because I want what she has. She is happy with that she is doing in Law School and surrounded by good friends. I want to love what I do and she has given me such good advice as to what to do personally and professionally. Thankfully, I know that no matter what I do she will be there to help me and listen.