the most interesting part of the weekend lasted 45 minutes

Before my train back to LI on Friday I was able to duck into the MOMA for a bit. I walked across two exhibitions: Looking at Music and Here is Every: Four Decades of Contemporary Art. Looking At Music looks back at the 1960’s and 70’s and the connection between music, art, media, and technology. In other words, a reason to show music videos of The Beatles and David Bowie.

Here is Every was an exhibition created out of the MOMA”s personal collection (i.e. economy is terrible = art and museums have to suffer for it). A majority of the works were obviously selected due to how groundbreaking it was when it first appeared. In other words…random. There was a video of a deer and a wolf together…chasing one another?…

I was interested in one work that consisted of hundreds of framed photographs of body parts – all body parts. It took forever to take this picture since many people could not help but stare.

I also get a kick out of how certain art is created in the intention to provide great meaning – yet is interpreted for practical uses. I speak of the girl using the mirror….for a mirror and the little girl that stood by a wooden sculpture and saw a playground.

I also love/hate my habit of taking Myspace inspired photos. Maybe it’s due to a need to expose my narcissism.

over and over and over again

yet again, one of those long days that can only be shared through bullet points. At least I look good in business casual…

• PRestige meeting. Next semester I will have a new position focusing on Development and Publicity. The ideas in my head go on endlessly. Some possible clients for next semester are HTVi and the Hofstra Music Fest. I suggested that when searching for new members to fill the soon to be vacant positions of On-Campus Account Executive and VP, we ask them to submit resumes to better judge their overall work ethic and potential.
• PRSSA meeting, wondering about whether to run for E-board next year. This will mean no internship in the fall. Will have to weigh out the odds.
• Met with Frisina about creating a general Hofstra PR blog to work as an internal communication vehicle for the major as well as a way to “boast” to the world about the successes of Hofstra’s PR students. Frisina puts on the role of momma bear by asking if I can take on the workload. We think we can make it where I earn three independent student credits and maybe some Individually Negotiated Honors Option credits too. Hopefully so, time is winding down.
• went to “From FACEBOOK to Face-to-Face:Ace Your Professional Style in a New York Minute!” networking dinner with speaker Trish Rubin – a woman who I officially want to make my best friend. My goodness. She was vivacious and passionate and definitely pulled off the “personal but professional” aura I want to perfect. Rubin opened with asking us in a year from now, “where do you want to be?”, and then plan backward from that. Rubin mostly discussed how to network and make first impressions. She gave great pointers, such as to put “good energy” out there and say good morning to everyone, including the doormen, new stand people, and construction worker. Another point she made that I live by is be a continuous learner. she also said above all, be not humble! Rubin also referenced Wawa oh how i miss that mid-atlantic convenience store with wonderful iced tea….Frankly, she was a fascinating, engaging person and I hope I will become that admirable in the future. I barely had the time to run to her. I basically blurted out “I’m the PR person – I came to see YOU!” and handed over my strangely geometric shaped business card. As creepy as it is, never before have I heard a speaker at Hofstra that I want to make my best friend. It shall happen — thanks to social networking ta DA!

I was originally planning to write about the brilliance of Obama’s campaign, but here are two articles (thanks PRSA email)about it. From PRWeek :Obama’s savvy comms propel him to victory. Advertising Age: How Obama Killed ‘Election Day’ and Became President.
Basically, everyone agrees that Obama’s campaign was smart enough to use the Internet and social networking to increase support. Kudos.

On Friday I have the first interview with Megan Wheeler of Rubenstein Associates, Inc. for the Tribeca Film Festival internship I have been looking forward to for a year. Next Monday – Interview with Joe Carozza of Rogers & Cowan. Frankly, just entering their website I heard birds singing. The Arts/Culture page is so beautifully written. I nearly teared up.

I don’t even want to think about the butterflies. According to Trish Rubin, I should listen to music before the interview in order to emit *SPARKS* , something equivalent to what “We are the Champions” was for the Mighty Ducks. How do I feel? Scared, nervous, excited, anxious to be uber impressive. Hopefully I can buy a pair of tights without holes before Friday…

Speaking of Tribeca Film Festival, I get this handy daily email filled with various “film” news from Tribeca Film. Today: 5 More Reasons to Love Paul Rudd. I’m trying to think of the first movie where I fell in love with him. Either Clueless or The Cider House Rules.

The lil sis Angela turned 18 today….AFTER the election. Poor baby sis.

take a trip and multiply

This is leading to be the most glorious weekend ever. I have planned for weeks to go see my friends MR. HURT at Club Europa tonight, but it is also my friend Tiel’s birthday. We planned originally to go into the city around 3 to the MOMA and then get Japanese around St. Marks.

THEN

I get an email first from University Relations and then from Assistant Dean Susan Murphy from School of Comm. asking to interview me for WRHU’s “Studio South” today to talk about my art show! I’m going in about an hour to record the interview and then we are off. GAH so exciting. Talk about affirmations!


I should have known this day would have been glorious. It was all because I listened to Jamie Lidell’s “Multiply” as I fell asleep. I also had a wonderful nutritious midday snack of dark chocolate “autumn color” M & M’s and cereal that was a combo of Kaski Go Lean! and Flax Plus Pumpkin Raisin Crunch with vanilla soy milk inside my Tomagotch bowl.

Debate ’08

This is how Reb dresses
business casual :
a stellar, Jackie-o like halter dress that is the envy of all the women in the Media Filing Center. Also got recognized by the gorgeous Secret Service Men…but that is simply an aside….this is what happened in the past 36 hours…

At the Long Island Children’s Museum yesterday, “Every Child Matters” was created as an event to let local and national leaders to remember the well being of children in politics. A press conference was held as well as a town hall meeting with a panel consisting of David Foulk, Dean of Education and Allied Human Services from Hofstra University and Dana Friedman, Moderator and Executive Director of The Early Years Institute among others. Activities were held for school children such as making “crazy election” hats and voting for their favorite gallery. Since summer school children throughout Long Island were asked to submit tracings of their hands, hoping to decorate the museum with about 1,000 pairs of hands. They received 3,000.


This room has been my home for three days : the prison-like, somewhat barren concession stand of the PFC. The piles of the New York Times and CNN on TV adds to the homeyness. The actual Media Filing Center is something to be impressed with; hundreds of rows of flat screen TVs and seats that will be filled be all important media for tonight’s debate.

In the Media Filing Center I answer phone calls from journalists all over the world and people asking if they can buy tickets for tonight’s debate. Occasionally there is the frantic phone call from a relations person screaming that they need to speak to so and so right away, CNN needs to do an interview. Occasionally we have had to take messages down for Obama and McCain that will never get to them. Yesterday I typed up the same fact sheet three times in order to print out fifty copies and then throw out to fix an error. I see Professor Geyer and Professor Frisina in action making phone calls and hurriedly typing out press releases. This morning I met Art Harris and tried to help him make it to the Student Center to take pictures of the “action” = Hofstra students. Technically, I got a business card from him, though it was just in order to call about where the van would pick him up.

There are two separate and confusing worlds on campus today. Near the PFC and the Arena is the air of many people waiting around aimlessly, excited but anxious. Fellow students I know carry themselves differently due to the badge around their neck and the business attire they have donned. A new security measure was created today – only a certain amount of Media Center overlay passes were created for those to actually be in the Media Filing Center during the debate. Samuel Rubenfeld of The Chronicle was not happy.

I left from my shift on two and walked onto campus, leaving the high security area. I found mayhem, with the air of a political Woodstock. Demonstrations were in the parking lots, in the Student Center, outside, everywhere and from every walks of life.

please excuse this brief bout of vanity…aw

…but this is too good to not share

my friend liz from home who goes to elon let me know about this film “Fully Awake” being shown in ny at the MOMA and Guggenheim Bilbao.

have a glorious friday night

everything comes with time

Today was another Wednesday where I was too tired to shower. I overcompensated by thinking “what would a french anime character wear?” I even wore leggings, which despite the fact it is a popular article worn by many LI girls, when worn correctly I think they might overshadow the existence of the obvious bags under my blue peepers.

This morning I had to attend a PR Majors meeting during CH. Supposedly it was mandatory, which is why about 75 of the 200 odd majors showed up. Simply put, more Cosco oatmeal raisin cookies and Strawberry Flavored H2O for me. The majority of the meeting was about how the requirements for the major changed AGAIN and how the Holy Trinity of PR (Prof. Geyer, Berman, and Frisina) deserve pats on the back for having our courses renamed to “PR” instead of “JRNL”. It matters, indeed. As PR majors, we should also be proud to say we are from Hofstra. I already feel proud that despite my ridiculous accent (NY/DE/Midwest/Proper English Pronunciation), “Hofstra University” rolls so easily off my tongue.

Some PR students also talked about their summer internships, including my friend Dani from PRSSA who introduced the concept of social networking to the travel agency she was interning at and my friend Sara Knee, who I regard in my heart as a Hofstra PR super rebel. She is starting this Friday at Edelman Digital, a sect of Edelman Group (one of the top three PR agencies in the world and one of my first loves). Sara owned the meeting. While the PR courses at Hofstra were not “doing it for her”, she went out on her own to intern at a digital media agency. What I lack in tech-savyness she more than makes up for with her adorable yet badass demeanor. Sara and I enjoy ranting about how in a way we are PR outcasts who both agree that Perez is NOT our homeboy. With her standing up front, talking about her success, gave a glimmer in hope that for PR rebels like her and myself, we will be okay.

I also talked to Frisina afterward (she is writing my letter of rec for my study abroad in Venice next January) about how Sara and I rant together since we both relate to feeling like PR outcasts. Frisina gave a knowing look and a whispered it was because we are two of “the smart ones”. Frisina, thank you for making my schedule with me during Freshmen Orientation ’06 – I would probably still be a Journalism major and plague the Chronicle Office. Disclaimer – there is no offense whatsoever in that statement; I have written pieces for the Hofstra Chronicle that are currently in my portfolio. I really am not worthy.

Other news – Catholicism made the front page of NY Times.
Yet again, another instance of reassurance. Evidently, there are such things as progressive Catholics.
My favorite part of the article: “I think that one of the teachings of God is to take care of the less fortunate,” said Susan Tighe, an insurance lawyer who identified herself as “a folk Catholic, from the guitar-strumming social-justice side” of the church.
It’s true. Of anything I took away from expensive private Catholic education (the reason I sometimes had to bring peanut butter fold overs to school for lunch), is that it is more important to be an ethical and moral person who is open and caring to others than following ancient religious doctrines (often misinterpreted by those “Crazy catholics”).

Also – I have been reading this book for the past month. At the point I’m at, the protagonist Leigh-Cheri has made her attic bedroom into a prison cell since her boo, Bernard, is in real prison for blowing stuff up with home made bombs. For shame. Not only is it smartly written, quotes such as these make me want to cuddle with it every night. This is Leigh-Cherie in “prison”:
“‘When we’re incomplete, we’re always searching for somebody to complete us. When, after a few years or a few months of a relationship, we find that we’re still unfulfilled, we blame our partners and take up with somebody more promising. This can go on…until we admit that while a partner can add sweet dimensions to our lives, we, each of us, are responsible for our own fulfillment. Nobody else can provide it for us, and to believe otherwise is to delude ourselves dangerously and to program for eventual failure every relationship we enter. Hey, that’s pretty good. If I had pencil and paper, I’d write that down.’ Alas, she had no pencil, while the roll of paper that sat by the chamber pot was destined for a different end.

the cross is a present from Nicaragua from my sister Tree and is a shoutout to Catholicism. The cymbal banging monkey is for kicks.