Shots Fired

Today was a really good day at work. I arrived on time of course and immediately got to work on the pool water safety article, which still has no title. Before I finished the last paragraph though, one of my supervisors told me about a meeting about violence in the work place. The presentation was for the entire NRCCE building, many faces I had never before seen were present. Jokes were already being made about the topic, but there were some serious warning in the video and from the campus police officer who spoke. Hilarious was when the officer told the audience he had an explosive canine, as in a k-9 police dog who could smell dynamite, not one that explodes ha. The video just wanted employees of offices to be aware that that kind of thing occurs, although as often and lightning striking a person, but does occur, and to be calm, get away, or take out the attacker. Pretty serious stuff. So after that I finally completed the pool article! It needs to revisions I am sure, and I am waiting to hear if it needs to be shorter, or longer. Already I have begun looking at the most recent assignment I received Friday from Sandra, letters I need to write and format to interested businesses about what we do at the NESC. Also, we are requesting feedback on the materials we give them to use. Going in again in Wed and will be more descriptive about that assignment. Then there is also the kids article about water I need to pick back up on. They keep me busy over there!

Water!

I received another writing assignment today, writing a promotional letter. A big issue for NESC is reaching out and preaching beyond the choir. How do we hook different and new audiences more effectively than in the past? The best way is to know your audience, offer them reasons why the should keep reading, and furthermore, why they should take action- how they would benefit. I am wondering how to set up this letter- should I immediately jump into benefits or should I start with interesting facts? Also I need to encourage the use of current articles and online resources. It is important people start taking water sources seriously, we take for granted having incoming and outgoing water supplies in our houses- imagine if we didn't have operators and sewage treatment facilities. The way we dispose of pharmaceuticals, waste, and other potentially harmful products needs to be more efficient and careful, we do not know the effect it will have on our current water supply or our future. I need to research techniques for drawing people into what message you are trying to convey. I a excited about this new task, and still need to finish and polish the article I have been working on about pool water. It would be a good idea to maybe utilize the option of meeting with my fellow classmates on some of the writing I am doing and get some opinions and feedback. There would probably be a wealth of suggestions and ideas there that would be really helpful.

A day in the life!

I have been working at the NESC for 3 or 4 weeks now and I really like it. I like the people I work with, I like observing their work routines (Fridays are casual and lunch is earlier) and working around all this snow has been challenging. I had my first meeting with my advisors (Mark and Sandra) and my editor for the Pool Water article (Natalie) to make sure I am on track. We decided to focus on the one article at a time, I am to complete the pool water safety article by the end of the month so that it makes the Spring newsletter- just in time for prime pool season. Both of the articles were coming along nicely, but I am glad I can focus on one at a time now, I kept interrupting myself to get the other caught up. I arrived a little earlier than usual today because I want to make sure i get in my hours in case this snow gets heavier, which is likely. I am seriously considering including a piece in the article that suggests a warning to children that is really effective for maintaining clean, safe pool water. When I was young my uncle told my cousins and I that if we peed in the pool water it would turn bright kool-aid colors! My editor told me she has used this technique during her son's birthday parties in their home pool.I definitely believed my uncle and formed a healthy habit of evacuating the pool for such needs, and believe this method is useful, so somewhere in the article I will mention it.

Day 1

I have my own desk, computer, and cubicle at the National Environmental Services Center now! We have decided that I will come in twice a week, Wednesdays and Fridays, 10-3, and very flexible with Mondays and which hours. I have received my first assignment- two actually. Two articles which is very exciting for me! The first will inform readers about fun ways to educate children, grades k-12, about water, it will list sources on how to do so and reasons why it would be great to teach children about our water. The second article is about pool water safety- what is in that water, what are the dangers, what to look for, how to avoid or solve issues that may arise. Especially with the spring season approaching, this one will be very important. My writing needs to be oriented toward an audience ranging from Ph. D.'s to partial high school educations, and so one of my advisors recommended I aim for a 12 grade-capable reader. The language I use should be easy to read, to the point, and interesting. Today I researched some topics and people to contact, and Friday I plan on creating a very generalized outline of what, ideally, I will have. It is difficult working on two at once, but I will chose one to work on first, or break my days up equally dedicated to both. After more research I will know more about each and then decide which path to take.

Relationships in the workplace

Kendra Potts "My Entry-Level Life" was amusing and very reminiscent of real life. She mentions that her job has been referred to as a "glorified typist" and that very few people in her workplace know what exactly her job is. Her descriptions of colleagues are funny and typical "The Office" material. Potts refers to the workplace totem poll and those located on it. The internship experience in D. Kathleen Stitt's writing was a very informative reflection on how non-verbal behavior can affect an intern's progress. The advice found there to be assertive and non-complacent was a good reminder, and to handle your student life as you would your professional life was interesting also. It is always best to be non-disruptive and respectful, but to stand up when something is wrong and communicate effectively.

What Interns Should Know

It is true, not very often is information on appropriate interaction between intern and workplace found in books or in technical communication.It is important for the student to pick up on informal rules and methods of doing things, without doing so, the student may not get the full experience, or worse, have a terrible experience. It seems to me that even the most academically prepared student who doesn't possess good social skills or nonverbal skills would be doomed for failure. It is like visiting a foreign country and learning how to blend in, learning mannerisms and customs. I have made a point to observe how the employees at the National Environmental Services Center dress and interact with one another, and feel as thought I have a good sense of how to blend in and maintain those codes.