Saturday, September 24, 2005
Pictures - September 11th
A little late, however, wanted to get some pictures up. Will post words again soon.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
I travel to work in a Ruby Red Rocketship
I flash my badge and I step in to the lush red capsule. I prefer to travel alone, but I am usually accompanied by others. Traveling with other people generally isn’t a problem (as the capsule can hold 14 people or 3000 lbs, whichever is greater) but I get irritated when passengers have to get off before me. It kind of ruins the rush and with so many stops rarely do you have the chance to hear the wind rushing past, ears popping as you shoot up in to the sky. I understand, however, that they need to get to work too . . . but it really is all I can do to help myself from yelling at them for messing up my ride. Afterall, I travel to work on a Ruby Red Rocketship, and this is the best part of my day.
Is it bad thing that the only two things that I really like about my internship so far are that I get to ride a really fast, lush red elevator and that the view of Manhattan from the women’s lavatory on the twenty-second floor is exquisite? I work in a dusty cubicle, which prior to my arrival was used as a makeshift kitchen. In the past week, at least 20 irritated co-workers have come to my desk asking me what I did with their microwave. My computer and monitor are still sitting on my desk in their IBM boxes, ready to be opened and set-up. But no, no I can’t set it up. I must wait for “IT” to come and put it all together. It has been eight days and I have yet to see “IT” . . . I am pretty sure that “IT” is a mythical creature and doesn’t really exist. I did bribe this guy in my department with the prospect of a snickers bar if he speeds up the process. The transacion via electronic mail went like this:
--------------------------------------------------------------
Igancio.
Ummm, I'll give you a snickers bar* if you ask the nice IT person to come set-up my computer.
Jessie
*only to be granted if IT person follows through
--------------------------------------------------------------
His Response:
--------------------------------------------------------------
In the works...that bar is as good as mine.
man, feels nice to have a nice new computer...
--------------------------------------------------------------
Anyway, I think he will come through for me. When this “IT” finally comes, I also need to ask for an extension number for my phone … the person who had the desk before me took the number with them. Simple things like this, that would make my life easier and more productive, are what contributed to my initial unhappiness. You see, I love my department and the work that it does. . . Who wouldn’t be interested in peacekeeping operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone at a time like this? But as my boss says, “we will get you working on projects as soon as your computer is up and running.” I think to myself, “so, what am I doing in the mean time?”
I actually started this post on a very bad day. After a week of taking initiative and “finding things to do” it gets kind of hard to be positive. Since then, things have improved slightly. The funny thing is though, I went from having no responsibility at all to staying at work until 7:30pm only to get up and be in to work by 7:30am the next day. Famine or flood … that’s the way it goes.
I woke up this morning to an e-mail from one of my bosses (I have three) which was time-stamped 5:45am. The e-mail included the instructions for an assignment that is to be completed by 1pm this afternoon. Mind you, this is not my only deadline due at 1pm today and I was supposed to go see a movie and go on a tour … I just laughed at the irony that it all came at once and went to go brush my teeth. Good times.
Speaking of deadlines, I must finish these reports. President Bush is paying a courtesy call to the UN today before the World Summit begins tomorrow. Security is tight. I swear a secret service guy took my picture when I was walking to work this morning.
I am having a good time and am learning a lot. Sorry this post was slightly complacent, I will send more light-hearted anecdotal notes in the near future. The World Summit this week and the 170+ foreign dignitaries that are descending upon the UN should provide plenty of entertainment.
Until later.
Love and Peace not War,
Jessie
Kofi Sightings: 2
Is it bad thing that the only two things that I really like about my internship so far are that I get to ride a really fast, lush red elevator and that the view of Manhattan from the women’s lavatory on the twenty-second floor is exquisite? I work in a dusty cubicle, which prior to my arrival was used as a makeshift kitchen. In the past week, at least 20 irritated co-workers have come to my desk asking me what I did with their microwave. My computer and monitor are still sitting on my desk in their IBM boxes, ready to be opened and set-up. But no, no I can’t set it up. I must wait for “IT” to come and put it all together. It has been eight days and I have yet to see “IT” . . . I am pretty sure that “IT” is a mythical creature and doesn’t really exist. I did bribe this guy in my department with the prospect of a snickers bar if he speeds up the process. The transacion via electronic mail went like this:
--------------------------------------------------------------
Igancio.
Ummm, I'll give you a snickers bar* if you ask the nice IT person to come set-up my computer.
Jessie
*only to be granted if IT person follows through
--------------------------------------------------------------
His Response:
--------------------------------------------------------------
In the works...that bar is as good as mine.
man, feels nice to have a nice new computer...
--------------------------------------------------------------
Anyway, I think he will come through for me. When this “IT” finally comes, I also need to ask for an extension number for my phone … the person who had the desk before me took the number with them. Simple things like this, that would make my life easier and more productive, are what contributed to my initial unhappiness. You see, I love my department and the work that it does. . . Who wouldn’t be interested in peacekeeping operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone at a time like this? But as my boss says, “we will get you working on projects as soon as your computer is up and running.” I think to myself, “so, what am I doing in the mean time?”
I actually started this post on a very bad day. After a week of taking initiative and “finding things to do” it gets kind of hard to be positive. Since then, things have improved slightly. The funny thing is though, I went from having no responsibility at all to staying at work until 7:30pm only to get up and be in to work by 7:30am the next day. Famine or flood … that’s the way it goes.
I woke up this morning to an e-mail from one of my bosses (I have three) which was time-stamped 5:45am. The e-mail included the instructions for an assignment that is to be completed by 1pm this afternoon. Mind you, this is not my only deadline due at 1pm today and I was supposed to go see a movie and go on a tour … I just laughed at the irony that it all came at once and went to go brush my teeth. Good times.
Speaking of deadlines, I must finish these reports. President Bush is paying a courtesy call to the UN today before the World Summit begins tomorrow. Security is tight. I swear a secret service guy took my picture when I was walking to work this morning.
I am having a good time and am learning a lot. Sorry this post was slightly complacent, I will send more light-hearted anecdotal notes in the near future. The World Summit this week and the 170+ foreign dignitaries that are descending upon the UN should provide plenty of entertainment.
Until later.
Love and Peace not War,
Jessie
Kofi Sightings: 2
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Ambassadors, To Do Lists and Broadway Musicals
"Hello, Ambassador" (former Ambassador to Sierra Leone, John Hirsch says in passing someone in the hallway)"Oh, by the way, that was the Jordanian Ambassador"(said in an as-casual-as-one-can-be tone).
Ambassador Hirsch gave Ashley and I our staff tour of the UN today (as we now have our passes and can go "behind closed doors") so we got lots of usefull (and useless) information about the UN. Over lunch, the useful (and useless) information continued as we learned all about the city and things that we should do in our (spare) time here.
That's right we are full fledged interns, badges and all.
So we had lunch with Hirsch, attempted to shop for books at the UN bookstore (although we were easially distracted by shiney objects, such as cool pins and postcards) and then rushed to Broadway to try and get Rush tickets to see "Avenue Q". We didn't win the lottery for cheap tickets, so we went to the TKTS booth and bought half-price tickets to Hairspray.
We had a good time at the show and now I am about to crash and burn. Lots to do, so very little time.
E-mail or call me if I seem out of touch ... I am deeply distracted.
For now.
Love and Broadway,
Jessie
Ambassador Hirsch gave Ashley and I our staff tour of the UN today (as we now have our passes and can go "behind closed doors") so we got lots of usefull (and useless) information about the UN. Over lunch, the useful (and useless) information continued as we learned all about the city and things that we should do in our (spare) time here.
That's right we are full fledged interns, badges and all.
So we had lunch with Hirsch, attempted to shop for books at the UN bookstore (although we were easially distracted by shiney objects, such as cool pins and postcards) and then rushed to Broadway to try and get Rush tickets to see "Avenue Q". We didn't win the lottery for cheap tickets, so we went to the TKTS booth and bought half-price tickets to Hairspray.
We had a good time at the show and now I am about to crash and burn. Lots to do, so very little time.
E-mail or call me if I seem out of touch ... I am deeply distracted.
For now.
Love and Broadway,
Jessie
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