Wow. I could understand if it were one person at the counter who got confused and the museum subsequently apologized. But, the reaction from the director stamping his feet like a 2 year old brat? I could never work for an organization like this one. Ever.
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2013/06/14/2158691/childrens-museum-that-discriminated-against-gay-couple-demands-apology-for-backlash/
The official statement. Not only does it reek of Tea Party discrimination, but it is in dire need of someone with an above-third grade education to proof read it.
http://www.news4jax.com/blob/view/-/20554186/data/2/-/kawfbhz/-/Children-s-Museum-newsletter.pdf
I suspect they will be out of business soon. Then, they can go to Amy's Baking Company in Scottsdale, AZ for pastries. They have the same business philosophy.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Past due update
Greetings since... wow... the Super Bowl. Broncos have it next year folks.
I have been super-slammed busy and grateful for it. Where do I begin....
In February, I picked up two more days at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science now that KeEMu is fully functional. In addition to completing training on KeEMu, training others on it as well, and streamlining the conchology collection into the new database from Argus, I have been brought on board the entomology department to learn a fourth program, Symbiota. With that, I and a team of about 30 other volunteers are busy digitizing the century-old Lepidoptra (butterfly) collection that is about 80,000 lots strong. Fortunately, I am well practiced in deciphering century old handwritten labels. Unfortunately, I have never learned how to read Japanese. :) It's a challenge that I am glad to be a part of and a fantastic learning experience, especially georeferencing the specimens. I am now obsessed with Rocky Mountain ghost towns, as that is where the majority of what I am working with originated. All toll, this makes me well versed in four database programs (MODES, Argus, KeEMu, and Symbiota) and a master at Google Earth. For what it's worth, the collection database program I created at Titanic: The Experience was in Microsoft Excel, so I am not sure if that would count as a proper dbase or not. During my tenure there, we did not have the funds for a proper program. However, the Excel sheets and Word docs I created and updated worked out quite nicely for our collection of around 7,000 objects and art.
Also in February, I was offered a position on the Leadership Committee for We Are Women - Colorado. My specific duties center around social media (100% creation, posting, and upkeep of our Twitter page, monitoring of our Facebook page, Chief Editor and Writer of our monthly newsletter, as well as one of three on team for grant writing). Our little grassroots group has grown to over 1,000 members, and we are just now beginning to interact with the press. We are a non-partisan organization that watches the state legislature as well as communicates with the public on legislative issues that concern the women of Colorado. We are not yet recognized officially as a non-profit, but that is on our agenda for later this year. This session, we particularly pushed for HB 1163 and SB 227 and won! HB 1163 allots funding for women who are victims of rape to have their rape kits processed. It is federal law that a victim does not have to pay for the kit. However, the lab fees, subsequent doctor's visits, medications necessary, counseling, and other expenses that a rape victim incurs even to simply get the kit processed is not covered financially, usually costs the victim into the thousands out of pocket, and not covered by insurance. This bill provides funding so that the victim is taken care of medically, psychologically, and legally so that the kits can be processed immediately and she can have the help she needs to heal from the trauma. My colleague and I attended Governor Hickenlooper's signing of the bill yesterday in Cherry Creek.
In March, I had a personal issue involving a family member come up, so I went off the radar for most of that month addressing it in addition to my work at DMNS, my paid work at World Travel Holdings, and the legislative work with We Are Women.
In April, two major things were on my plate. The first was a surprise promotion at World Travel Holdings. The company is restructuring in light of a shift in business due to the recent troubles of Carnival Cruise Line (our biggest selling vacation package). Those of us who have worked the service side of the company for an extended amount of time are being promoted to a higher level of service effective Mid-June. Training is to begin shortly. Currently, I work with clients on a number of service issues. The bulk of the time, they are rather routine such as, booking fellow travelers into cabins close by what is already booked, switching cruise dates, processing insurance claims, cancelling cruises, advising of citizenship requirements, and so on. There are some that are complicated, but those are currently exceptions. With this promotion, those that are current exceptions will become the rule. In essence, when someone calls in and demands to speak with a manager, I'm the manager. I am used to working with upset clients and doing all that is in my power to alleviate whatever the issue is. That is my favorite part of the job. Now, I get to have more access to things that can solve problems of more delicate and complicated natures instead of having to pass them off to someone else simply because I did not have the clearance or protocol within the organization to do it myself. I am looking forward to the challenge as I am a problem solver by nature. I would rather be challenged by this in a museum or educational setting, but can't complain that I'm working with vacations either.
And one of these days, I WILL take that Viking River Cruise down the Rhine in December. But, I digress.....
Also in April, I took a *gasp* vacation! I'm one of those people who rarely takes a legit vacation. My definition of a vacation is usually a couple days where I don't have to set the alarm clock, never get out of my jammies, eat junk food, and catch up on Dr. Who. This time, I traveled. Granted, it was just to the other side of town, but there was a four night stay in a hotel involved. :) You may have gathered by this point, or if you know me personally, that I am a consummate nerd. I LOVE going to nerd conventions and have been attending since I was in 7th grade. My first was a Star Trek convention in 1987 where I met George Takei in Johnson City, Tennessee. This was before you had to pay to meet the stars and it was only Trek, nothing else. In Orlando, I never missed FXCon (until they stopped a few years back) and MegaCon. I never could make Screamfest as I was always working when it was going on. I kept wanting to attend DragonCon in Atlanta, GenCon in Wisconsin, and, one of these days, I WILL make it to San Diego for the granddaddy of them all, ComicCon. I almost had a chance this year, but it fell through. *pout* At the rate that Emerald CityCon in Seattle is growing, it's on my radar too. When I first started attending cons, it was just us nerds, mostly of the Star Trek or Star Wars variety. Although, you sometimes saw Dune, Dr. Who, and Battlestar Galactica references. Then, the mainstream caught on. A few years back, Entertainment Weekly started doing a ComicCon issue. That marked the time when the mainstream collided with nerd territory..... and about the time they started having Glee and Twilight forums in the cons as well (seriously).
When I moved to Denver two years ago, one of the first things I did, even before I got my clothes unpacked, was look for cons. I juuuust missed Starfest 2011 by a couple days. The following year, I attended and was completely blown away. Out of the cons I've attended or seen by way of video, Starfest is by far my favorite. It takes place over three hotels in the Denver Tech Center on the south side of town, the Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt. It's actually six conventions in one, Starfest, Comicfest, Horrorfest, Digifest, Robofest, and Gamefest. In addition to "getting my nerd on", I attended classes on digitally reconstructing photographs and honed my airbrushing technique. Centered at the Marriott DTC, the attendees who are lucky enough to get atrium rooms are encouraged to decorate their balconies and compete. There are two categories, one is themed (this year it was Superman) and one non-themed (everyone else). I came in second place for non-themed with my balcony based on the Black Veil Brides' mini-movie Legion of the Black. I hand painted the banners and "stained glass" (plastic sheeting), carved the jack-o-lantern via soldering iron, and painted the masks. Photos are below.
I had a blast as usual at Starfest and, of course, did it all in costume. Below are my characters for this con. I love building costumes and doing theatrical make up. When I worked at Titanic, I was in charge of the costume department.
I have been super-slammed busy and grateful for it. Where do I begin....
In February, I picked up two more days at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science now that KeEMu is fully functional. In addition to completing training on KeEMu, training others on it as well, and streamlining the conchology collection into the new database from Argus, I have been brought on board the entomology department to learn a fourth program, Symbiota. With that, I and a team of about 30 other volunteers are busy digitizing the century-old Lepidoptra (butterfly) collection that is about 80,000 lots strong. Fortunately, I am well practiced in deciphering century old handwritten labels. Unfortunately, I have never learned how to read Japanese. :) It's a challenge that I am glad to be a part of and a fantastic learning experience, especially georeferencing the specimens. I am now obsessed with Rocky Mountain ghost towns, as that is where the majority of what I am working with originated. All toll, this makes me well versed in four database programs (MODES, Argus, KeEMu, and Symbiota) and a master at Google Earth. For what it's worth, the collection database program I created at Titanic: The Experience was in Microsoft Excel, so I am not sure if that would count as a proper dbase or not. During my tenure there, we did not have the funds for a proper program. However, the Excel sheets and Word docs I created and updated worked out quite nicely for our collection of around 7,000 objects and art.
Also in February, I was offered a position on the Leadership Committee for We Are Women - Colorado. My specific duties center around social media (100% creation, posting, and upkeep of our Twitter page, monitoring of our Facebook page, Chief Editor and Writer of our monthly newsletter, as well as one of three on team for grant writing). Our little grassroots group has grown to over 1,000 members, and we are just now beginning to interact with the press. We are a non-partisan organization that watches the state legislature as well as communicates with the public on legislative issues that concern the women of Colorado. We are not yet recognized officially as a non-profit, but that is on our agenda for later this year. This session, we particularly pushed for HB 1163 and SB 227 and won! HB 1163 allots funding for women who are victims of rape to have their rape kits processed. It is federal law that a victim does not have to pay for the kit. However, the lab fees, subsequent doctor's visits, medications necessary, counseling, and other expenses that a rape victim incurs even to simply get the kit processed is not covered financially, usually costs the victim into the thousands out of pocket, and not covered by insurance. This bill provides funding so that the victim is taken care of medically, psychologically, and legally so that the kits can be processed immediately and she can have the help she needs to heal from the trauma. My colleague and I attended Governor Hickenlooper's signing of the bill yesterday in Cherry Creek.
Our press meme for the signing of HB 1163. I'm in the grey suit on the right.
SB 227 denies parental rights to a rapist if a child is born of the rape. It also protects children born of rape who are currently in foster care. Their rapist fathers cannot adopt them now. It gives complete control of pregnancy and possible birth to the victim without fear of the rapist seeking custody. This passed all committees, the House, and the Senate. While 1163 sailed through all the legislative steps easily and unanimously, SB 227 did not and became a political posturing move by a couple of the politicians involved on both sides toward the end. We launched a massive and aggressive campaign to push it through and won at the last minute. Governor Hickenlooper has stated he will sign it and has until June 7 to do so. It has yet to be scheduled. However, as we have learned, public signings such as this often have very little notice on time, date, and place due to the simple nature of finding a place and alerting the media. We are confident that it will be done soon as the Governor is today on day 2 of a massive bill signing tour around the state.
In April, two major things were on my plate. The first was a surprise promotion at World Travel Holdings. The company is restructuring in light of a shift in business due to the recent troubles of Carnival Cruise Line (our biggest selling vacation package). Those of us who have worked the service side of the company for an extended amount of time are being promoted to a higher level of service effective Mid-June. Training is to begin shortly. Currently, I work with clients on a number of service issues. The bulk of the time, they are rather routine such as, booking fellow travelers into cabins close by what is already booked, switching cruise dates, processing insurance claims, cancelling cruises, advising of citizenship requirements, and so on. There are some that are complicated, but those are currently exceptions. With this promotion, those that are current exceptions will become the rule. In essence, when someone calls in and demands to speak with a manager, I'm the manager. I am used to working with upset clients and doing all that is in my power to alleviate whatever the issue is. That is my favorite part of the job. Now, I get to have more access to things that can solve problems of more delicate and complicated natures instead of having to pass them off to someone else simply because I did not have the clearance or protocol within the organization to do it myself. I am looking forward to the challenge as I am a problem solver by nature. I would rather be challenged by this in a museum or educational setting, but can't complain that I'm working with vacations either.
And one of these days, I WILL take that Viking River Cruise down the Rhine in December. But, I digress.....
Also in April, I took a *gasp* vacation! I'm one of those people who rarely takes a legit vacation. My definition of a vacation is usually a couple days where I don't have to set the alarm clock, never get out of my jammies, eat junk food, and catch up on Dr. Who. This time, I traveled. Granted, it was just to the other side of town, but there was a four night stay in a hotel involved. :) You may have gathered by this point, or if you know me personally, that I am a consummate nerd. I LOVE going to nerd conventions and have been attending since I was in 7th grade. My first was a Star Trek convention in 1987 where I met George Takei in Johnson City, Tennessee. This was before you had to pay to meet the stars and it was only Trek, nothing else. In Orlando, I never missed FXCon (until they stopped a few years back) and MegaCon. I never could make Screamfest as I was always working when it was going on. I kept wanting to attend DragonCon in Atlanta, GenCon in Wisconsin, and, one of these days, I WILL make it to San Diego for the granddaddy of them all, ComicCon. I almost had a chance this year, but it fell through. *pout* At the rate that Emerald CityCon in Seattle is growing, it's on my radar too. When I first started attending cons, it was just us nerds, mostly of the Star Trek or Star Wars variety. Although, you sometimes saw Dune, Dr. Who, and Battlestar Galactica references. Then, the mainstream caught on. A few years back, Entertainment Weekly started doing a ComicCon issue. That marked the time when the mainstream collided with nerd territory..... and about the time they started having Glee and Twilight forums in the cons as well (seriously).
When I moved to Denver two years ago, one of the first things I did, even before I got my clothes unpacked, was look for cons. I juuuust missed Starfest 2011 by a couple days. The following year, I attended and was completely blown away. Out of the cons I've attended or seen by way of video, Starfest is by far my favorite. It takes place over three hotels in the Denver Tech Center on the south side of town, the Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt. It's actually six conventions in one, Starfest, Comicfest, Horrorfest, Digifest, Robofest, and Gamefest. In addition to "getting my nerd on", I attended classes on digitally reconstructing photographs and honed my airbrushing technique. Centered at the Marriott DTC, the attendees who are lucky enough to get atrium rooms are encouraged to decorate their balconies and compete. There are two categories, one is themed (this year it was Superman) and one non-themed (everyone else). I came in second place for non-themed with my balcony based on the Black Veil Brides' mini-movie Legion of the Black. I hand painted the banners and "stained glass" (plastic sheeting), carved the jack-o-lantern via soldering iron, and painted the masks. Photos are below.
I had a blast as usual at Starfest and, of course, did it all in costume. Below are my characters for this con. I love building costumes and doing theatrical make up. When I worked at Titanic, I was in charge of the costume department.
Me as Harley Quinn from Batman. Make up and hairpieces are my design, the rest is store bought.
Me as Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones. Pants and boots are store bought, the rest I created by hand. The shoulder armor is theatrical leather, skirt is theatrical suede and chain, bodice is car upholstery and curtain tiebacks, dragon is store bought and touched up/sewn onto the armor.
Me as Steampunk Mad Hatter. I took my inspiration from Kate Shindle's role as the Hatter in Broadway's short-lived Wonderland and steampunked it. Everything is my own creation except the pants and shoes. The rings are my favorite. They are hard to see in the picture, but they are a miniature porcelain tea set. The Stormtrooper is a member of the 501st Legion.
And, yes, there is a video floating around youtube of me singing Bohemian Rhapsody in the character of Harley Quinn at the Klingon Karaoke.
I post this to show you what I do for fun. I like making costumes, painting, carving pumpkins, and being a nerd. Next up is Denver ComicCon at the end of this month. I hope to unveil another new costume of mine there as well. This one is Pris from Blade Runner. I am also tweeking the Mad Hatter costume with some new beading I found at my local Michael's craft store. They introduced a whole aisle that is nothing but steampunk stuff.
Prior to Denver ComicCon, I will be doing our first fundraiser for We Are Women - Colorado. We are holding a community garage sale where half of the money raised will go to the organization. The other half goes to those who donated things to sell. Right now, we have a very tiny overhead but that will grow as we get more established. This will give us a feel for how we can work within the community. The following weekend, Memorial Day weekend, I will be working with another charity I have picked up. This is Love, Hope, Strength which gets people to sign up to be bone marrow donors. They had a booth at a concert I attended in early April, and I was so impressed that, since I cannot donate, I wanted to help. So, I will be working their event both at Denver Day of Rock.
Well, it's time for me to sign off and send out some more resumes. I have a total of 464 out since I started my search. That will go to 471 by the time I start my travel agent shift tonight. The links to We Are Women - Colorado and Love, Hope, Strength are below. The webpage for We Are Women is under construction for the next few weeks, so please bear with us on that.
Wish me luck and all the best to you. Thanks for reading.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Super Bowl and the Poe House
Iiiiiit's GAME DAY!
In an earlier post, I waxed poetic about the Edgar Allen Poe House in Baltimore cross-promoting with the Baltimore Ravens NFL team. Now that the Ravens are in the Super Bowl, I invite you to check out the Poe House's facebook page. They've been posting all weekend.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Edgar-Allan-Poe-House-Museum/10150113128020459?ref=ts&fref=ts
Once the Ravens made it through the playoffs, they posted this picture:
The Ravens' team page, however, is not posting any cross-promotion. They have other things to post. Namely, Ray Lewis' big retirement. Tonight is his last game. What a way to go out! This is one conspiracy theory that I am inclined to give a little way to.... Thinking that Peyton Manning threw the Broncos' playoff game to the Ravens for Ray. The Ravens are also in a social political war on the gay rights front this year. Two of their players have come out in support of gay marriage and equality for all. The 49er's players, on the other hand, are opposing this most disgustingly. Unfortunately, any Poe references that may have been made have been lost.
However, during the game, both teams' cities are profiled in a brief bit to try and bolster tourism. I will be working during the game but will have it on nearby to keep an eye on my "Dirty Birds". Hopefully, the Poe House will be at least briefly seen during the game.
In the meantime, I have one of my favorite radio stations streaming - Voodoo 104 in New Orleans, the wings are marinating in the slow cooker, post-game/shift beers are in the fridge, GO RAVENS, and....
In an earlier post, I waxed poetic about the Edgar Allen Poe House in Baltimore cross-promoting with the Baltimore Ravens NFL team. Now that the Ravens are in the Super Bowl, I invite you to check out the Poe House's facebook page. They've been posting all weekend.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Edgar-Allan-Poe-House-Museum/10150113128020459?ref=ts&fref=ts
Once the Ravens made it through the playoffs, they posted this picture:
The Ravens' team page, however, is not posting any cross-promotion. They have other things to post. Namely, Ray Lewis' big retirement. Tonight is his last game. What a way to go out! This is one conspiracy theory that I am inclined to give a little way to.... Thinking that Peyton Manning threw the Broncos' playoff game to the Ravens for Ray. The Ravens are also in a social political war on the gay rights front this year. Two of their players have come out in support of gay marriage and equality for all. The 49er's players, on the other hand, are opposing this most disgustingly. Unfortunately, any Poe references that may have been made have been lost.
However, during the game, both teams' cities are profiled in a brief bit to try and bolster tourism. I will be working during the game but will have it on nearby to keep an eye on my "Dirty Birds". Hopefully, the Poe House will be at least briefly seen during the game.
In the meantime, I have one of my favorite radio stations streaming - Voodoo 104 in New Orleans, the wings are marinating in the slow cooker, post-game/shift beers are in the fridge, GO RAVENS, and....
Friday, February 1, 2013
A little humor...
I'm working on a new blogpost about smaller museums joining marketing forces for the betterment of all. It's not done yet as January's typical mandatory overtime has been atypically extended to March. Sales in the travel industry are big and brisk. Here's hoping that the arts and humanities sector will be next.
In the meantime, this came floating through my social networks. Enjoy!!!
http://theministryofcuriosity.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-support-group-for-museum-stereotyped.html
And this. Don't worry. Both are safe for work. :)
http://youtu.be/IhAJiz2ixuY
"If we didn't laugh, we'd all go insane." - Jimmy Buffett
In the meantime, this came floating through my social networks. Enjoy!!!
http://theministryofcuriosity.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-support-group-for-museum-stereotyped.html
And this. Don't worry. Both are safe for work. :)
http://youtu.be/IhAJiz2ixuY
"If we didn't laugh, we'd all go insane." - Jimmy Buffett
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Happy New Year!
2013.... We are in you.
I started the new year staying in celebrating my dad's birthday and teaching him how to tweet while watching earthcam.com's worldwide coverage of New Year's celebrations. Normally, I love going out on New Year's Eve. It's my second favorite holiday behind Halloween. This year, I unprecedentedly got both the Eve and the Day off by virtue of the days of the week on which they landed and decided to stay in instead. That was partially due to the snowy and icy weather here in Denver, partially due to the fact that my computer's battery backup died over Christmas and I had to spend my going-out money on a new one. It was for the best. Automobile ice capades on amateur night is not the best of ideas. We toasted at midnight eastern time before mom and dad went off to bed (they are both early birds whereas I'm a night owl). I stayed up watching the backyard neighbors fire off their fireworks, which are illegal in our county. The police showed up shortly thereafter. Thirty minutes later, they fired off the rest of the fireworks. I waited until California rang in the new year, curled up with a couple chapters of Game of Thrones, and was asleep at my normal bedtime of 2 a.m.
I dremt that a friend of mine gave me a pedicure. That's very odd, because I hate people touching my feet. It's just a quirk of mine.
I awoke this morning in time to watch the bulk of the Rose Parade with my parents and help them finish de-Christmas the house. It's now all down, the rooms cleaned, and the furniture moved back where it all belongs. All that's left is the outdoor decor which will wait until this weekend when it's warmer with less ice on the roof.
I looked up that dream. It means that I am confidant and relaxed. That is what this post is about. I am rested, organized, packed, and raring to go! In fact, I have a hunch that this will be my last holiday season living in this house. As much as I love and appreciate my family for taking me in when my life fell apart in Florida (husband left me for a younger woman and used the mortgage money to fund her lifestyle, my job at Titanic was bought out from under me by a rival company which led to all the senior staff (including me) to be laid off, and that led to me losing the house there), I am ready to stand on my own feet again. All I need is for someone to hire me in my field.
My resolutions: 1) Get hired for a paying gig in the museum field. 2) Finish at least the first three Game of Thrones books before April 1. 3) Make it on/off the Kokomo lift at Copper without falling and without giving myself a concussion. 4) Learn to play a full song on the guitar. I think I'll start with this one. http://youtu.be/4cKNxXfWxJ4 (New Strings by Miranda Lambert)
It's gonna be a great year!
I started the new year staying in celebrating my dad's birthday and teaching him how to tweet while watching earthcam.com's worldwide coverage of New Year's celebrations. Normally, I love going out on New Year's Eve. It's my second favorite holiday behind Halloween. This year, I unprecedentedly got both the Eve and the Day off by virtue of the days of the week on which they landed and decided to stay in instead. That was partially due to the snowy and icy weather here in Denver, partially due to the fact that my computer's battery backup died over Christmas and I had to spend my going-out money on a new one. It was for the best. Automobile ice capades on amateur night is not the best of ideas. We toasted at midnight eastern time before mom and dad went off to bed (they are both early birds whereas I'm a night owl). I stayed up watching the backyard neighbors fire off their fireworks, which are illegal in our county. The police showed up shortly thereafter. Thirty minutes later, they fired off the rest of the fireworks. I waited until California rang in the new year, curled up with a couple chapters of Game of Thrones, and was asleep at my normal bedtime of 2 a.m.
I dremt that a friend of mine gave me a pedicure. That's very odd, because I hate people touching my feet. It's just a quirk of mine.
I awoke this morning in time to watch the bulk of the Rose Parade with my parents and help them finish de-Christmas the house. It's now all down, the rooms cleaned, and the furniture moved back where it all belongs. All that's left is the outdoor decor which will wait until this weekend when it's warmer with less ice on the roof.
I looked up that dream. It means that I am confidant and relaxed. That is what this post is about. I am rested, organized, packed, and raring to go! In fact, I have a hunch that this will be my last holiday season living in this house. As much as I love and appreciate my family for taking me in when my life fell apart in Florida (husband left me for a younger woman and used the mortgage money to fund her lifestyle, my job at Titanic was bought out from under me by a rival company which led to all the senior staff (including me) to be laid off, and that led to me losing the house there), I am ready to stand on my own feet again. All I need is for someone to hire me in my field.
My resolutions: 1) Get hired for a paying gig in the museum field. 2) Finish at least the first three Game of Thrones books before April 1. 3) Make it on/off the Kokomo lift at Copper without falling and without giving myself a concussion. 4) Learn to play a full song on the guitar. I think I'll start with this one. http://youtu.be/4cKNxXfWxJ4 (New Strings by Miranda Lambert)
It's gonna be a great year!
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Ready, set, SHOP!
I hope all of your Thanksgivings were full of noms and love!
I abhor Black Friday and, since my current job is with the dot coms, Cyber Monday. I just want to hide from the inhumanity. I love the idea of Small Business Saturday. I would have visited some of my favorites on Pearl Street in Boulder this year if I wasn't working massive overtime (ah the holidays.... the time of 16+ hour sales shifts followed by announcements of cut hours). My thoughts on the matter are more like....
I followed #BlackFriday on Twitter just for giggles during my breaks working the late, late shift on Thanksgiving night. As the box stores opened from east coast to west coast, all I could do was shake my head. Threats, strikes, tramplings, tazings, and the odd food truck that showed up in a Target shopping lot around 1 am to sell to people freezing in line to get in to the store.
Mom and I waxed poetic Black Friday morning about how we used to love going out shopping on that day. Not for the deals, but because that's when all the holiday decorations were finally up and it was considered a family outing as most people had the day off. We would go to the Bristol Mall in Tennessee and wander around, get some lunch at some bistro to contemplate what we wanted to get friends and family, and finish off by the obligatory annual trips to Toys R Us (we didn't have one in Kingsport) and Atlantis (a really cool new age store that went out of business years ago). Then, we'd head home to Kingsport for dinner and a movie in the living room while scheduling events vs. when we'd put up the tree. The outdoor lights went up the next day.
Nowadays.... Michael's is playing Jackson 5's "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and Macy's puts up its holiday decor the week before Halloween. Here in Denver, KOSI, the "at work radio station", started playing 24/7 holiday tunes on Nov. 12. So, I take it Veteran's day is the new benchmark? All holiday stuff has to be done by then?
How about no.
In all of this insanity, a new trend has emerged on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. It was called "Giving Tuesday" to follow Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. The idea is to give to charities either on your own or as a gift. After Hurricane Sandy, it was quite timely. I saw ads all over facebook for various charities and non-profits asking for donations or giving gifts for donations for that day. Museums got in on the action too, and I saw several small museums reminding their social media followers that a membership to a museum/zoo/aquarium makes a great gift. The sales pitch wasn't nearly as loud as the electronics departments of the box stores, however. I have to wonder if many noticed. I did see a report that donations to various charities were up this year on that day. Whether that was because of the hurricane, the new fires in Colorado (just rename our state Mordor and be done with it), or because it was Giving Tuesday, I don't think we'll ever rightfully know. Too many odd variables to make an accurate assessment. Forbes picked up on the museum membership on Giving Tuesday idea this year in the following excellent article...
http://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahljacobs/2012/11/27/last-minute-gift-idea-museum-memberships-do-triple-duty/
What a great idea! In the arts section of the Sunday paper of Thanksgiving weekend, how about museums advertise memberships as gifts for Giving Tuesday? There were none in the Denver Post. Next year mayhaps? Anyone? We have an organization here, the SCFD, which funnels tax dollars to the area arts and humanities businesses (the Molly Brown House, the Symphony, the Museum of Nature and Science, the DAM, etc, etc, etc). I have to wonder if they could pool their advertising and market this new trend since the holidays are pretty much a shut down for everything else. I haven't seen anything of this nature around town. A full page ad in the Post shouldn't break the budget.
The job search continues. I am at 411 resumes scattered over the past 18 months around North America, all for similar museum positions. This "fiscal cliff" in DC is concerning me as is the appointment of a new head of the NEA. I hope hiring ramps up. Things are improving out there. The cruises I sell in my day job are going up and up in cost and more and more people are willingly paying $10k for vacations without batting an eye. Museums at sea? Hmmmmm, it's not an untapped resource. The Museum of Glass already has glassblowing at sea on select Celebrity ships. But that's another subject for another time.
In the meantime, go Broncos! One quarter away from cinching the AFC West title.....
I abhor Black Friday and, since my current job is with the dot coms, Cyber Monday. I just want to hide from the inhumanity. I love the idea of Small Business Saturday. I would have visited some of my favorites on Pearl Street in Boulder this year if I wasn't working massive overtime (ah the holidays.... the time of 16+ hour sales shifts followed by announcements of cut hours). My thoughts on the matter are more like....
I followed #BlackFriday on Twitter just for giggles during my breaks working the late, late shift on Thanksgiving night. As the box stores opened from east coast to west coast, all I could do was shake my head. Threats, strikes, tramplings, tazings, and the odd food truck that showed up in a Target shopping lot around 1 am to sell to people freezing in line to get in to the store.
Mom and I waxed poetic Black Friday morning about how we used to love going out shopping on that day. Not for the deals, but because that's when all the holiday decorations were finally up and it was considered a family outing as most people had the day off. We would go to the Bristol Mall in Tennessee and wander around, get some lunch at some bistro to contemplate what we wanted to get friends and family, and finish off by the obligatory annual trips to Toys R Us (we didn't have one in Kingsport) and Atlantis (a really cool new age store that went out of business years ago). Then, we'd head home to Kingsport for dinner and a movie in the living room while scheduling events vs. when we'd put up the tree. The outdoor lights went up the next day.
Nowadays.... Michael's is playing Jackson 5's "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and Macy's puts up its holiday decor the week before Halloween. Here in Denver, KOSI, the "at work radio station", started playing 24/7 holiday tunes on Nov. 12. So, I take it Veteran's day is the new benchmark? All holiday stuff has to be done by then?
How about no.
In all of this insanity, a new trend has emerged on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. It was called "Giving Tuesday" to follow Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. The idea is to give to charities either on your own or as a gift. After Hurricane Sandy, it was quite timely. I saw ads all over facebook for various charities and non-profits asking for donations or giving gifts for donations for that day. Museums got in on the action too, and I saw several small museums reminding their social media followers that a membership to a museum/zoo/aquarium makes a great gift. The sales pitch wasn't nearly as loud as the electronics departments of the box stores, however. I have to wonder if many noticed. I did see a report that donations to various charities were up this year on that day. Whether that was because of the hurricane, the new fires in Colorado (just rename our state Mordor and be done with it), or because it was Giving Tuesday, I don't think we'll ever rightfully know. Too many odd variables to make an accurate assessment. Forbes picked up on the museum membership on Giving Tuesday idea this year in the following excellent article...
http://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahljacobs/2012/11/27/last-minute-gift-idea-museum-memberships-do-triple-duty/
What a great idea! In the arts section of the Sunday paper of Thanksgiving weekend, how about museums advertise memberships as gifts for Giving Tuesday? There were none in the Denver Post. Next year mayhaps? Anyone? We have an organization here, the SCFD, which funnels tax dollars to the area arts and humanities businesses (the Molly Brown House, the Symphony, the Museum of Nature and Science, the DAM, etc, etc, etc). I have to wonder if they could pool their advertising and market this new trend since the holidays are pretty much a shut down for everything else. I haven't seen anything of this nature around town. A full page ad in the Post shouldn't break the budget.
The job search continues. I am at 411 resumes scattered over the past 18 months around North America, all for similar museum positions. This "fiscal cliff" in DC is concerning me as is the appointment of a new head of the NEA. I hope hiring ramps up. Things are improving out there. The cruises I sell in my day job are going up and up in cost and more and more people are willingly paying $10k for vacations without batting an eye. Museums at sea? Hmmmmm, it's not an untapped resource. The Museum of Glass already has glassblowing at sea on select Celebrity ships. But that's another subject for another time.
In the meantime, go Broncos! One quarter away from cinching the AFC West title.....
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Superstorm Sandy
I have been holding off on this blog until I could hear updates from the museums affected by Superstorm Sandy. Aside from opening times, there isn't much. I am glad that recovery is underway and am concerned at the lack of electricity needed to protect objects. Not to mention staffing..... If you can't work, often you aren't paid. This was the case when I worked for a research lab in Florida at UF-MREC. Hurricane Charley knocked out our boiler room. Then, Hurricanes Jeanne and Frances kept us without power for two months. No power = no work = no pay. That was 8 years ago and I am still paying off the debt as FEMA was useless in the matter.
I am still waiting to see what's going on with the various museums in New England, particularly New York and New Jersey. I see the major museums are getting back on their feet quickly once power is restored. The minor museums.... not so much, especially the outdoor museums and historic gardens/houses. Ouch.
AAM released in Aviso an email address for affected museums to ask for help. There is also a link to the online library for documents for assistance. However, the link appears to be segregated into whichever "Tier" you belong to. Not to mention, it's rather disorganized. It makes me wonder where my dues are going to and, since my membership is up for renewal this month, I wonder if I should keep my membership as I am still technically an unemployed museum professional. WESTPAS is infinitely better equipped, better managed, and has a better communications network for disaster recovery. Unfortunately, WESTPAS is for the western states only. I wonder if there is something like that in New England?
According to my friends who live in the NYC/NJ area, things are still rather volatile there. Power is unreliable and more pressing matters of heat, shelter, fuel, and food are taking prescidance over art and artifact. As I understand it, the zoos and aquariums are particularly hard hit. No news from there as of yet. So, in light (or dark?) of that matter, I'll post the conclusion of my master's dissertation for your consideration. I had hoped that the elitist non-communcation rampant in like-businesses would have been improved post-Katrina. It appears on the surface that baby steps have been taken towards a common goal. It's not enough.
"Will the storms ever subside? It is doubtful. According to Jim Harper of Scientific American, even bigger and more ferocious storms are coming this century. He, along with scientists at the University of Miami and NOAA, believe a Category 6 needs to be added to the Saffir-Simpson scale. According to Mr. Harper's article "Are Category 6 Hurricanes Coming Soon?", global satellite data suggest that the "net destructive potential of hurricanes has increased, and the strongest hurricanes are becoming more common - especially in the Atlantic." (Harper 2011) This is hypothesized to be due to one of two reasons: a warmer ocean due to global climate change or history simply repeating itself, meaning we are in an active cycle right now. It could also be elements of both. They are suggesting that a Category 6 would be any hurricane with a sustained wind of over 280 kph (175 mph). (Ibid.)
NOAA is taking the initiative to make America a "Weather-ready Nation". They announced in a recent press release that 2011 has so far experienced nine separate disasters. As Hurricane Irene had not formed at the time of that release, it is not counted among the nine. Each of these occurrences cost $1 billion or more in loss, totaling over $35 billion. The bulk of these figures come from the Missouri and Souris Rivers flooding and the Midwest's Spring tornado outbreak, which all but destroyed the town of Joplin, Missouri. Such financial figures were last seen in 2008. NOAA has outlined a plan to improve the precision of forecasts and communication of those forecasts to the public via official outlets to give people even more notice of coming disaster. They also plan to mobilize response specialist teams that are field-ready to examine the storms in situ. They want to implement Dual Pol radar, Integrated Water Resources Science and Services, and the Joint Polar Satellite System across the entire nation for better data gathering. They want to go into the communities and form partnerships to educate the public and businesses about preparedness. Finally, they will be working with local emergency management initiatives to enhance their ability to use resources. According to Munich Reinsurance America, there are three times as many natural disasters in the past 20 years than in the previous part of the century. This increases insurance claims. Claims can be reduced by preparing. (NOAA 2011)
According to the International Association of Emergency Managers-USA President Eddie Hicks, "It starts with National Weather Service and emergency managers...but it ends with actions by individuals and businesses to reduce their risks. The more prepared communities are for destructive weather, the less of a human and economic toll we'll experience in the future." (NOAA 2011)
To echo what Mr. Hicks is saying, the bottom line is planning and communication. That is the best management practice for any type of museum in the path of a hurricane. Planning with community emergency leaders, fellow museums, and within the company is the start. This leads to communications with those who can assist museums in need, both local and federal. To put it bluntly, we can all work together for the survival of our historical objects, but, when disaster strikes, we are on our own. More planning results in better preparedness, better organization, and less damage to our historical objects. It is important to communicate through any means available: social media, cell phones, texting, pocket pamphlets, training sessions, and message boards to name a few. Those two crucial concepts, planning and communication, are key to any hurricane disaster best management practice for any object at any museum, indoor or outdoor."
I am still waiting to see what's going on with the various museums in New England, particularly New York and New Jersey. I see the major museums are getting back on their feet quickly once power is restored. The minor museums.... not so much, especially the outdoor museums and historic gardens/houses. Ouch.
AAM released in Aviso an email address for affected museums to ask for help. There is also a link to the online library for documents for assistance. However, the link appears to be segregated into whichever "Tier" you belong to. Not to mention, it's rather disorganized. It makes me wonder where my dues are going to and, since my membership is up for renewal this month, I wonder if I should keep my membership as I am still technically an unemployed museum professional. WESTPAS is infinitely better equipped, better managed, and has a better communications network for disaster recovery. Unfortunately, WESTPAS is for the western states only. I wonder if there is something like that in New England?
According to my friends who live in the NYC/NJ area, things are still rather volatile there. Power is unreliable and more pressing matters of heat, shelter, fuel, and food are taking prescidance over art and artifact. As I understand it, the zoos and aquariums are particularly hard hit. No news from there as of yet. So, in light (or dark?) of that matter, I'll post the conclusion of my master's dissertation for your consideration. I had hoped that the elitist non-communcation rampant in like-businesses would have been improved post-Katrina. It appears on the surface that baby steps have been taken towards a common goal. It's not enough.
"Will the storms ever subside? It is doubtful. According to Jim Harper of Scientific American, even bigger and more ferocious storms are coming this century. He, along with scientists at the University of Miami and NOAA, believe a Category 6 needs to be added to the Saffir-Simpson scale. According to Mr. Harper's article "Are Category 6 Hurricanes Coming Soon?", global satellite data suggest that the "net destructive potential of hurricanes has increased, and the strongest hurricanes are becoming more common - especially in the Atlantic." (Harper 2011) This is hypothesized to be due to one of two reasons: a warmer ocean due to global climate change or history simply repeating itself, meaning we are in an active cycle right now. It could also be elements of both. They are suggesting that a Category 6 would be any hurricane with a sustained wind of over 280 kph (175 mph). (Ibid.)
NOAA is taking the initiative to make America a "Weather-ready Nation". They announced in a recent press release that 2011 has so far experienced nine separate disasters. As Hurricane Irene had not formed at the time of that release, it is not counted among the nine. Each of these occurrences cost $1 billion or more in loss, totaling over $35 billion. The bulk of these figures come from the Missouri and Souris Rivers flooding and the Midwest's Spring tornado outbreak, which all but destroyed the town of Joplin, Missouri. Such financial figures were last seen in 2008. NOAA has outlined a plan to improve the precision of forecasts and communication of those forecasts to the public via official outlets to give people even more notice of coming disaster. They also plan to mobilize response specialist teams that are field-ready to examine the storms in situ. They want to implement Dual Pol radar, Integrated Water Resources Science and Services, and the Joint Polar Satellite System across the entire nation for better data gathering. They want to go into the communities and form partnerships to educate the public and businesses about preparedness. Finally, they will be working with local emergency management initiatives to enhance their ability to use resources. According to Munich Reinsurance America, there are three times as many natural disasters in the past 20 years than in the previous part of the century. This increases insurance claims. Claims can be reduced by preparing. (NOAA 2011)
According to the International Association of Emergency Managers-USA President Eddie Hicks, "It starts with National Weather Service and emergency managers...but it ends with actions by individuals and businesses to reduce their risks. The more prepared communities are for destructive weather, the less of a human and economic toll we'll experience in the future." (NOAA 2011)
To echo what Mr. Hicks is saying, the bottom line is planning and communication. That is the best management practice for any type of museum in the path of a hurricane. Planning with community emergency leaders, fellow museums, and within the company is the start. This leads to communications with those who can assist museums in need, both local and federal. To put it bluntly, we can all work together for the survival of our historical objects, but, when disaster strikes, we are on our own. More planning results in better preparedness, better organization, and less damage to our historical objects. It is important to communicate through any means available: social media, cell phones, texting, pocket pamphlets, training sessions, and message boards to name a few. Those two crucial concepts, planning and communication, are key to any hurricane disaster best management practice for any object at any museum, indoor or outdoor."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)