I am finding out why the word “dead” was included when a person long ago thought of the term to describe the time when things are due. After an enjoyable Fourth of July long weekend visiting my brother in San Antonio, Texas which included a luxurious rooftop pool and discovering why exactly we should “Remember the Alamo,” I find myself back in my beloved cubicle, swamped with deadlines. I feel as though I am in a constant tug-of-war with business owners, trying to get information for the Life in the Valley and Volunteer Spotlight pieces.
With the deadlines so near, call me crazy but I have a kind of bittersweet feeling. I become so invested and involved with each little story I write, so it makes me kind of sad to just send it off to the editor, out of my documents and onto the pages of LVS. Being a bit of a perfectionist, I always think that each piece could use a little more polish than I have time to give it, but I’m learning that I have to be okay with my best efforts. On the other hand, a wave of relief engulfs me as a click “send,” transporting each article from my email to the desktop of the editor.
So this week didn’t include any delicious smoothies or trips to play with crayons, but it did include one of the most important parts of my internship: learning to work with the pressure of a looming deadline. I’m surprised I had time to write a blog this week, but Lisa told me that the goal is always one post a week even though no intern has been able to do that thus far. And me, I love a good challenge! I urge you to stay on the lookout for more weekly blog postings and a possible book deal in the works as a result of my experience this week – Deadlines of Doom: A Silent Villain (only kidding!)
