Although I've just returned from an eventful weekend in Chicago, there are more pressing matters to process. Chicago will wait.
Last Wednesday, June 18th, my dad Tony and brother Jake survived a very serious canoe accident on the flooded Yellowstone River. The details are numerous and scary; I don't wish to recount them for the millionth time. Instead, I'll link you to the news article in Montana's Livingston Enterprise.
Here's what I'm left to sort through: Nothing bad ever happens with Dad. We've done many dangerous things together like hiking up steep muddy bluffs in the rain and getting an SUV stuck in a hole while treasure hunting (trespassing). But nothing terrible has ever happened. Dad is almost a security blanket. The man spent 2 years planning this trip - you can't tell me he wasn't prepared. They had plans, they had maps, they knew where to go and when to stop. But the river flooded, the currents strengthened, and the plans didn't matter. They were swept over the rapids anyways.
(At the risk of drawing an awful spiritual parallel here about how God's plans are mightier than man's, I'll avoid trying to make sense of this. I just want to talk it out.)
There are some things you don't ask a person, not even your own brother, but in those moments between knowing the water was cold and deciding it was too cold, I wonder at his thoughts. Was it a life-flashing-before-eyes experience? Did he feel peace or was the adrenaline coursing too fast? I don't know what it is to stare death in the face, to feel its chill and know its power, and to ultimately claim victory over it. But I know it is not the path of the feeble-minded. If I am certain of anything, it is that my baby brother is a man strong of heart and mind. He has a hand of blessing on his life I cannot comprehend, and I am confident he will live to earn this miracle. Jake doesn't waste anything but hot water - he won't waste this second chance.
I don't hear from God often, but I feel impressed so strongly that there is a reason Dad and Jake survived this accident. Now they've got to figure that out.
On a more practical note, the boys will take the next 3 weeks to explore all the old ghost towns in Montana and Wyoming on their way back home. This trip has altered, not ended. I am reminded of Robert Frost's comment: "In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on."
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise Him, all creatures here below.
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host.
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
6.23.2008
6.11.2008
The Intern's Day of Fun
On my first day of work, Charlene and Dave (my bosses) handed me an Outlook calendar already scheduled with meetings, assignments and projects. The square of June 11th reads "Day of Fun." Today, my friends, was a great day to be an editorial intern.
After a marketing/editorial joint meeting this morning (that Dave and I bailed out of early), the three of us left on a grand adventure to Ridgedale Mall (of Juno fame). We stopped at several bookstores so they could show me how BHP books are marketed in different ways.
Our first stop was the regional chain Northwestern Christian Bookstore. BHP books filled the shelves in competition with brands like Thomas Nelson, Zondervan, WaterBrook, Tyndale, Multnomah, etc. I noticed that as Dave and Charlene moved through the books, analyzing displays and titles and cover art, they were rearranging the shelves. I'm proud to say that the Ridgedale Northwestern fiction section has only Bethany House books facing forward (called face-outs). All other publishers have been turned on their spine!
Next we visited Barnes and Noble (rearranged their shelves, too) and then Target (their displays are already all face-outs, no changes necessary). Finally, we visited a children's bookstore, The Wild Rumpus, in Minneapolis. Its name comes from Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak - a wild rumpus is a crazy jungle party. There are cats with no tails, ferrets, chinchillas, lizards, and chickens in the store! Also, I walked over a plank of glass, only to realize I was looking down into a cage full of pet rats - that did not go over well with me.
All in all, it was a pretty fantastic day. I learned about many things, like sales and marketing tactics, why books sell, and how the spine is actually important to sales numbers. I also learned some upsetting things about this industry, like the fact that the Christian Book Distributors Association strongly discourages ethnic diversity as cover art (read: book covers show white people).
I'm still reading lots of manuscripts. I cranked through one last night from 11:30pm-1:07am, but still have 5 more on my desk.
I drink coffee religiously (Ashley S, my goal is to be drinking it black by the end of the summer).
I try to be funny or insightful at least once in every meeting I attend (it's working thus far).
I enter editorial corrections, which means transcribing an editor's comments from a paper manuscript to the Word document.
I learn all kinds of things like proofreading codes (# means insert space) and official ways to spell and hyphenate words (dishtowel is one word).
I perform blue-line checks (the final stop before a manuscript goes to the printer) and caught a formatting error! I am not a useless intern!
Here is your Editorial Tip of the Day: When dialogue begins a chapter there are no opening double quotations. Example: not "Mom" but Mom!"
After a marketing/editorial joint meeting this morning (that Dave and I bailed out of early), the three of us left on a grand adventure to Ridgedale Mall (of Juno fame). We stopped at several bookstores so they could show me how BHP books are marketed in different ways.
Our first stop was the regional chain Northwestern Christian Bookstore. BHP books filled the shelves in competition with brands like Thomas Nelson, Zondervan, WaterBrook, Tyndale, Multnomah, etc. I noticed that as Dave and Charlene moved through the books, analyzing displays and titles and cover art, they were rearranging the shelves. I'm proud to say that the Ridgedale Northwestern fiction section has only Bethany House books facing forward (called face-outs). All other publishers have been turned on their spine!
Next we visited Barnes and Noble (rearranged their shelves, too) and then Target (their displays are already all face-outs, no changes necessary). Finally, we visited a children's bookstore, The Wild Rumpus, in Minneapolis. Its name comes from Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak - a wild rumpus is a crazy jungle party. There are cats with no tails, ferrets, chinchillas, lizards, and chickens in the store! Also, I walked over a plank of glass, only to realize I was looking down into a cage full of pet rats - that did not go over well with me.
All in all, it was a pretty fantastic day. I learned about many things, like sales and marketing tactics, why books sell, and how the spine is actually important to sales numbers. I also learned some upsetting things about this industry, like the fact that the Christian Book Distributors Association strongly discourages ethnic diversity as cover art (read: book covers show white people).
I'm still reading lots of manuscripts. I cranked through one last night from 11:30pm-1:07am, but still have 5 more on my desk.
I drink coffee religiously (Ashley S, my goal is to be drinking it black by the end of the summer).
I try to be funny or insightful at least once in every meeting I attend (it's working thus far).
I enter editorial corrections, which means transcribing an editor's comments from a paper manuscript to the Word document.
I learn all kinds of things like proofreading codes (# means insert space) and official ways to spell and hyphenate words (dishtowel is one word).
I perform blue-line checks (the final stop before a manuscript goes to the printer) and caught a formatting error! I am not a useless intern!
Here is your Editorial Tip of the Day: When dialogue begins a chapter there are no opening double quotations. Example: not "Mom" but Mom!"
6.10.2008
Early-morning Existentialism
You know how some people get that "runner's high"?
I am definitely NOT one of those people.
I've been running for precisely 2 days (in a row) which required me to get up at 6 am this morning. It was freezing but I ran and the first, oh, 10 steps were absolutely exhilarating. After that it just sucked but I am convinced that this is a discipline that will not kill me - ergo it will make me stronger.
I was challenged this week to evaluate the activities I devote my time to. Most of them are things that come naturally to me: writing, reading, listening to music/singing in the car. I enjoy these things because I don't have to work at them - I'm already good at them.
But I was hard-pressed to find activities that are difficult for me, that I don't enjoy, that don't come naturally. It was a pretty short list: The Spanish language is the only one I could come up with. I chose to minor in Spanish after a bad classroom experience. I wasn't ready to give up on it. While it is challenging and downright frustrating at times, I know that ultimately, I will not regret choosing to work at it.
And now, after a great run in the forest preserve - shinsplints and sideaches included - I'm ready to add running to my list of challenges. It is an activity that does not come naturally, but I will be committed to it and develop discipline.
I think discipline is the stuff adults are made of.
I am definitely NOT one of those people.
I've been running for precisely 2 days (in a row) which required me to get up at 6 am this morning. It was freezing but I ran and the first, oh, 10 steps were absolutely exhilarating. After that it just sucked but I am convinced that this is a discipline that will not kill me - ergo it will make me stronger.
I was challenged this week to evaluate the activities I devote my time to. Most of them are things that come naturally to me: writing, reading, listening to music/singing in the car. I enjoy these things because I don't have to work at them - I'm already good at them.
But I was hard-pressed to find activities that are difficult for me, that I don't enjoy, that don't come naturally. It was a pretty short list: The Spanish language is the only one I could come up with. I chose to minor in Spanish after a bad classroom experience. I wasn't ready to give up on it. While it is challenging and downright frustrating at times, I know that ultimately, I will not regret choosing to work at it.
And now, after a great run in the forest preserve - shinsplints and sideaches included - I'm ready to add running to my list of challenges. It is an activity that does not come naturally, but I will be committed to it and develop discipline.
I think discipline is the stuff adults are made of.
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