Day 7: CCC...Brooklyn!!!

        The Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn was definitely a spiritual breathe of fresh air. At first, I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive about attending the 30,000+ congregation due to my own personal issues with religion and churches with "spot and wrinkles", but after being greeting with warm welcomes and enjoying the praise and worship, my guard was eventually demolished. 

The sermon was quick and to the point which is good for the schedules we have. Senior Pastor, Rev. A. R. Bernard style of preaching was admirable because he taught the word of God with passion and swagger. He strategically left cliff hangers to keep his audience coming back for more. His style was different from the usual fire and brimstone style of preaching that is too common in many black churches. I was slightly disappointed when time ran out because I felt that the sermon just starting to deliver vital information that was meant for me to get through this experience and prepare for my career. 

      I had been feeling as though I had been walking blindly trying to figure my PURPOSE. At times struggle with the idea that I am not working to the best of my ability or more simply, what I want to do with the rest of my life. I want to continue attending CCC weekly to keep a spiritual balance that has been lacking in my life. The main objective is to remain sane with everything that is happening so rapidly.  

Day 6: The best day...

TODAY WAS A GOOD DAY. 

After a early start, today had to be the best day so far in this experience. It began with meeting the lovely Mrs. Pat Battle during her segment for the morning news. Being in the studio while live on-air brought back so many memories of when I interned at WAGA FOX 5 Atlanta. I really wanted to go to the control room to see where the magic happens. Mrs. Battle was such an delight with her witty personality,  all of us  girls agreed that she was "the homegirl". She's able to capture her audience by having a comical and sarcastic style of reporting, while still relying the story and  relevant information. It was definitely relieving to hear that she was married and had a family that was functional. Having a husband that was reporter was also very interesting to find as well, adding the fact that he attended Clark Atlanta. I am guilty to admit that I would love to be a fly on the wall in their household to see how they balance their family and this intense business. 

Ms. Christine Fields, who insisted we call her "Tine", was definitely a blessing to meet. Learning different techniques for shooting was beneficial because I need to advance in that area because it is essential to my career. I realized it need to tell my mother to FedEx my Bare Bones  textbook, an "dummy" manuel for proper shooting, down here because it definitely needed. It felt good to know a snippet of her knowledge when she was explaining the basics of cinematography and photography. I was silently thinking to myself "Ok, CAU Alumna!" The photographs that were shown were meritorious to say the least. The few I had a chance to look at  each had unique character. I was even more shocked to hear of the places around the world in which she had taken them. I made the mental note of  "following the lines". 

After learning a few techniques of "live shots", doing them on camera was not that intimidating. I actually felt official to be on the streets of New York City with NBC4 paraphernalia. At first, I was nervous to be on a main street with all these tourist curiously gazing at us, but when my turn came it flowed naturally (almost). I really thought Mrs. Battle was going to have prove her name when this weird guy was going too far with his comments and being a little too much in the mix. 

After the day ended at "30 Rock", we collectively went to Times Square and had our a true "bonding moment". All the characters that were in the street made me feel as though I was in an congested amusement park. The statue of Liberty impersonators, a silver man, a Chicago performer, along with Mickey Mouse and Elmo were just a few characters we were greeted by. Although dinner at T.G.I Friday's  was ridiculously expensive, it was well-needed outing because we all grew more closer as a group (in my opinion). We laughed, shared a few personal stories, learned common interest and even addressed undertones issues that may have been "incidents".

Saturday nights are so live in Harlem. Everyone is outside, music blasting, children playing in the park.  A fellow "Reid girl" and I really connected as we explored our surrounding neighborhood. We linked with a few friends from college and was able to really experience Harlem. Literally just a few blocks, we were opened up to a foreign world that was starting to feel like home. We found ourselves at a social gathering that that was on a roof! Looking over Harlem upon the concrete jungle, I definitely had a moment. It had finally set in that I was in NYC, and I realized that since high school I have wanted to be here; Atlanta was simply an detour.

After we left the gathering, we walked to a latino seafood restaurant on 125th Ave and Amsterdam. It immediately became the spot to go to for a great inexpensive meal, plus it's 24 hours. They served fresh seafood that one could buy straight off the ice as well as a variety of cooked meals with choices that ranged from fresh veggies to spanish rice. 

After our eventful day, we felt proud to be back in the dorms by 10:30pm, beating our 11pm curfew. We had to laugh amongst ourselves because throughout the whole odyssey we still were focused on our work, stressing about the upcoming events that awaits. 

Friday: Day 5

I don't have an internship yet, so I did not have to leave the dorm  today. Of course Ms. Reid made sure my day was full and eventful. Next week I have the responsibility of finding guest for the Tom Joyner Morning Show on top of other assignments that are due and the pressure is on. Pitching a story that is acceptable is difficult, but actually finding a guest can not be described for this blog. The realization that this national segment is my responsibility is a tough pill to swallow, but it will get done. I also have to research information on Glossolalia or as we know it "speaking in tongues". 

We were suppose to go to a soul food restaurant called Melba's, but Ms. Reid insisted we stay in for a pizza night, where she addressed some issues that she been hearing about and basically told us to not act like "unstable creatures". We had a one-on-one to recap the week and consumed all the information she suggested to do to network. As a group, we inducted our honorary twelfth member of The Reid Group when a girl that attended CCNY invited herself into our session. She was nice and very enthused to meet us, so it was okay. 

Later that evening, we watched Sue Simmons of NBC4 last show anchoring for the network. Although I never heard of her before coming to New York City, watching her story I became emotional. One thing for sure, she was definitely a "fox" when she was younger and she grew to become  irreplaceable icon. I have to admit, I was left pondering on why her co-host was not released along with her. 

Day 4...

        New York City becomes more intriguing and adventurous daily. Today we went to lunch at Ditch Plains, I am still trying to figure out what part of town we were in, but the area was clean and looked very "rich" and did not have the common smell of garbage and urine that floods the streets of Harlem. Besides the vibe of the area, the restaurant had a down-to-earth feeling and we were greeted by the general manager, who seemed appreciative to have us as guest. The food was commendable, which is good since they are treating us to lunch twice a week for the duration of the internship. 

The service was good and on point with any need, but it was a little slow and  we were a little late getting back to 30 Rock. Part of it was arriving late to the establishment, but I think apart of the problem was the fact that many of the girls haven't yet grasp the concept of "the New York minute". I fall victim to this problem as well, but I have noticed I move fast naturally, sometimes a little too fast at times and I often have to retract my steps. I did enjoy the fact that we came up with personal nicknames for each other. The name I was given was "Stay Schemin" because I always have an plan forming in my head and I often move covert, or so I have been told. It definitely made the afternoon that much better and it showed a sense of bonding and unity amongst the group. 

All the guest today gave vital information that poured directly into my life. I consumed as much information as I could ingest to make me a better journalist. Sometimes ( most times) I am my worst critique and feel I am not working to the best of my ability and my stress levels go from zero to ten in .5 seconds . I know that there is always room for improvement; organization is the key! 

Day 3

       What I saw in New York City today was probably the most disturbing thing to date with this experience in the Big Apple. I was on my way to a corner store on Amsterdam Avenue when I stumbled across a "Live Poultry" market operated by hispanics. Curiosity got the best of me and I just had take a sneak peak of what was actually being sold and to my surprise it was several cages of live chickens stacked on top of each other. I understand that buying these chickens may be fresher rather purchasing them in the grocery store or local meat market, but the idea that most of these caged animals were probably born in the store and may have been eating their own feces was definitely gut-wrenching. 

I refused to walk in the store for two main reasons: I didn't want to become an vegan on the spot, which would have been the definite outcome and I did not want to start crying hysterically on the streets of Harlem. I will make it in there one day to do some investigative reporting of the techniques use to slaughter these chickens and as well as observe possible health hazards. To some, this may not be a big deal, but this is something that I am not use to seeing on a everyday basis because many slaughter houses in my hometown of Rochester are subjected to country areas, while this one was in the local neighborhood. It was very fascinating and despairing at the same time. 

The Reid Group: Day 2

        Today in New York City, I was observing was that everyone rode the subway no matter what walk of life they  came from. Passengers on the New York transit ranged from business executives to foreigners that barely spoke english. Social status or ethnic background was not at all a determining factor. I even saw a Rabbi get off the train, which is not common in my neck of the woods. I was also surprised that Ms. Reid had rode the train into the city  as well. She explained that due to the weather it was just a part of the city's culture. 

I am rapidly learning the proper etiquette of the transit system because I know New Yorkers will snap if your in their way or taking up both sides of the stairways and escalators. I am from upstate New York, which is a little slower than "the city" but I am finding myself becoming adjusted to the ways of life by simply observing my surroundings and people watching. However, I do understand how someone thats never set foot in the Big Apple can become overwhelmed when diving head first into the number 1 market in the country.

The Reid Group: Day 1

What I saw today in New York City was Harlem at best! The chance to finally explore the neighborhood that is enriched with Black culture with sights such as the Apollo Theatre, street vendors and shopping centers and I quickly learned that I did not have to travel far to obtain anything (compared to Atlanta). Another observation that sparked interest was the fact that no one talked on the trains, which made me real cautious of how much my roommate and I engaged in conversation. The independence of children was also intriguing because they travel on the trains alone to go to and from school and really have free will to do what they want in this enormous city. I also observed how natives of NYC move when they are on a mission to their destination. Everyone moves in sync and knows how to maneuver throughout the street without being touched although a thousand people may be walking aside them or hit by speeding ongoing traffic.
Although today was the first day in the Big Apple, I am finding myself to learn the proper etiquettes of the city so that I don't have that "I'm lost" look when trying to get from one destination to the next. I also feel that the ladies with The Reid Group would enjoy the city more if they stopped getting spooked by the horror stories that always being associated with New York City, but just take heed to what has been taught to us and make smart decisions.
Overall, the experience is definitely a blessing and being chosen to participate in the program is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am going to exhaust all networks that are being handed to me. I am ready to learn, enhance my skills in media and have fun!