Final Thoughts

So it seems like I have a habit of failing to conclude my blogs once I move on to my next endeavor.

It's hard to believe that it's already been three and half months since I left New York. During that time I've completed another internship, this time with ABC News on Campus as the bureau chief at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and have just recently started my second year of graduate school. Before any more time passes I feel I need to wrap up this blog.

While I was looking forward to returning to the openness and friendliness of Nebraska last May, I was also most certainly sad to leave the city.

I had always wanted to live in NYC and the Late Show was my chance to do so. It was a thrilling place for me to be able to live for five months. There was never a shortage of something or someone new to see. I enjoyed exploring the city during my days off and spending evenings out on-the-town with my fellow interns. Yes, I did sometimes find myself frustrated with the metro system and its train delays, but it was a small inconvenience for the type of lifestyle I was getting the chance to live.

My apartment at Hudson View was practically perfect. I was in close proximity to the excitement of downtown Manhattan, but also far enough away to feel safe and secure. My roommate Chhaya, the 70-year-old Indian woman, was kind enough to open up her spare bedroom to me and helped look after me during my time in the city. I am indebted to her for her kindness and generosity.

The internship itself was everything I had hoped it to be. I got to work with great people in a great place. During my time there I developed friendships with my coworkers and I could tell they truly valued my service. During the end of the internship I was even asked to fill in for my supervisor who was the writers' assistant. The job was demanding and hectic, but I was flattered they trusted me with such a responsibility.

Through these relationships I managed to make valuable contacts who have offered to serve as references for me once I begin my job search, some even willing "to make calls" to others in the entertainment industry on my behalf. I'm excited to see where that could lead me.

In conclusion, the internship and the chance to live in New York City were great opportunities that I'm so fortunate I was able to partake in. The people I met and the experiences I had will not soon be forgotten. While at the Late Show, I often found myself thinking back to high school -- when I used to watch Letterman every night in my bedroom on my 13 inch Panasonic. I never would have imagined only a few short years later I would get to work there and interact with the characters I saw on screen. The entire experience was surreal. I guess it's really true: no dream is too big -- so dream big.

Until my next adventure, so long and take care.

Carly's Graduation

My apologies for the lack of posts of late. Things have been rather busy over the last couple weeks. Perhaps, most excitingly, I went home last weekend to watch my younger sister, Carly, graduate from college!

This was my first time back to Nebraska since February so I was really looking forward to seeing friends and family! Carly graduated from Concordia University, the same school where I got my undergraduate degree so it was nice seeing so many familiar faces.

I got into Omaha Friday morning where I was picked up by my Grandfather. He insisted we go out for breakfast so I enjoyed a delicious (yet surely artery-clogging) Grand Slamwich from Denny's. Once we got back to Seward we pretty much went straight up to the school so we could watch Carly throw discus and the hammer at her track meet. That evening, the family got together for a quick bite to eat at Runza, another place I have missed since being in New York. We then went to the baccalaureate service at St. John Church. I guess I didn't realize how many people I had thought already graduated were still going to school. Nevertheless, it was fun to see so many school friends. That night I was able to spend some time with several friends up at the Gallery.

Saturday was graduation day. For just the second time, the ceremony was held in the new Health, Human Performance and Athletic Center. It's hard to believe that it's already been one year since I was the one walking across the stage. This year has certainly flown by. After the ceremony, the crowd of happy gruduates and their families spilled outside onto the surrounding sidewalks for seemingly endless photo taking. After eating lunch at the campus center we then headed over to the Friedrich's residence where Carly and several of her friends were hosting their reception. I'm not gonna lie...I was pretty psyched to eat...especially the cake and mints. Besides the company of food and friends, the party also offered some friendly games of croquet and bocce ball. For the record, I found out I am very bad at bacce ball. That night I got to together with some friends at my friends Danny's house. It was nice getting to spend some time with them before I came back to New York and they all went home for the summer.

While the weekend was certainly fun, it was also a little sad. Now that Carly has graduated I feel that one of my last real connections to the university has been severed. Yes, I will always be an alumni, and yes, I still have friends who are attending school there. But the fact that another connection to the university has come to an end evokes a strange feeling that is hard to describe. I guess I'll just have to work hard so I can some day return to the university as a member of the faculty...here's hoping!

Ticket Week!

Let me just say that last week was awesome. Quite surprisingly, I somehow acquired free tickets to a variety of exciting and entertaining events. Some were simply handed to me, while others I had to do a bit of work for. Read on...

Let’s take Wednesday, for example. The writers periodically attend advanced screenings for upcoming films. I’ve always sat at my desk, quietly seething with jealousy as they headed off to their private showings. However, my luck changed last week as I got invited by the head writers to attend a screening of a highly anticipated summer film. I had a great time watching the film which was further enhanced by the writers' comical commentary after the movie was over.

After sitting through the enjoyable movie I got home to find an email in my inbox from the FOX hit show “Glee” telling me I had won two tickets to the taping of the show’s season finale. Unfortunately the taping was the next day in Los Angeles which meant I would be unable to go. A few days earlier I had responded to a Tweet on Twitter about getting tickets to the finale. However, when I submitted my name I didn’t realize the taping would be so soon. I wish they would have given me a bit more advanced warning so I could have gone. Nevertheless, I was just surprised I had actually won the tickets.

On Thursday, my ticket streak continued as someone at work gave one of my fellow interns free tickets to a Mets game that night. Fortunately, I was released earlier than normal for a Thursday night so I was able to accompany my friend to the game. I had actually been wanting to go to a ball game for several weeks, and finally the opportunity had arisen. We had a good time watching the Mets beat the Cubs 5-2. The game really got me excited for summertime: baseball, hotdogs, warm weather, and the good company of friends.

Friday night was the night I had to do some work for my tickets. When I got to New York at the beginning of the year, I said my one major goal (outside of doing a good job at work) was to attend a live taping of Saturday Night Live. The challenging part is, all the tickets for the entire season of SNL are distributed by means of a lottery system back in August. The only way to get into a taping if you did not get tickets during the August lottery is to stand outside in a standby ticket line ALL NIGHT LONG. I had considered making the significant time sacrifice several times earlier this semester, but the timing/weather was never right. One week it would be freezing cold, the next it would be raining, the next there would be 100 people already in line. However, my time to accomplish my goal was certainly dwindling. I decided that if I didn't do it last weekend I probably wouldn't ever be able to do. The reason being, I will be gone for the show's final taping on May 8, because I will be returning home for Carly's college graduation.

Soooo...it was now or never time. I packed up some blankets, warm clothes, and snacks and got in line on 49th street on the south side of Rockefeller Center. When I arrived I was the 22nd person in line. I figured if I was in the top 30 I would have a pretty good chance of getting in. Oh yeah, by the way, just having a standby ticket does not guarantee admission. So I could wait in line all night for a standby ticket, then show up the next evening for the taping and be turned away. It all depends on the popularity of the guest and how many family members/friends they invite. Nevertheless, I figured it was a risk I was willing to take. I even convinced three of my fellow interns: Nate, Nathan, and Kevin to join me in line. So we made a sleepover out of the experience. We got in line around 7 pm on Friday and finally received our standby tickets at 7 am on Saturday...after twelve, long hours on the sidewalk. We managed to pass the time by playing cards, eating junk food, and making conversation with those around us in line. In the end, our commitment paid off though as we were given tickets numbered 6-9. With such good numbers we were likely to get into the show, but nothing was for sure.

After getting our tickets Saturday morning I had just enough time to race home, take a shower, and then head to Brooklyn for a service project as part of Hands on New York Day. After putting in several hours of manual labor the guys and I left exhausted and sunburnt. But we managed to still muster up excitement for the taping of SNL.

When we showed up Saturday night they initially let numbers 1-30 pass through security. They then had us wait in a small cluster for more directions as to how many of the 30 would actually get into the studio. After a few minutes they gave the word that the first ten had been granted permission to go upstairs to the studio. It was such a relief! Once getting into the famous Studio 8H we quickly found our seats. We were placed in one of the side rows of the studio which weren't exactly the best seats, but we were just happy to be in the door. The show itself was a great time. Gabourey Sidibe from the movie "Precious" was the host and MGMT was the musical guest. It was fun to see how the entire show is actually put together and how little room they actually have to work with. It was also exciting to see all the SNL cast members including my favorites like Andy Samberg, Kristem Wiig, and Bill Hader. The show also contained some memorable sketches like the Digital Short: Cherry Battle. All in all, it was a very cool experience and so worth the wait.

After the show, I was so exhausted I fell asleep on my train ride home and missed my stop completely; riding the train all the way to the end of the line, finally awakening after the train came to a complete stop. When I opened my eyes I found an empty train car except for one MTA employee who was mopping the floor around my feet. I gave her a sheepish look as I tried to regain my bearings. Frankly, I was lucky I woke up with both my kidneys! Oh well, I eventually did get home. And you know what, even if I would've had a kidney stolen I think the whole experience would have still been worth it. Because I have now accomplished my semester-long goal: I've finally attended a taping of Saturday Night Live.

Alicia's Visit

As much fun as this city can be, having someone to explore it with just makes it that much better. Last weekend, that person was my good friend, Alicia Foley.

Alicia's flight got into New York late Thursday night so we started her first NYC experience bright and early Friday morning. I took her down to the nearby bakery, where I went with my Mom and her friends while they visited, so we could indulge in some cheese danishes. We then made our way to midtown where we purchased student rush tickets to the Broadway show "Promises, Promises" starring Kristin Chenowith and Sean Hayes. After securing our tickets and making a quick pass through Times Square we went down to Battery Park where we boarded a ferry to Liberty Island, home to one of our nation's most iconic symbols, the Statue of Liberty. It was my first time since freshman year of college since I've gone out to see Lady Liberty. We had a good time while there, especially as we unsuccessfully attempted to get a decent photo of the both of us in front of the statue. Epic fail, oh well. The ferry also took us to Ellis Island where we got out and looked around for awhile. However, our hungry stomachs were demanding we find a place to eat so we soon headed back to the mainland where we ate at a fun diner in Greenwich Village. We then visited the World Trade Center site, the financial district, the Wall Street Bull, and walked through part of SOHO. We then made our way back to the Broadway Theater where it was time for "Promises, Promises" to start. We had a great time at the show which successfully managed to get several of it's classic Burt Bacharach songs stuck in our heads for much of the weekend.

Our Saturday morning started off by assisting Chhaya by taking some old clothes she wanted to donate to a neighborhood cobbler (I didn't even know cobblers still existed). Alicia and I then went down to Union Square where we had an enjoyable morning at the farmers market. We bought some Empire Apples and chocolate milk from a dairy farm vendor. While there, Alicia introduced me to maple candy, a treat she enjoyed as a child, but which I had been deprived of for some reason. We managed to squeeze quite a bit of site-seeing into that afternoon: we explored the Strand bookstore, visited Grand Central Terminal, walked down 5th Avenue, admired a middle-aged wannabe figure skater at Rockefeller Center, watched the "Big" Piano Show at FAO Schwarz, and then took a stroll through Central Park. That evening we had hoped to see "Wicked," but were unable to get tickets so we got student rush seats to the play "God of Carnage" instead. Before the show, we ate supper at El Azteca Mexican restaurant. We then went back to the theater for "God of Carnage." The cast consisted of a whopping four actors: Jeff Daniels, Lucy Liu, Dylan Baker, and Janet McTeer. However what they lacked in numbers they more made up with their energy, comedic timing, and sheer talent. It was a hilarious 90 minutes of theater. Before heading home that night we stopped by Café Lalo so Alicia could try out a true New York cannoli...they're so, so good.

Sunday proved to be a more laid back day as far as sightseeing. We paid a leisurely visit to Central Park where we saw such popular sites as Strawberry Fields, Bethesda Fountain, and the Belvedere Castle. We also saw The Dakota, John Lennon's apartment building, and checked out the dinosaur fossils in the lobby of the American Museum of Natural History. We then made our way back up to Washington Heights where we got a bite to eat at a nearby diner and then enjoyed a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle-shaped popsicle purchased from the ice cream truck stationed outside Fort Tryon Park. I then took her on a brief tour of the park before it was time for her to go. After she left, I cried the rest of the day away. Okay, not quite. But it was sad knowing from here on out, I'm on my own. No more guests. I'm going to have to sustain the remaining duration of my New York experience without any further visitors. No worries though, I will make do. I plan to thoroughly enjoy the rest of my time here; sadly, I have a feeling these last few weeks are going to fly by and this entire experience will soon be just another memorable event in my past.

Bridges and Shows

For the last week, we’ve been fortunate to have off from work for a staff vacation. Since we had a whole week to do as we wished, I thought I would make the most of my free time and see/do as much as possible.

Last Friday, I explored one area of Manhattan I had yet to visit, the South Street Seaport. While there, I checked out the Titanic Memorial Park, which is currently being renovated…wah-wah…kind of a downer. I then went out to the pier and checked out the shops. It’s pretty much just a mall out there…it reminded me of Navy Pier in Chicago…without a Ferris wheel. I then walked down through the financial district to Fraunces Tavern, where George Washington gave his farewell address to his troops after the Revolutionary War. I intended to camp-out Friday night down at Rockefeller Center in hopes of getting stand-by Saturday Night Live tickets, but when I got there, there were already 70 crazy fans of Justin Bieber (who happened to be the musical guest) who were already waiting in line. So, I scratched that idea.

Just for fun, on Saturday, I went to an open casting call for the reality show Big Brother, which I’m almost embarrassed to admit, I’ve been a fan of since season one. For the audition I just turned in my application, went into this room with four casting directors and a camera, and explained why I should be on the show. They seemed pretty amused that I was from Nebraska. I’m definitely not expecting anything to come of it, but it was still a fun experience. Later that night, I was down in Times Square when a lot of the Broadway shows were getting out so I saw quite a few of the stars like Christopher Walken, Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker), Justin Bartha (National Treasure), Tony Shalhoub (Monk), and Corbin Bleu (High School Musical). Also, most importantly, on Saturday, I found out I got the job with ABC News on Campus! I will be working as the bureau chief at the UNL bureau…I’m really excited!

On Monday, I decided I wanted to go to a movie so I went and saw the new animated Dreamworks film, “How to Train Your Dragon,” which I really enjoyed. That evening I also did something I’ve wanted to do for a while: I ran across the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey. The GWB isn’t far from my apartment so I felt it was something I just needed to do…and it was a nice afternoon. The bridge used to be the longest suspension bridge in the world…it is also apparently a popular place for people to commit suicide (according to Wikipedia). Anyways, the run felt good, I was glad I did it. This week marks one month since I’ve started my running workouts again.

Tuesday was quite a day. I woke up at 6 am and went down to 67th street to stand in line for standby tickets to Live with Regis and Kelly, and fortunately I got in! As it is with most TV shows, the studio was much smaller than it appears at home. Regis and Kelly were both very friendly and conversational with the audience. However, I was surprised by how scripted their opening dialogue seemed, particularly Kelly’s. I had never noticed it before. It’s kind of awkward because Regis and Kelly are pretty much holding a conversation between just the two of them, but the entire audience is listening in quietly. Michael J. Fox was supposed to be on the show, but he had already taped his segment a different day. So that was kind of disappointing. The other guest on the show was Seth Meyers, the host of Weekend Update on SNL. He actually WAS there. The show was entertaining, I was glad I went. Afterwards, Regis was in the lobby of the studio signing autographs and greeting the guests. He seems to be a really nice guy, how many people as famous as him take so much time for his fans? I talked to him about working at the Late Show and how much he likes my bosses, the head writers.

Later that evening, I attended a book reading and signing of Kathie Lee Gifford’s new children’s book called “Party Animals.” I bought a couple copies and had them signed as gifts. When Kathie Lee first showed up she joked about the small crowd and did her classic eye roll. She then did the book reading, which didn’t take too long, but she kept it lively by using some “interesting” accents. She then explained a little bit about the background of the book and told how it originated as a song. After the reading she signed copies of the book. While she was signing my copies I struck up a conversation with her about my previous interaction with her on the Today Show last spring break (I was her team member in a sumo-wrestling style obstacle course). She apologized for us losing and blamed it on Hoda, making the claim, “Hoda always cheats.” Anyways, the evening was just as successful as the morning. I met Regis, Kelly, and Kathie Lee all in the same day. On my way home, I stopped by Harlem to see the Apollo Theatre and the Cotton Club…both historic buildings.

On Thursday morning I went down to the Today Show to watch the hosts out on the plaza. I got to see Ann Curry and Al Roker while standing out there. I was even on TV for a few seconds...a couple of different times actually. One time the camera panned the audience as they were going to a commercial, the other time I was standing over Al Roker’s shoulder as he was speaking. Thursday afternoon I kept up my bridge running trend by running over the Brooklyn Bridge. I’ve been wanting to walk over the bridge to get a good view of the city, so I thought, why not run it? The bridge was deceptively more inclined than I had thought, but it was still a fun run. Thursday evening, I went to a taping of the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. In comparison to the Colbert Report's, this one was much bigger and nicer. Before the show, Jon Stewart came out and did a Q&A session with the audience, which was pretty entertaining. The show itself was very fun, but I honestly think I like Stephen Colbert’s humor better. The jokes were good, but the highlight of the show, for me anyway, was the guest, Tracy Morgan. He’s on “30 Rock” which happens to be one of my favorite shows. I’ve got to say, that guy is crazy! He just talks about the most random, unexpected things….it made for a good interview.

So here it is...my week off is over half over, but there’s still a lot more fun to be had. Tonight, my friend Alicia arrives for a visit for the next several days so I’m sure to have more stories to share by the time I head back to work on Monday!

Mom and the Ladies

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to finally have guests! My Mother and her friends, Pat, Deb and Des ventured to the Big Apple for a short get-away. When they arrived last Thursday, their party split in two. Pat and Deb took a cab to my apartment complex and checked into the penthouse suite, which they had reserved for the entire weekend. Mom and Des, on the other-hand, came straight to the Ed Sullivan Theatre for a taping of the Late Show. I had wanted to get tickets for all four of them, but was only able to reserve two. Anyway, they had a great time at the show and afterwards I brought them up to my floor so they could see my desk. I also introduced them to Tony Mendez…whom they were both excited to meet. After I got off work I met the entire group including Amy at a restaurant on Broadway. I then took them down to Times Square so they could get a glimpse of all the lights. Amy then took us all to a little place called Café Lalo where scenes from “You’ve Got Mail” were filmed. While there we all indulged in some cheesecake.

I knew from that first night it was going to be an entertaining weekend: Mom accidently sat on a gay guy in the subway, whom then put his arm around her (I think his boyfriend got a little jealous), and then Mom and the ladies struck up a convo with a couple of strangers sitting across from them on the train. Fortunately, and a bit surprisingly, the New Yorkers they interacted with seemed patient and friendly.

On Friday the girls got up early to try to get on the CBS Early Show down on 5th Avenue. Not only were they on TV, but they got pictures with all the hosts including Harry Smith, Maggie Rodriguez, and Dave Price. Mom also struck up a conversation with Harry Smith about my hometown Exeter, Nebraska, which he had actually heard of! Needless to say, they had a great time. The rest of the day they explored some of the cities’ sites. They walked down 5th Avenue and bought tickets for a bus tour of the city. The tour took them around many of the sites in mid and lower Manhattan including Greenwich Village.

Me, on the other-hand, spent my morning preparing for an interview at ABC News for a supper reporting job with the ABC News on Campus bureau at UNL. Working for the bureau would be a great opportunity to gain valuable reporting experience while collaborating with a prestigious organization like ABC News. I feel like the interview went well, but we’ll just wait and see what happens.

Saturday consisted of more site-seeing in lower Manhattan. We had hoped to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, but the line was over a two hour wait. Instead we took the Staten Island ferry so we could at least get a closer glimpse of Lady Liberty. We also went to the World Trade Center site and saw the plans for the 9/11 Memorial. After getting some pizza for lunch the girls went to a matinee performance of the Broadway musical, West Side Story. While they were at the show, I went with Amy to a rooftop party one of her friends was hosting. Although I didn’t know anyone there I still had a great time. I would love to have a rooftop terrace in my apartment some day…it’d be great for grilling out on hot summer days and reading a good book in the evenings. After a few hours we met up with Mom and the gals and ate an authentic Italian supper in Little Italy. After supper, Amy, Deb, and Pat went to the Opera while Mom, Des, and I went to a movie, which Des was kind enough to pay for. Since there was nothing neither Des nor I particularly wanted to see we let Mom choose the movie. Big mistake. She chose, “The Last Song,” the new film starring Miley Cyrus. Needless to say, it was awful. But at least it was so bad I could actually laugh at it for being so bad…so it was still an enjoyable outing.

On Sunday I took them to Easter services at Advent Lutheran Church on 93rd and Broadway. Easter Sunday is always my favorite church service of the year, and this one did not disappoint. Following church we went out to lunch and ate on the patio of a Greek restaurant on Broadway. It was a beautiful day. That afternoon we took a nice stroll through central park and then they got on the bus to go on an evening tour of the city. That evening they also were "fortunate enough" to witness a huge gang of teens descend on Times Square. Dozens of teens were arrested and four individuals sustained gunshot wounds. Mom and the gals played it safe and took a cab home...good call.

As I was leaving for work Monday morning we said our goodbyes. Their flight left that morning. I’d definitely say there trip was a success. They managed to cram pretty much everything significant there is to do in NY into one weekend. They seemed to be going nonstop and they hardly complained…or, at least, I never heard it. Not only was it an enjoyable vacation for them, but it was also a nice chance for me to have guests. While it’s been nice spending time with the interns, there’s nothing quite like seeing a familiar face. So, I just want to tell Mom, Pat, Deb and Des thank you for taking the time to visit me…I had a great time!

My Shamrock Shake Heartbreak

Here it is the final hours of the final night of March 2010, and I have yet to enjoy a McDonald's Shamrock Shake this year.

Now I know what you may be thinking. Does this really warrant an entire post? And to that I say, yes. Yes it does. Perhaps, the thing I love most about March is the Shamrock Shake. I look forward to it every year.

Some of you may be thinking, "What is a Shamrock Shake?" Well let me tell you. It is pure bliss. A Shamrock Shake is a seasonal mint-flavored milkshake sold at McDonald's across the country throughout March in celebration of St. Patrick's Day.

Well, apparently, the Shamrock Shake isn't a universally celebrated dessert because here in New York City they do not sell them. Trust me, I've looked. I've been two dozens of McDonald's in the city this month and every time I ask for one I'm greeted with a look of pure bewilderment. There are even entire websites created by Shamrock Shake lovers in search of one of these treasures within the city's limits. But they simply don't exist. On St. Patrick's day alone I went to four different McDonald's thinking that perhaps they would serve the shake on that day since it was a special occasion. But sadly, no.

I've been misled and let down so many times. One restaurant will tell me that a different restaurant nearby is serving them, but then when I go there they tell me I have been mistaken. I have even been told by my coworkers where I can get them, but every time I leave empty handed. They simply don't serve them here in the city and I don't really know why.

It looks like this March will be the first in many, many years that I did not get to enjoy a Shamrock. And I must admit. I am partially to blame. You see, I had my chance and I missed it. On my way back to New York from my Grandma's funeral last month, I had a layover in Chicago. While there, I saw the wondrous sign of hope hanging at the terminal's McDonald's which read, "You're in luck. The Shamrock Shake is back." If I knew then what I know now I would have stormed the counter demanding a shake. But instead, I made the worst mistake I've made since that time I gave my goldfish a bubble bath. I kept walking. I thought, oh great, they're back...I'll get one when I get back to New York. I didn't know until I got back to NYC that they were nonexistent here.

So it seems like I have nobody to blame, but myself. I had my one chance, but I blew it. Now the only thing I can do is to start the countdown to March 2011.

Queens

This past weekend I realized something. I have been neglecting four of the five boroughs that comprise New York City. Without a doubt, the borough with the most collective draw is Manhattan. It has all the major tourist sites and is the central hub of the city's activity. And admittedly, that is where I spend most of my days off. I have been to all the remaining boroughs: Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island, but have not spent a considerable amount of time in any of them. Well this last weekend, I tried to partially rectify this injustice.

On Saturday, a few of my fellow interns and I embarked on an exploratory journey to the borough of Queens. The "7" train that takes you all the way from Times Square to Queens-borough Main street was a refreshing ride. The reason being, as soon as you emerge in Queens from beneath the East River, the train is above ground for the rest of the trip. This is a refreshing change from much of the rest of the subway system which lies underground. It was nice to see the sun shining as we passed through neighborhood after neighborhood (However, I also noticed the copious amounts of graffiti covering the building-sides).

Our first stop was Queens Borough Main Street. This area is pretty much Queens very own, miniature Chinatown. The streets were flooded with people pushing past one another. We walked past shop after shop of Chinese markets where you could purchase anything from fresh vegetables to knock-off brand clothing. We made our way down to the town hall where we walked through an art exhibit dedicated to the Year of the Tiger.

While at town hall, we asked the employee if they could recommend any good places for us to eat. He suggested we try a dive called Little Pepper. As you can probably guess, the food they serve is just a wee-bit spicy. I for one, am not a big fan of spicy food so I kept my order simple. However, Nathan, one of my fellow interns, ordered spicy lamb. As soon as he took his first bite, he knew he was in for a challenge. It was pretty remarkable how quickly the line of sweat appeared on his forehead. But, like a champ, he managed to finish the entire entree...with a little bit of help from a pitcher of ice-cold water.

We then took the train over to CitiField where the Mets play. I am definitely looking forward to attending both a Mets and Yankees game as soon as baseball season starts! Following that, we walked over to Arthur Ashe Stadium where the US Open Tennis Tournament is held every year. It made me really miss my tennis class I took last year. Tennis is a sport that I may not be all that great at, but I still enjoy playing.

We then spent the rest of the afternoon roaming Flushing Meadows Corona Park. The park was home to the 1939/1940 New York World's Fair and also hosted the 1964/1965 New York World's Fair. If you are a fan of the television series, "The King of Queens," you may be interested to know that scenes from the shows opening sequence were actually filmed at this park (I had the show's theme song stuck in my head all afternoon). The park itself seemed to be full of life: people were running, riding bikes, cooking out, playing sports. It was simply the perfect weather for a day in the park. We then capped off the day by eating at a pizza place called Two Boots in Grand Central Station.

I'm glad we decided to take a day to branch out from our surroundings a little bit. I now look forward to exploring the remaining boroughs in more detail during my remaining time in the city. Manhattan, may have all the big attractions, but each borough has something unique to offer. And I can't wait to find out what those things are in the months ahead.

The Colbert Report

On Wednesday, we were fortunate enough to get off work early so I decided I would try to make the most of my free time. As soon as I found out we were getting released, I went online looking for information about tickets to the Comedy Central show, The Colbert Report starring Stephen Colbert. To my surprise they still had some available for that day's taping so I submitted a request for one ticket. A few minutes later I got a confirmation email letting me know that at ticket had been reserved in my name. I was actually kind of surpised...every show for the next three months was sold out…I’m guessing they must distribute extra tickets the day of the taping to ensure they fill the studio.

Anyways, I got in line at the Colbert Report, located on West 54th Street, around 4:30 and was 36th in line. While waiting, I managed to finish reading my book “The Other Shulman” which has been my “subway” book for the last several weeks. It always feels good to finish a book. I ended up standing in line until 5:30 and then the Colebert Report staff brought us into the studio. We were required to go through a security checkpoint and were then corralled into this small room with a TV overhead where we all stood waiting to take out seats. It was not a very glamorous room at all. There was one bathroom on the east side of the room, a slanted Colbert poster hung on the wall, and a bunch of miscellaneous objects were lined up against the west wall partially covered by a big, blue tarp. After awhile, they finally allowed us to all enter the actual studio so we could take our seats.

I was seated in the fourth of seven rows, next to the aisle; it was a pretty good spot. The studio itself was MUCH nicer than the waiting room. The chairs and steps were new and the set itself was very impressive. I have always enjoyed watching The Colbert Report and Daily Show and now I was here! Before the show, Stephen Colbert came out and did a "pitch" with John Stewart at the Daily Show. Pretty much a pitch is just a little taped segment in which Colbert and Jon Stewart talk back and forth for a few minutes. They said they don’t do it all that often anymore so we were lucky. There was then an opening comedian who warmed up the crowd (he was also a writer for the show). Then Colbert did something which I thought was pretty cool: he came out and did a Q&A session, out-of-character, with the audience. After that, they got ready to tape. It was just fun to see how they primp him and prepare for the show in the minutes leading up to going on-air. The show itself was funny as always, and I think I was even in a few of the crowd shots. Colbert’s wife and kids were also in the audience, so that was kind of cool too. Colbert's guest on the show was author Nell Irvin Painter who has written a book entitled "The History of White People." As you can imagine, Colbert had plenty of humorous questions to ask about the book and it's title. Around 8:30 the show finished taping and I went on my way.

Anyways, I felt it was a rather rewarding way to spend my afternoon off. I'm going to try to attend as many other television tapings as possible in the months ahead. Next up: The Daily Show!

My Favorite Conductor

There are certain mornings when you just know it's going to be a good day. Today was one of those. The reason being that today I was fortunate enough to get on the train which was under the command of my favorite conductor.

I've never actually seen her, but I've just heard her voice through the aged, crackly, and exceedingly loud overhead speakers on my train ride to work. I don't know much about her, but I know she makes me feel good about myself.

Most conductors deliver their routine announcements as if they are irritated with such a chore. But this lady always delivers her messages with a positive message and upbeat tone. She says some variation of, "Good morning to you all"; "You are a beautiful person"; "Be safe and be happy"; "Remember to have a wonderful day." So, pretty much, she's a motivational speaker. She sounds a little "out there", but she's a refreshing break from the mundane and depressing subway surroundings.

I've been lucky enough to get on her train a few times in the past and it always makes my morning. I've also noticed others in the train car smiling when she makes her announcements. Her positive attitude seems to be infectious. If only other conductors would adopt her approach...the public transit system would be a much happier place.

A Day On The Set

Last Friday, I was given the privilege of going along on the "remote shoot." This means I got to go along as they taped footage for an extra segment. We filmed inside the theater, outside on the street, and at a nearby pub. Usually these little segments have one of the show's staff members going out and doing something funny. Occasionally, they also get "friends of the show" to do a segment. Last week's shoot featured an actor and comedian who shall remain nameless for now. Sorry, but I'm just not sure if they want it publicized yet or not. It's not a big secret, but better safe than sorry.

My primary role on the set was to just stand there and observe; it was supposed to be a learning experience for me. However, they did give me some responsibility by putting me in charge of the water. I know, I know....very important...haha! But hey, you've got to keep those actors hydrated! I also was given the responsibility of cuing one of the stunt police cars when it was time for them to start driving.

Anyways, it was fun spending the day watching as the cast and crew shot footage for the segment. I felt like I was on a movie set the whole time. There I was, brushing shoulders with an actor I've seen in several movies and has appeared on several television shows. I also found it incredible how much shooting they do for a video that will probably only be a few minutes long when it's finished being edited. The shoot took most of the day, and towards the end my supervisor said I didn't have to stick around since it was getting so late. However, I decided to stay longer because I figured it's not every day I get to go on a television shoot!

The day was a day of mostly observing, but I still had a great time. I'm enjoying the different things they are letting me do at the show. Last week I got to sit in the control room during taping, then I got to go on a remote shoot, and next week I've been invited to attend a voice-over recording session....it should be a good time.

Pappy the Monkey

So here's how important my role at the show really is. Yesterday, a vast majority of my downtime was consumed with brainstorming potential names for the office monkey. Let me explain.

I wasn't actually aware of this, but apparently Dave likes to use the expression, "Monkey on a rock." I'm not sure in what context he usually says it, but I guess, he says it. Anyways, last week, a company that makes fake rocks sent us a fake rock and an electronic monkey to set atop it. I guess they were hoping that the prop would eventually make it on the show.

I was given the responsibility of unpacking the monkey and rock which have now found a home on the filing cabinet next to my desk. Which is especially "fun" since he also makes noises and once you activate him he doesn't stop whooping and screeching for some time. It's actually kind of creepy....kind of reminds me of a Furby. Remember those things? You know, those things toy companies tried to pass off as cute, but really scared the bejesus out of you?! Anyways, the first day I spent about an hour trying to figure out how to turn the chimp off. I considered just slamming the poor thing against a wall, but didn't want to create a scene. I eventually came to the conclusion that isolation was the best method to get it to tone down. So, I'd simply put it in a chair around the corner where nobody would accidently activate him.

Needless to say, the little guy has become a topic of conversation around my "desk area." Yesterday, the head writers gave me the task of coming up with potential names for the monkey. I was actually really excited....my first writing assignment! They told me that by the end of the day I needed to have a full list of monkey names. So, I spent most of my downtime trying to think of funny/cute/ridiculous monkey names. I ended up compiling a list of 42 potential names. I then turned the list over to the head writers and they narrowed it down to their ten favorites. This morning, they had me come into their office and recite the ten names just so they could hear how the names actually sounded to the ear.

The ten finalists were: Scooter, Chumly, Cha Cha Hernandez, Hijinx, Frank, Lil' Stinker, Mango Fandango, Fanny, Pappy, and Sheldon.

After much deliberation....they chose...."Pappy!"

So, there you have it: my first "writing" assignment. I know what you're thinking, "He went all the way to New York to brainstorm monkey names?" And I apologize for this being a ridiculously long post about an electric monkey, but I actually really enjoyed this little project. So, what do you think...do you like the name Pappy? Do you have other suggestions? Let me know.

Meeting Regis

Yesterday, I had a pretty exciting encounter while at work. I was just sitting at my desk when I heard a familiar voice coming from the elevator. I knew I recognized the voice, but couldn't quite place it. Moments later, none other than Regis Philbin came walking around the corner by my desk. I instinctively said "Hey Regis" and he replied "Hello." He then went into the head writers' office to talk with them for awhile. I sat there somewhat stunned at what just happened. The first thing I had noticed was that he was pretty short and the second thing was how well dressed he was. He was wearing his typical suit and a shiny blue tie. His tie reminded me of his "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" days.

After several minutes he came out of their office and said to me, "So, what do you do?" I proceeded to tell him that I interned for the Stangel brothers and the writers. The head writers then introduced me saying, "This is Carson." Regis replied, "Carson eh? Like Johnny Carson?" I said "Yep." He then said, "You know you kind of look like Johnny Carson too." He then went on his way.

I know it was a brief convo, but it was still pretty exciting.

NewsNetNebraska Profile Story

A few weeks ago, I mentioned how I met up with a handful of UNL professors and students who were in New York for a journalism conference. While they were here, student Andrea Vasquez interviewed me for a profile story for the UNL student news website, NewsNetNebraska. The story was recently published online. In it, she does a very thorough job of describing how I got my internship here in New York and how I spend my time. However, she also definitely did her homework by compiling information about my life prior to landing this intern gig. If you'd like to read the story, click here.

Presidents Day Weekend

This past weekend turned out to be quite an eventful one. Some of my activities even seemed to reflect the holidays of the earlier part of this week.

After work on Friday, I met up with other UNL alumni, professors, and students at the Irish Rogue Pub. Apparently, that is the bar that many New Yorkers who are fans of the Huskers meet at to watch the football games every fall. The professors and students were in town for a few days last week to attend a journalism conference. It was nice seeing some familiar faces. It also proved to be an excellent opportunity for networking. I met several UNL alumni who are living in the city and we exchanged contact information. Some of them are very well connected and may prove to be valuable resources as I may turn to them for career advice. There are also some current UNL students working on internships in the city this semester like me, so we plan to meet up and hang out some time soon.

On Saturday, I had a history-filled afternoon. I have wanted to visit Theodore Roosevelt's birthplace on 20th street since I got here so I figured that Presidents Day weekend was as good of a time as any. What a great way of honoring our presidents: by learning about them. Let me tell you, the visit was worth the wait. I had a great time. First off, the house and tour were run by the National Park System and we all know how highly I think of them! One of the coolest parts of the tour was a “great hall” area with lots of memorabilia and artifacts. Probably some of my favorite things were the dead animals (sorry PETA members) he brought back from hunting trips. He actually went on a couple of African safaris in his lifetime. They had a dead lion, bear head, rams, elephant feet, heyena skins, and zebra skins displayed, among others. It was pretty cool to see the animals that he actually hunted. I also learned a pretty neat saying for remembering the significant years and events of the Civil War years. In ’61, war begun; in ’62, it’s halfway through; in ’63, slaves are free; in ’64, war no more; in ’65, Lincoln died. I was really excited to learn that! Anyways, Teddy's house was a hit. He just seems like such an interesting man. Afterwards, I walked down to Union Square, then past NYU, into SOHO, then over to Greenwich Village.

On Sunday, I found a new Lutheran church that I really liked. While there, I met a couple of ladies from Iowa and we talked about how awesome the Midwest is. We came to the consensus that on a scale from lame to awesome it ranks as "very awesome." So that's pretty good. I then celebrated Chinese New Year by enjoying a lunch of orange chicken, rice, and a Cherry Dr. Pepper prepared at the local Chinese Restaurant. I wanted to tell my cashier/cook "Gung Hay Fat Choy!" which means "Happy New Year!" but I was afraid I would say it wrong...and then he'd look at me thinking "Silly white boy." So, I refrained. I planned to visit Chinatown Sunday afternoon, but got far too busy relaxing. Oh well, I think it was a fair trade off. I guess I'll just save that for another time. Maybe I can even learn some more Chinese phrases by then.

It's a Small World

I apologize for the cliché title to this entry, but hey, it fits. I also apologize for those of you who now have that annoying Disney song stuck in your head.

In coming to New York, I pretty much expected to be a small fish in a very big pond (sorry for that second cliché too), which I am. I am just one person in a city of more than 8.3 million people. However, I’ve recently had some slightly surprising encounters that have left me thinking “It really is a small world.”

First, one of the employees here at the Late Show is actually from Lincoln, Nebraska. She attended UNL for one semester before coming out east to finish her college degree. She then landed an internship and eventually a job with the show. Her father works for Sandhills Publishing out of Lincoln and she even knows some of the people I interned for at Channel 8 KLKN-TV. It’s nice having a fellow Nebraskan on staff.

Second, one of the people I encounter on a daily basis is the same guy who filmed my “Stupid Human Tricks” audition last year over spring break. I was surprised when I came in for my initial interview for the internship and he remembered my first and last name. It’s just kind of weird to think that last spring he was some random guy who was taping an audition for me, now I work with him every day.

Next, last week I was returning from taking something backstage when I saw a man on the sidewalk in front of me wearing a jacket that said “Lincoln, NE Fire Department” on it. I told him I was a student at UNL and we then laughed about how unexpected our encounter was.

But probably the most unusual encounter took place last week when I was again, returning from the stage door heading towards the lobby door. There was a rather sizable crowd lined up behind the barricades waiting for Jamie Foxx to arrive. As I was walking past the crowd I heard someone say “Is that Carson Stokebrand?” I immediately thought, “What the heck? Who here knows my name?” I then heard them shout “Carson!” and looked over to see a girl that I had met only once before. She appeared on a segment of the Today Show with me last spring; we played a sumo-style ring toss game with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotbe on their morning program. And I feel bad for admitting this, but I can’t remember her name…oops. I tried to find it on Facebook, but had no luck. Nevertheless, I couldn’t believe our paths crossed again and that she even recognized me. I guess this city might not be quite as big as I thought.

Carson the Intern

In an earlier post I mentioned how I was interviewed for an episode of the web-series "The Tony Mendez Show." Well, they've finally posted the video on the Late Show's website. They even included my name in the episode's title!

Here's the link:
http://www.cbs.com/late_night/late_show/video/?vs=Tony%20Mendez%20Show

Roaming the Streets

Yesterday was a very special day. It marked the one month anniversary of my coming to New York City! And I've got to say, I'm thrilled that I survived the first month, having never lived in a place quite like this before. Like always, my time here seems to be flying by. Maybe that's because I'm working a full-time job that keeps me busy five days out of the week. On my days off, however, I'm managing to get out and enjoy the history and culture the city has to offer.

One of my favorite things to do on my days off is to just wander around without any specific agenda, just exploring on my own. Although I've also been spending quite a bit of time with the other interns, I have to admit, sometimes it's just nice to be on your own. Pretty much every Saturday I've just set out with one or two things I'd like to see and make a whole day out of it. For example, last weekend I wanted to see Grant's Tomb. I did see it, but also meandered around Columbia's campus and various other neighborhoods in the upper-west side. A couple weekends ago I set out for Greenwich Village and had a great time exploring the shops and eating food in this unique area of New York (I could have eaten about a dozen cannolis from Rocco's Pastry Shop). Yesterday, I started out by attending Trinity Wall Street Church. On my way back to the apartment I managed to visit: the World Trade Center site, Union Square, Macy's Department Store, the Empire State Building and the New York City Library. It was a pretty full day considering I planned on going to church and that's about it.

This type of unscheduled site-seeing is my favorite thing to do. Sure, when you are with a guided tour you gain random bits of information I otherwise might not pick up on, but I enjoy the independence of being able to go at my own pace. And I'm discovering there are so many interesting things found "off the beaten path" that aren't necessarily the normal tourist attractions. Each neighborhood has its own unique culture with various shops and historical attractions. Next weekend I plan to visit Theodore Roosevelt's birthplace and then hope to explore Little Italy the following weekend. However, there's no guessing what other points of interest I'll discover while in route.

From "Highland View" to "Hudson View"

So I thought it might be helpful to explain my current living situation since it was the inspiration for the title of this blog.

I am currently living in Hudson View Apartments located in the Washington Heights neighborhood located in the northwest corner of Manhattan. I actually just realized how similar the names of my Lincoln and New York apartment complexes are. In Lincoln I lived in Highland View Apartments and now I'm living in Hudson View Apartments. I guess it's pretty common to have "view" in the name of an apartment complex. After all, doesn't everyone want a place with a great view?

Anyways, Washington Heights is named after Fort Washington which was a Continental Army fortification located on Manhattan's highest point during the Revolutionary War. Actually, in Bennett Park, which is located directly adjacent to Hudson View Apartments, there is a plaque marking Manhattan's highest natural elevation. Okay, enough with the history lesson.

Washington Heights used to have a fairly high crime rate and parts of it still does, but fortunately my neighborhood is pretty safe. I've been told the apartment complex is home to many intellectuals and musicians. For example, the musical directors from the Broadway musical Mamma Mia live in the complex. Additionally, many professors live here.

The building exterior somewhat reminds me of England. Old-fashioned bricks and stones are prevalent in it's design. Additionally, it has a somewhat half-timbered structure which really reminds me of London.

So, how did I find this apartment? Well, when my Mom's close friend (who was also my kindergarten teacher), Pat Sudrla (or Mrs. S. as I called her), found out I was moving to New York she contacted her niece, Amy, who lives at Hudson View. Amy knew of someone who was looking for a student to rent a spare bedroom, and that is all I needed. Amy called up her friend and got me the place. Their help made my search much easier and was definitely appreciated!

The person I am renting the room from is actually a 70-year-old Indian woman named Chhaya. She is a retired teacher, with a PhD from Columbia who now teaches yoga. She's quite an interesting person, I'll leave it at that. However, I'm very appreciative of her opening her home to me.

I am lucky enough to have a room with two windows giving me quite the view. From my window facing the south I have a beautiful view of the complex's courtyard complete with rose bushes, walk-ways and park benches. It's especially picturesque right after a bit of snowfall. From my window to the west I have a view of, well, two other apartment buildings across the street. However, between the buildings I can see the not-to-distant Hudson River. Yep, the same one Captain "Sully" successfully crash-landed a US Airways passenger plane in.

So, here I sit in my two-windowed bedroom, each window with unique and contrasting views; located on Manhattan's highest natural point; looking out at the city full of countless images, places and people waiting to be 'viewed' by me.

Live From New York!

What a difference six months can make. Last summer I wrote to you from Montana while working at a campground just outside of Yellowstone National Park. I wrote to you from, what I consider to be, one of the most scenic and comforting places I’ve visited. Now, I’m writing to you from yet another scenic place, only it’s a different type of scenery. The lodgepole pines have been replaced by steel skyscrapers. The bald eagles have been replaced by countless pigeons. And my fear of being mauled by a grizzly bear has been replaced by a fear of being mugged. It’s certainly a different place, but I’m excited about this new adventure.

I’ve always hoped for the opportunity to work in New York City and that dream has now become a reality. This semester I am working as the writers’ intern at the Late Show with David Letterman. It’s pretty much an ideal internship for me. Unfortunately, I am unable to let you in on too many details of what I do on a day-to-day basis because of proprietary reasons. Therefore, most of what I write will be about general observations and experiences I have in the city. However, I can assure you my work is primarily basic intern stuff. I run scripts around, pick up video tapes, order food and pretty much do whatever the writers need done.

It’s fun just being here where I get to see how a television production is run. I had no idea how many coordinating efforts go into producing this show every night. I couldn’t believe how many people there are actually working here and how each person has a very specific role in ensuring each day the show gets put together.

Before you even ask...no, unfortunately, I haven’t seen Dave yet. I’m guessing I’ll see him in passing eventually though. However, I do see the rest of the supporting cast on a fairly regular basis. I periodically see Paul Shaffer, Alan Kalter (the announcer), Biff Henderson (stage manager), Tony Mendez (cue card guy), and Rupert Jee (owner of the Hello Deli). Tony Mendez even asked me to be in an episode of his online web series, The Tony Mendez Show, which can be found on the Late Show’s website. I’ll post the link as soon as they get it online.

Anyway, this blog is officially up and running. I will do my best to update it a couple times a week so you can stay up-to-date on my experiences here in the Big Apple. If you enter your email address in the specified box in the column to the right you can be notified via email on days when I post something new. If you have any questions please give me a call or feel free to leave me a comment.