Southern Girls With Roots and Wings

Kathryn Stockett, author of The Help (heard of it?), wrote an op-ed last year about the beauty of living in the South titled "Don't You See?". How am I just now finding this article??  My favorite part:

I one time got in an argument on Sixty-Sixth and Lexington because somebody claimed DUKE was a “party school.”

I says: “DUKE? Have you been to an LSU football game? Have you seen the lines at the package store on a Monday night in Athens, G.A.?”

She's right. Essays like this and the Patterson Hood writing I recently featured remind me of how, may I say it, blessed I am to live in such a strongly conflicting place. Today, I'm flying south to Valdosta to celebrate three of my best friends before we set off on our different journeys. Two of us are headed to the UK and two to Atlanta. I can't wait to see what and where the next year brings us!

Finale

"I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them."

It may have been the most poignant line Cornell grad Andy Bernard ever spoke. The Office ended this month after nine seasons on NBC and while the Dunder-Mifflin staff will forever live on in cable syndication, it's hard not to call it the end of an era. To me, it's perfect that television finales often fall at the end of a school year. If the show follows high school or college students, graduation is the best way to end a season. It's all about celebration, looking back at where we've come from and dreaming about the future. Maybe there will be a couple moving to different states for jobs or school and many people anxious about where the next years will take them. When the next season started, things would be different but all the beautiful people would be tanned from the summer.

On May 10th, I graduated from the University of Georgia. Bam. I mean, about 5,200 other guys and gals were there with me, dressed in our black robes, caps tilted by heavy tassels causing hat hair (it happens yall.. be prepared), waving and smiling at people that we'll probably never see again. That guy in your public speaking class or some girls on your hall from freshman year or maybe some you think you'll see again. It's like, throughout college your path makes a road and bends and turns and for the most part, I was really happy with the way that all went. Then at the end, you turn around and it's like WHOA. The little things matter. The decision to do this and not that, to go abroad or not go abroad, to go to a concert or not go to a concert... not knowing you'd meet a boy who'd change your life... I digress. Then you sigh and turn back around and hopefully smile at the beauty of it all.

The festivities continued over two days and wish it could have lasted longer! Everything was so much fun, so perfect. It couldn't have been better. I'll be spending the next few weeks in Athens and traveling to Hilton Head and planning a pretty special Mediterranean trip with my sister. So much to look forward to!

Hoop Girls: End of An Era

Whole group after the Kentucky game!

I remember walking into my Hoop Girls interview at Stegeman Coliseum in late August of 2009. Some older girls at chapter stood up and talked about it; I figured, "Why not?". Starting college was super overwhelming and the idea of being involved with a basketball team felt comfortable after being the Sports Editor for The Catalyst and Wheeler's 2009 AAAAA State Championship. Good times.

Hoop Girls became one of my favorite parts of college. We were the marketing and support team for Men's Basketball; we sold tickets, handed out programs, worked Hospitality rooms, promoted philanthropy events and shared news from the Athletic Association to the student body. There were a lot of great things happening for the program my freshman year. UGA just hired a new coach, Mark Fox, and expectations were high around campus. 

A 2010 game

Throughout the last four years, I've met some of my best friends, enjoyed some delightful wins and devastating heartbreaks, and a beautiful facility renovation to Stegeman. Every step of the way, our advisor, John Bateman, was there for whatever we needed. It was so assuring to have such a great teacher, mentor and friend during my time at UGA. 

Seniors!

On Thursday, we ended the (regular) season with a win over Kentucky at home. I couldn't think of a better way to end the season and my four years as a Hoop Girl. I'm excited to see what the future holds for Coach Fox's program and the girls in our group, including a Homecoming Queen, future doctors, media rock stars and spectacular leaders. We'll split different ways in a few months, but we'll always be welcomed back to Stegeman. Once a HG, always an HG... Right JB?

Seniors after the UK game with Coach Richt!

Museum Mix at the Georgia Museum of Art

I originally wrote this post for my internship at Visit Athens, GA, but wanted to share it here, too! Follow the blog for more of my writing!

Wednesday night October 24, The Georgia Museum of Art hosted Museum Mix, a spectacular event designed to celebrate the arts in a casual setting. From 8 to midnight, guests danced, mingled, and explored the exhibits currently featured in the galleries.

One of my closest friends is a volunteer docent at the Museum and I always enjoy attending their events. The University and Athens are lucky to have such a widely respected institution to celebrate and enjoy!

Guests were welcomed with complimentary beverages and hors d’ouvres from Earth Fare. The dips were a hit! Outside, people danced surrounded by the Defiant Beauty: The Work of Chakaia Booker sculptures created from recycled materials.  It was unlike any event I’d ever attended. The idea of laughing and dancing at a museum may seem strange, but art is about enjoying life in all its forms! GMOA definitely understands that idea.

My favorite exhibit on display were the polyester resin sculptures in the De Wain Valentine: Human Scale. These huge rounded pieces were an incredible feat of artistic creation; some measured eight feet tall! I just stood in the gallery for about fifteen minutes in awe.The next Museum Mix is scheduled for April 25, but do yourself a favor and visit GMOA soon! 

Check out our website for more information about the Georgia Museum of Art, including event listings and visiting hours. 

Best of ATL: LT&C Edition

I started my Internship for the summer at Cobb Travel and Tourism. My main job is to help the county bring film & television productions to our area. I talked about it in article I wrote for my Feature Writing class in March and now, I'm actually working for the people who make it happen! I love it so far.

Now that I have a set schedule and I'm up at 7 AM, I'm finding my days to be a lot more productive. With all that time I'm not working, I really want to take the time to get know the city I've lived in for 21 years. Not really a bucket list, but just some fun things to do.

Three-ish months in Atlanta this summer. 

That's a lot of time to discover a really awesome city...

... and even though I'm not in Europe anymore, I don't want to stop exploring. 

I've decided I want to visit Senoia (The Walking Dead is filming there now ahhh!), see a movie at the Fox Theatre, eat at the Atlanta Food Truck Lot, go on a Marietta Ghost Tour, visit the new World of Coke Museum and more.

A lot of you who read this blog live in Atlanta or have visited awesome places nearby. So I'm asking you for some suggestions about your favorite things. TELL ME!

The 5 Stages of Grief: Study Abroad Edition

1. Denial – The days leading up to May 16, packing, saying goodbyes, throwing a coin the Trevi, heading to the airport, getting on the plane... Is this really happening? We're not actually leaving.. right?

2. Anger – I'm just mad I had to leave Rome, my friends, a wonderful school, the opportunity to explore and be on my own. This anger stage still comes out from time to time. Ask those closest to me. 

3. Bargaining –"Ok, Mom & Dad... Just let me stay for a few weeks after to travel. I reallyyyy wanted to go to Budapest and Munich..."

4. Depression – Not even Crazy, Stupid, Love, Casablanca and an ice cream sundae on the airplane could ease my heavy heart. I woke up from my nap wondering where my roommates were and if the kitchen was clean only to find myself on the airplane headed to Atlanta. Yeah, I cried. Then cried again when my sister gave me a collage of pictures of my trip. Then cried again when I was singing by myself in the car.

5. Acceptance – When the plane landed in Atlanta, we were one of the first group of passengers to go through the new terminal. It opened earlier that day. The employees were excited, the walkways were beautiful and I got to see my family for the first time... in a few weeks. It's been a little overwhelming since then, but I'm happy. Driving is more fun than I remembered. I love having Netflix on Demand. I can stretch out my arms in bed and not touch a wall. There's no sirens, no neighbors yelling at 8 AM, no dirty floors. My friends smiling faces and genuine happiness at my return gives me a little slap in the face. Life is good and all of the exciting things happening at home makes me feel ok about being back. It happened. It was wonderful. Now, get on with your life but don't forget a second. 

Before I left, there was a C.S. Lewis quote that I constantly repeated when I was sad or anxious about spending four months away. "There are far, far better things that lay ahead than any of those we leave behind." Lewis is a smart man and I believed his words. Now, I'm repeating it again and looking at things lying ahead. I may turn around a lot and think of Italy, but hey... who wouldn't?

Ciao Amici.

...and by 'Ciao', I mean 'a domani', because the blog is keeping on. 

21 Before 21

The day is quickly approaching. I'm almost 21! Everyone has a birthday. At some point, a massive majority of the population will turn 21. It's not THAT big of a deal, but I'm turning 21 on Friday. Considering the drinking age is "Can you reach the bar?" in Italy, it's a bit anti-climatic. I won't be parading around Athens with a big sign around my neck. Instead, I'll be spending the day with my lovely friends turned family in Sorrento, on the Amalfi Coast in southwest Italy.

It's a trip that's been planned by ISA, our wonderful study abroad program and I've been looking forward to it since January! I'm so excited that I'll get to spend this special day in a beautiful place with people I have quickly grown to love.

Last summer, I made a 'Bucket List' of sorts, a list of things I wanted to accomplish before I could legally go get some beer down at Five Points Bottle Shop. Then in September, I decided to come to Rome for the Spring. Some of the things I wanted to accomplish haven't gotten done, or more specifically, they've been postponed until I get back to real life in May. Sigh.

A lot of things on this list, like 2. Ring the Chapel Bell or 9. Give Blood, I probably would have done anyway, but writing them down and saying I would accomplish these things gave them a sense of importance. Plus, I like lists.

I probably could have gotten through 21 books, but I've been a little busy for the last few months exploring Europe. Thirteen is a valiant effort though, I think. Not only did I visit the Vatican City in July, but I have also been to Belgium, Malta and the Czech Republic.

Running my first 5K was great. I'm so glad I did it, even though I haven't ran much since. That's what this summer will be for. Natasha Bedingfield, cool lady. My sister, Natalie will get to Rome next Thursday and we'll travel together! I wasn't too aggressive about finding anyone to teach me to drive a stick shift, but they have them all over Italy and I still have two days. It's possible. I went to Cine and saw Melancholia with Ashley Hanna, one of my favorite people in the world. Super intense movie though.

Homeless Shelter, tough.
Cleaning out my room & the subsequent garage sale, even tougher.
Selling things on eBay, fun! Plus, making money is always nice.
Restoring my grandmothers chest of drawers was extremely rewarding.

...Then... I messed up. Traveling to Hong Kong, California and NYC didn't happen because I've been traveling to many other wonderful places. The cities will still be there, and my friends will still be in the cities.

Also, one does not simply "learn" Final Cut Pro and Photoshop. Too vague. People spend their entire careers on these programs, and still learn new tricks and quirks every day. So, if we say that by "learn" I mean I have a basic understanding, then I guess I "learned" them.

Tattoo, glad I did it.
Georgia Theater, I am so so happy you're back. We're going to have a fun summer.

So there were 8 things on the List I didn't fully accomplish, but here's another 8 things that I did accomplish over the last year that I'm proud of but couldn't have planned for this time last year.

1. Live in an apartment without a washing machine, microwave or dishwasher with five other girls.
2. Go to a European Football Match.

AS Roma vs. Parma in February

3. Eat the proclaimed "best pizza in the world" at da Michele's in Naples.

4. Go to Carnivale in Venice
5. See Tuscany covered in snow.

Siena

6. Move into my first house in Athens and enjoy a great semester with my lovely roommates, who I miss dearly.

7. Attend the Georgia/Florida football game at the end of October, and watch UGA beat the Gators.

8. Have my blog hit 4,000 views.

I think there are still so many more things I could add to this list of beautiful surprises, but I said eight, so I'll stick with eight. There are a lot of you back in the States who I wish could be here, celebrating my 21st birthday this weekend. But I'm content knowing that I'll be home in May, or June, or sometime and absence really does make the heart grow fonder. We'll celebrate soon, and I'll bring the limoncello. 

Lights, Camera, Action

For my Feature Writing Class, I wrote an article about the Film Industry in Georgia. It gave me a great excuse to read AJC Buzz for a few hours. Luckily my great friend, David, let me interview him about his experiences on film sets. Enjoy reading! 

Lights, Camera, Action for Georgia’s Film Industry

     The state that rose from the ashes so many years ago is finally ready to see its name in lights. According to a recent statement by the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Georgia is now considered one of the top five states in America for film and television production. Between July 2010 and June 2011, the sector created a $2.4 billion impact in the economy. This fiscal year, revenues are expected to be even higher with the multitude of film and television shows using Georgia as the background for productions.
     Georgia Department of Economic Development commissioner Chris Cummiskey said, ”The economic impact created in FY11 accounts for 22 percent the entire film impact produced in the Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment division’s 38-year history.” That 38-year history includes films like “Forrest Gump”, “Driving Miss Daisy” and “Deliverance”.            
     Complicated filming permits and high costs of production have caused studios to think twice before filming in the standard locales of New York and Los Angeles. Instead, many companies have found the state of Georgia to be more conducive to their needs and the state has been happy to oblige.
     Atlanta native and Set Production Assistant David Oster said, “They’ve turned big warehouses in Decatur and airport hangers in Peachtree City into sound stages and backlots for television shows. The cast and crew who may be used to studio lots in LA have had to adapt to that and make it close to what it’s like there.”
     The Georgia Department of Economic Development has seen a rise in film productions as a result of the 2008 Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act. Since the legislation passed, production companies spending over $500,000 within the state are entitled to a 20% tax credit with an additional 10% if the final production includes a Georgia emblem in the end credits. These tax credits apply to “feature films, television series, music videos and commercials, as well as interactive games and animation.”
     The ‘Camera Ready Community’ Program was created in 2010 to ensure counties in the state could meet the needs of a large-scale production. Currently, 136 of the 159 counties in Georgia are certified as Camera Ready Communities, each with different scenery to offer filmmakers, from cities and hilly forests to beaches and sleepy small towns.
     Georgia’s climate year-round makes the state an attractive location for filming. Oster said, “There is a great variety of locations that can work for anywhere that the film script calls for. For example, Atlanta can pass for New York or Chicago etc. About the only thing you can’t get are big mountains and deserts.”
     During the last few years, films like “The Blind Side”, “Water for Elephants”, “X-Men: First Class” and Tyler Perry’s “Madea’s Big Happy Family” were filmed in Georgia.       
     Tyler Perry Studios in southwest Atlanta has made significant contributions to the state’s new nickname, The Hollywood of the South. He employees over 300 people with a studio considered to be one of the best in the country with multiple soundstages, a backlot and post-production facilities. Last week, Perry hosted a fundraiser at the studios for President Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign, followed by a small event at his home with guests like Oprah Winfrey. Here, Tyler Perry Productions films TBS’s most popular show “Meet the Browns” along with all his feature films.
     Major most pictures come in town for several weeks or months, but television shows filming around Atlanta have a more lasting impact on the local economy. AMC’s hit series, “The Walking Dead” will film its third season in metro Atlanta this summer. The CW’s “The Vampire Diaries” films in Covington, Georgia and has created a frenzy in the town for eager fans, some of whom travel hundreds of miles to see the sets and locations of the series. An article in the Covington News, located about forty miles southeast of Atlanta, estimates a $10 million dollar increase in tourist spending between 2009 and 2010, before and after the show about immortal vampires in a small town first debuted. Those numbers skyrocketed in 2011 as the show gained popularity.
     A statement by Covington’s tourism director Clara Deemer said, “More than 19,000 tourists came to Covington in 2011, representing 46 states and 28 countries - motivated by filming location tours of ‘The Vampire Diaries.’ A large number of these guests are staying in our hotels, eating in our restaurants and shopping locally in Covington.”
     In today’s struggling economy, Georgia’s film industry is a bright spot for the state. Union and non-union jobs are plentiful. Productions find it most attractive to film in places where the local population is knowledgeable and can be hired on site, instead of bringing crew in from Los Angeles. These roles bring attention to the state and money to the community with jobs and increased revenue in hotels and restaurants. 
     The Camera Ready Community Program hopes to assist the local communities use their resources to fill below the line crew jobs like electricians and security crews. The investment in infrastructure has been a blessing for young crew members like David Oster, who can live locally and work instead of moving to Los Angeles. He began working as an extra on “The Blind Side” two years and several films later; Oster has been promoted to Set Production Assistant. Oster works on different sets every day, moving from “Vampire Diaries” to Limetime’s “Drop Dead Diva”.
     Oster says, “As long as the incentives are here there will continue to be more productions here [in Georgia] and now, there is more infrastructure for it with the studios. There are now at least three places to rent cameras in town, multiple catering services, at least five extras casting agencies, and a whole lot of local actors and talent that are working.”
     At least four more Georgia-based productions will be released in the upcoming months including “Jayne Mansfield’s Car” with Billy Bob Thornton and Robert Duvall and “What to Expect When You’re Expecting”, an ensemble film starring Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Lopez.
     More films and television pilots are making their way South in the next few months, including a new FOX drama starring Kevin Bacon. Only time will tell how long this trend will continue but at least for the next few years, Georgia’s time in the limelight has no sign of slowing down.