Blog Post #6: A Critical and Caffeinated Eye

Blog Post #6: A Critical and Caffeinated Eye

            I was so happy I could dance. After a month, I was finally doing something where I could drink coffee and work at the same time. Some who are not chained to the caffeinated beast will not understand the struggle, but those that are in such a position know my plight. (We regret nothing.) At the very start of my internship, I was working at Ft. Condé on the second floor. On this floor was a coffee pot. It was beautiful. Because the fort serves as the welcome center for the city of Mobile, the coffee pot is normally on for the volunteers who work on the first floor. This meant that my fix was only a couple of feet away whenever I needed it during the day. Once I went over to the main building, all of that changed. While there was coffee in the kitchen, circumstances prevented me from getting any to drink during my time in my next two sections. In Collections, I felt it best not to bring coffee around some 100+ year old artifacts, especially with my klutzy self. While working in Exhibits, it was difficult to even find a moment to stand still, let alone drink a cup of coffee. Now, I am not complaining about my time in either of these sections. I enjoyed my time in both tremendously; I am only saying I like having my cuppa joe. When I first walked into Scotty’s office on Tuesday, and we finished chatting about his responsibilities in the museum, he asked me something that almost made me burst into happy-tears.

            “You wanna get some coffee?”

I kid you not, it was like that man had a halo over his head.

            My time with Scotty was very enjoyable and perhaps the most comfortable time I’ve had so far. I had two large tasks that stretched over three days. First, I was to go through both of the permanent exhibit halls and write down what I like and didn’t like about them. Second, I was given the manuscript for Scotty’s biography of Roderick Mackenzie that is to be published near the opening of the India exhibit. (Hint Hint: You people need to come buy it when it comes out.) I say that I was comfortable doing these things because as a history major, I’ve been doing stuff like this since the beginning. Doing the exhibit critique was just like doing a large book review. First, I examined the flow of the exhibit to see how visitors would experience it. Next, I looked at each of the sections and examined how they fit into the story as a whole. Finally, I looked to see how the exhibit was put together and executed. After I finished my critique, I read through Scotty’s manuscript as another proofer in the long line of editors that have raked over its pages. If there is one thing that History majors can do, it’s read books. Suffice to say, I felt right at home working with Scotty. Sadly, my time with Scotty will be short. He was lucky enough to be selected to stay in a secluded writer’s cottage in northern Georgia for two weeks to work on his book. In other words, he is living every historian’s dream. This means that I am intern-orphaned for the next week. I am very curious to see how it turns out, but I’m sure it will be fun. (I just hope there is coffee.)

So with more to come,

Seth Kinard