A Thought and a Half | Southern Food & Lifestyle Blog

The Epic Internship Search

March 28, 2012 By Kate Leave a Comment

This summer, I’m looking for something exciting. I’ve worked at a local family-owned ice cream shop/dairy farm for the past five years. While I enjoyed working there, it’s time for me to move on and find an opportunity that is more relative to my career plans, and that might help me get my foot in the door for a PR or marketing job after college. Thus began the epic internship search.

There are plenty of companies in my area at home that offer internships: Bentley Systems, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and several other such organizations. My dad works for Pfizer, too, so I looked into their Summer Worker Program for college students. The SWP website listed opportunities in Compliance, Marketing and General Business, the Philly Orchestra offered a PR Internship, and Bentley had a Marketing/PR position. After lots of research, phone calls, and emails, I submitted my resumes and cover letters and hoped for the best.

After a couple of weeks, I had not heard back from Bentley or the Philly Orchestra. Dad asked around at Pfizer to see if anyone knew of other intern openings, but had no success. Later I heard that the internships had been canceled because they weren’t needed as much as originally anticipated. With those options out, I went into hyper-drive and looked for any more possibilities. There’s a DuPont office in my area…I wonder if they’ve got anything? A trip to their website found an awesome-sounding PR co-op, but it was six months long…and I can’t afford to take a semester off from school right now, if ever. Scratch that. How about Astra-Zeneca? Nothing at all. Next!

I still hadn’t heard from Bentley or the Philly Orchestra, and was growing restless, impatient, and anxious. What if I didn’t hear back from anyone? I would have to go back to scooping ice cream, and I wasn’t too keen on that idea…I really needed a different job.

Back to the job search…

Mom asked some of her friends who were more familiar with any more companies in the area. A friend from her tennis clinics suggested the regional USTA Middle States office. I’ve always loved tennis; I played in high school, and I’ve watched every Grand Slam since the Martina Hingis years. The thought of combining one of my favourite sports with PR work and experience was quite appealing. I found the application information and submitted all the required materials, and waited for some form of a response.

The more I thought about it, the more I wanted this internship. From the descriptions I read online, it sounded like my cup of tea: preparing media packages, working events, instilling interest in tennis around the community, promoting tennis as a life-long sport and activity…perfect! Right up my alley! A couple weeks later, I had a phone interview, and then an in-person interview when I was back home for spring break. I was confident that both went well, and hopeful that I would be working as a USTA public relations intern over the summer.

The good news came once I was back at VT after break: I got the internship! Happiness abounds! Woohoo! I am so excited to start in late May, and I’m looking forward to working with some pretty fantastic people. I think one of our events is the U.S. Open Qualifying Tournament. WOW! We’ll also appear at smaller events such as World Team Tennis, and we’re also looking into going to minor-league baseball games to promote USTA and its mission and goals.

YAY! It’s going to be a great summer. I’ll keep everyone posted when it starts, and share some of my experiences here on this blog. Who knows, maybe my experiences will inspire a reader to give PR (or tennis) a try!

Good luck to any of my readers searching for a job or internship! It’s tough, but don’t give up! Good things come to those who wait. 🙂

Sayonara, Indy: My Thoughts on Peyton & the Colts

March 8, 2012 By Kate Leave a Comment

Today, the sports world witnessed a sad event. The legendary professional quarterback Peyton Manning has parted ways with his team of 14 years, the Indianapolis Colts.

I’m not even a Colts fan and I’m saddened by this. I have watched Peyton Manning play football for years and really did enjoy watching him. He is a classy man and a classy athlete. You never saw his name in the tabloids, he stayed out of trouble, seems to be a real family man, and he truly knew how to lead his team. Peyton came to Indy in 1998 as the first overall pick in the draft, and has been a Colt ever since.

But perhaps my favourite thing about Peyton is his passion for the game of football and his intelligence on the field. He knew how to call a play, and which one to call at the right time. He knew when to pass and when to rush. He knew who to pass to, and he had his favourite receivers. A better question would be what didn’t he know?

His stats say it all. Career 64.9% pass completion rate. That’s 4,682 completions for 7,210 attempts, for a total of nearly 55,000 yards.

Holy Jesus Lord.

It was hard to watch the Colts this season. Everyone was so used to them winning that seeing them lose–sometimes embarrassingly–was disappointing and disheartening. I really did feel bad for the entire team, but that is what happens when the team is heavily dependent on one person. And now that Peyton is going the free-agent route, the team will be spending the next few years rebuilding the powerful team Peyton built in his 14-year tenure in Indy.

Here’s my honest opinion: I wish he would have retired after the 2010 Super Bowl, even though they lost to the Saints. He had a fantastic season despite the loss, and should have retired on top, because let’s face it, at his age, what were the chances of him having another amazing season? If he had retired then, he would have left his legacy at the team he built in a city that loves him. He could have taken a year or two off to relax and be with his family, and then maybe come back and coach or work on the business side of the game. I know it’s not his fault he got injured, and he couldn’t have possibly known he was going to get hurt. But still…

I also know the Colts didn’t want to pay him $28 million or however much just to see if he could still play and perform well, but there has to be another approach. Maybe pay him a portion of the money and see how he does, and if he performs well, let him stay, keep playing, and pay the rest; if he doesn’t play well, then bring him to the business/administrative side of the team. I don’t know how likely that would be, but it’s a thought.

Regardless, the decision has been made, and it’s not going to be changed. Peyton laid a great foundation in Indy, and will always be a hero there. And he’s going to make some other team really happy next season.

Best of luck to you, Peyton. We’ll miss seeing you in the blue and white 18 jersey, but you will always remain in the football world, whether you’re on the field or calling plays from the sidelines.

And because I couldn’t resist…

Culinary Holiday Adventures!

December 23, 2011 By Kate Leave a Comment

The holiday season brings many joys to my household and family. I’m home from Blacksburg for a whole month, giving me plenty of time to relax, see my best friend and her family, build up my Scrabble record with my mom (4-0 so far this break), spend some quality time with my instruments, and of course, bake.

I love baking. It’s a fun and productive way to be creative, especially around the holidays. Our kitchen soon fills with endless varieties of cookies, chocolates, candies, breads, cupcakes, and other delectable treats. In theory, we could live on sweets for about two weeks and not run out of anything. That would be delicious…

Anyway, I would like to take a post to share some of my favourite recipes with my readers. Consider giving them a try yourselves…you won’t regret it!

Or you might, these are quite addicting. You’ve been warned!

My Favourite Banana Bread

This is a staple in my diet. Seriously, I could eat a whole loaf on my own in one sitting. Here is the recipe I’ve been eating and baking for as long as I can remember; it comes from a cookbook compiled by the North Carolina Association of Educational Office Personnel (my mom has had this book for ages).

2 cups flour ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened

2 tsp baking powder 2 eggs

¾ tsp salt 3 medium bananas, mashed

½ tsp baking soda 1 tsp lemon juice

1 cup sugar* 1 cup chopped pecans**

* I use half sugar, half Splenda for family health reasons. Still just as good.

** Optional. You can use walnuts too, or chocolate chips. Or whatever else tickles your fancy. Or nothing at all, banana bread is just as good plain.

Preheat the oven to 350. Combine dry ingredients (flour – sugar) in a deep mixing bowl. Mash bananas in a separate bowl and set aside. Add softened butter, eggs, lemon juice, and half of the mashed bananas to the dry stuff, and mix with a rubber spatula for a minute or two. Once it is lightly combined, mix with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes. Add the rest of the mashed bananas, and finish mixing. Cut the mixer off. Fold in whatever mix-ins you choose to add, if any at all. Pour the batter into a greased bread pan (or two small ones). Bake for 1 hour.

Voila.

My Kryptonite: Sausage Balls

These can be enjoyed year-round, but we love them the most at the holidays. They’re usually our snack food for our road trip down to North Carolina. Sometimes they don’t even last one 10-hour drive. If you make them yourself, you’ll understand why.

1 one-pound roll Jimmy Dean sausage (especially good with spicy sausage)

10 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese

3 cups Bisquick mix

Red pepper to taste

Smush all of the above in a mixing bowl with your hands (yes, it’s a little messy). It takes a little bit, so be patient. Once they’re all combined into a large mass, break it into small sections and shape into small balls, about one inch in diameter. Place rolled balls onto an ungreased baking sheet. They can be close together since they don’t spread or grow when they bake. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

Om nom nom.

Best Ever Truffles with Amaretto

By far my favourite holiday treat. A batch of these disappears in about two days at my house. Chocolatey goodness of which I can’t get enough. Mmmmmm.

12 one-ounce squares semi-sweet baking chocolate (we use Baker’s)

4 Tbsp butter

2 egg yolks

½ cup whipping cream

¼ cup Amaretto (could probably use Kaluha or Bailey’s too; we just always use Amaretto)

In addition to 12 oz above, a bag of chocolate chips or chocolate candy melts

Plastic/silicone candy trays

In a medium-sized bowl, melt the 12 ounces of baking chocolate. Add butter 1 Tbsp at a time. Beat egg yolks until thick. Stir in about ¼ of the chocolate mixture to temper. Once tempered, add the rest of the chocolate, stirring constantly. Add whipping cream and amaretto. Stir until thick. Refrigerate minimum of 3-4 hours; overnight works best.

When ready to assemble:

Melt chocolate chips/candy melts (if using chocolate chips, add 1 Tbsp butter and shaved paraffin wax). Using a pastry brush (or small paint brush), coat the insides of the wells of the candy trays with a decently thick layer of chocolate. Put in freezer to harden, usually takes about 15 minutes. Set remaining chocolate aside.

Remove chocolate filling from refrigerator. Form 1-inch balls of “goo” and fit inside the wells in the candy trays. Cover tops with leftover melted chocolate. Put in freezer to set, about 20-30 minutes. When ready, gently tap the tray against a countertop; the truffles should pop out easily.

I could share more, but I think my top three should cover it. Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year to everyone! And of course, happy baking!

Gobble Gobble!

November 24, 2011 By Kate Leave a Comment

Sizzle. Fizz. Splash. The kitchen bustles with culinary action, while the thick, distinct scent of roasting turkey drifts through the air. Our counter is covered with bowls of casseroles, potatoes, fruit, and a massive bag of pecans that are on their way to the stove to be spiced. The table is set with the special utensils and plates we only use on holidays and special occasions. Dad turns on the TV and catches the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade; it is followed by a Black Friday commercial…”SALE STARTS AT 4AM!” Seems like they get earlier and earlier every year. Now he switches to the dog show. Football should be starting soon, too.

The oven beeps. The turkey is done.

It’s Thanksgiving Day, the one day when it is socially acceptable to stuff our faces with mounds of food and lounge around watching football. I do the latter just about every weekend already, but that’s besides the point. We have been cooking since yesterday and won’t slow down ’til tonight when we run out of food. We usually don’t travel for Thanksgiving, considering all of our extended family resides in North Carolina, which is a bit of a drive from Pennsylvania, so we stay put and celebrate on our own. This year, though, our family friends are joining us. We are sharing a traditional American Thanksgiving with them (they are German), and I can’t wait to spend the day with their daughters, who are two of my best and closest friends. It has been way too long since we have all been together, and I’m in need of some best-friend time!

But what Thanksgiving is really about is being thankful and grateful for all we have been blessed with in our lives. Today–and always, but especially today–I am thankful for my wonderful family and cat who are always supportive and caring (even the cat). I’m thankful for a loving God who wakes me up in the morning, and who has blessed me with the life I have. I’m thankful for the gift of music, one of my many outlets for expressing my emotions and my creativity. I’m thankful for my school, the beautiful Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University–Virginia Tech for those of you who don’t know its full name, and now understand why we shorten it–and everything I have learned since I have been attending. I’m thankful for the gifts of learning and knowledge, and my ability to write. But above all, I am and always will be ever so thankful for the amazing people in my life…friends, family, pastors, teachers, professors…you have all blessed my life in more ways than I can explain. All I can say is “thank you” for being so wonderful.

Gobble gobble, everyone! Have a fantastic day!