Wednesday, July 16

My 10yrs Work Anniversary



"Now, this is a story all about how my life got twisted, upside down. 
And I’d like to take a minute just sit right there. I'll tell you how I became the…” 

(record scratch) Well, not so much the Prince of Bel-Air, but I'm floored to celebrate my 10yr Work Anniversary this year!

I attended Vanguard University as a student from 2000-2004, then I was hired as University staff on July 16, 2004. Although I was a student worker in many departments on-campus, my roles as a full-time employee included being the coordinator of: Alumni Relations, University Excellence Fund, Advancement, Special Events, and Volunteers. Now, I'm the Vanguard's Social Media Specialist. 

All in all, being here for a DECADE has be in a reflective mood. There are many things that I've learned as I transitioned from being a student to young professional. Thank you to my colleagues (and friends) who patiently taught me the following... 
  • Admin duties - How to send a fax, use the copy machine, record a professional voicemail, set an Out of Office reply
  • Class Notes - Tireless days and nights spent writing updates about fellow Alumni for the Vanguard magazine
  • Phonathon - Remember that season when my normal work day was 12-10pm? My friends were rockstars in joining me for breakfast at 11am, lunch at 4pm, and dinner at 10pm. 
  • Board meetings - Setting up conference calls, learning the art of contributing to the discussion of a meeting but taking notes instead
  • Committees - Oh the joys of agendas, collaboration, and education politics
  • Boss Life - Interviewing, hiring, training, and supervising students who were close to my age... I loved being their professional reference when they worked elsewhere. 
  • Event Planning - Managing a school calendar and being present at the event while simultaneously being on the lookout for emergencies. Then, I went into a post-event hermit stage after large events like Christmas Fantasia or Homecoming
  • Patron - Remaining a loyal fan to my alma mater's sports teams, Lyceum Theater shows, and chapel. I admit, I dressed like a student when I attended annual Student Life events (Woo Fest rocks!)
  • Ministry - Reminding myself that my job here is a calling and continuing to serve as a mentor or mission/service team leader
  • Development - Taking advantage of free lectures, learning workshops, panels, and supervisors who support continuous learning 
  • Volunteers - Recruiting friends and my network to love VU as much as I do
  • Office Attire - Always dress ready to have your photo taken, be interviewed for a video, tour important guests around campus, or give a spontaneous presentation
  • Social Media - And now I have the honor of showcasing all of these wonderful things to the world! It's pretty much the best gig ever. 

To learn more about Vanguard University: http://www.vanguard.edu/

Monday, July 7

Auto-Tune Woes




I feel like live performances are just as important as what you do in the studio. 

Live performances and music videos is the visual 'other half' to what you record in the studio. There's the audio part and the visual part, and they need to match. 

That's another reason why I'm against the abuse of auto tune. 

There's definitely a place for auto tune. It's the 2010s, and it's there. 
I'm not saying don't use it all. 

You just shouldn't abuse it to where you can't get on stage and sound like your record...

I feel like, especially nowadays, if a person is going to spend their hard-earned money to come and see me, I'm going to make sure they get their money's worth. 

I will make sure that the money they worked so hard to get and could have spent anywhere else is worth being spent. 

That means, every time I set foot on a stage, I will give 200%. 
My dancers and my band all feel the same way. 
That is very very important. 

[Ne-Yo on London Live!]