Week One: Blood, Art, and Databases

My first real week is complete, and my narrative begins with the odyssey of my First Horrific Day.

Fresh from my hideous trip into the city, I began my jaunty walk to work -- a quick ten blocks -- wearing a nice little suit jacket and my vintage Italian heels. Starbucks in hand, I felt I was blending in well with the purposeful natives.

Until about one block past the White House. My right toe began to feel suddenly so... well, flayed. Terribly, roughly, inescapably stripped of its flesh by my darling leather shoes. Thinking myself prepared, I sat down and affixed a bandage (!) and began to limp down the street, only six blocks to go.

It turns out that the bandage was too floppy to help and in fact aggravated the right-foot-situation. This became evident when I was at least three blocks from my first day on the job, because the pressure of limping caused my LEFT foot to blow out -- same toe, opposite foot, same neon pink bald patch on my defenseless tiny toe.

I essentially met my new boss in the infirmary (conveniently located in my building's basement!), and her reaction to the situation confirmed that I'm in a good place. She re-scheduled my day so as to avoid walking (!) and arranged for me to take my first-day tour of the Portrait Gallery... in a wheelchair.

My first time in a wheelchair, mind you. Very humbling experience, particularly as this was also the first chance I had to meet my fellow interns. Yet again, people's true natures seem to come out in the most painful situations; I was pushed around by a very kind intern named Lee-Ann. Yey for Lee-Ann!

And yey for new experiences. Although it may sound cheesy, it was so insightful to take a tour in a wheelchair. I experienced my visit in a completely different way -- noting the signage, the height of the artworks, the difficulty or ease of getting around, and the behaviour of other visitors towards me. Anonymity was impossible, and asking for help was inevitable. This comical situation ultimately produced one of those "learning moments" that are supposed to be a hallmark of the internship experience...

Since then, I've settled into my cubicle and am free to run around the office, as per usual. I'm putting those organization/project management/research skills to use like crazy; and although my particular position is less connected to the actual art world of the museum then I'd prefer, it's clear to me that it'll be up to me to pursue those connections -- whether by attending art talks on Thursday nights (last night: Brian O'Doherty's talk on his portrait of Marcel Duchamp), by eavesdropping on the curatorial staff, or by volunteering my free time (Warholpolooza this weekend).

Upside of Washington DC: the chance to attend a museum educator's roundtable discussion of the Center for the Future of Museum's report on Thursday (held at the NM of the American Indian). What an amazing opportunity. I'm a total nerd.