nyc update

A day in my chaperoning life:

7:00 a.m.: Rise and Shine. This may sound like a glamorous hour to awake, but it is, in fact, not. Stay tuned.

7:15 a.m.: Coffee coffee coffee. Start checking on interns to make sure they are getting out the door and know the plan for the day.

10:00-12:00: Map out the day. Check in with interns who aren't feeling well (2 at any given time). Discover that I have almost run out of clothes.

12:30 p.m.: First office visit at important non-profit agency. Make fool of self by trying to push my way through a glass reception door that can only be opened on the inside by the receptionist. She did not find this funny. Visited intern who is doing fabulous work. Tried to speak with her supervisor, but supervisor was asleep in her office. Maybe next time.

1:15: Grabbed a quick sandwich at Pret A Manger, where I was amazed at how fast people were eating and talking. I too behaved this way for a time. I hope I don't still.

1:15-2:00 p.m.: Walked 20-30 blocks uptown while on cell phone trying to help another intern locate work materials that she accidentally left in cab. She solved the problem at 1:50 p.m., at which time I popped into a matinee of Harold Pinter's The Homecoming. I'll never get to teach this one, but wouldn't it be something if I could. If you do teach it, write in and brag. The play was amazing.

5:00-7:30 p.m.: Check in with all interns and help them find food.

8:00 p.m.: Find food! Not a hard task in New York.

9:00-11:00 p.m.: Check in on interns, listen to stories about their day, remind them about important events tomorrow, attempt to pry them from cell phones.

11:45 p.m.: Lights out, finally. And this is why 7:00 a.m. hurts!

Notice there is no time to read. But the play today made up for it all. It was, as the NY Times review said, really that good. click here for Ben Brantley's review of The Homecoming.