Interview May 28, 2009

My first interview for my project will be Shawn Clark. Clark, 32, has lived in Baltimore for several years but grew up in South Maine. He has been bartending for 12 years. He went to a two-week bartending academy to become a certified mixologist when he was 18. Over the years, he has competed in several national competitions relating to mixology and flair bartending. He is engaged to Lea McDonald who is also a bartender.

Today, after many years being behind the bar, he is the owner of Mixers, a neighborhood bar in Baltimore City. His job is not just what patrons see when they walk through the door, there is much more than that. He is a problem solver, a confidant, a bouncer, a banker, a comic relief: the jack of all trades.

The Baltimore Sun German Bakery reaction May 28, 2009

 

I found The Baltimore Sun German Bakery article to be fascinating. The bakery is only a few minutes from where I live and I had no clue to what Thursdays were all about. It was informative and light-hearted which I appreciated. However, the multimedia presentation at the end definitely made you feel like you were a part of a Thursday afternoon. Pictures of the cakes and pastries made me crave dessert. I heard the songs of Alfred Zeller for myself instead of taking the word of the reporter. I thought it added an element of authenticity that would have been otherwise overlooked.  It drew up a feeling of nostalgia for me and I’m not even German, despite my last name, or originally from Baltimore. The multimedia took me away from my desk. I was actually experiencing the story instead of just reading about it.  I could hear the conversations, the singing and put faces to the names I had read about.

http://pages.towson.edu/lieb/MCOM407/germanbakery.doc

www.baltimoresun.com/bakery

Three subects for project May 28, 2009

There are three ideas that I found interesting in researching for the project.  The first idea was to find out details about the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore (GLCCB). I wanted to plan interviews with the people who are involved in outreach programs and find out more about what they do. I recently learned that the organization was one of the largest in the country. Judging the small size of Baltimore, I found this to be interesting and quite shocking. There are important events, such as Gay Pride, and Human Rights Campaigns activities during the month of June.  I was going to attend such events and document the participation of the members of the GLCCB.

The second idea was to research the Patterson Park neighborhood. The community has improved, esthetically as well as economically in recent years. I wanted to talk to local business owners, members of the Patterson Creative Alliance, as well as members of the Baltimore Sports and Social Club. These groups rely on the park on a daily basis. Whether it is kickball league on a weekend afternoon, a softball league on a weeknight, a festival held by the Patterson theatre, or just local residents getting some exercise, the park is utilized more than I had imagined. I also wanted to incorporate crime statistics for the area.

Initially, I had overlooked the possibility of researching what I presently do for a living. My third idea has to do with the world of bartending. At first glance, I did not think that I could find anything interesting enough to research, I was wrong. There are so many fellow bartenders that have such interesting stories. The research goes further than just their daily life as a bartender. I am going to interview some of the most entertaining and exciting people I know. So many have entered competitions, created fun and charming atmospheres where they work, and these people can really draw a crowd. Why not find out more about them? I want to know what their lives are like when they are away from speed pouring, telling jokes, wiping up messes, and screaming “last call.”