My life as LA Stage Alliance communications intern/ mail-opener/ coffee-runner is like an excerpt from Tina Turner’s Proud Mary (with some revision): “Got a good job in the city, workin’ for the man every night and day. And I always spend every minute of my time, worryin’ bout the way things are gonna be…”
At least, that’s what plays in my head as I begin my 8 am morning commute from Santa Monica to downtown LA (although I recently learned that I’ll arrive at work even earlier if I leave 20 minutes later—that’s LA traffic for you). But once the chorus arrives and I realize how ridiculous I’d look cruising down the 10 while doing the Tina Turner wig-shake dance, I drop the act and my mind turns to the day ahead.
There will be phone calls to answer (“LA Stage Alliance—this is Jenny”), coffee to fetch, deliveries to be made, and other such humdrum tasks. Hey, I figure it’s a rite of passage. But beyond that, I’m starting to learn the business of grant writing and funding for non-profit organizations—the stuff that makes you feel like you’ve done some good in the world. And that makes all the coffee runs worth it. After all, I’ve got a good job in the city…
