Lily @Proctors
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
At the Circus
My family and I got to see the circus opening night. It's not about over-the-top, outrageous spectacle, it's about family. All of the performers are extremely talented, but there's a sense of closeness that makes their feats that much more amazing.
I was engrossed. The toddlers in front of me had the jaws on the floor. It was enrapturing for every age.
At intermission, I had my photo taken with Spring. He invited me behind the table of merchandise fro the shot. He said, "this is the circus. There are no rules."
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Spring @ Zoppé

Sara and I stepped out to hang up circus posters around the town yesterday. We turned down Broadway and walked to the lot where the Zoppé tent is going up. A shirtless and brawny member of the company was hammering in tent poles. Not just hammering – sledge hammering.
Sara introduced herself and we learned his name is Spring. He smiled and when asked, explained his Reiki-center tattoo in a very merry manner. You could tell he was part of the circus. He wore his hair slightly longer and bore the type of tan that comes from working in the sun.
He kindly offer us a normal-sized hammer. With that, we successfully hung posters on a neighboring telephone pole.
You should really check out the 'About Us' page on their website. The story is utterly charming!
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Meeting the Intern Minds
I
met John and Paige today. They’re the interns Sara (my go-to) insisted I should
meet. She introduced us and I pulled a chair to her cubicle to join the
congregation at her door.
Becky Jarczynski, Program Director at the Downtown Schenectady Improvement
Corporation (DSIC), had been looking for a chance to bring her
intern, Katie, and the three here at Proctors together for a meeting of the
minds.

Inventing ideas is one challenge, but with the way the discussion went
today, it isn’t the big one. The biggest challenge is implementation.
Showcasing Paige’s ingenuity, she suggested we metaphorically paint downtown
green for Wicked. It’s a great idea, but it would mean every shop and building
has to be willing. Not that it’s a complicated request, but its potency depends
upon the involvement. Businesses want to know what’s in it for them; they need
incentive to get involved. Without blatantly apparent perks, they might not be
interested. I think it’s an idea worth pursuing.
The trick is to find inlets for co-promotion, where Proctors and the
businesses in question stand to benefit. That tends to appear more often with
smaller shops. Therefore places like the Open Door Book Store or The Happy Cappuccino would be
interested in building the downtown community.
The problem I found myself most interested in was the issue of signs:
How can we put up banners and billboards around the city? With an unlimited
budget, the answer is simple, but monetary constraints make the question more
interesting. I haven’t found the solution yet. Looking out the big window by my
desk, I can visualize what the banners would look like. I like it a lot. They’d
add some color to all the brick!
Brainstorming, thought-mongering, the creative exchange of ideas, call
it what you like: It’s a fascinating process. Before this, the only time I had spent
in an office was waiting for my mom. A fair amount of office lingo sailed above
my head at this meeting, but I’m learning the ropes! I watched the creative
exchange of ideas in action. I’m learning how to be a part of it. I love that!
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