Practicum Internship: Week Four  
   This week, I'd like to expand upon my last post. I wrote about my being impressed about the positive potential of the internet television medium, as a business model that I would like to emulate. The more I explore the possibilities, the more enamored I become of the idea! The opportunity to be my own boss, and indeed, the provider of employment for others, is a scenario that I find absolutely intoxicating.
   There is, in my opinion, an interesting backstory to my decision to intern at Star Planet. I had made a tentative decision to "serve" my time at Operation PUSH, based on the recommendation of one of my classmates. However, owing to a conversation I had with a friend who I have known since the third grade, and who's opinion I respect, I decided to add Star Planet to my short list, and the rest is, as the saying goes, history.
   Besides knowing my referrant for so many years, the two of us speculated (in the 1980's), about putting together a global communications network, built on a shortwave radio platform (my friend was/is an avid ham operator). Now the technology has caught up with our aspirations, making our dream an affordable venture. So when I called my friend to thank him for steering me in that direction, I shared my vision with him to set up my own station. To my surprise, this brother, who I collaborated with in my first business venture, was not only supportive of my interest in this undertaking, but had apparently sent me there with this result in mind!
   Our first business collaboration was a technology school, in preparation for which he sent me to Olive-Harvey College to learn how to program computers. That venture led to my teaching computer literacy and programming in the BASIC language in our business, as well as for the adult education department at OH, and, eventually, managing the PLATO (an acronym for Programmed Logic and Arithmetic, blah, blah) lab, which was a network system piped in from Champaign-Urbana.
This sly fox already has the necessary dollars to finance the building of our station and has even identified a site to house it! After graduating this year, I know what I will be doing to earn my daily bread, in addition to continuing my education at a four year institution. As Hannibal of A-Team fame was wont to say, "I love it when a plan comes together!"

Practicum Internship: Third Week   Greetings and salutations! I've completed three weeks of my internship at "starplanettv.com" I think it would be fair and accurate, to report that the experience has been a mixed bag, thus far. Whereas, I may have chosen to go to a large media outlet, such as NBC or ABC, I opted, instead, to serve my time at a small business concern, in hopes that I would be afforded a more hands-on experience, and that has certainly been the case. On the other side of the street, small business concerns, ofttimes, are not as professional as their larger counterparts, and I have found this to be a relevant criticism, in this case. But that may turn out to be a blessing, because that dials up the chance for me to make a meaningful contribution.
   Case in point, the head of Star Planet and the technical director occasionally bump heads, over creative differences. As I have said elsewhere, the CEO is a dynamic individual, what I have not said, is that the technical director is a brilliant man, a wizard with all things electrical and electronic. Both of these men have taken me into their confidence, due to their appreciation of my professional demeanor and consistency. The technical director is teaching me marvels, on a daily basis (camera, lighting, and editing techniques), and the CEO has expressed a willingness, indeed, a desire, to trust me with more and more complex responsibilities, that would result in my being employed (possibly), by him after my internship.
   However, employment is not my goal. I have seen the future and it involves my establishing my very own internet television station, something I'd not considered before entering my internship. I've already begun a cost analysis of the equipment, licensing, and potential site, etc. I envision my station as being a viable alternative to the programming offered by ABC, NBC, and cable, including news, sit-coms, movies... in short, everything that you would expect, from a much more expensive venue, at a fraction of the cost, with the same high production values!
   I have already benefited more than I ever imagined possible, from my internship.

PRACTICUM INTERNSHIP
Hello, professor and peers! This is the second post concerning my internship at Star Planet (an internet television station). I am happy to report that my second week was as thrilling and exciting as my first! The first week, I was happy to report that I was getting first-hand experience, employing the techniques that I had been taught.
The second week was more of the same, with additional formats besides the talk show (Straight Talk), There was a program hosted by Jerry Williams Sr., the former head of the CTA, now a union leader, entitled.., wait for it... wait for it... Labor Talk!
The third program was a lively forum, dedicated to metaphysics, and co-hosted by a doctor and a dentist. What is most different about this week, is that I have had more involvement with the guests, from miking them up properly, to framing the shots, to engaging in witty repartee with them, as a respected equal.
My favorite moment was the show where the Secretary of the State of Illinois, Jesse White. I'd heard him speak on countless other occasions, but this was different. This time, he was more than a respected politician, he was a flesh and blood man, who had clearly achieved  amazing things in his private and professional life and had many lessons to impart, as a result of the trials and tribulations that he had endured. I found him to be warm, very knowledgeable, but, above all, down-to-earth. This man is truly larger than life, and maybe because of his friendship with W.L. Lillard (the host of "Straight Talk), proved willing to open up and give the viewer a peek into what makes a man great -- a willingness to serve!

Hello, Prof. Mark and fellow classmates! I am writing to inform you of my progress, as to regards my internship. I chose for my internship, a company by the name of "Star Planet." Star Planet is an internet television studio, owned and operated by a gentleman by the name of W. L. Lillard, a well known person in the African-American community.

I went to meet Mr. Lillard at his place of business, Thursday, January 22nd. I'd been referred to him  by a mutual friend, who gave me his wife's personal phone number, and so that meeting was my first conversation with him. He proved to be a very interesting man. I'd heard about him before and he is somewhat of a Renaissance man.

The interview he conducted was very informative (about himself). He eschewed the practice of meat-eating as a child; and decided that he would not continue to attend the small Southern (Memphis) school, where he informed the teacher (at the age 0f six), that he had already taught himself, the three "R's." His grandmother allowed him to go to the fields with her, where she picked cotton. That's when he started his first business, selling the picker's water!

As I sat in his office, I was very impressed by the pictures with him and different celebrities and dignitaries, as well as his various degrees, including a PHD. This brother is, also, a Master yoga instructor, and very much of a nutritional authority.