John Micklos Jr. Writer

One of the things I love about writing is having the opportunity to experience new activities and learn new things—some of which I never even would have found out about on my own. In the past 10 days, I have attended a theatre organ concert, written about a penguin who received a specially made shoe to help him walk, and viewed a partially assembled exhibit of Ghanaian kente.

How many of you knew that one of the world’s finest theatre organs resides at Dickinson High School? Or that the concerts organized by the Dickinson Theatre Organ Society (DTOS) feature internationally known organists and draw audiences of 800 or more? Or that a theatre organ may have as many as 5,000 pipes ranging from the size of a pencil to the size of a tree trunk.

On January 28, I attended an organ concert by Lance Luce, who played music ranging from show tunes to hymns. On February 2, I interviewed the president of the DTOS and got a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of the organ chambers. I learned a lot and have a new appreciation for organ music.

If you’re into heartwarming animal stories, Google “Lucky the penguin” and watch the YouTube video. Lucky is just one of the “Amazing Animals” I’m writing about for National Geographic Kids magazine.

On January 31, I visited Cab Calloway School of the Arts to learn about the Wrapped in Pride exhibit of Ghanaian kente that was being prepared to open on February 3. I got to see the partially assembled exhibit and learn about the history of kente and the growing international popularity of the brightly colored, geometrically patterned cloth.

Sandwiched around all that was my part-time consulting project, which involves helping the Association of Educational Publishers in Wilmington with its annual awards program. Part of that job involves processing and prescreening the entries to ensure that the judges will be able to easily access all the information they need. I have seen some remarkable materials, ranging from long-established magazines to professional development book/CD combinations to innovative websites.

I feel truly blessed to have a profession that allows me to explore and learn about fascinating topics and then to share the information I have gained with others.

Random Writing Thought: This week I found myself juggling my consulting job and various stages of five different freelance projects. I was drafting articles early in the morning and editing material late in the evening—and feeling exhilarated rather than exhausted in the process. I find it keeps me mentally fresh to be working on a variety of projects all at once.