Capstone Presentations

I was nervous as all get out about going into presenting my Capstone.  I had horrible feelings like "I am not good enough", "People are going to hate this" and "What am I even doing here? Is this ENOUGH?". I called family members and a few friends. My Dad instantly answered his phone and told me that all of my doubts were in my head and that he was proud of me, and that I COULD do this, how could I not, and that he knew my project was great because my sister called him to tell him it was. So, I did what any Harman would. I breathed, invited him to the show, and set up.
After that, the whole thing felt amazing. I loved presenting the game to new people. Riddles and Wonder seemed to be a great hit. After looking back on it all, I think going with quizzing people was a really cool route. Some people seemed to be really into what I had done and asked about plans for web or app based idea, and I thought that it could be very easily done, and if I could, I would. I think I may actually pursue such an idea when there is more time. Dr. Kushin asked me another great question as well. "What advice would I give to someone designing a game?" My answer seemed to take him aback just a bit. I told him..."Design the game you want with keeping the client in mind. You are designing a project that you need to be proud of, but what your consumer also wants." In the end, it is ultimately what you want splashed with what your consumer needs. That's about it. I had a blast doing this, but I truly wish that I had had more time to give it. I think a lot of the class probably feels the same way, but you deal with what you're dealt. I would have also taken a lot more time to sleep and talk with my director. Monica,  you are a wealth of information,  a strong leader, and I have so much respect for you.

Last Part of the Trip

I went to the American Art Museum to check out an exhibit that sounded pretty awesome. The Artistic Journey of Yasuo Kuniyoshi was an artist I really hadn't heard of, but when I stopped for lunch at Fado's Irish  Pub on 7th and H, I overheard someone talking about it and decided, why not? So, I took the Metro over and went to check out some art. I actually really enjoyed the work that was there. I mean, I'm not generally into that particular style, but I found that it was enjoyable because of that simple fact. The WWII work was emotionally effective. There was a piece, Torture, that just made me stir. I was amazed at the depth that it was able to penetrate into my psyche. It is still in my mind and I saw the exhibit days ago.

DC Part 2

Continuing my journey in DC, I went to look at the photo gallery of George Carlin. I LOVED George Carlin thanks to my parents bringing me up on his comedy. He was so charismatic and blunt. I always look to either him or Ray Steven's work when I need a pick-me-up. I know he wasn't exactly "cultural" but to see some of the pictures from when he started to when he was towards the end of his career ... was just... awe inspiring. The public was aware of some of what he dealt with in his private life, but it makes me wonder what demons he dealt with because some of the most amazing people have some of the hardest things to overcome. RIP George Carlin, and thanks for the laughs.

DC Trip 1

I went to DC to check out the Smithsonian Exhibit on Orchids. Although I have no particular interest in flowers, Orchids are really pretty and this seemed like an interesting exhibit to look at. I tried to go on a day where there wouldn't be a lot of people, and I wish, I wish I had brought a camera to take pictures, but unfortunately I had gone without even taking my phone (it was a spur of the moment Thursday thing) However, I will say that there were so many gorgeous Orchids that it messed with my allergies a bit. Even in the middle of March the blooms were superb. I am so glad I went, and I would go again. I actually might since there is a week left for the exhibit. I would say go on a weekday if anyone is thinking about going, especially since curators seem to be more willing to give more personalized attention to those who are really into the flowers and science behind them.

Home

My friend, Kyle, and I went to see the movie "Home". It was adorable! It also had a pretty important message or two. One, you don't know the effect we are having on the world or worlds around us, and that when push comes to shove, people (and aliens) can be pretty resilient when need be. I actually loved some of the minor hints at adult humor. If asked, I would say that it is a movie I would consider buying when it comes out. It would be nice to just have around for gray days and for when the nieces and nephew visit. Also, cats are vibrating piles of awesome that make Jim Parsons' character unsure of why humans enjoy pet things. It was a great mesh of voices between Jim Parsons OCD like twitchiness and Rhianna's carefree happy determination. Again, I would fully recommend this film!

Capitals Game

I know I'm posting this particular blog late, but I wanted to do them after a while to reflect on the experiences. Also, because I wasn't fully sure when they were wanted.  Back in February, I decided to go to a Capitals Hockey Game in Washington DC against Anaheim. I took a friend who is a die hard Bruins fan, and it was an absolute blast! We ended up taking our time and using the Metro to get into DC. We were both wearing red because that is what Caps fans do. The game ended in a shootout and with me losing my voice almost entirely. It was so worth it. After the game we went to Daikaya and Izakaya, a set of Japanese restaurants down the road from the Verizon Center. Brett lived in Japan for 6 years and was pretty impressed with everything they had to offer but the service. He said the meat buns were just like the ones he used to munch on when going to work. It was a great experience, but again, the service was kind of terrible. So, the food was amazing, but unless there was a major change to staff... I'm not sure if I would go back. It was worth the cultural experience though!

Casino Work and Dress Code

Casinos have fairly strict policies as to what people wear and why. In the Finance Department, we are required to wear one of two uniforms which were discussed in the last blog. However, I will mention that each section of the rest of the casino wear distinguishing uniforms. For example: dealers (both poker and table games (they are very different yet similar)) wear black shirts with gold trim, black pants and sneakers and most have small aprons with pockets for varying reasons. Slot attendants wear red shirts and are very easily identifiable. Security guards wear mostly wear gold or blue blazers with black shirts, and can be pretty intimidating. Most people that work in the food court wear rust orange shirts, and so on. Why am I mentioning this?
Well, the saying that "the clothes make the man" is not very prevalent in the casino world unless you account for 2 areas. In every area of the casino except for cocktail servers and those that work in the H Lounge, we all pretty much look alike. Males and females wear the exact same clothing and those clothes are not so much a costume as a cover up. What does this say to guests? Well, to me, the translation is: we are all approachable, we are a unit, and we are here not to show off, but to assist and be out of the way. I don't mean this to be negative, but in support of the fact that we are not the focus of the guests. The guests choose those they want to entertain them.
Now, those in the cocktail serving areas as well as the H-Lounge Bar are part of the entertainment. The women do wear costumes: skirts, halter tops, jackets (if need be) and shoes that have some sort of heel. The H-Lounge women wear short shorts, halter vests and shoes with a heel and most wear either fishnets or bare legs. These people do compete for tips, guests, etc, but they also work to help one another in the back. What guests rarely see are these people washing glasses together, mixing drinks for one another and giving support to each other when they need it.
Each area of the casino is like that. There is a network, a team, a unit, that supports one another and will help to warn each other of trouble going on. If guests see anyone in uniforms differing from these conventions, it is safe to say that they are looking at people that need to be very identifiable such as leads, supervisors or managers.  Our uniforms do the same for guests: We are here to help, we are identifiable, and we are here for you and each other.

Introduction: Welcome to HCCTR

When I applied to Hollywood Casinos at Charles Town Races, I honestly did not think that it would have much to do with my major in Communication and New Media, but I was wrong. How wrong was I? Well, after taking Media Studies with Kevin Williams last semester, I was about as wrong as anyone can get.

Before I get into that, let me break down what my job entails at the casino, because there are several areas that people don't see unless they work there. Originally, I was hired as a Cage Cashier/Window Attendant. These are the people the public sees and primarily deal with. Our uniform consists of a gold shirt with black trim, black pants and black sneakers/comfortable shoes. Full time employees work 10 hour shifts, 4 days a week, and I will not disclose money amounts. I will say that we are paid above minimum wage and we are able to receive tips.
However, there are 4 "background jobs": TR, Revenue, Chip Bank, and Main Bank. Each of them consists of the same uniform: blue polo shirt, black pants and black sneakers. Outside of the Cage, I work in TR (Ticket Redemption) which deals with the machines on the floor that scan tickets from slot machines and will also break down large bills into smaller denominations.
I was trained in Revenue briefly and Main Bank and Chip Bank are on my list, but I haven't been trained in them, yet. I do know some of what they involve. They will be discussed as they come up through this blog series.

This is a brief overview of the job(s), but it still begs the question: What does this have to do with Communication? In the next 9 blogs, there will be an in depth exploration as to how Communication and New Media directly translates into a job at the Casino.