This week and the next my supervisor at CXC has gone on vacation, so I’ve been entrusted to complete my assigned tasks at my own discretion. While the past few weeks I’ve been working from home, and so I complete my work alone anyways, I still had regular check-ins and task reviews each week. While what I’ve been working on is not that different or difficult compared to my usual work, it is a bit challenging working with a minimal level of support. Even though my supervisor is several time zones away, I am able to get in touch with him through email or phone if the need arises. However, I’ve tried my best to keep that contact to a minimum, as I know how valuable time away from work can be and want to show the respect for his work-life balance that I would wish for myself. 

This week my main focus has been on continuing to compile information concerning media outlets and local interest groups. However, a new avenue of information gathering I’ve been following is businesses in both the local area and regionally, such as bookstores and comic stores. Thanks to the Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo (SPACE), I now have a list of names and addresses for comic shops and bookstores in Ohio and many nearby states. I’ve been using this list to find contact information for these small businesses, to help spread the word about CXC to our target audiences. As I continue to collect information for media outlets, interest groups and clubs, cultural academics, and now small businesses I’m building a database which will continue to help CXC grow. And as I do so, I feel as if I’m becoming more familiar with parts of Columbus, and parts of Ohio, that I wasn’t aware of before.