Archive for January, 2009

Atlanta History Center Lays Off Most of Margaret Mitchell House Staff

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The AJC reports that 7 of 8 staff members at the Margaret Mitchell staff have been cut.  The Atlanta History Center, which oversees the Margaret Mitchell House, let go 15 members of its 74 person staff.

Wow.  What a bummer.

I mean no disrespect to the Atlanta History Center — they are a fine institution — but this is one reason why I never seriously consider the many suggestions that the Wren’s Nest should try to align itself with them (or any other large institution).

Many have told me that the Wren’s Nest will never be able to survive on its own.  Fundraising for house museums is too challenging or we’re on the wrong side of town or not enough people care about Joel Chandler Harris or whatever.

And maybe some of that is true, but Margaret Mitchell wrote the best selling book this side of the Bible and her house sits in the heart of Atlanta’s signature boulevard.  If they can’t maintain a staff with the Atlanta History Center, there’s no way we’d be able to.

The article stresses that the house isn’t closing.  The staff of the History Center will merely manage the Margaret Mitchell House and “the public won’t even notice the transition.”  Maybe so, but I’ll bet that the seven employees who have dedicated themselves to the Margaret Mitchell House sure will.

On behalf of the Wren’s Nest, I’d like to wish the staff, past and present, of the Margaret Mitchell House all the best.  Y’all have been a great inspiration, and we have enjoyed stealing many of your ideas over the past few years.

Related:

• Margaret Mitchell House Land Sale Approved
• Atlanta History Center to Acquire the Wren’s Nest, Move It To Buckhead
• The Southern Literary Trail

The Wren’s Nest Staff Is in a Bit of a Pickle

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Let me tell you a story.  Ready?

Chapter 1 – Mysterious Potato Farmers

Once upon a time the staff of the Wren’s Nest had a friend who does consulting work for a local Potato Farm* in the area.  Recently, the Potato Farm Consultant said, “Hey!  Over at the Potato Farm today I saw signs advertising a big Potato Farmer field trip to the Wren’s Nest.  You guys are big time!”

What great news!  We are big time!  Except that we had no idea what what our friend the Potato Farm Consultant was talking about.  Wren’s Nest trip?  Potato Farmers?  Time for some sleuthing.

Chapter 2 — Gulp!

The next day at our request, our Consultant Friend ever so gently stole one of the signs she had read.  She forwarded us the details.   The good news — the Potato Farmers are SUPER excited about visiting and there are a lot of ‘em.  The bad news — in all their excitement and very detailed planning, they …kinda left us out of the loop.

Now, you’re probably saying to yourself, “Geez, Amelia.  Visitors drop in all the time.  Get over yourself.”

Gentle reader, here is why I am under myself — long ago we scheduled a very large school group for the same exact time and date.

Chapter 3 — Showdown

I called the Potato Farmers and left a very sweet message about our sleuthing and the little mix up and if you could call us back, please.   Shucks, we’d appreciate it.

A few days later they called.  Lain spoke to the Potato Farm Field Trip Organizer who, um… well, let’s not mince words.  It was ugly.  And somewhere between crying and wetting himself, Lain guaranteed this woman that we would work things out in her favor.  Eeps.

(Sidenote — she was horrified by the prospect of children being present in the museum when she visited.  Right.)

Anyhow, we have since asked the school group — who has played by all the rules quite graciously, we should add — if they had any flexibility in their schedule.  They do not.

Chapter 4 — Choose Our Adventure

So we now have two groups scheduled for the same time slot, and cannot accommodate them both.   Other than chastising Lain for making promises he can’t keep, what should we do?

* Name changed to protect the innocent (or guilty, depending on how you look at it).

** Thanks for the Potato Farm picture, John Beales.

The Blagojevich Tar Baby

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If there’s a more apt description of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, I can’t think of it.

I wonder if the cartoonist, Pat Oliphant, will hear any criticism about using the phrase tar baby.  Though the use of tar baby is spot-on in the Joel Chandler Harris connotation, readers of this blog know how folks can flip out whenever someone says it.

Thanks for sending the cartoon along, Deb.

Related:

• Tar Baby Is Alive and Well on the Internet
• Tar Baby in Classic Saturday Night Live Sketch
• The Black Addams Family

Do Tell! Storytelling at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center

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Starting tonight and going through tomorrow evening, the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center will host “Do Tell… a gathering of story lovers,” a storytelling showcase.

While I am uneasy about event titles with ellipses, “Do Tell” looks pretty neat. Even better — two of the Wren’s Nest Ramblers, Akbar Imhotep and Curtis Richardson, are on the docket.

(Curtis doing his thing in our storytelling garden, captured by Michael Cogliantry)

Interestingly enough, only one hour of the storytelling is designated as “stories for families and children.”  Printing mistake or bucking that whole “children love stories” trend?  Either way, color me intrigued!

You know I love anything hosted at a fine arts center that threatens to veer off into blue territory.

Think you’ll go?  Me too.  Find tickets here.