Some Lessons You Learn the Hard Way (Or, Sometimes Google Gets it Wrong)

This is Anuja Acharya, and for my research with WomenNC, I am partnering with Lillian's List. Lillian's List is an NC organization that supports Democratic, pro-choice women running for public office in NC. It's basically an NC version of EMILY's List.

A few weeks ago, I set up an interview with Carol Teal, the director of Lillian's List, to discuss the past, present and future work of the organization. Just before leaving my house, I Googled "Lillian's List" and found directions to the office: 304 East Jones Street. Great. I grabbed my laptop and hit the road.

I pulled onto East Jones Street exactly 7 minutes before I was due to meet Ms. Teal. Congratulating myself on my impeccable timing, I knocked on the door of the building labeled "304".

Only to informed by an exasperated looking clerk that a) that I was in the wrong office because b) Lillian's List had moved to a new office over a YEAR ago.

And like that, self-congratulation became self-contained crisis.

I had (thank goodness) had the sense to program Ms. Teal's number into my phone, so I explained to her my situation and got the actual address for the office. Then, I got in my car and drove like a madwoman.

I was only about 15 minutes late to meet Ms. Teal. I was lucky that she was a tremendously understanding woman, and I made sure to finish my interview with her within the time frame I had promised. Lillian's List is a fantastic organization that does great work, and I couldn't have been more pleased that I had selected to partner with them.

But here's a word to the wise: sometimes, Google gets it wrong. Who could imagine?