Friday, September 19, 2008
Deadline Dilemma Demolished
Well now that I've been presented with a much sooner deadline, being tomorrow, I've suddenly had the epiphany I was looking for! WAHOOO!!!!! Thanks, Doc! I have weighed my options and concluded that my feature story will be a fine reporting job on an upcoming ALS walk. My feature story will include three different "blocks". One on the actual disease, one on the charity event itself, and one... drum role pleeeeeease... on the POLITICAL (Shocked, anyone?) aspects of finding a cure for the disease, a.k.a. Stem Cell Research. Look forward to this piece... it will be pure excellence!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Senioritis to the MAX
I'm not going to debate whether or not you told us the assignment wrong or that just none of us read what we were supposed to... all I'm going to say is that I'm not blogging about Murray's "suprise" because nothing this weekend was skimmed but milk. :)
Help you, Help me... a young journalist's helpful textbook findings...
Please be aware the following blog content will be formatted in a "Quote" then "Genius Comment" sort of way... look forward to the latter of the two parts. (Is that the correct spelling of "latter"?)
1. "I developed the journalist's belief that people made events more than events made people."
Why in the world is reporting and journalism set up in this fashion? What does some guy have to say that's so life-changing that he now defines the event? I think we've lost focus on what the real newsworthy story is, and begun focusing on the absurdity of mixing a feature story with an informational news article. Now, some sources/individual interviews are vital to a story and prove to be quite relevent, however, this idea that the person makes the event is a major problem with a lot of reporting today. In this instance, my suggestion to beginner reporters is disregard the book.
2. "Reporters are grown-ups who never stop asking why. And each answer leads to another question."
If reporters are supposed to write at a 6th grade level, I feel the book is dead-on by suggesting we need to think at a 2nd grade level.
3. "The reader needed a line that ran through the story that the reader could hold onto."
I reflect now on a class I took my sophomore year in which an oh-so-wise professor stated, "Tell 'em what you're going to tell 'em, tell 'em, then tell what you told 'em."
1. "I developed the journalist's belief that people made events more than events made people."
Why in the world is reporting and journalism set up in this fashion? What does some guy have to say that's so life-changing that he now defines the event? I think we've lost focus on what the real newsworthy story is, and begun focusing on the absurdity of mixing a feature story with an informational news article. Now, some sources/individual interviews are vital to a story and prove to be quite relevent, however, this idea that the person makes the event is a major problem with a lot of reporting today. In this instance, my suggestion to beginner reporters is disregard the book.
2. "Reporters are grown-ups who never stop asking why. And each answer leads to another question."
If reporters are supposed to write at a 6th grade level, I feel the book is dead-on by suggesting we need to think at a 2nd grade level.
3. "The reader needed a line that ran through the story that the reader could hold onto."
I reflect now on a class I took my sophomore year in which an oh-so-wise professor stated, "Tell 'em what you're going to tell 'em, tell 'em, then tell what you told 'em."
Friday, August 29, 2008
Wilco may be "Walken"... but I'm walken AND talken.
When presented with an assignment of this magnitude, I was left no choice but to pull on all of the knowledge I've recieved from my extensive studies, years of hard work, and mounds of research and information provided to me in the time I've spent working in my journalism classes.
I worked hard to have this "how to" manual live up to the examples of leadership and excellence set before me from reporters in the field. By following the models given to me, reflecting on the work presented in the cut-throat journalist arena, and looking deep within my soul, I was able to find the means to conquer the great task placed before me... In other words, I bullshit the whole thing.
In order to complete the ever-so-easy act of inhaling and exhaling air as well as placing one foot in front of the other, at the same time, one must use his or her brain, prior knowledge of bodily functions, and common sense. This task, commonly known as walking and breathing simultaneously, is easily completed by most, considering one has legs and lungs.
First, one’s brain must decide whether to start walking or breathing first or to do both at the same time. I suggest breathing first.
Let’s start with breathing. Double check nothing in your mouth could possibly block your air pipes. Things such as gum, soda, chips, cigarettes, and marbles should be removed from the mouth area. After this important precaution, slowly inhale the air around you, pulling it deep into your lungs. Hold this fresh wad of carbon dioxide and oxygen in your lungs for a moment. A second or two will do just fine.
Your chest cavity should be aiming towards heaven, which is upwards for those of you Atheists. At this time you may relax your heaven-aimed chest cavity, allowing the now old and dirty air to escape quickly from your lungs.
Now that you’ve got the breathing part down, let’s focus on feet. Once again, the brain must be enacted, and yes, that means multi-tasking, since now we are breathing, thinking, and soon will be walking… all at the same time! It has worked well for most to begin with the right foot if you are right-handed or the left foot if you happen to be one of those creepy lefties. Place your favorite food in front of you, 6-9 inches or so. Then, using extreme caution, lift the other foot and place it 6-9 inches or so ahead of the first foot. Now repeat… over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over… And guess what?? YOU’RE WALKING AND BREATHING SIMULTANIOUSLY!!!!!!! (Now try walking and not breathing and see how far you can go.)
I worked hard to have this "how to" manual live up to the examples of leadership and excellence set before me from reporters in the field. By following the models given to me, reflecting on the work presented in the cut-throat journalist arena, and looking deep within my soul, I was able to find the means to conquer the great task placed before me... In other words, I bullshit the whole thing.
In order to complete the ever-so-easy act of inhaling and exhaling air as well as placing one foot in front of the other, at the same time, one must use his or her brain, prior knowledge of bodily functions, and common sense. This task, commonly known as walking and breathing simultaneously, is easily completed by most, considering one has legs and lungs.
First, one’s brain must decide whether to start walking or breathing first or to do both at the same time. I suggest breathing first.
Let’s start with breathing. Double check nothing in your mouth could possibly block your air pipes. Things such as gum, soda, chips, cigarettes, and marbles should be removed from the mouth area. After this important precaution, slowly inhale the air around you, pulling it deep into your lungs. Hold this fresh wad of carbon dioxide and oxygen in your lungs for a moment. A second or two will do just fine.
Your chest cavity should be aiming towards heaven, which is upwards for those of you Atheists. At this time you may relax your heaven-aimed chest cavity, allowing the now old and dirty air to escape quickly from your lungs.
Now that you’ve got the breathing part down, let’s focus on feet. Once again, the brain must be enacted, and yes, that means multi-tasking, since now we are breathing, thinking, and soon will be walking… all at the same time! It has worked well for most to begin with the right foot if you are right-handed or the left foot if you happen to be one of those creepy lefties. Place your favorite food in front of you, 6-9 inches or so. Then, using extreme caution, lift the other foot and place it 6-9 inches or so ahead of the first foot. Now repeat… over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over… And guess what?? YOU’RE WALKING AND BREATHING SIMULTANIOUSLY!!!!!!! (Now try walking and not breathing and see how far you can go.)
Friday, April 4, 2008
Lucky Ass
The author of novels such as "Kick Ass" and "Lucky You", Carl Hiaasen, grew up in the town of Plantaion, Florida. His history in Florida shows through in his most all of his writings. He saw Florida's population as a mix of greedy business men, shallow women, ill-educated tourists, etc. His work is mostly satirical, save his early environmental thrillers. Hiaasen, an environmentalist as well as writer, was married right out of high school, divorced after nearly 30 years later and then remarried 3 years after his divorce. He is a father to two boys.
Career wise, he has excelled greatly, winning several awards. His writings have been published in 33 different languages, as well as made into major motion pictures. From the 1980's until the present, Hiaasen's satirical style has become increasingly popular, despite pissing off practically the entire state of Florida. (In which I say, Why cares?! DOWN WITH FLORIDA!!!!)
Career wise, he has excelled greatly, winning several awards. His writings have been published in 33 different languages, as well as made into major motion pictures. From the 1980's until the present, Hiaasen's satirical style has become increasingly popular, despite pissing off practically the entire state of Florida. (In which I say, Why cares?! DOWN WITH FLORIDA!!!!)
Friday, March 7, 2008
Pizza, I mean, Reading Assignment/Comparison
So I read the handout you gave us in class and the story in the book that you wanted us to compare. The story in the book, Los Angeles Notebook, was a very dark and depressing piece. Although the story was about the weather of California, which is far different from Illinois, I was able to easily able to relate to the dark feelings one can feel due to their environmental surroundings, namely, the weather. The choppy writing style was used to paint a picture of the chaos of the setting of the story. It was a good tool to use, and it certainly gave the piece a confused, hopeless, dark tone. The question I was left with, however, after reading this story is the following... WHAT THE HELL IS A SANTA ANA?!?!?!
Los Angeles Notebook was far different from the handout article I read. Contrary to LA Notebook, this article was uplifting and gave you a feeling of motivation and the desire to better oneself. Its chronological story setting was far more "normal" in comparisson to LA Notbook. And painted the picture of hope, dignity and self-worth as opposed to despairity, helplessness, and isolation.
Los Angeles Notebook was far different from the handout article I read. Contrary to LA Notebook, this article was uplifting and gave you a feeling of motivation and the desire to better oneself. Its chronological story setting was far more "normal" in comparisson to LA Notbook. And painted the picture of hope, dignity and self-worth as opposed to despairity, helplessness, and isolation.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Bull Run vs. Iraq
These two stories are very different from eachother although they cover the same sort of topic. In the Bull Run article, it is obviously much longer of an article and goes into great detail of what is going on in both sides, etc. It is comprised of long block paragraphs, wordy story-telling, and boring details. The Iraq article, on the other hand, is written in a very action-packed way so as to draw you into the story and make you feel like you're actually there. I, of course, prefer the more recent article on Iraq, but I clearly have a biased opinion considering it's from my own time period.
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