Finals week is over, Christmas was great, and now I sit here from (sorta) sunny Las Vegas sniffling myself to death.
I had such plans for the Christmas Holiday. I was going to post on something Christmas-y every day, I was going to re-write the "Chestnuts Roasting" lyrics to express my joy about the end of finals. I was going to write for fun and catharsis, and you were all going to love it.
Problem #1: My wonderful grandmother, with whom I stayed for the first half of the break before Christmas, has no internet. Whatsoever. I realized this halfway through teh drive up to North Ogden after dropping my boyfriend off at the airport. Crap. Not only had I said goodbye to my man for two weeks, but I would not be able to blog for the first four days of the break. I was not in the best frame of mind just then.
I decided I could wait until my Mom and Dad got home. We have internet at our house...I could catch up, right?
Wrong.
Problem #2: When my parents got home, I was dismayed to learn that my father had disabled our super-fast internet connection to save money. The only internet access was on my Mom's laptop...which still uses Windows 98.
I resolved to start up once we got to Vegas.
Problem #3: Daddy accidentally shared his cold with us. Lovely. I am only just pulling slightly out of the tissue fog. I probably won't blog again until I'm over it entirely.
However, I promise to tell of my New Year's celebration and share an adventure a day from now on, as I have always meant to do.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
A Fun Game for Finals Week Stress Relief
So I'm in college and, as many of you may realize/be experiencing, finals week (or two) is upon we, the college students of America. I am currently running on five hours of sleep, will be doing two papers tomorrow, and I have a headache.
So, I have really nothing I can do on campus for a while. To make myself feel better, I started thinking about all the good things in my life lately, and it has now turned into a game. Therefore, I am now going to play a few rounds of fun-funner-funnest. Not all real words, btu they work for my purposes.
So, here goes:
Fun: Getting free food
Funner: getting free food handed out to you at the Wilkinson student center
Funnest: Getting a free food buffet involving three kinds of chocolate chip cookies handed out to you in advanced writing.
And again:
Fun: going to Book of Mormon with an archaelogist, like Brother Davis Johnson, as your teacher
Funner: Going and not falling asleep because of how truly RIDICULOUSLY EARLY that class is--8 AM is not my friend
Funnest: Going and realizing that your final paper is not, in fact, due until Friday of finals week AND there will be one lass thing on the test than the study guide said!
Fun: commenting on a friend's status on facebook
Funner: Writing on a friend's wall about cloning Tom Felton three time so that a three-way dibs call may be honored/suggesting plans to hang out the next time you're down in Vegas
Funnest: Realizing your New Year's Eve, despite missing your bestie's party for the first time ever, may not be the boring evening at home you had imagined.
Fun: Singing "Do As I'm Doing" in primary
Funner: Singing it in high school for the Seminary opening hymn and still doing the actions
Funnest: Watching Steven Jones--a.k.a. the new spice guy--scat to it with a live jazz band at the Wilkinson student center!!!
Fun: Eating great food
Funner: Eating great southern food
Funnest: Eating great southern food in Vegas--this will happen over break but I'm putting it in anyway.
Fun: Earmuffs that do their job!
Funner: Earmuffs that do their job without detracting from one's hairstyle
Funnest: Earmuffs that are stinking cute because they resemble hot pink oversize marigolds yet do their job!!!
Fun: Scarves
Funner: Ruched, Ruffle-y scarves
Funnest: VELVET Ruched, ruffle-y scarves
Fun: Writing
Funner: Writing something that does not make one feel like a cheese grater is being scraped against one's brain.
Funnest: Writing what one really wants to, be it stories, poems, or blogs, or whatever
Fun: Going home for Christmas
Funner: Seeing Family and friends over Christmas break
Funnest: Staying with my Grandma, near my friend who I haven't seen since August, for Christmas break until my parents return from Hawaii (jealous? so am I)!
Wasn't this fun?
So, I have really nothing I can do on campus for a while. To make myself feel better, I started thinking about all the good things in my life lately, and it has now turned into a game. Therefore, I am now going to play a few rounds of fun-funner-funnest. Not all real words, btu they work for my purposes.
So, here goes:
Fun: Getting free food
Funner: getting free food handed out to you at the Wilkinson student center
Funnest: Getting a free food buffet involving three kinds of chocolate chip cookies handed out to you in advanced writing.
And again:
Fun: going to Book of Mormon with an archaelogist, like Brother Davis Johnson, as your teacher
Funner: Going and not falling asleep because of how truly RIDICULOUSLY EARLY that class is--8 AM is not my friend
Funnest: Going and realizing that your final paper is not, in fact, due until Friday of finals week AND there will be one lass thing on the test than the study guide said!
Fun: commenting on a friend's status on facebook
Funner: Writing on a friend's wall about cloning Tom Felton three time so that a three-way dibs call may be honored/suggesting plans to hang out the next time you're down in Vegas
Funnest: Realizing your New Year's Eve, despite missing your bestie's party for the first time ever, may not be the boring evening at home you had imagined.
Fun: Singing "Do As I'm Doing" in primary
Funner: Singing it in high school for the Seminary opening hymn and still doing the actions
Funnest: Watching Steven Jones--a.k.a. the new spice guy--scat to it with a live jazz band at the Wilkinson student center!!!
Fun: Eating great food
Funner: Eating great southern food
Funnest: Eating great southern food in Vegas--this will happen over break but I'm putting it in anyway.
Fun: Earmuffs that do their job!
Funner: Earmuffs that do their job without detracting from one's hairstyle
Funnest: Earmuffs that are stinking cute because they resemble hot pink oversize marigolds yet do their job!!!
Fun: Scarves
Funner: Ruched, Ruffle-y scarves
Funnest: VELVET Ruched, ruffle-y scarves
Fun: Writing
Funner: Writing something that does not make one feel like a cheese grater is being scraped against one's brain.
Funnest: Writing what one really wants to, be it stories, poems, or blogs, or whatever
Fun: Going home for Christmas
Funner: Seeing Family and friends over Christmas break
Funnest: Staying with my Grandma, near my friend who I haven't seen since August, for Christmas break until my parents return from Hawaii (jealous? so am I)!
Wasn't this fun?
Thursday, December 2, 2010
The Most Dangerous Man In America
We were supposed to turn in a hard copy of a study guide of The Most Dangerous Man in America but a few things happened which prevented me from doing that:
As a brief overview, for those of you who have not seen it, The Most Dangerous Man in America is a documentary about Daniel Ellsberg narrated by the man himself. Ellsberg worked as a startegist at The Pentagon during the Vietnam War years. During part of it, he actiually served in Vietnam and witnessed the war firsthand, as few at the Pentagon or its RAND Corporation, for whom Ellsberg worked by assignment.
Eventually, Ellsberg began to doubt what the US government was doing. So, he read and eventually Xeroxed a top-secret government study, now called the Pentagon Papers, which revealed truths about America's involvement in Vietnam that the public at large had no idea of. Ellsberg leaked the study to the New York Times, which was slapped with the government by a prior restraint lawsuit, as was The Washington Post after Ellsberg leaked the study to them. Eventually Ellsberg himself was sued for breaking his security clearance.
The legacy left by the government's actions in regard to the pentagon papers is complex. The legacy the government leaves behind for itself is one of fear--the same overwhelming fear of communism and its spread that had motivated McCarthy's witch-hunts in the senate twenty years earlier. The Pentagon Papers, combined with Watergate, led to a mistrust of government by both the media and the public at large. It probably shook the public's faith in the democratic system--these sort of things weren't supposed to happen when the constitution was followed, yet here they were happening.
The lesson which may be learned from the Pentagon Papers is that the American people cannot be complacent with government. My Dad always used to tell me "Trust, but verify," and that is what Americans must do. Even though the President has been elected by the voice of the people, we must be ever on alert to ensure he does not betray the trust we have put in him--and that actually goes for any government official but the President especially. That is why journalists are so important. We feed the information to the people so they know if something is wrong (I almost put if something Bad is happening, but I've done far too many obscure Wicked references in already, so no).
The Media brought great publicity to Ellsberg and what he was trying to accomplish even though it took awhile. The government could possibly have downplayed what had happened with Ellsberg's leak if the media had not jumped on the story as they did. Ellsberg was interviewed before trial, surrounded by reporters every time he left the courthouse; the media ate it up, bringing enormous attention to Ellsberg and his cause. The way in which it was covered--the leak of major US intelligence documents during major US military action--is reminding me very much of the current WikiLeaks controversy. I still need to read more about that controversy to get the minute details, but the idea is similar; some guy leaked secret government documents and is facing prosecution. The Pentagon Papers have made the media more aggressively suspicious of the government. The Media grew from near-lapdogs to Watchdogs as a result of this and other scandals of the Nixon Administration.
Journalists, in my opinion, should reveal classified information under the both (not merely either) of the following circumstances:
If the Supreme Court had ruled in favor of the Nixon Administration, or if an Espionage Act suit had been undertaken, we would not have a true free press. The press would be scared to go against the government even when necessary for the public good. I think that may have been part of the motivation behind the court's decision.
I believe that, were major media outlets handed documents like the Pentagon Papers, they would make them public. In the first, just today the New York Times published internal US memos about Russia. In the second place, hello, sales and ratings!!! Classified documents that fulfill journalism's watchdog role are a win-win situation for media companies.
It's an amazing movie that I recommend everyone watch, especially if you're interested in media or history.
- My printer freaks out every time I use it now because, apparently what little I've printed has already run through the black ink.
- The Wyview printer was broken for a profuse amount of time
- I was scatterbrained and forgot my flash drive, plus I have no idea where the on-campus printing stations are because, again, scatterbrains!
- I was scatterbrained because I learned that the reason my father wouldn't call me all day yesterday was because he is in the hospital being tested. Hospitals terrify me. It's probably blood pressure, but that has only been determined this morning. Needless to say, I was unusually worried.
As a brief overview, for those of you who have not seen it, The Most Dangerous Man in America is a documentary about Daniel Ellsberg narrated by the man himself. Ellsberg worked as a startegist at The Pentagon during the Vietnam War years. During part of it, he actiually served in Vietnam and witnessed the war firsthand, as few at the Pentagon or its RAND Corporation, for whom Ellsberg worked by assignment.
Eventually, Ellsberg began to doubt what the US government was doing. So, he read and eventually Xeroxed a top-secret government study, now called the Pentagon Papers, which revealed truths about America's involvement in Vietnam that the public at large had no idea of. Ellsberg leaked the study to the New York Times, which was slapped with the government by a prior restraint lawsuit, as was The Washington Post after Ellsberg leaked the study to them. Eventually Ellsberg himself was sued for breaking his security clearance.
The legacy left by the government's actions in regard to the pentagon papers is complex. The legacy the government leaves behind for itself is one of fear--the same overwhelming fear of communism and its spread that had motivated McCarthy's witch-hunts in the senate twenty years earlier. The Pentagon Papers, combined with Watergate, led to a mistrust of government by both the media and the public at large. It probably shook the public's faith in the democratic system--these sort of things weren't supposed to happen when the constitution was followed, yet here they were happening.
The lesson which may be learned from the Pentagon Papers is that the American people cannot be complacent with government. My Dad always used to tell me "Trust, but verify," and that is what Americans must do. Even though the President has been elected by the voice of the people, we must be ever on alert to ensure he does not betray the trust we have put in him--and that actually goes for any government official but the President especially. That is why journalists are so important. We feed the information to the people so they know if something is wrong (I almost put if something Bad is happening, but I've done far too many obscure Wicked references in already, so no).
The Media brought great publicity to Ellsberg and what he was trying to accomplish even though it took awhile. The government could possibly have downplayed what had happened with Ellsberg's leak if the media had not jumped on the story as they did. Ellsberg was interviewed before trial, surrounded by reporters every time he left the courthouse; the media ate it up, bringing enormous attention to Ellsberg and his cause. The way in which it was covered--the leak of major US intelligence documents during major US military action--is reminding me very much of the current WikiLeaks controversy. I still need to read more about that controversy to get the minute details, but the idea is similar; some guy leaked secret government documents and is facing prosecution. The Pentagon Papers have made the media more aggressively suspicious of the government. The Media grew from near-lapdogs to Watchdogs as a result of this and other scandals of the Nixon Administration.
Journalists, in my opinion, should reveal classified information under the both (not merely either) of the following circumstances:
- When the American people have been lied to in a way that negatively affects their life/liberty/pursuit of happiness by the government they have voted into office and trusted as the "guards [of] their future security" (that's from the Declaration of Independence).
- When doing so will not endanger American operatives or citizens
If the Supreme Court had ruled in favor of the Nixon Administration, or if an Espionage Act suit had been undertaken, we would not have a true free press. The press would be scared to go against the government even when necessary for the public good. I think that may have been part of the motivation behind the court's decision.
I believe that, were major media outlets handed documents like the Pentagon Papers, they would make them public. In the first, just today the New York Times published internal US memos about Russia. In the second place, hello, sales and ratings!!! Classified documents that fulfill journalism's watchdog role are a win-win situation for media companies.
It's an amazing movie that I recommend everyone watch, especially if you're interested in media or history.
Journalism and Faith
I wasn't exceptionally worried about my faith interfering with my career when I thought about becoming a journalist--it never did at the Standard-Examiner. But eventually it began to creep into the back of my mind and just sit there, making itself known only only occasionally.
"Hey...what if something happens which encroaches upon your faith...? Just a thought..."
It began to worry me a little more each--I'll say week or so--and then we learned about faith and journalism.
The Presentation was great, FYI.
However, I'm glad to learn that there are many journalists who hold deep religious beliefs and that there are religious organizations for Christian journalists. I liked that there is an association that trains religious newswriters, because some religious news needs to be handled delicately, and all religious news should be handled in a tasteful, informed way. That's why I was pleasantly surprised when Newsweek asked the LDS girl working for them to handle the feature on Joseph Smith's Birthday--it is good for publications to recognize that members of a particular religion are the ones who will understand the most about that religion and be able to report with taste and context.
A good reporter should not, of course, let their beliefs taint the facts of a story; a Catholic should not smudge facts on a story about child abuse by a priest. But a person of a certain religion will know more about their own religion than someone of another faith.
I'm also glad to see that secularism in secular newsrooms isn't as hostile towards individual reporters with deep beliefs as some portray it. I'm glad to see that ethical considerations can and should be voiced.
And while the book said religion and journalism isn't necessarily most about the religion beat, I like the idea of reporters from one religion being able to "check [their] beliefs at the door" and report honestly and openly about another religion. I'd like to be able to think that we as journalists could focus in that coverage, as the book indicates, on what impact that religion has in teh lives of its members. I think the faith beats could be used to promote greater understanding, stamping out the ignorance that leads to acts motivated by intolerance. This site, http://www.religionwriters.com/tools-resources/reporting-on-religion-a-primer-on-journalisms-best-beat, shown in class, seems like a great resource. I especially like the calendar showing the holidays of multiple faiths on the same calendar. I like the idea that we all have holidays that occur on the same days as other faiths and we can all experience our own Holidays on the same days other faiths have theirs and everyone is ok with it. It is that respect of other faiths that defines freedom of religion in America, and I believe that same respect should define the way journalists deal with faith. There's a owrd for it, we say it at the end of yoga:
"Namaste"
"The Divine light in me honors the Divine light in you."
"Hey...what if something happens which encroaches upon your faith...? Just a thought..."
It began to worry me a little more each--I'll say week or so--and then we learned about faith and journalism.
The Presentation was great, FYI.
However, I'm glad to learn that there are many journalists who hold deep religious beliefs and that there are religious organizations for Christian journalists. I liked that there is an association that trains religious newswriters, because some religious news needs to be handled delicately, and all religious news should be handled in a tasteful, informed way. That's why I was pleasantly surprised when Newsweek asked the LDS girl working for them to handle the feature on Joseph Smith's Birthday--it is good for publications to recognize that members of a particular religion are the ones who will understand the most about that religion and be able to report with taste and context.
A good reporter should not, of course, let their beliefs taint the facts of a story; a Catholic should not smudge facts on a story about child abuse by a priest. But a person of a certain religion will know more about their own religion than someone of another faith.
I'm also glad to see that secularism in secular newsrooms isn't as hostile towards individual reporters with deep beliefs as some portray it. I'm glad to see that ethical considerations can and should be voiced.
And while the book said religion and journalism isn't necessarily most about the religion beat, I like the idea of reporters from one religion being able to "check [their] beliefs at the door" and report honestly and openly about another religion. I'd like to be able to think that we as journalists could focus in that coverage, as the book indicates, on what impact that religion has in teh lives of its members. I think the faith beats could be used to promote greater understanding, stamping out the ignorance that leads to acts motivated by intolerance. This site, http://www.religionwriters.com/tools-resources/reporting-on-religion-a-primer-on-journalisms-best-beat, shown in class, seems like a great resource. I especially like the calendar showing the holidays of multiple faiths on the same calendar. I like the idea that we all have holidays that occur on the same days as other faiths and we can all experience our own Holidays on the same days other faiths have theirs and everyone is ok with it. It is that respect of other faiths that defines freedom of religion in America, and I believe that same respect should define the way journalists deal with faith. There's a owrd for it, we say it at the end of yoga:
"Namaste"
"The Divine light in me honors the Divine light in you."
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Watchdog Journalism
Recently in class we discussed Watchdog Journalism. The main point that Elements of Journalism tried to make about it was that
JOURNALISM MUST SERVE AS AN INDEPENDENT MONITOR OF POWER
I felt like putting that in all caps to make it more epic.
But, in all seriousness, it is true. As journalists we need to be a voice for those who don't have one and make sure that those with power do not abuse it. This also means we do not allow our power to do that to be abused.
Investigative Journalism is a tool to bring to light facts that help the public to be free and self-governing. It is something reporters use to uncover such facts that would otherwise be withheld from the public--like the pentagon papers and the Watergate scandal.
These cases have made investigative journalism seem romantic, dashing, and glamorous--which I'm sure it can be in some cases :). However, this glorification has had the unfortunate side effect of creating a counterfeit investigative journalism which many publications use as a gimmick to hook an audience on an unimportant story. I hate to point fingers but celebrity-gossip-centered publications are the WORST about this.
To be fair, interesting headlines are important. Still, there is a line: don't make something out to be hugely, vastly more important than it is.
I've found some ridiculous headlines from the publications I must impugn for this practice:
http://www.usmagazine.com/moviestvmusic/news/dwts-bristol-plain-haters-are-trying-to-destroy-me-20101811
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20443052,00.html
http://www.starmagazine.com/news/17588
JOURNALISM MUST SERVE AS AN INDEPENDENT MONITOR OF POWER
I felt like putting that in all caps to make it more epic.
But, in all seriousness, it is true. As journalists we need to be a voice for those who don't have one and make sure that those with power do not abuse it. This also means we do not allow our power to do that to be abused.
Investigative Journalism is a tool to bring to light facts that help the public to be free and self-governing. It is something reporters use to uncover such facts that would otherwise be withheld from the public--like the pentagon papers and the Watergate scandal.
These cases have made investigative journalism seem romantic, dashing, and glamorous--which I'm sure it can be in some cases :). However, this glorification has had the unfortunate side effect of creating a counterfeit investigative journalism which many publications use as a gimmick to hook an audience on an unimportant story. I hate to point fingers but celebrity-gossip-centered publications are the WORST about this.
To be fair, interesting headlines are important. Still, there is a line: don't make something out to be hugely, vastly more important than it is.
I've found some ridiculous headlines from the publications I must impugn for this practice:
http://www.usmagazine.com/moviestvmusic/news/dwts-bristol-plain-haters-are-trying-to-destroy-me-20101811
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20443052,00.html
http://www.starmagazine.com/news/17588
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Mormon Women Writers on the Web? Suh-weet!!
I really did not want to stay on campus all day until Principles of Journalism. All I could think as I started up my computer in Honors Writing was:
"So...drained..."
"Can't...learn...ga..."
So I got on my e-mail and learned that class was cancelled; we were to attend the symposium about Mormons and Media. I wanted to go anyway, but had thought I would have neither the time nor the energy. However, as I looked the schedule I realized that I could attend a session, go home, and nap!!
And the session I was most interested in, a panel dealing with the identity of Mormon Women portrayed on the internet, fit perfectly with that plan.
It was a panel that included the editor of Segullah--which I have actually thought of submitting to--and the editor/creator of feministmormonhousewives.org, which I now KNOW I want to submit to/write for someday.
They talked about how there was this enormous gap in the writings of church women, how pretty much all you could get was regurgitation of relief society lessons; they wanted something where they could write openly and not have to conform to the cookie-cutter image of perfection so many women feel they have to project. That pressure needed to be taken away, there needed to be an opportunity for women to talk about what was bopthering them in a way that would be most beneficial to themselves and other women. That was why fmh was created.
Segullah was created to fill a similar need. I actually was able to get a free copy of the new edition and it is filled with personal works about the issues LDS women face, from the hearts and voices of real women. It wasn't just a painted-over version of doctrine; as nice as the doctrine is, sometimes we need to hear what other women think and feel.
This was so heartening for me. It was nice to see that not everyone is the cookie cutter, and it was nice to see just one more venue I could write for.
"So...drained..."
"Can't...learn...ga..."
So I got on my e-mail and learned that class was cancelled; we were to attend the symposium about Mormons and Media. I wanted to go anyway, but had thought I would have neither the time nor the energy. However, as I looked the schedule I realized that I could attend a session, go home, and nap!!
And the session I was most interested in, a panel dealing with the identity of Mormon Women portrayed on the internet, fit perfectly with that plan.
It was a panel that included the editor of Segullah--which I have actually thought of submitting to--and the editor/creator of feministmormonhousewives.org, which I now KNOW I want to submit to/write for someday.
They talked about how there was this enormous gap in the writings of church women, how pretty much all you could get was regurgitation of relief society lessons; they wanted something where they could write openly and not have to conform to the cookie-cutter image of perfection so many women feel they have to project. That pressure needed to be taken away, there needed to be an opportunity for women to talk about what was bopthering them in a way that would be most beneficial to themselves and other women. That was why fmh was created.
Segullah was created to fill a similar need. I actually was able to get a free copy of the new edition and it is filled with personal works about the issues LDS women face, from the hearts and voices of real women. It wasn't just a painted-over version of doctrine; as nice as the doctrine is, sometimes we need to hear what other women think and feel.
This was so heartening for me. It was nice to see that not everyone is the cookie cutter, and it was nice to see just one more venue I could write for.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Independence!!
Recently in class, we had our presentation on Independence and Journalism. I liked both the presentation and the chapter in the book. I feel very strongly about the importance of a journalist remaining independent from factions in their report of the facts.
William Safire intrigued me very much. He never went to journalism school, he was a political insider, but he came to be a respected, Pulitzer-Winning columnist for the New York Times. He was regarded as an outsider, a pariah, and he suddenly became one of them after (1) he saved a co-worker's kid at a picnic, and (2) he was wiretapped by Nixon. A man like William Safire, who came in an outsider and, because of his commitment to the truth as a journalist and his writing skills, succeeded. His FBI file was recently released (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/13/william-safires-fbi-file-_n_536038.html) and is fairly interesting. Safire said something in the text that really stuck with me, something I really agree with:
"Where does loyalty lie--with your old personal friends and colleagues, with your political ideology or party, with your news medium, with the cold facts--or with The Truth?
In real life, it's a fluctuating combination of all these. You don't burn a good long-term source to get a pretty-good story. You don't let your ideology turn you away from a good story. (You don't let a copy editor change "story" to "article" without a fight.) You don't let a series of hard facts lead you to a softly untruthful or misleading conclusion. You don't become a hero by joining a pack savaging your ideological soulmates. You don't quote this paragraph selectively, reporting accurately but corrupting its whole meaning."
I liked the way he describes it--in a way that can be easily understood as well as practically implemented. Safire showed--at least this is how I think of it--that being independent is being truthful and respecting others while still maintaining one's original commitment to the citizens. I cna be respectful of someone in office that I know, but I don't let my respect for them muddle my judgement or get in the way of getting the truth.
Independence means that, as a journalist, I don't get paid to cover something by anyone outside my paper and then just ignore that fact as I'm writing about it in my paper.
Maggie Gallagher's story shocked and disapointed me. In the first place, any journalist accepting government money is slightly sketchy. But that would have been ok if, in her column, Gallagher had said that she was writing these promotional marriage brochures for the government. She would be being transparent and honest with her viewers. What really bothers me about that is that she never thought to write a column about it. At the Tx (the Ogden Standard-Examiner's Teen Section), that was the kind of thing Becky (our wonderful editor) would have jumped on--our unique experiences. How many people get to say "The President of the United States wants me to write something"? Gallagher missed out on a golden opportunity to build reader trust--actually lost it--and to tell an interesting story. Gallagher is now the President of the National Organization for Marriage and has is very outspoken against the legalization of Gay Marriage. Some of the things she says--but mostly her timing--give off and insensitive vibe. Either way, Ms. Gallagher is perhaps the epitome of what not to be as a journalist. One should be transparent with one's audience, and try to avoid accepting money from anyone besides your editor-in-cheif.
I would like to say one thing about taste: Yes, it is our duty to speak the truth and give freely the information needed by citizens to be free. However, there is a fine line between baring the truth and losing all sense of taste, especially when reporting delicate matters. This is my opinion, it should be noted, not text or lesson or doctrine or anything like that, but it is what I believe. Don't kick people when they're down unless the public REALLY needs to hear you kick them.
So, while being tasteful, remember one's duty as a journalist, and be independent.
William Safire intrigued me very much. He never went to journalism school, he was a political insider, but he came to be a respected, Pulitzer-Winning columnist for the New York Times. He was regarded as an outsider, a pariah, and he suddenly became one of them after (1) he saved a co-worker's kid at a picnic, and (2) he was wiretapped by Nixon. A man like William Safire, who came in an outsider and, because of his commitment to the truth as a journalist and his writing skills, succeeded. His FBI file was recently released (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/13/william-safires-fbi-file-_n_536038.html) and is fairly interesting. Safire said something in the text that really stuck with me, something I really agree with:
"Where does loyalty lie--with your old personal friends and colleagues, with your political ideology or party, with your news medium, with the cold facts--or with The Truth?
In real life, it's a fluctuating combination of all these. You don't burn a good long-term source to get a pretty-good story. You don't let your ideology turn you away from a good story. (You don't let a copy editor change "story" to "article" without a fight.) You don't let a series of hard facts lead you to a softly untruthful or misleading conclusion. You don't become a hero by joining a pack savaging your ideological soulmates. You don't quote this paragraph selectively, reporting accurately but corrupting its whole meaning."
I liked the way he describes it--in a way that can be easily understood as well as practically implemented. Safire showed--at least this is how I think of it--that being independent is being truthful and respecting others while still maintaining one's original commitment to the citizens. I cna be respectful of someone in office that I know, but I don't let my respect for them muddle my judgement or get in the way of getting the truth.
Independence means that, as a journalist, I don't get paid to cover something by anyone outside my paper and then just ignore that fact as I'm writing about it in my paper.
Maggie Gallagher's story shocked and disapointed me. In the first place, any journalist accepting government money is slightly sketchy. But that would have been ok if, in her column, Gallagher had said that she was writing these promotional marriage brochures for the government. She would be being transparent and honest with her viewers. What really bothers me about that is that she never thought to write a column about it. At the Tx (the Ogden Standard-Examiner's Teen Section), that was the kind of thing Becky (our wonderful editor) would have jumped on--our unique experiences. How many people get to say "The President of the United States wants me to write something"? Gallagher missed out on a golden opportunity to build reader trust--actually lost it--and to tell an interesting story. Gallagher is now the President of the National Organization for Marriage and has is very outspoken against the legalization of Gay Marriage. Some of the things she says--but mostly her timing--give off and insensitive vibe. Either way, Ms. Gallagher is perhaps the epitome of what not to be as a journalist. One should be transparent with one's audience, and try to avoid accepting money from anyone besides your editor-in-cheif.
I would like to say one thing about taste: Yes, it is our duty to speak the truth and give freely the information needed by citizens to be free. However, there is a fine line between baring the truth and losing all sense of taste, especially when reporting delicate matters. This is my opinion, it should be noted, not text or lesson or doctrine or anything like that, but it is what I believe. Don't kick people when they're down unless the public REALLY needs to hear you kick them.
So, while being tasteful, remember one's duty as a journalist, and be independent.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
The Mind of A Journalist
Last week in class, we got to listen to Don Meyers of the Salt Lake Tribune talk about the Mind of a Journalist. We learned more about the coal mine collapse in South Central Utah a few years and the fun of a press conference with the now-AWOL Bob Murray.
I never would have guessed that there were still mining towns where the mine owners still ran things and the miners and families were under their thumb. But the town Mr. Meyers described sounded like the town out of October Sky (I'm sure many of you have seen the Jake Gyllenhaal movie) or The Price Of Coal (a terribly sad play Box Elder High wrote for their one-act at State 4A Drama competition my junior year which did little more than depress its audience, fill the room with the smell of Kerosene, and provide inside joke fodder for my friends and I). I didn't think what Mr. Meyers described "could really happen here" (as Elphaba sings in "Bad" from Wicked).
The journalists down there, including Don Meyers, eventually found out that Bob Murray, the mine owner, basically ran the town, had in fact been lying to the press at what is possibly the most bizarre press conference ever, as they suspected, and had basically threatened the families of the trapped miners with a pension cut or erasure if they talked to the press.
That's not cool. That is just plain not cool.
People died in search of miners who were probably already dead because of Mr. Murray. He has disappeared from the media since.
In a way, this doesn't surprise me, because, hey, would YOU stick around after something like that? But, on the other hand, how has the media NOT found Bob Murray? This guy should have been found by now and been subjected to a crucifixion of his reputation--it has been done to men for lesser offences than his. Ok, that actually didn't come out like I wanted it to--when I say "should have" I mean in other such cases, at this relative point in time, it would already have happened. But then, maybe it's a good thing for Utah's mining industry that "Crazy Uncle Bob" has disappeared. They were calling for criminal action because he lied to federal authorities, saying that an earthquake caused the collapse rather than the company's own less-than-safe mining practices http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/09/us/09mine.html?_r=1&ref=robert_e_murray.
But I honestly never expected that this sort of thing--a massive coverup/PR disaster--could happen here. Maybe it's because I'm on the younger side and fairly optimistic. But the thing about journalism is that we're supposed to have an internal bullcrap detector because we are paid to call bullcrap on people when it needs to be called. This is a problem because I am naturally inclined to give people the benefit of the doubt. Maybe I'll gain more experience as time goes by. Part of the issue is the fact that I worked for the feature section all of my time at the Standard-Examiner, so writing hard news is, well, new and hard.
But it helps that I absolutely believe in calling bullcrap when it should be called. There was a situation when the Standard didn't call bullcrap on Roy City police and prosecution after no evidence was found to justify the hasty arrest and subsequent trial of my high school drama teacher. I was so mad--half of Roy doesn't know the truth!! He was innocent!
I don't want that to happen to people if I can help it; for them to be innocent with nobody knowing, because a newspaper that should have said something said nothing.
I never would have guessed that there were still mining towns where the mine owners still ran things and the miners and families were under their thumb. But the town Mr. Meyers described sounded like the town out of October Sky (I'm sure many of you have seen the Jake Gyllenhaal movie) or The Price Of Coal (a terribly sad play Box Elder High wrote for their one-act at State 4A Drama competition my junior year which did little more than depress its audience, fill the room with the smell of Kerosene, and provide inside joke fodder for my friends and I). I didn't think what Mr. Meyers described "could really happen here" (as Elphaba sings in "Bad" from Wicked).
The journalists down there, including Don Meyers, eventually found out that Bob Murray, the mine owner, basically ran the town, had in fact been lying to the press at what is possibly the most bizarre press conference ever, as they suspected, and had basically threatened the families of the trapped miners with a pension cut or erasure if they talked to the press.
That's not cool. That is just plain not cool.
People died in search of miners who were probably already dead because of Mr. Murray. He has disappeared from the media since.
In a way, this doesn't surprise me, because, hey, would YOU stick around after something like that? But, on the other hand, how has the media NOT found Bob Murray? This guy should have been found by now and been subjected to a crucifixion of his reputation--it has been done to men for lesser offences than his. Ok, that actually didn't come out like I wanted it to--when I say "should have" I mean in other such cases, at this relative point in time, it would already have happened. But then, maybe it's a good thing for Utah's mining industry that "Crazy Uncle Bob" has disappeared. They were calling for criminal action because he lied to federal authorities, saying that an earthquake caused the collapse rather than the company's own less-than-safe mining practices http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/09/us/09mine.html?_r=1&ref=robert_e_murray.
But I honestly never expected that this sort of thing--a massive coverup/PR disaster--could happen here. Maybe it's because I'm on the younger side and fairly optimistic. But the thing about journalism is that we're supposed to have an internal bullcrap detector because we are paid to call bullcrap on people when it needs to be called. This is a problem because I am naturally inclined to give people the benefit of the doubt. Maybe I'll gain more experience as time goes by. Part of the issue is the fact that I worked for the feature section all of my time at the Standard-Examiner, so writing hard news is, well, new and hard.
But it helps that I absolutely believe in calling bullcrap when it should be called. There was a situation when the Standard didn't call bullcrap on Roy City police and prosecution after no evidence was found to justify the hasty arrest and subsequent trial of my high school drama teacher. I was so mad--half of Roy doesn't know the truth!! He was innocent!
I don't want that to happen to people if I can help it; for them to be innocent with nobody knowing, because a newspaper that should have said something said nothing.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Another Brick in The Wall
Another Brick in The Wall
I like the fact that, as a journalist, my first loyalty is to the citizen. I intend to write with this principle always before me and see myself as a seeker of truth.
Call me an idealist, but I like the idea of a "wall" between the journalists and the guys in marketing.
Back at the Standard-Examiner, we were on separate floors. At first, I thought "Why do that when so many people like the idea of one-levelers these days?" Now I realize that this separation is as it should be. We never had any problems with advertisers at the Standard-Examiner, so I never thought of all the problems that could arise, the possible conflicts between business interests and journalists' ethics.
Now, to go over the requirements discussed in class:
1. The owner must be committed to the citizen first. I would hope I could work for someone like this, that my boss was an ethical sort of person who's not just in it for the money--such people really scare me. Besides, if you put your audience first, your product will be better quality and sell well, so you needn't rely as much on advertising revenue.
2. Hire business managers who also put citizens first. This seems tricky, but it can be done. My father did it when he ran his radio station. He organized the news and weather casts, the sportscasting and commentary, the program of what oldies songs KSOS would play. He also ran the financial side, negotiating with advertisers, writing and recording the radio commercials, and handling the accounting and other financial procedures. He did so ethically, never putting his own interests above those of listeners. It is therefore possible to find good, ethical business managers.
3.Set and communicate clear standards with the company. This goes for the journalists having set clear standards for the business manager to follow, but it can also be applied to the company you sell advertising to. Let them know up front that they have no influence on your integrity. If you explain to them that their product will sell better if they buy advertising in a paper the public knows to be credible, they will understand. If they pull funding because you caught them doing something bad, then the public will still buy your newspaper because they'll want to read about it!
4.Journalists have final say over the news. Yes! This is a newspaper (or newscast), not a business paper (or cast)! Journalists, the people who write the news, should have a final say over its content, and the businesspeople need to realize that we won't make money anyway if the product sucks or the public knows they can't trust us.
5.Communicate clear standards to the public. It's nice to know what you can expect from people, especially in these uncertain, and as a citizen who reads newspapers I would like to know what I may reasonably expect. I liked how, in Citizen Kane, which I watched as a part of this class and fell completely in love with, Kane writes a declaration of Principles, which can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oav-tDznRq0
So those are my thoughts on the balance between business and journalism--also I would like to point out that this same post is on Michelle Paulsen's blog because she is my roomie and I somehow posted it to hers first--Weird sauce!
I like the fact that, as a journalist, my first loyalty is to the citizen. I intend to write with this principle always before me and see myself as a seeker of truth.
Call me an idealist, but I like the idea of a "wall" between the journalists and the guys in marketing.
Back at the Standard-Examiner, we were on separate floors. At first, I thought "Why do that when so many people like the idea of one-levelers these days?" Now I realize that this separation is as it should be. We never had any problems with advertisers at the Standard-Examiner, so I never thought of all the problems that could arise, the possible conflicts between business interests and journalists' ethics.
Now, to go over the requirements discussed in class:
1. The owner must be committed to the citizen first. I would hope I could work for someone like this, that my boss was an ethical sort of person who's not just in it for the money--such people really scare me. Besides, if you put your audience first, your product will be better quality and sell well, so you needn't rely as much on advertising revenue.
2. Hire business managers who also put citizens first. This seems tricky, but it can be done. My father did it when he ran his radio station. He organized the news and weather casts, the sportscasting and commentary, the program of what oldies songs KSOS would play. He also ran the financial side, negotiating with advertisers, writing and recording the radio commercials, and handling the accounting and other financial procedures. He did so ethically, never putting his own interests above those of listeners. It is therefore possible to find good, ethical business managers.
3.Set and communicate clear standards with the company. This goes for the journalists having set clear standards for the business manager to follow, but it can also be applied to the company you sell advertising to. Let them know up front that they have no influence on your integrity. If you explain to them that their product will sell better if they buy advertising in a paper the public knows to be credible, they will understand. If they pull funding because you caught them doing something bad, then the public will still buy your newspaper because they'll want to read about it!
4.Journalists have final say over the news. Yes! This is a newspaper (or newscast), not a business paper (or cast)! Journalists, the people who write the news, should have a final say over its content, and the businesspeople need to realize that we won't make money anyway if the product sucks or the public knows they can't trust us.
5.Communicate clear standards to the public. It's nice to know what you can expect from people, especially in these uncertain, and as a citizen who reads newspapers I would like to know what I may reasonably expect. I liked how, in Citizen Kane, which I watched as a part of this class and fell completely in love with, Kane writes a declaration of Principles, which can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oav-tDznRq0
So those are my thoughts on the balance between business and journalism--also I would like to point out that this same post is on Michelle Paulsen's blog because she is my roomie and I somehow posted it to hers first--Weird sauce!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Journalism, Truth, and Democracy
"It should be like Joe Friday said: 'Just the facts, ma'am.' Never forget that, Lindsey."
That was what my Dad said to me a few days before I started college. We were sitting on our couches and he was discussing how much he thinks Journalism has sold out to far-left political interests as a majority. He pretty much thinks that Fox News is the only untainted news source anymore. Knowing that I intend to enter this profession, he reminded me of Joe Friday's catch-phrase from Dragnet. Dad was reminding me that reporters must report the facts, the truth, leaving their opinions completely out of it. Opinions are not the place of a reporter in writing for their paper unless they are an assigned columnist or critic. Journalists exist to tell the public the information, the truth, which they need in order to be free and self-governing. If the public does not know the truth, they cannot make informed decisions, and thus cannot effectively "provide...guards fro their future security." (Declaration of Independence)
I really liked the example of the Pentagon Papers in my Principles of Journalism class--if the public had known the truth, what was in the reports, in the 60's rather than the 70's, we might have saved so many lives. If not for the press, we might never have known any different than what the public had known before the papers came out. Can you imagine still being embroiled in the Vietnam War because we still had no idea how badly we were losing?
That's why I really see journalism as a high calling. I worry that many journalists today are becoming materialistic and aren't thinking of the public trust we serve. We are supposed to help, to reveal truth, to "be a light...in dark places when all other lights go out." ( Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring) (Yes, I am a quote nerd)
That was what my Dad said to me a few days before I started college. We were sitting on our couches and he was discussing how much he thinks Journalism has sold out to far-left political interests as a majority. He pretty much thinks that Fox News is the only untainted news source anymore. Knowing that I intend to enter this profession, he reminded me of Joe Friday's catch-phrase from Dragnet. Dad was reminding me that reporters must report the facts, the truth, leaving their opinions completely out of it. Opinions are not the place of a reporter in writing for their paper unless they are an assigned columnist or critic. Journalists exist to tell the public the information, the truth, which they need in order to be free and self-governing. If the public does not know the truth, they cannot make informed decisions, and thus cannot effectively "provide...guards fro their future security." (Declaration of Independence)
I really liked the example of the Pentagon Papers in my Principles of Journalism class--if the public had known the truth, what was in the reports, in the 60's rather than the 70's, we might have saved so many lives. If not for the press, we might never have known any different than what the public had known before the papers came out. Can you imagine still being embroiled in the Vietnam War because we still had no idea how badly we were losing?
That's why I really see journalism as a high calling. I worry that many journalists today are becoming materialistic and aren't thinking of the public trust we serve. We are supposed to help, to reveal truth, to "be a light...in dark places when all other lights go out." ( Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring) (Yes, I am a quote nerd)
Defending Disney Princesses--Snow White
"Emma, I feel a rant coming on."
We were sitting in class watching a group presentation on whether or not the media perpetuates stereotypes. The affirmative side had showed a slide on stereotypes of women--including the Disney Princesses. Something inside me snapped. I was sick of this whole theory that Disney Princesses turn girls into languishing zombies who think they are unfulfilled without their Prince. Yes, girls want to get married but I think it is perfectly natural to want to fall in love and do that. So I am going to go and debunk the myths by examining each Princess in turn and see why they are relatable--not just a languishing girl who needs a man to complete her. I will examine what makes each on unique, and summarize why they are not bad influences on young girls who are their primary audiences.
The first classic Disney Princess was Snow White, one of the Princesses most maligned with this accusation of ninnyness. First, let us consider her time period and situation--medieval-looking setting, Elizabethan costumes, so a time when women were largely helpless purely because of unfortunate laws and traditions. Both of her parents are dead, her stepmom is jealous and cruel enough to force a Princess of the Blood to work as a palace servant. To rise to such a position, we can naturally assume that after the first Queen, Snow White's mother, died, she somehow won the affections of the bereaved King. We must therefore assume that she either began life truly beautiful and kind or faked the kindness to win over the King. So, after her father is now dead, Snow White has to face the fact that she is a complete orphan, her stepmother is really either two-faced or just so messed up inside that jealousy has driven her to abase her stepdaughter, Snow White. Through all of this dysfunction in her family and the cruelty of her stepmother, Snow White remains hopeful and cheerful about her situation. That takes good attitude, that takes determination, to remain so positive throughout that kind of emotional upheaval.
Now, half the reason Snow White gets the flak she does is because of "Some Day My Prince Will Come." But let us consider the facts: based on the time period her story is based in, as well as her social status, she probably would have had a marriage arranged before her Father's death which has now been put on the back burner, her Stepmother having most likely claimed Regency until Snow White "comes of age" as deemed by her Guardian, Regent, and Stepmother. Also, for women of that age, marriage was often the only way to attain autonomy. Sometimes, even today, marriage is the best way out of a bad family situation--because once you get married, you don't have to live with anyone besides your husband. So, in all reality, her most realistic hope is for her "Prince" to come and save her, after a way of speaking.
When she gets away from the huntsman who has been paid to assassinate her, she finds the seven dwarves and lives with them. She is kind and cheerful, she cooks for them and cleans their home, she gives them reason the celebrate and enjoy their evenings after long hours in the mines. By simply being there, contributing her cheerful attitude and the skills she has acquired, she improves the lives of seven otherwise lonely men.
Now eventually, of course, she is fooled into biting the apple and has to be kissed back to life by her Prince--who finally shows up! Look, the fact of life is that sometimes women are going to make mistakes, sometimes we are put into bad situations because we don't have all the facts, and, at some time or another, we will have to accept help from a man. She doesn't know who is offering the apple, gets a fatal case of food poisoning, and is saved by the wandering Prince. This is a guy who is willing to kiss a dead girl and ends up saving her life!
So end my thoughts on Snow White. This was so long I think I'll make it into a series. Next time--Sleeping Beauty: Politics, Intrigue, Heartbreak!
We were sitting in class watching a group presentation on whether or not the media perpetuates stereotypes. The affirmative side had showed a slide on stereotypes of women--including the Disney Princesses. Something inside me snapped. I was sick of this whole theory that Disney Princesses turn girls into languishing zombies who think they are unfulfilled without their Prince. Yes, girls want to get married but I think it is perfectly natural to want to fall in love and do that. So I am going to go and debunk the myths by examining each Princess in turn and see why they are relatable--not just a languishing girl who needs a man to complete her. I will examine what makes each on unique, and summarize why they are not bad influences on young girls who are their primary audiences.
The first classic Disney Princess was Snow White, one of the Princesses most maligned with this accusation of ninnyness. First, let us consider her time period and situation--medieval-looking setting, Elizabethan costumes, so a time when women were largely helpless purely because of unfortunate laws and traditions. Both of her parents are dead, her stepmom is jealous and cruel enough to force a Princess of the Blood to work as a palace servant. To rise to such a position, we can naturally assume that after the first Queen, Snow White's mother, died, she somehow won the affections of the bereaved King. We must therefore assume that she either began life truly beautiful and kind or faked the kindness to win over the King. So, after her father is now dead, Snow White has to face the fact that she is a complete orphan, her stepmother is really either two-faced or just so messed up inside that jealousy has driven her to abase her stepdaughter, Snow White. Through all of this dysfunction in her family and the cruelty of her stepmother, Snow White remains hopeful and cheerful about her situation. That takes good attitude, that takes determination, to remain so positive throughout that kind of emotional upheaval.
Now, half the reason Snow White gets the flak she does is because of "Some Day My Prince Will Come." But let us consider the facts: based on the time period her story is based in, as well as her social status, she probably would have had a marriage arranged before her Father's death which has now been put on the back burner, her Stepmother having most likely claimed Regency until Snow White "comes of age" as deemed by her Guardian, Regent, and Stepmother. Also, for women of that age, marriage was often the only way to attain autonomy. Sometimes, even today, marriage is the best way out of a bad family situation--because once you get married, you don't have to live with anyone besides your husband. So, in all reality, her most realistic hope is for her "Prince" to come and save her, after a way of speaking.
When she gets away from the huntsman who has been paid to assassinate her, she finds the seven dwarves and lives with them. She is kind and cheerful, she cooks for them and cleans their home, she gives them reason the celebrate and enjoy their evenings after long hours in the mines. By simply being there, contributing her cheerful attitude and the skills she has acquired, she improves the lives of seven otherwise lonely men.
Now eventually, of course, she is fooled into biting the apple and has to be kissed back to life by her Prince--who finally shows up! Look, the fact of life is that sometimes women are going to make mistakes, sometimes we are put into bad situations because we don't have all the facts, and, at some time or another, we will have to accept help from a man. She doesn't know who is offering the apple, gets a fatal case of food poisoning, and is saved by the wandering Prince. This is a guy who is willing to kiss a dead girl and ends up saving her life!
So end my thoughts on Snow White. This was so long I think I'll make it into a series. Next time--Sleeping Beauty: Politics, Intrigue, Heartbreak!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
I'll be published...where exactly?
I was happy after I left my journalism class last week--well, mostly. We were learning about social media as news, and how the role of journalists is changing. We talked about how many people get their news from people in their social networks--an acceptable theory we learned about in Mass Comms & Society--and that a very few of these people spread it to their friends after paying attention to the news. So it may be that we're just the first in a series of dominoes now? No, upon reflection I think that we journalists are the finger that pushes the first domino over, the initiators of discussion as the initial providers of information.
We also learned that, while the format is changing from Print to digital, they still need people to write the stuff, no matter where they publish it. Which is good--as long as I'm writing, I'll be happy.
Although, I will say this: the world's complete conversion to Kindle and other e-readers will be complete over my dead body.
We also learned that, while the format is changing from Print to digital, they still need people to write the stuff, no matter where they publish it. Which is good--as long as I'm writing, I'll be happy.
Although, I will say this: the world's complete conversion to Kindle and other e-readers will be complete over my dead body.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
I knew I would learn a lot when I came to BYU--that was the point. But the knowledge has come in very unexpected categories, and that is the subject of today. I learned a few things today that had very little to do with Book of Mormon, Honors Writing, or Mass Communications and Society.
(1) I learned a little of what it is like to only have one eye, if not what it is like to be entirely blind.
(2) I learned that, if you want to take a nap on the grass once your homework is done and you have several hours before your next class, you should do it.
(3) Eating regularly is good for you, but not for the reason I thought.
(4) If you give a student food, chances are they'll eat it--especially if they're tired
As I entered the Wilk on my way to the cougareat grab-n-go, I noticed tables where you could sign up for things. My eye was drawn, eventually to the disability awareness week table. I learned that if you participated in an activity that simulated what it was like to have a particular disability for two hours and then watched a short video, you would get a free t-shirt. I looked at the disabilities, and eventually came to one for a vision impairment--wear an eye patch over your eye for two hours and go bout your business. This appealed to me because (A) I have always wanted a pirate eye-patch, and (B) my friend Kirt is completely blind, so I could sympathize with this. I quickly realized that they were giving me a medical eye-patch--like the kind to contain pink-eye. Oh boy. Well, completely for Kirt then.
You notice a lot when you wear an eye patch. The first thing you notice right away are the stares, I guess blind people get them too, or people with one eye. Or girls who want free t-shirts and are crazy enough to wear an eye patch in order to get it. But I could see them--I could imagine what they must think.
"Why is that chick wearing an eye patch?"
"Ew...gross...pink eye!"
"Maybe she has some weird disease?"
"Wow...did she have an accident?"
"I wonder why she needed surgery"
"Wow...it's too bad that girl only has one eye...she's beautiful."
Actually, that last one was what I secretly hoped one cute guy who kept staring at me was thinking. Nameless blond, you could have talked to a poor blind girl today!!
It got so bad, I actually bursted out to a group of girls in line "I swear I don't need this! I'm doing it for disability awareness week! I don't have pink eye!!"
My friend Courtney obviously noticed the change, so I told her what was happening.
"Oh, good ! I was gonna say, what kind of Birthday weekend did you have, girl?"
Well, you see Courtney, I was attacked by the Russian Mafiya, but since I've been inducted into the Charlie's Angels, I escaped with just a black eye that I didn't want to display proudly.
Another thing I noticed is how much I use my peripherals. I almost ran into several people departing from tables or garbage cans. I was so glad when it was over. I saw my mascara on the cottony pad of the patch and asked the girl at the table "Do I have Raccoon eyes?"
I was so tired after getting up at 7 for my Book of Mormon class that I really wanted to take a nap on the grass out in the hot sun but I was afraid of sunburn and being late for class. I really should have done it--I was too tired to cook myself dinner once I got home. I could have gone to sleep, and Bri would have texted me soon before class started about the charity for abuse victims we plan to start once we make it big. I would have awakened to a shout of "Silence--I KEEL you!!" and been on time to class. And honestly, with my record this summer, what is one more sunburn?
Halfway through the evening session of Mass Comms and Society, Sister Swenson gives us a break to get water or snacks and go to the bathroom. Every day I say that I will either bring my own munchies or not get hungry, and every day I trudge to the vending machines. One guy heard me say "Why am I always hungry?" And he and I began talking. I learned from him that eating regularly makes you become hungrier. I had always thought that it made you eat less, but, according to him ("I'm beautiful, incredible; he can't get me out of his head" not really but that would be nice) eating regularly makes your body burn calories faster and work more efficiently. Turns out a healthy appetite is a good thing! :)
Well, as I mentioned earlier, I got home with no energy to cook. So, deciding that today was not, after all, the day that I would eat a mostly all-natural diet, I popped in a frozen dinner. It wasn't even that good--I ate the whole thing. College students, I have noticed, don't care as much about what we eat as we should. But, I learned that the occasional easy night is ok, especially for a college student. Even Julie Powell once said "Yogurt for Dinner" during her attempt to cook French Food the way Julia Child taught America to do.
So, that's what I learned today. I'm excited to see what tomorrow brings.
"After all, tomorrow is another day."
(1) I learned a little of what it is like to only have one eye, if not what it is like to be entirely blind.
(2) I learned that, if you want to take a nap on the grass once your homework is done and you have several hours before your next class, you should do it.
(3) Eating regularly is good for you, but not for the reason I thought.
(4) If you give a student food, chances are they'll eat it--especially if they're tired
As I entered the Wilk on my way to the cougareat grab-n-go, I noticed tables where you could sign up for things. My eye was drawn, eventually to the disability awareness week table. I learned that if you participated in an activity that simulated what it was like to have a particular disability for two hours and then watched a short video, you would get a free t-shirt. I looked at the disabilities, and eventually came to one for a vision impairment--wear an eye patch over your eye for two hours and go bout your business. This appealed to me because (A) I have always wanted a pirate eye-patch, and (B) my friend Kirt is completely blind, so I could sympathize with this. I quickly realized that they were giving me a medical eye-patch--like the kind to contain pink-eye. Oh boy. Well, completely for Kirt then.
You notice a lot when you wear an eye patch. The first thing you notice right away are the stares, I guess blind people get them too, or people with one eye. Or girls who want free t-shirts and are crazy enough to wear an eye patch in order to get it. But I could see them--I could imagine what they must think.
"Why is that chick wearing an eye patch?"
"Ew...gross...pink eye!"
"Maybe she has some weird disease?"
"Wow...did she have an accident?"
"I wonder why she needed surgery"
"Wow...it's too bad that girl only has one eye...she's beautiful."
Actually, that last one was what I secretly hoped one cute guy who kept staring at me was thinking. Nameless blond, you could have talked to a poor blind girl today!!
It got so bad, I actually bursted out to a group of girls in line "I swear I don't need this! I'm doing it for disability awareness week! I don't have pink eye!!"
My friend Courtney obviously noticed the change, so I told her what was happening.
"Oh, good ! I was gonna say, what kind of Birthday weekend did you have, girl?"
Well, you see Courtney, I was attacked by the Russian Mafiya, but since I've been inducted into the Charlie's Angels, I escaped with just a black eye that I didn't want to display proudly.
Another thing I noticed is how much I use my peripherals. I almost ran into several people departing from tables or garbage cans. I was so glad when it was over. I saw my mascara on the cottony pad of the patch and asked the girl at the table "Do I have Raccoon eyes?"
I was so tired after getting up at 7 for my Book of Mormon class that I really wanted to take a nap on the grass out in the hot sun but I was afraid of sunburn and being late for class. I really should have done it--I was too tired to cook myself dinner once I got home. I could have gone to sleep, and Bri would have texted me soon before class started about the charity for abuse victims we plan to start once we make it big. I would have awakened to a shout of "Silence--I KEEL you!!" and been on time to class. And honestly, with my record this summer, what is one more sunburn?
Halfway through the evening session of Mass Comms and Society, Sister Swenson gives us a break to get water or snacks and go to the bathroom. Every day I say that I will either bring my own munchies or not get hungry, and every day I trudge to the vending machines. One guy heard me say "Why am I always hungry?" And he and I began talking. I learned from him that eating regularly makes you become hungrier. I had always thought that it made you eat less, but, according to him ("I'm beautiful, incredible; he can't get me out of his head" not really but that would be nice) eating regularly makes your body burn calories faster and work more efficiently. Turns out a healthy appetite is a good thing! :)
Well, as I mentioned earlier, I got home with no energy to cook. So, deciding that today was not, after all, the day that I would eat a mostly all-natural diet, I popped in a frozen dinner. It wasn't even that good--I ate the whole thing. College students, I have noticed, don't care as much about what we eat as we should. But, I learned that the occasional easy night is ok, especially for a college student. Even Julie Powell once said "Yogurt for Dinner" during her attempt to cook French Food the way Julia Child taught America to do.
So, that's what I learned today. I'm excited to see what tomorrow brings.
"After all, tomorrow is another day."
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Embrace the unexpected!
When I thought about my roomies and apartment life before I moved in, I pictured happy scenes of domesticity; us cooking dinners together, working on homework together on the couch, and bonding very quickly.
What I did not expect was the towel fight.
We were collaboratively doing the dishes when Michelle decided to demonstrate her towel-whipping abilities, which are pretty impressive. She demonstrated first on the air, but eventually strayed to demonstrating on Jess' leg. Jess took it at first, but pretty soon I was running to fetch her a towel and she and Michelle were whipping away at each other. We were all laughing, but especially me--I couldn't breathe and I felt like I'd done a fair amount of ab crunches when it was all over and we went back to washing dishes almost as though we had not just completely broken the whole "act your age" thing into a million little pieces with smiles on our faces.
Yeah, we've done a lot of things I expected, and the fulfillment of my imaginings has been nice. But it has been the things that I never expected that have been the most fun and memorable.
Like during Late Summer Honors. Oh, I could write a book about that. One night, we had an activity scheduled called The Amazing Race. You were supposed to run all over campus, but Ali (from Cali), Amber and I did not even feel like it. After some research, we found that Vampires Suck was playing at the mall. We got there, saw it--funny movie, inappropriate in parts but it satirizes Twilight well--and came home. It seeemed that the instant I pulled into my parking spot, Nick called Ali and asked about partaking of the donuts he knew her Mom had delivered that afternoon as part of a care package. "Bring us your donuts!" He wanted us to bring the donuts to him, an dhe was the one begging for them? Not cool, to any guys reading this--if a girl is even thinking of sharing her Krispy Kremes or other refreshment with you, make the effort! Then came the "Do you have a car?" No way was I starting the car up again and driving all the way out to Helaman Halls from Heritage! Unfortunately, she had put him on speaker phone so we could all hear him and stifle our giggles in an exercise of togetherness--special moment! So we ended up walking all the way from Heritage to Helaman--not much better, but I refused to waste more gasoline. As we sat in the lobby of their hall talking and letting them eat Ali's donuts, my friend Alex and his friend Nathan came up and said hello, and that they were going out on an In N' Out run.
Now, on discussing things that were going on in calls home, there was a reason I addressed my dear kindred spirit as Ali from Cali--she actually is from California, and has all the most agreeable aspects of a consummate California Girl. As such, she has an abiding love of In N Out Burger, and insisted on going with. Soon, Nate, Alex, Amber, Nick, Dean, Amber, Ali and I were all going to In N Out--in Alex's Mini Cooper. We fit seven people in and drove down the Parkway. We got weird looks, cheers, and Animal Fries.
According to Ali, there is a method to eating this combination of In N Out fries, a slice of melted cheese, grilled onions, and their signature spread correctly. You must get an extra packet of spread and put it all on, then get a fork and stir things around. Apparently doing it thusly and then using the fork to eat this glorious concoction is crucial.
We all got the matching hats, and drove back to school. It was one of the best nights ever.
So, let us, dear friends, embrace those wonderful, memorable, unexpected experiences that we will always smile over.
What I did not expect was the towel fight.
We were collaboratively doing the dishes when Michelle decided to demonstrate her towel-whipping abilities, which are pretty impressive. She demonstrated first on the air, but eventually strayed to demonstrating on Jess' leg. Jess took it at first, but pretty soon I was running to fetch her a towel and she and Michelle were whipping away at each other. We were all laughing, but especially me--I couldn't breathe and I felt like I'd done a fair amount of ab crunches when it was all over and we went back to washing dishes almost as though we had not just completely broken the whole "act your age" thing into a million little pieces with smiles on our faces.
Yeah, we've done a lot of things I expected, and the fulfillment of my imaginings has been nice. But it has been the things that I never expected that have been the most fun and memorable.
Like during Late Summer Honors. Oh, I could write a book about that. One night, we had an activity scheduled called The Amazing Race. You were supposed to run all over campus, but Ali (from Cali), Amber and I did not even feel like it. After some research, we found that Vampires Suck was playing at the mall. We got there, saw it--funny movie, inappropriate in parts but it satirizes Twilight well--and came home. It seeemed that the instant I pulled into my parking spot, Nick called Ali and asked about partaking of the donuts he knew her Mom had delivered that afternoon as part of a care package. "Bring us your donuts!" He wanted us to bring the donuts to him, an dhe was the one begging for them? Not cool, to any guys reading this--if a girl is even thinking of sharing her Krispy Kremes or other refreshment with you, make the effort! Then came the "Do you have a car?" No way was I starting the car up again and driving all the way out to Helaman Halls from Heritage! Unfortunately, she had put him on speaker phone so we could all hear him and stifle our giggles in an exercise of togetherness--special moment! So we ended up walking all the way from Heritage to Helaman--not much better, but I refused to waste more gasoline. As we sat in the lobby of their hall talking and letting them eat Ali's donuts, my friend Alex and his friend Nathan came up and said hello, and that they were going out on an In N' Out run.
Now, on discussing things that were going on in calls home, there was a reason I addressed my dear kindred spirit as Ali from Cali--she actually is from California, and has all the most agreeable aspects of a consummate California Girl. As such, she has an abiding love of In N Out Burger, and insisted on going with. Soon, Nate, Alex, Amber, Nick, Dean, Amber, Ali and I were all going to In N Out--in Alex's Mini Cooper. We fit seven people in and drove down the Parkway. We got weird looks, cheers, and Animal Fries.
According to Ali, there is a method to eating this combination of In N Out fries, a slice of melted cheese, grilled onions, and their signature spread correctly. You must get an extra packet of spread and put it all on, then get a fork and stir things around. Apparently doing it thusly and then using the fork to eat this glorious concoction is crucial.
We all got the matching hats, and drove back to school. It was one of the best nights ever.
So, let us, dear friends, embrace those wonderful, memorable, unexpected experiences that we will always smile over.
Friday, September 10, 2010
I Take What I Do Seriously--I'm a Journalist
We've been reading and discussing in my journalist what it means to be a journalist, what we stand for, and trends in journalism. I thought I'd post about it, since that was the whole reason this blog's creation was mandated.
Journalists exist to provide the public with the information it needs to be self-governing. That to me is a very noble, lofty goal as well as a tremendous responsibility. We have to cater to an interlocking public, so we have to make sure we keep the public interested, otherwise they won't read--not that they do as much as perhaps they ought to.
Now, I do not mind one little bit if people get their news from off of the internet, I don't care where people become informed about what is going on around them. We learned in class that News is, more and more now, going to come from profitable fronts as companies try to cut costs--that's fine. I would never suggest we throw money away on something unprofitable to the public or ourselves.
My only wish is for a public that was more informed, more eager to be properly informed. I wish that people were media-literate enough to pick out how reliable their information is--or isn't--and realized that without a free press they could be led about by any domineering government in power. I don't think we realize how blessed we are to live in a free country with a free press because that is all we've ever known. Most Americans are descendents of people who have been here long enough that they never heard a grandfather's story of the tyranny of the old country, have never known a place without something like the first ammendment. They do not have the slightest idea how valuable freedom of information is, so they don't care. It is just there, like their slippers or toothpaste or that odd shape in the stucco of the ceiling. They know it's there, often they use it, but they don't appreciate it and can hardly imagine what life would be like without it.
Sorry, bit of a rant there, but that is how I feel and I am comitted to truth.
I think that news consolidation is getting a wee bit out of hand--we need convenience and versatility in reporting and information sharing as well as truth and having the power of information in the hands of so few could be dangerous. That's what is quite nice about the blogger as a journalist--many of us do it for fun and aren't payed to promote an agenda. However, I also believe that if a blogger attempts to write journalism , they should try to do it in a journalistic fashion, separating clearly what is fact and what is opinion. I honestly think that the public should care more about news, maybe actually buy a paper and read the whole thing to keep themselves informed? Surely this would not be too much to ask. Our grandparents are more likely than us to read a physical newspaper, they are also more likely than us to vote. Is anyone else seeing what I see here?
The group that taught our first reading in class yesterday presented the information well--I understood them very well and what they said resonated--the Glenn Beck impression Garrett had Daniel do was sort of funny. Not that I enjoy making fun of Glenn Beck. He's a passionate Patriot, and I am too.
This has been heavily laden with feeling because it is what I feel about what I have learned. Maybe I am a little over-passionate, but this is what I want to do with my life and itt means a lot to me. Maybe it's because I like to write, or read, or because I am a naturally inquisitive person, but it is what I want to do.
Journalists exist to provide the public with the information it needs to be self-governing. That to me is a very noble, lofty goal as well as a tremendous responsibility. We have to cater to an interlocking public, so we have to make sure we keep the public interested, otherwise they won't read--not that they do as much as perhaps they ought to.
Now, I do not mind one little bit if people get their news from off of the internet, I don't care where people become informed about what is going on around them. We learned in class that News is, more and more now, going to come from profitable fronts as companies try to cut costs--that's fine. I would never suggest we throw money away on something unprofitable to the public or ourselves.
My only wish is for a public that was more informed, more eager to be properly informed. I wish that people were media-literate enough to pick out how reliable their information is--or isn't--and realized that without a free press they could be led about by any domineering government in power. I don't think we realize how blessed we are to live in a free country with a free press because that is all we've ever known. Most Americans are descendents of people who have been here long enough that they never heard a grandfather's story of the tyranny of the old country, have never known a place without something like the first ammendment. They do not have the slightest idea how valuable freedom of information is, so they don't care. It is just there, like their slippers or toothpaste or that odd shape in the stucco of the ceiling. They know it's there, often they use it, but they don't appreciate it and can hardly imagine what life would be like without it.
Sorry, bit of a rant there, but that is how I feel and I am comitted to truth.
I think that news consolidation is getting a wee bit out of hand--we need convenience and versatility in reporting and information sharing as well as truth and having the power of information in the hands of so few could be dangerous. That's what is quite nice about the blogger as a journalist--many of us do it for fun and aren't payed to promote an agenda. However, I also believe that if a blogger attempts to write journalism , they should try to do it in a journalistic fashion, separating clearly what is fact and what is opinion. I honestly think that the public should care more about news, maybe actually buy a paper and read the whole thing to keep themselves informed? Surely this would not be too much to ask. Our grandparents are more likely than us to read a physical newspaper, they are also more likely than us to vote. Is anyone else seeing what I see here?
The group that taught our first reading in class yesterday presented the information well--I understood them very well and what they said resonated--the Glenn Beck impression Garrett had Daniel do was sort of funny. Not that I enjoy making fun of Glenn Beck. He's a passionate Patriot, and I am too.
This has been heavily laden with feeling because it is what I feel about what I have learned. Maybe I am a little over-passionate, but this is what I want to do with my life and itt means a lot to me. Maybe it's because I like to write, or read, or because I am a naturally inquisitive person, but it is what I want to do.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Fun with Cell Phones
You would not believe how hard it is to pick up a cell phone in rubber dishwashing gloves.
I was washing dishes in my bathrobe, because I was about to treat myself to a long, hot bath with a volume of The Illustrated Screwtape Letters when I realized that there were still dishes to be done. I didn't want my roomie Michelle to come home from her extra-late accounting class and find the apartment a mess, so I put on my pretty purple dishwaswhing gloves and began to work.
Right then and there, a stirring, startling rendition of "Thunderstruck" sounded from my bedroom. I ran to get it and tried to pick up my cell phone with my sopping wet gloves. For a pair that are great for srcubbing food off of plates, they have zero grip for picking up technology. I barely missed my mother's call--we had been playing a variation of phone tag all night--the kind where you talk to a loved one, sign off, then call back because you remember there is one more thing you must tell them; lather, rinse and repeat. But it is very nice to be remembered and loved by one's parents.
Cell phones have been great cause for embarassment that turns to amusement with time, at least in my life. During the national anthem at the Roy/Bonneville game my sophomore year, I forgot that my phone was on and Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend" came on full blast. I was mortified at the time, but now I just laugh at the whole thing, because nobody really was mad at me; nobody even remembers it.
Also yesterday, I was sitting in front of the Library, writing a paper for English when I heard the "New Spice" whistle ringtone.
"Jess!?" My head immediately popped up in search of my roomie, but the faces giving me weird looks did not include hers. So, I retreated back to my laptop and allowed myself to blush. Oopsie.
My mother tells me that, once upon a time when I was about two, I started yelling "It's time to go home!" right in the middle of sacrament meeting.
Sometimes, having a cell phone is like having a small child--they're absolutely wonderful to have, but often they make noise in embarrassing ways at embarrassing times.
I was washing dishes in my bathrobe, because I was about to treat myself to a long, hot bath with a volume of The Illustrated Screwtape Letters when I realized that there were still dishes to be done. I didn't want my roomie Michelle to come home from her extra-late accounting class and find the apartment a mess, so I put on my pretty purple dishwaswhing gloves and began to work.
Right then and there, a stirring, startling rendition of "Thunderstruck" sounded from my bedroom. I ran to get it and tried to pick up my cell phone with my sopping wet gloves. For a pair that are great for srcubbing food off of plates, they have zero grip for picking up technology. I barely missed my mother's call--we had been playing a variation of phone tag all night--the kind where you talk to a loved one, sign off, then call back because you remember there is one more thing you must tell them; lather, rinse and repeat. But it is very nice to be remembered and loved by one's parents.
Cell phones have been great cause for embarassment that turns to amusement with time, at least in my life. During the national anthem at the Roy/Bonneville game my sophomore year, I forgot that my phone was on and Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend" came on full blast. I was mortified at the time, but now I just laugh at the whole thing, because nobody really was mad at me; nobody even remembers it.
Also yesterday, I was sitting in front of the Library, writing a paper for English when I heard the "New Spice" whistle ringtone.
"Jess!?" My head immediately popped up in search of my roomie, but the faces giving me weird looks did not include hers. So, I retreated back to my laptop and allowed myself to blush. Oopsie.
My mother tells me that, once upon a time when I was about two, I started yelling "It's time to go home!" right in the middle of sacrament meeting.
Sometimes, having a cell phone is like having a small child--they're absolutely wonderful to have, but often they make noise in embarrassing ways at embarrassing times.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
My Weekend+thoughts for today
I just want to take this opportunity to say how ecstatic I am that our football team won on Saturday! BYU football beat Washington this weekend, in a fantastic game. I almost didn't go, but my friend Brad convinced me to come back to Provo from my hometown and watch the game on his laptop, since he was trying to get a group together of those of us who didn't get a sports pass. It was hard to say goodbye to my Mom, Dad and Grandma after being home for just a little more than twenty-four hours, but I knew I would have a good weekend. And I really did--several movie nights, company over much of the time, and a really good Sunday. We had a great testimony meeting that extended into Sunday school, and then Jess, one of my dear roomies, convinced me to go to choir practice, which felt really good.
Labor Day was so much fun. I slept in until eleven, which felt amazing. My friend Courtney texted me soon after, asking for a ride to Best Buy to pick up her computer, which was tragically soaked by a leaky water bottle during late Summer Honors. I had to go to Wal-Mart anyway, so we went. Her warranty covered all the charges, we found all we needed at Wal-Mart, and RC Willey--a major furniture chain, I just learned that not everywhere has them--was offering a free lunch of soda and hot dogs. Now, that's not very healthy, I admit, but it was free and we are starving students. So we went. It was a fun little adventure, and we were able to talk about furniure and decor while we tried to find food. We went back to my place for Victory Lemonade, and I began cooking.
We were having some boys over for dinner, so I made CCR salad, Jess made Racamoni, and I made Cheesecake Brownies for Garrett's birthday "cake". Michelle, Jess, and I worked to get the apartment nice once we had made the food. As we cooked and cleaned together, my iPod blasting out the "Hairspray" soundtrack with occasional sing-along, I felt such a warm, comforting, Little Women-esqe feeling.
After the boys ate, we went to family home evening. We were with group 23 playing capture-the-flag, which I have discovered I get WAY too competitive about. I run, I set people on behind-the-jail patrols because I always play jail guard, I take no thought for my asthma ("Sucks to your as-mar!" name that quote), and I get so in-the-zone that I'm not really very courteous to people.
I realized this weekend that I haven't been even thinking about the writing goals I set for myself during late summer honors, and I feel bad about it, because I'm sure everyone else has. So, starting today when I get my homework done, I will begin to live my goals.
I wish there was time to pick up a Jamba Juice to sip during University Devotional. Oh, well--a scheduling lesson for next semester, true? True.
Labor Day was so much fun. I slept in until eleven, which felt amazing. My friend Courtney texted me soon after, asking for a ride to Best Buy to pick up her computer, which was tragically soaked by a leaky water bottle during late Summer Honors. I had to go to Wal-Mart anyway, so we went. Her warranty covered all the charges, we found all we needed at Wal-Mart, and RC Willey--a major furniture chain, I just learned that not everywhere has them--was offering a free lunch of soda and hot dogs. Now, that's not very healthy, I admit, but it was free and we are starving students. So we went. It was a fun little adventure, and we were able to talk about furniure and decor while we tried to find food. We went back to my place for Victory Lemonade, and I began cooking.
We were having some boys over for dinner, so I made CCR salad, Jess made Racamoni, and I made Cheesecake Brownies for Garrett's birthday "cake". Michelle, Jess, and I worked to get the apartment nice once we had made the food. As we cooked and cleaned together, my iPod blasting out the "Hairspray" soundtrack with occasional sing-along, I felt such a warm, comforting, Little Women-esqe feeling.
After the boys ate, we went to family home evening. We were with group 23 playing capture-the-flag, which I have discovered I get WAY too competitive about. I run, I set people on behind-the-jail patrols because I always play jail guard, I take no thought for my asthma ("Sucks to your as-mar!" name that quote), and I get so in-the-zone that I'm not really very courteous to people.
I realized this weekend that I haven't been even thinking about the writing goals I set for myself during late summer honors, and I feel bad about it, because I'm sure everyone else has. So, starting today when I get my homework done, I will begin to live my goals.
I wish there was time to pick up a Jamba Juice to sip during University Devotional. Oh, well--a scheduling lesson for next semester, true? True.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Here We Go...
The Journalist as a young coed may seem idealistic to those she meets, perhaps overly so in a world where dishonesty and despair permeate the subjects of the news and claims of Bias in the Media come from both sides of the political spectrum. But that is precisely why I have given myself such an idealistic goal in my career as a journalist, and in life: Seek out the truth, then report it.
I am currently a pre-comms student at a large private university--BYU, my dream school since I was old enough to fully understand what college was. For the past three years, I have written for the Teen Page of the Ogden Standard-Examiner and, this summer, was an intern for the paper's feature section, in which capacity I wrote several briefs on fun things to do for Friday's "Go!" section.
This blog has been created for the purpose of discussing what I learn in my Principles of Journalism class, but I hope I'll be able to touch on other subjects as well, thereby giving an accurate picture of a young coed who aspires to write for the masses.
I am currently a pre-comms student at a large private university--BYU, my dream school since I was old enough to fully understand what college was. For the past three years, I have written for the Teen Page of the Ogden Standard-Examiner and, this summer, was an intern for the paper's feature section, in which capacity I wrote several briefs on fun things to do for Friday's "Go!" section.
This blog has been created for the purpose of discussing what I learn in my Principles of Journalism class, but I hope I'll be able to touch on other subjects as well, thereby giving an accurate picture of a young coed who aspires to write for the masses.
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