After the storm, there is sunshine

After months of not blogging, I'm finally getting the courage to share my voice with the world again. It has been way too long.

I was unsure about what to blog about, but since the summer is well on the way, I figured why not write about it? I'll be working in Portage all summer, and I'm planning some travel as well.

Truthfully I was afraid to write again, after going through so much mental stress in the past while, I felt that any attempt at doing anything constructive would be a waste of time. Being inside my own head so much was a much worse experience. I find it's better to vent in any way possible, either talking to friends or journaling. Blogging has become another way of expression.

I've always wondered if I was a good enough writer, many times I've felt inferior and uneducated compared to others. There is always this voice telling me nothing you write is original, no one cares about your little opinions. I know that's not true. But who isn't insecure? Especially when it comes to your thoughts thrown out there for the world to see.

Lately I've been thinking about where I want to go with life. A lot of the time I think, maybe I'll end up doing many different things, perhaps find a new niche that fits better than anything I've planned so far. I've always been interested in more than one thing, career-wise or not. Today at work I caught myself thinking maybe I'd be good at massage therapy, or something else in the health care field, like nutrition. I also really just want to finish my degree and go on with life. I feel right now like I'm in limbo, not sure where I want go next. I guess the beauty in that is the fact that I can go anywhere.

Travel is something I'm passionate about, though I've only been a handful of places, none outside North America. I'm hopeful that I'll get to go somewhere this summer, rather than being stuck in Manitoba for the whole season. I'd love to see each capital city of every province, then I could say I've seen my country, then I'd like to go venture further. Either way, anywhere distant is a good idea.

As someone whose thought patterns were once constantly negative, thoughts like I'll never amount to anything, why bother living? I feel like I've climbed so far from where I let myself fall. And that fall was swift and hard, I was spinning downward, seemingly with no way up. Until I realized, I have a purpose. My family for one, and friends who I don't know what I'd do with out. And lately, the possibility of love has flitted through my brain. I miss being that someone for someone. I remember falling head over heels though it seems so distant now. I'd like to think that saying is true however, "life is what happens when you're busy making other plans".

So far, my plans include saving up some money for a much needed new laptop, money for school and for a trip to B.C. to visit some dear friends who will be living there for the summer. I can't wait to travel alone, independent, and finally get my chance to swim in the ocean water. It will be fabulous.

Wish me luck, I hope to have a wonderfully warm and sweet summer.

Interviewing NK about the election

This past weekend I got out to North Kildonan to interview residents about the civic election. I have to say I was a bit nervous considering it was both Friday and Saturday evening. However, once I got going, it got easier to approach people.

I started out at Dollarama, but found no success. So I ventured on across the parking lot of the mini mall that had a Safeway, Carlton Cards, Rexall and a Subway. My intent was to approach people who didn't look too busy and might have time to chat about politics. Some people had no idea what I was talking about or had no opinions on it. Then others, especially the older demographic had tons to say about the ward they live in and what they hope to see happen at city hall.

One of my favourite interviews was the lady who worked at Carlton Cards, she was so friendly and since the store was pretty much empty aside from one other customer, she was open to answering my questions- and gave pretty good answers.

My one struggle with interviewing people in a ward I rarely ever spend time in was that once I did get someone to talk, it was a hard for me to cut them off after one or two sentences. I really enjoyed listening to them talk about their community and what the city could do to improve it.

Now when I edit my pieces for radio, I'll have a better understanding of the area and be able to put together a nice profile of North Kildonan.

What is journalism?

What is journalism? Woah, that is the big question.

At first this seemed very large in scope when I thought about it. I'm a journalism major, shouldn't I just know the answer? Maybe.

I know there are so many ways to answer this. There are so many types of journalism and so many different ways to tell a story, and that's what I think journalism is: the business of finding a story that needs to be told. How did I stumble upon this answer? Well, read on my friends.

I started writing and getting published for the first time in high school. With vigour for the written word and endless school spirit, I had the chance to write bi-weekly for the Portage Daily Graphic as student beat reporter, alongside my best friend. I have to admit, it wasn't always easy having our vice-principal edit our pieces...but we knew our role was to update the town on the goings on at school. We were the source for information. It's always, what's the story, what's new?

And then came university! I started writing for the Uniter in my first year at UW right after high school. I have to admit, my first attempt at writing a piece for the arts section didn't go over so well. He then suggested I try writing for the news section to gain some more experience. Though it wasn't the arts section, it was campus news and still the newspaper. This was information that students needed to know. I felt privileged once again having the opportunity to go out and get the facts. What's the story, what's new?

Now here I am in second-year CreComm as a J major. It's no longer just campus news. I have to admit, during my interview for getting into the program, I was unprepared going in. I thought I did so well on the entrance test until I found out the grammar section was my weakest point (I thought it was the easiest part). And then I was told to read more. Read more? I thought to myself afterwards. But I read so much! Maybe it was because when Duncan asked me why the U.S. election was relevant I said because Obama was a Democrat and Clinton was Rebublican...oops. Thank goodness for Canadian Politics class after that!(And apparently I don't take constructive criticism very well).

My experience has made me realize that in journalism constructive criticism is important. So is having the ability to get the facts out there in a timely fashion. Like the old saying goes, "the news never sleeps". As I sit here writing this blog, watching CBC news, and prepping for class in the morning I'm finding out the story, what's new?

Journalism is always the quest for telling that necessary story.

New season, new start

The summer has finally arrived. It's already the middle of June. I can't believe it. Where do the days go? I have much to accomplish by the end of this lovely season. I feel like I need a kickstart to get going. A fresh start, and the beginning of a new season is the perfect time for some motivation. I haven't blogged in two months, when really I should've been blogging at least every week. Hopefully that will change soon. At the moment my mind feels cluttered and I need to re-organize everything. That's where a list comes in handy. Here is my current to-do list:

-Go to the U of W to apply for continuance/talk to Rhetoric dept. about classes

-Start writing a new draft for my IPP/keep on planning

-Make a doctor's appointment

-Call Anneliese

-Re-vamp blog

-Re-vamp my room

-Bring old clothes to Salvation Army

-GYM

-Talk to H&R Block about refund

-Grocery shopping

That's all I can think of for now. I'm sure there's much more to do. I have to remember to use my time wisely, even though it's the summer. Every moment counts.

Earth Day 2010: The Cove

Happy Earth Day everyone!
Today marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, and what a beautiful day it has been. When I got home from writing two exams, I sat down to watch Oprah, which I never have time to do anymore, but alas, it is the beauty of summer approaching!

On today's show Oprah had an Earth Day special where she had the filmmakers of The Cove, an expose documentary about the slaughtering of dolphins in Japan. Previous to watching Oprah I've read an article about actress Hayden Panettiere swimming with dolphins for the documentary. She's also in this PSA.

 I haven't seen The Cove yet, but I can only imagine the amount of anger and heartbreak I'll feel when I do. I think there's an activist in all of us. Today inspires me to take action about the causes I care about. I wish more people would take Earth Day seriously, and for that matter, realize that the environment is our home and we should stop disrespecting it on a daily basis. I know it's an ongoing battle if you actually try to do your best, and it feels like you're only one 'drop in the bucket' so to speak, but really, doing something is better than nothing at all. We've all heard it before.

Do you guys have any Earth Day Committments? I've compiled this list:

-Always bring a coffee tumbler for tea on the go

-Start composting at home (finally)

-Start a recycling program at work (for everything we don't recycle but should)

-Try to buy only earth-friendly cleaning and cosmetic products

-Bring re-usable bags out shopping (I have to start remembering them!)

-Power down computer every night instead of keeping it on

-De-clutter my room and bring what I don't want to Salvation Army or Value Village. 

I hope everyone else is inspired to take action today. Always remember, "you must be the change you wish to see in the world"- Gandhi

The home stretch

We're almost there folks. The end of first-year CreComm. I can't believe it. This year has gone by so fast! All we have left now is the business card/personal profile assignment for Tracy and finals. Next week should be a breeze. But then again, how many curve balls did we manage to get this year?

This past two weeks have really been overwhelming. So many year-end assignments due, in particular the infamous video montage for Mr. Dean Cooper. After all is said and done though, I was thoroughly impressed by my classmates' work on their montages. So many talented people, who clearly know Final Cut Pro like the back of their hand. Not to mention how to use a camera! Some of my favourite montages in Class 2 would have to be from: Alexa, Mike, Christa, Melissa, James, Rachel, and Maeghan. That is not to say that we all didn't do an amazing job.

Live Hit Derby this morning was such a rush. I didn't get the chance to do it last term as I was sick, but man, crazy times! I thought I did pretty well for never experiencing it before. I really do think it helped that the lights were down, it made it easier to pretend that 20-some pairs of eyes weren't on me during the 30 seconds of 'fame', or 'fall' in some cases.

All I can say is that we have done amazing this year and I am proud of all of us. Everyday proved a different accomplishment, all to get us on our way to next year and ultimately graduation! I can't wait.

Weezy Thanx You

I was intrigued when I heard about Lil' Wayne and his new blog which he writes from prison. Well technically, his people on "Team Weezy" are re-writing his letters from jail and posting them on the new site Weezy Thanx You.

 If you don't know the story, Lil' Wayne just starting serving time for getting caught with a loaded gun on his tour bus. The blog only has one post thus far, and the site even has a countdown, to the second, of when he gets released. He still has 212 days of blogging to go.

I wonder what his main reasons for blogging are? At first thought it's to gain more attention. But he also addresses fans in his post, by name and location, writing back to the letters he's received. He seems really sincere, and I'm sure they love being acknowledged. I wonder if he'll write enough to keep people interested. I'm not sure how many hits the site has gotten, but I'm sure it's bound to be a success.However, I'm wondering how many of the young kids that idolize him realize the reality of his situation? Just because he's a celebrity doesn't mean his criminal record should be overlooked, but nonetheless, there he is, writing from his cell. I also wonder what it's like for a celebrity in jail? I'm sure it's not a typical jail cell scenario...

If you're on 'Team Weezy', check out the blog, you can even buy t-shirts. The mailing address to write to Lil' Wayne is also available.