I've already touched on procrastination in this blog and once again I find myself kicking myself for resorting to this habit.
I haven't been back to my apartment since 9:15 a.m. this morning and as I write this it is now nearly 10:00 p.m. It's been a whirlwind day filled with interviews, working on homework, class, and then studying/working on a take-home exam for another class. I have an event to cover tomorrow morning from 7:15-9:00 a.m., then another test in the afternoon.
This weekend, refreshing as it was to be at a race track for the SCCA Runoffs at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., it thoroughly set me back on hours of school work I could have got done. There's only myself to blame for not setting priorities in the right order.
That said, it's nearly October and the weather has taken a decided turn for the worse with temps only in the 50's and low 60's this week. I'm sorry but isn't fall supposed to occur after summer?
Again, time-management is key to getting everything done and it remains a work in progress for me. Out for now, cheers.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Women in sports journalism
Marquette welcomed Christine Brennan, USA Today sports columnist and easily one of the most, if not the most, recognizable female sports journalists working today for the Axthelm Memorial Lecture at the Weasler Auditorium today. The talk coincided with Marquette's ongoing celebration of its centennial of admitting women.
Brennan's talk focused a large amount on baseball's so-called "steroid era" and how it was a failure of the players, the union director Don Fehr, and the media to not bring more attention to the situation when it was going on. The dilemma therein lies that fans don't like being cheated even if they like seeing players mash homers like it was going out of style.
She more than anyone else in this field has earned the right to say whatever she wants, as a pioneer for women in sports journalism. There were pointed critiques throughout. The BCS she said, was even more convoluded, and she preferred the "chaos" growing up when four or five teams laid claim to the national championship.
She also touched on the alarming and disgraceful scandal that befell ESPN's sideline reporter Erin Andrews. Andrews is the stunner/jaw-dropper that stops many a college student nationwide dead in their tracks - I'll admit being one of them whenever she comes on the television screen - but she's also a journalist and a damn good one.
Brennan was immediately on radio when her unfortunate situation happened and the first two words to describe it were "gross" and "disgusting." FOX News reportedly twisted it the other way to say she thought it was okay and that was even more of an insult.
As someone who's covered racing professionally for the last four years (this is 20 percent of your life when you're 20), I know the treatment Danica Patrick gets as a woman in a male-dominated sport. Deserved or not, she is held to a different standard than her male counterparts. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of Patrick's but I still respect what she has done to make it in the IndyCar Series, and would hope she wouldn't embarrass herself if and when she switches to NASCAR.
Similarly, I think women in sports journalism deserve the same respect as their male counterparts, if not more so. My editor for the motorsports website I write for is a well-respected female that has been around the sport of auto racing for 30-plus years, dating to her days working corners. The Andrews incident was certainly a setback for women and I hope it does not detract from more women getting involved in it. Out for now, cheers.
Brennan's talk focused a large amount on baseball's so-called "steroid era" and how it was a failure of the players, the union director Don Fehr, and the media to not bring more attention to the situation when it was going on. The dilemma therein lies that fans don't like being cheated even if they like seeing players mash homers like it was going out of style.
She more than anyone else in this field has earned the right to say whatever she wants, as a pioneer for women in sports journalism. There were pointed critiques throughout. The BCS she said, was even more convoluded, and she preferred the "chaos" growing up when four or five teams laid claim to the national championship.
She also touched on the alarming and disgraceful scandal that befell ESPN's sideline reporter Erin Andrews. Andrews is the stunner/jaw-dropper that stops many a college student nationwide dead in their tracks - I'll admit being one of them whenever she comes on the television screen - but she's also a journalist and a damn good one.
Brennan was immediately on radio when her unfortunate situation happened and the first two words to describe it were "gross" and "disgusting." FOX News reportedly twisted it the other way to say she thought it was okay and that was even more of an insult.
As someone who's covered racing professionally for the last four years (this is 20 percent of your life when you're 20), I know the treatment Danica Patrick gets as a woman in a male-dominated sport. Deserved or not, she is held to a different standard than her male counterparts. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of Patrick's but I still respect what she has done to make it in the IndyCar Series, and would hope she wouldn't embarrass herself if and when she switches to NASCAR.
Similarly, I think women in sports journalism deserve the same respect as their male counterparts, if not more so. My editor for the motorsports website I write for is a well-respected female that has been around the sport of auto racing for 30-plus years, dating to her days working corners. The Andrews incident was certainly a setback for women and I hope it does not detract from more women getting involved in it. Out for now, cheers.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Working to get work
It's no secret that the economy is struggling, even if lately it has shown some preliminary signs of recovery. For students looking for internships and/or break into the workplace, it's incredibly difficult to find jobs but if students make the right moves and do the necessary things in order to impress employers, it greatly enhances their chances.
I got a great perspective into the prep Marquette is doing to help its students, thanks to the Career Services Center (@MU_CSC on Twitter and www.mu.edu/csc), while working on a project for this week's Closer Look section of the Marquette Tribune.
The article is here: http://marquettetribune.org/2009/09/17/news/career-fair-cl
Much thanks to Maryann, Matt, Kristin and everyone else at CSC and to Wade Krogwold from Direct Supply for their help and assistance with this project. This is something I cannot emphasize enough for students to take advantage of.
I didn't know much about it going in but this given me the kick in the pants to realize what MU has to offer. I'm stoked to put on my suit and print off some resumes. And explain in 30-60 seconds why I'm qualified for a job. Go out and seek, my friends.
I got a great perspective into the prep Marquette is doing to help its students, thanks to the Career Services Center (@MU_CSC on Twitter and www.mu.edu/csc), while working on a project for this week's Closer Look section of the Marquette Tribune.
The article is here: http://marquettetribune.org/2009/09/17/news/career-fair-cl
Much thanks to Maryann, Matt, Kristin and everyone else at CSC and to Wade Krogwold from Direct Supply for their help and assistance with this project. This is something I cannot emphasize enough for students to take advantage of.
I didn't know much about it going in but this given me the kick in the pants to realize what MU has to offer. I'm stoked to put on my suit and print off some resumes. And explain in 30-60 seconds why I'm qualified for a job. Go out and seek, my friends.
Monday, September 14, 2009
The joy of procrastination
I guess it's as much a college staple as anything else - procrastination.
I say this because I'm updating this blog less than a half an hour from class, a day after waiting to complete, or rather begin, my homework at midnight following the Packers-Bears football game.
Personally, I've always found it harder to get work done in the fall semester because the weather is nice for a majority of it, football is wall-to-wall both college and the NFL on Saturdays and Sundays, and it's coming off summer break so it's always easier to push things back then get them done in advance.
Case in point, on Saturday I went to the library for three hours and it was a feeble attempt to get ahead on projects and assignments for the next few weeks. I got sidetracked a number of times - maybe that speaks to my lack of focus - and then it was Saturday night, time to eat and live the college life.
It's not something I'm proud of and I'm always working at it. But then again, what would college be without waiting until the last minute for some things?
This is not something I want to do on a regular basis as the semester progresses, I stress that. More later because I should be getting to class.
I say this because I'm updating this blog less than a half an hour from class, a day after waiting to complete, or rather begin, my homework at midnight following the Packers-Bears football game.
Personally, I've always found it harder to get work done in the fall semester because the weather is nice for a majority of it, football is wall-to-wall both college and the NFL on Saturdays and Sundays, and it's coming off summer break so it's always easier to push things back then get them done in advance.
Case in point, on Saturday I went to the library for three hours and it was a feeble attempt to get ahead on projects and assignments for the next few weeks. I got sidetracked a number of times - maybe that speaks to my lack of focus - and then it was Saturday night, time to eat and live the college life.
It's not something I'm proud of and I'm always working at it. But then again, what would college be without waiting until the last minute for some things?
This is not something I want to do on a regular basis as the semester progresses, I stress that. More later because I should be getting to class.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Labor Day weekend wrapup
Things were fairly relaxing and uneventful during the Labor Day weekend and then suddenly on Monday at about 2:30 p.m., while I was lounging around in my pajamas and digesting hours of pointless TV, it hit me.
The second week of classes were here. And that meant actual work, not just syllabus handouts.
On this occasion there was a small fire at the Maytag Laundry facility underneath the Campus Town West apartments, so I ran out there after literally throwing on the first pair of clean clothes I saw. I wasn't originally going to have a story for Tuesday, but naturally this needed coverage. The smoke wasn't much, but it was enough to evacuate the complex and put everything on lockdown.
So much for a day off. Although most of Marquette's campus (notably the Raynor Library and Alumni Memorial Union) was closed, we still had a paper to put out for today and to add to the festivities, WordPress wasn't working.
What would journalism and reporting be without tech issues?
Nonetheless the Tuesday edition of The Marquette Tribune came out earlier than either of our first week issues and is on the newsstands around campus. I think the design has come a long way in three issues, it looks much cleaner now in my opinion.
The writing has been great so far as well. Sure I'm biased, but the new reporters have done a great job of integrating into the fold. They've collectively done much better than I did starting out last semester.
And I have to give a tip of the cap to my colleague Derrick Chengery, one of the first-year writers, who has made it on the front page in each issue so far. Unfortunately, I now have to give myself a wag of the finger for jinxing Derrick in case he doesn't end up there on Thursday.
That said there's always more to do, a beat story and project for tomorrow in addition to other class work. Again, with week two of the semester, the honeymoon/breaking-in period ends.
Out for now, cheers.
The second week of classes were here. And that meant actual work, not just syllabus handouts.
On this occasion there was a small fire at the Maytag Laundry facility underneath the Campus Town West apartments, so I ran out there after literally throwing on the first pair of clean clothes I saw. I wasn't originally going to have a story for Tuesday, but naturally this needed coverage. The smoke wasn't much, but it was enough to evacuate the complex and put everything on lockdown.
So much for a day off. Although most of Marquette's campus (notably the Raynor Library and Alumni Memorial Union) was closed, we still had a paper to put out for today and to add to the festivities, WordPress wasn't working.
What would journalism and reporting be without tech issues?
Nonetheless the Tuesday edition of The Marquette Tribune came out earlier than either of our first week issues and is on the newsstands around campus. I think the design has come a long way in three issues, it looks much cleaner now in my opinion.
The writing has been great so far as well. Sure I'm biased, but the new reporters have done a great job of integrating into the fold. They've collectively done much better than I did starting out last semester.
And I have to give a tip of the cap to my colleague Derrick Chengery, one of the first-year writers, who has made it on the front page in each issue so far. Unfortunately, I now have to give myself a wag of the finger for jinxing Derrick in case he doesn't end up there on Thursday.
That said there's always more to do, a beat story and project for tomorrow in addition to other class work. Again, with week two of the semester, the honeymoon/breaking-in period ends.
Out for now, cheers.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Working, then the weekend
One of the joys of reporting is of course... well... reporting. And there's nothing I have heard more of lately than answering machines while trying to track down potential sources.
My other job on campus is directly tied to answering machines. When you call the school's alumni, as student callers do at the Phonathon, the chances of hearing little Charlie answering for his parents on the pre-recorded message increase exponentially because they realize it's Marquette and we're fundraising. That is just part of the job, since raising more dollars for scholarships remains a vital task at the university.
It takes real devotion and persistence to not lose your cool and keep pushing in the quest to talk to the right people. This is one of the things I am learning as a young reporter, because I know my place in the general media world. It's not quite The New York Times level yet.
There's also learning of how to work on more than one story simultaneously. Besides a beat story I have for next week's The Marquette Tribune I also am working on a project that is in the pipeline. Time management is absolutely key in accomplishing the goals and meeting those deadlines.
But with that said, it's a three-day weekend with Labor Day Monday off. So it's time for me to give my fingers a break and quit laboring.
I'm not sure how well sarcasm translates to the printed word as opposed to speech. I will revisit the blog a little later. Cheers.
My other job on campus is directly tied to answering machines. When you call the school's alumni, as student callers do at the Phonathon, the chances of hearing little Charlie answering for his parents on the pre-recorded message increase exponentially because they realize it's Marquette and we're fundraising. That is just part of the job, since raising more dollars for scholarships remains a vital task at the university.
It takes real devotion and persistence to not lose your cool and keep pushing in the quest to talk to the right people. This is one of the things I am learning as a young reporter, because I know my place in the general media world. It's not quite The New York Times level yet.
There's also learning of how to work on more than one story simultaneously. Besides a beat story I have for next week's The Marquette Tribune I also am working on a project that is in the pipeline. Time management is absolutely key in accomplishing the goals and meeting those deadlines.
But with that said, it's a three-day weekend with Labor Day Monday off. So it's time for me to give my fingers a break and quit laboring.
I'm not sure how well sarcasm translates to the printed word as opposed to speech. I will revisit the blog a little later. Cheers.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
The introductory post
Hello and welcome to The JOUR 4200 Special, a blog looking at the life of a journalism student in a changing journalistic world.
Granted, it is targeted mainly for a specific class of students that occupy Johnston Hall room 300 on Mondays and Wednesdays with Dr. Byers teaching us his knowledge. But with that said, I hope to explore all the trends going on in the world of journalism as well as things we are embarking on in this class.
Readers are getting their news different ways and it is up to the next batch of reporters to learn the tricks of the trade, master multimedia elements, and still hit those deadlines (trust me, as I also write for The Marquette Tribune - they don't change).
So that's the first of what promises to be many updates to this blog. Out for now, cheers.
Granted, it is targeted mainly for a specific class of students that occupy Johnston Hall room 300 on Mondays and Wednesdays with Dr. Byers teaching us his knowledge. But with that said, I hope to explore all the trends going on in the world of journalism as well as things we are embarking on in this class.
Readers are getting their news different ways and it is up to the next batch of reporters to learn the tricks of the trade, master multimedia elements, and still hit those deadlines (trust me, as I also write for The Marquette Tribune - they don't change).
So that's the first of what promises to be many updates to this blog. Out for now, cheers.
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