5.4.3.2.1 Live

Where do I begin? Today we were on C-SPAN...dang right? For those of us who have not been part of a live studio audience(me being one) it was a really unique experience. It is a different enviroment for sure, knowing that your on live tv creates a good amount of pressure especially for the aspiring journalist. In addition to being in front of a live audience we were part of an annual taping for C-SPAN.


Yesterday was also a very full day. You'll never guess who came to us. HODA...Hoda Kotb co-host of The Today Show. She was a great woman, who was so full on inspiration that I felt that I was at a motivational conference rather than a journalism one. She was very honest and down to earth. For example, she brought her iPod and started singing. She had a great focus on not giving up and being 100% in the moment as well as being confortable on the camera.

You know that singing I was talking about? Well here it is. http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150241907997636.324341.598322635#!/video/video.php?v=10150243301317636

Oh and we saw Chuck Todd, CHUCK TODD. It was so great I don't even know how to explain the moment. Seeing him in real life was really, really neat!

On another note, today was full of reflections for me. I have learned so much more than I had expected to learn. I don't just mean in the journalism area, but in the social aspect of DC. After learning to function on very little sleep these past few days has made me realize that this is true journalism, there is no break. I mean what better way to learn 24/7 journalism than by being part of what feels like 24/7 journalism.

Let me begin by apologizing for my slipshod writing, I am working on 4 hours of sleep the past 4 days. Thanks! I will elaborate more later, but good night for tonight. I am exaughsted.

Journalism is the first rough draft of history

The above quote has been one of my favorites for quite a while now. I think it really tells the true role of a journalist. As a journalist, we have the tools to make history and the freedom to choose what ultimately does. Kinda mind blowing right?

While keeping that in mind, we traveled to the Newseum today. What's the Newseum you may ask? Well, it's exactly what the title says, a museum dedicated to news and how the story gets out. I really enjoyed this trip, partially because I was not rushed like I was last time, and I understood a good bit more of the history than I did my Freshman year. I specifically remembered the room of many newspapers reporting major events of world history as my favorite area. This played true today! I found myself spending most of my time there fascinated by what I was looking at. I saw a piece from The Liberator, you know that newspaper calling for freedom pre the Civil War. Yeah, gotta love William Lloyd Garrison! This was my high light by a long shot! 

 

After having my mind blown by that, I saw a report from 1455 explaining the Gunplowder plot.  The Gunplowder plot? Really now? That's pretty old. I was without a doubt shocked to see reports that date back then! 

Photojournalism was huge today! There were so many great shots, all which made me want to get out and shoot really badly! Here are two of my favorites:

Suprised...

I also saw a the largest section of the Berlin Wall outside of Germany. It was so moving hearing first hand accounts of the terror that took place on those borders. Even with that being the case, I really enjoyed seeing that artifact.So in case you have not noticed, I was very impressed by my trip to day! To think that I once found that museum uninteresting. Kudos to WJMC for these amazing pictures. Sadly, my camera does not even come close to the above quality.

During our debriefing, a big question was raised about photography. When you, as the photographer are shooting of a heart wrenching topic, do you help or do you sit back and watch? Here's an example, there was a photograph of a man being burned alive. Do you agree that the photographer did what was right by not helping or do you think that he should have stepped in? It may sound like an easy question, but think about your job. Many photojournalists are told not to be involved. After a time a of debating, no real conclusion

was made. That is a very personal question that I leave the answer up to you.

This evening we had concurrent sessions, where we were free to choose who we wanted to hear. I went to a session on Intercultural Communication as well as Public Relations. I was supper pumped to hear both of these speakers, because I want to study both! They were fantastic speakers, and I feel truly blessed knowing that I got to hear their advice. Mr. Ed Prugh(PR) stressed a really good point ,"PR is all about telling your story." In addition to that, he stressed on making an impact, and what PR is really about(the three steps as I call it).

What PR is really about

1.building trust

2.Delivering truth

3.Paying attention and following up

He also showed a video about the changing roles of media. Be sure to check it out. http://www.youtube.com/user/Socialnomics09?blend=1&ob=5

He really was a great speaker, and don't get me wrong Mr. Hopson with Intercultural Communications was FANTASTIC also. He stressed how much we write with a stereotype in mind, and how our predetermined ideas make it into our writing. He reminded me to write responsibly, and I think any aspiring writer should be reminded of that. Everything you write is credited back to you, especially in a highly technical world. Nothing is ever erased off the Internet.  

Here is a brief preview of my new photojournalism mini blog This is Dorm Life. Let me apologize in advance for my camera quality, it is nothing of a fancy Nikon or Canon. 

 This is completely normal.

...



Journalism is like a Las Vegas Buffet

"Journalism is like a Las Vegas Buffet you can pick and choose and get what you want at any time" -Chris Cillizza. Thank you Mr. Cillizza for planting in my mind one of the best allusions, a Las Vegas Buffet, meaning that you can get whatever you want when you want it. Just so you get an idea of what im talking about here a few pictures.

Pretty legit right!

 Mr. Cillizza was quite the speaker. Aside from being the blogger for the Washington Post he had quite a story to tell. By growing up completly removed from the journalism field, an internship is what inspired him to study journalism. Then, an internship at the Washington Post sold him on the job. Kudos to internships. I guess it goes to show how important an internship really is.   

I think it is safe to say I liked this guy! He put a great focus on journalism and media today. Following along with the buffett allusion his idea of the food on this buffet are social networking sites such as twitter and facebook and the journalist must keep feeding this buffet. "We live in a world where we have to reach people in different ways," he told us. He also reminded us to take oppurtunities and try what were nervous about.

Another key theme was PASSION. Yes, passion. Passion plays such a huge role in society today. People want to know your passion, and why you write something. I mean I wouldn't want to read something that was dull and unlively. Would you? So, find out what you care about and start writing. This is great advice especially when it comes to blogging. How do you get people to follow your blog was a common question? Well, it's simple you write on what you love.

Journalism is a field that is useful in more than one area. On that I mean, journalism teaches you how to write and meet people two very important life skills that can be used anywhere. So, while you may not be at this conference because you want to be a journalist, you will gain vital life skills.  This is one of the aspects about a communications degree that I am the most excited about. I am looking forward to being able to write or communicate for a company that facinates me. Look at NASA for example, NASA coolest company ever right think about it if you are a communications major you could be fully involved without being an engineer. Pretty sweet right? Honestly, I don't know why more people aren't getting communication degrees. They enable you to work for any company at any time!

I'll leave you with this "take time to succeed in your own way"

The Start of Something New

So, I have pretty much decided that my high school career is over, considering I just finished the hardest year of my life and hope to have a much smoother senior year. So now I have a whole two months to sit and relax while I ponder what I am going to do with my life.

Starting of these two months is a trip out to Colorado with Young Life and about 60 other crazy kids all pumped to worship God in the Rocky Mountains. The trip is long, but well worth it. We're loading up two buses and sleeping on the floor all as part of this epic adventure to Crooked Creek Ranch.


Secondly, I am heading to D.C. for a journalism conference. Where do I begin, the heads of CNN and NBC and Fox are all going to be holding sessions for us? A ball, really great food, behind the scenes trips to the Newseum and other awesome museums are all also including in this jam packed five weeks.

Mentone's not part of my July this year; I really hate being to old for camp. I am really going to miss being on that mountain! I am really going to miss Jubilate Deo, the worship rocks, peanut butter and honey ice cream, and the photography and craft shacks. Those summers truly were the best! But on a happy note, we are all heading to Seaside for a week, so I guess we are just making our own camp in Florida.