I'm not entirely sure how i ended up in journalism but looking back it seems it is where I've always been headed. That being said, i have a tendency to get bogged down in the academic necessities of getting where I'm going, as the Brad Paisley song goes. I know the information I'm learning this semester is important but recently I've felt a lot less journalism student, a lot more Woodstock from Charlie Brown. Just keep jumping off the top of the dog house, only to fall like the last upteen times.

So the past week was a real rejuvenating one for me. On Wednesday, Dahr Jamail visited and spoke about his time in Iraq. Jamail paid his way into Iraq and was a freelancer for the BBC among others. The BBC is my ideal work place. The expanse of it's reach as well as it's reputation. So the chance to write for them, write important stuff, in such a pivotal part of the world would be just amazing. I was inspired listening to him and reminded why I'm plugging away.

Then on Thursday, I was let out of class early to listen to Susan Mercandetti, ’76 UNH grad and now Executive Editor at Random House. While i have a passing interest in publishing, Mercandetti said somethings that really rang true for me. The first of which was Mercandetti's emphasis on having many different jobs. She said at one point that she wanted to do everything. I believe her words were "so much to do, so little time." She said she's been under qualified for each of her jobs and "fear and panic are my friends. I live for fear and panic." I was inspired again thinking, 'Yes, this is what i want to do and yes it can be accomplished.'

Even while i am back at square one with the project - as in i have no idea what to do - and the studio production class is giving me nothing but nerves at the moment, i remain encouraged. Encouraged this path is what i want and it is possible, even if it feels like I'm braving each and everyone of the potholes along the way.

Oh ok, I'm not alone

I was really nervous about this. Not to say I'm not now. It's just ... less.

I too am rethinking the project. I wanted to do something with the compost but am having a hard time making food look good on film. That, and its hard getting good audio when you're gagging in the background. Go figure.

While i still like the idea of food, maybe doing something with preparation in a dining hall or documenting a whole day at one of the stations in HoCo.

A second idea: I'm taking a class in studio production in Nashua. There is a whole TV Station in Nashua South High School. Seniors produced and directed the TV interviews with the presidential candidates for the Telegraph. The teacher used to work in TV and he's really cool. The angle then would be kids learning broadcast and being able to essentially handle profession assignments.

As multimedia, both these projects would show, not tell the part of the story most don't see. The pictures would show a HoCo worker making dozens of batches of cookies at one time or someone at stir fry handling three different orders at once. A track audio would be them talking about the work, what they like/don't like about it, etc. B track would be people talking, the noises of stir fry, the sounds of HoCo.

Or. Or the pictures of students handling the cameras or directing, holding the boom mics or manning the switch board. A track audio is Jim Phieffer, the teacher, talking about teaching the students and what it takes to learn TV and make a profession out of it. Students talking about what interested them in that and how they like it. B would be a filming, student director giving orders or Jim teaching them.

On another note, I'm with Bobby and Jon with the technology frustrations. I have studio class on Wednesday where I'm irritating the more knowledgeable high schoolers with my endless questions, ultimately getting mad because there is a lot i don't know. Then Thursday where I'm usually equally lost and just ready to quit. But i figure if i passed three science classes and a math, I can handle this which really interests me. It just might take well into the next semester or two.

Wicked fight with technology

I fought with several inanimate objects. And lost most of the battles.

Instead of the audio slide show i wanted, i have instead the photos (out of order) here and the audio on my voice recorder.

I don't think i can talk about it just yet. i have battle wounds to nurse

Video!

This was fun. I didn't have too much trouble with the camera tho clearly i don't have the steadiest of hands and was surprised to find mid-shot, the point-and-shoot doesn't zoom when it's in video mode. other than that it was okay. i knew what i wanted out of each shot ahead of time as well as a working knowledge of windows moviemaker so that wasn't too bad. now if youtube would just stop editing the page, i could upload it. still waiting though. i think next time, i'll bust out a digital video recorder. i know i can zoom with that plus add some effects. it's bigger which i think works out for steadying the camera

i read in a few other blogs people commenting on the guest speaker. I think it's a cool idea. I'm a Woodstock learner (you know, the little yellow bird on Charlie Brown). That is trial and error. So for me class time as discussion works really well. I thought it was great to hear from someone who has done it and hear what he's learned. I actually would have liked time to pick his brain a little more but oh well. Looking forward to tomorrow's class.