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.