The traveler
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Tuesday, December 8, 2009
I already knew this I suppose. I'm about half way done with the book "Parliment of Whores." Basicly O'rourke details in a most amusing manner just how messed up American government and buracracy really is. I'm glad I saved the funny one for last as a book report. I'm sad that I'm rushing to finish it and deliver a mediocre 8 page book report on it by friday. Of everything involing the internship, this is the one thing I will never miss.
So in the last week I've managed to: get another parking ticket, get locked out of the office without my keys or coat and have to abandon my car downtown for the night, and make a mistake that will force a correction to be written on my behalf. Batting a thousand lately.
Honestly the parking ticket I will contest, maybe. The sign say I couldn't park there on Tuesday was blocked by a tree, the one before that was so worn out you couldn't read it. the whole keys in the office happened today, and that sucked a lot. I basicly got home at six when everyone else got to leave at 3:30 becaus eI was off interviewing a person face to face. I take care in my work and this happens.
Speaking of taking care in my work, I managed to tell someone that person we took aa photo of for the aper was in fact someone else. I actually got the nicest email ever relating the mistake, to which I appoligized and said that a correction would be runn next week, and that we would fix the mistake on the website.The person even told me after my appoligy that if I ever have anymore stories that involved her group to please call her and that they were " a wealth of information." They even sent me a press release for some event that probably wasn't worth covering. Still i commited the cardnal sin of journalism, I didn't do enough fact checking. I feel like twelve tons of ass, or I would.
You see right now I'm just too damn busy to get into an emotional state over fucking up. In the past this sort of thing would drive me into a good week's worth of depression and whineing over how "I shouldn't be doing this, I'm obviously not good enough to try, woah is motherfuckign me!"
Not this time kids. I've got too much to do right now. I've got articles to work on, I've got a book report that needs to be done, I'vegot sanity to lose. I'll commit ritual suicide later, but for right now fuck off.
Quite simply I care that I fucked up, but there's no use crying over what is done. It is, we'll make it better. feeling bad won't help, learning will. Hey that sounded a little bit mature didn't it? I am going to ask my editor what he thinks of my work, honestly. I want to know, because I need to improve. I'm nowhere near perfect, and I doubt I'm one of the better reporters there right now. But I am there, and I am a fuckign reporter, and I'm going to become one of the better reporters because I really don't care about anything else.
Friday, December 4, 2009
You know, being a journalist requires you to never lie in your work. If you tell lies you get the boots, you get disgraced and you never work in the industry again most likely. However, the one exception is that sometimes you have to lie to yourself. You have to lie and believe that you can be objective in any situation, when in fact you know you can't. By lying this way you actually do work objectivly, and thus you have a modern news paper.
I bring this all up because the New York state Senate voted down the marriage equality act 24 to 38. This act would allow state courts to perform marriages for smae-sex couples, or it would have allowed for it. I saw the bill debated and voted on first hand. I literaly watched part of history take place last Wednesday, and it pissed me off something great.
I wrote about the issue, I caught all the backlash from the Senators who supported the bill, and the governor, fuck even the state comptroler chimed in on how disapointed he was over the bill's failure. In a sense I was writing he story I wanted to, I'd rather do that than write about the bill's failure and include someone who was excited over the bill's failure. We used an AP story for that.
However I just can't properly put forth my feelings about what happend Wednesday in the news paper. Journalisticly it isn't ethical. In my job I'm there to inform perople of the news, not my opinion of the news. That all said, Fuck every Senator who voted no. Quite specificaly, Fuck you Senator Diaz. You are no more a Democrat than I am a dolphin. Rueben Diaz, who is a New York City conservative Democrat was the only person to speak against passing the bill. 18 other Senators spoke for it. To them, I do appluad. I feel their dissapointment, but now they have to get back to work. They have to make sure that the next time this bill gets to the floor they have every vote needed for it to pass.
Same-sex marriage isn't about morality. it's not about the sanctity of marriage or what the bible tells us. Same Sex marriage is about people who love each other being able to get married. It doesn't matter that they are both female, or both male. It is simply a matter of civil rights that I believe has been neglected for far too long. Frankly it sickens me to know that people who are considered leaders in New York feel that other humanbeings are not entitled to the same rights that straight New Yorkers enjoy just because of thier sexuality, which they do not have a choice over.
I covered a gay rights rally Thursday evening. I've been able to cover a lot of rallys in my time here, but this was the most positive. These people held no honest malice, they just wanted the rights that they should by nature be granted. I wish I could have been there on my own time instead of working. I wanted to shout and yell along with them, even though I'm straight, because it doesn't matter if you're gay or straight. A person's sexuality doesn't take away from the fact that they are just that, a person.
Here was my favorite speech for Gay marriage last Wednesday
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thanksgiving was pretty nice this year. my unlce and his family came over, which beat both uncles and my aunts plus their families. I really dislike crowds, and most of my relatives for that matter. So it was pleasent, and I got to spend time with my sisters, which is becoming less and less of a normal thing.
Didn't do much other than hangout and eat food. my father bragged about me having two stories on the front page of the paper. I got to show off my work a bit, my sister Rachel seemed to like my photos, and she knows a bit about all that jazz.
My dad conned me into helping him clear the yard of leafes, which killed all of satureday. I woke up the enxt day with a cold. I still have it, I even got told to leave work because of how shitty i feel. I diliked that really, I prefer to be covering the news than to be home stuck doing nothing.
So in only a couple of weeks I'll be done with my internship. it's been so damn quick! honestly, I'm amazed at how fast it went by. I mean I still have time left, but I never have had a semester of school go by so quickly. I imagine it's because I'm not attending classes, just working full time. Well its been fun. However I'm ready for the next adventure, even if it is a bit of a step back.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Its another week. I have to finish my articles by tommorow if I want to spend thanks giving with my family. I don't much care about the extended relatives, but I would like to be with my entire immediate family. I might be one of the few people in the world that doesn't hate their family members.
I find myselflacking enthusiasim for my stories this week. maybe it was because everyone got to work on their articles, and I got to sit in an all day hearing. If you really want to get bored and sleepy, attend a hearing with some commitee from you state senators. People speak in constant monotones, and well.. it kills me. Furthermore its not much fun to write about: write what B thinks about A, andwhat C, D, and E think about A aswell. I hope you took good notes. yeah well, fuckoff. The only reason A was at the hearing in the first place was because he knew that nothing was going to be done about the state's budget.
I have anew home to go to. I'll be liveing a few minutes out of town by car. I'll have a nice sized room, with decent heating, and no obnoixious roomate as far as I know. At least all the roomates seem to have a life. Yes I've got a nice palce lined up for me. The first question I was asked was if I partied, it was awkward. What do I say? Yes, infact because of my current job I pretty much drink myself to sleep? or do I lie and say I'm a good boy? Well I ixed it, i said yeah Iparty sometimes. It worked out. Aparently the folks in this house are serious about studies until friday, so am I. It might just be that i could form a mutal agreement over enjoying a few too many drinks for my own good. Who honestly knows.
I miss Claire. I didn't realize untill just now actually. I called, and she was at a damn resturant.. The time zone thing really gets me. Still, we miss each other more than not. I iss the understanding she has of me, she's someone who can always relate to what I feel. Oh well, it'smy own doing in a way, I told her to date that fellow out there. I guess it's Karma that his name is Charlie as well.I certainly find it ironic. I know that 90% of the time being alone works out for me. I'm sour and mean, and moody very often. But that 10% of the time otherwise I guess I'm a bit lonely. Well i've made my bed and I'll lie in it. When things change we'll see where we end up, won't we? and I can tell you, change isn't very far off.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Strange to think my college career is coming to an end. In any event, I've got all my classes set now, so i'm pretty well set, outside of a place to live. here's my schedule
Monday: 9:45-10:50 music of the world- nothing like taking a 100 level class to get some credits. I wanted to take a music class that wasn't part of the curiculem for music majors, becasue they kinda suck. The class boast in-class preformances, and other intersting thing. I'm intrigued
12:15-1:30 Indians of north america- I got an incomplete on it, so I have to take it over. Bleh!
Tuesday: 8:00 am-9:15am -J2. well it had to happen, I had to finalyget an 8 am class. too bad. Still, I have to report constantly, I'm covering a beat, so it'll keep me fresh. At least james will be in class with me.
4:30-7:15 arts writeing:I actually only have to take two journalism classes to graduate, but this one seems damn interesting. I tried to get into the class last year, but it was cancled when they forced the professor to leave his job.
Wednesday: NOTHING- I do love this schedule. It affords me a day off in the middle of the week, which will become invaluable come mid-late semester. BEsdies, somedays it will be pretty outside, and I'll get to enjoy them because I'll be free that day. Yay me.
Thursday: 9:45-10:50- music of the world
12:15-1:30 Idians of North America
$:30-8:10 Advanced editing: god I loath this class already. I don't get along with that professor. I never want to be an editor, she loves it. I know thats natural progression for some writers, but who says I want that? I know I need th skills regardless, but dammit 4 hours in that basement with her is equivalent to waterboarding in my opinion.At least she's a fair grader, in that if you try hard and do the work she won't fail you. I got a B+ in copyediting and I worked my ass off for it. however she does play favorites, which i ahte. Overall I'm going to be drinking off some anger thursday evening.
Friday- 8:00 am-10:am J2. Oh drat, my Thursday night of drunken anger is gpoign to be snubed by this class, or will it?! I imaginemnay a hungover friday morning in this class.
And thats that folks. i'll have to do some summer classes, but all in all I'm done. Actually just did the math, I'll only have to do 2 summer classes to get done. FUCK YEAH!!!! so, uh, if you hear anything about people wanting a young journalist they can toss at stories and force to copy edit, let me know. I'll be needing work
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Its late here.
The past two weeks have been exciting, intense, unproductive until the very last moment, and ultimately yielding good stories. The New York state senate has been in "extraordinary session" since last monday. They've passed a total of seven bills, none of which relates to the two the governor wanted them to work on in his adress to the joint session two weeks ago. The marriage equality bill has all but been forgoten, and the deficit reduction plan is still in negotiations. Our state government may just crumble, however it may pull itself out at the last minute.
Its funny to think that in over a month I'll be done here. I had to register for classes this week, I got everything I wanted first try. I'm not excited really. I don't want to leave this now. I don't want the internship to end. I've never been so damn tired before, I've never had less to talk about really. If you called me tommorw I'd only be able to tell you anecdotes about my life covering state politics. Yet this is wonderful to e. I never dread going to work. I never not want to get up to do my job. I always want to write, I always want to investigate and interview people. Whats more, it seems the editors don't mind me running loose with a camera, or trusting me with four stories a week. Thats a lot for a weekly. Everything is due tommorow at noon, and I have one story finished, one almost finished, and two not yet begun. Ahh, deadlines.
To think I'm going to just be a student agian is disheartenting a bit. there will be a gap in my life for a while. I bet it will get filled with hanging out and playing music, and doing school work. I can't wait to graduate now, I want this life back. I want the deadlines, I want the frantic calls to random folks who will help me develop my stories. I want to go to press confrences. It's sick, but this kind of stress makes me happy.
I told my roomate that Albany endears itself to me in a way. this dirty little city full of run down houses and expensive buildings that have no right being there, It seems like it has no right to be important, but it is. I think it's indicative of the legislature. they have no right to be in control, no more than I do, but they are. I'll give you a run down of what I'm takign next semester sometime soon. For now, if you live in New York, I leave you with this: never trust you senator or assemblyman and be very worried about Rick Lazio.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
New York seems to be crumbleing around me. The noise of the old institutions grinding away is begining to be overwhelmed by the sounds of their supports failing. Thats a bit poetic, but it's the truth right now. The Legislature failed to do anything Tuesday, and today one of the bigest protests I've been around took place. They were health care union folk, looking to tell the governor not to cut money from their profession in any way. everyone says this. Still, it's stirring to see and hear such a huge crowd dedicated to something like this without honest malice. They just want to ensure their patients are given a fair shake, and for that matter themselves as well. It wasn't like the vacination protest I wrote about where they screamed about how time was up for the governor, there I felt a wrong move might have gotten me gutted and skewered on a Tea Party placard.
I wrote two articles this morning, still managed to file by noon without much troubl. One of them will be a page one article, amusingly enough its the one I cared less about. However my article on the Lake Champlain Bridge rally I covered Tuesday morning is one pahge three, which is respectable. it makes me happy to see my articles be news worthy. I've also got a thrid article that was held over from last week back on page eight. Its about a stimulus report regarding the way such money is spent in NY. Basicly it shows that the money is mostly goign to help county government and education. The people I talked to their were very grateful for the federal money, but they warned that if Gov. Paterson's budget goes through all that money will be for nothing.
I have no doubt that the new budget plan will screw a great many people. However we're in a time that calls for everyone to be screwed a little bit. Basicly every state agency, every state run program, anything that gets budget money is going to have to bend over and take it for a while. Spending on the level this state has is no longer possible. Pretending thats not the case will only hurt us further. New York must re-evaluate it's spending prioritites, even though I don't believe they will. I believe, if we're lucky, come next week the Legislature will pass some form of the governor's plan, and then continute in their desctructive methods. You can't reform the state's fiscal practices without seeing the states legislators take pay cuts, and in New York that will not happen. These men and women are our proverbial lords, ruling all over they see with and iron fist. if we're lucky some put a velvet glove over said fist.Republican or Democrat, none will sacrifice power and money for the good of a constituent. They only pretend to, and they do it well.
So yes, there is a heightend tension here in New york's capitol. its a feeling I havent been around often. I feel like all hell could break loose. I feel like a great let down might happen as well. I no longer belive in good and bad senators, they're all mediocre at best. Something needs to get done though. Our state is on the edge of fiscal disater.
And yet, here I sit comfortable and warm. I hear my idiotic roomate laugh to himself in the living room. I imagine it's something I'd find worthy of a smile, as he's easily amused. we're poor, but we're comfortable enough. I think the stae might have to suffer. We all might have to bend over and take it for awhile, just to understand how bad its become. Then maybe something will really get done. I'd only lay a 50/50 chance on it though. There are to many people in this state like my roomate, who only pretend to understand what is happening. They see demonstrations as a waste of time. His catchall for any sort of rally or protest is "It's fuckin stupid." Sorry friend, here's where we disagree. You talk about being American(Albeit, you joke about it more in your crude way), these people are more American thatn you or me. Oh maybe you're a good American in the sense that you consume and watch T.V. durring all your free time. Maybe you see constant pessimis and competition for the sake of proving that you are better as being a good man of your country. I do not. I see people like those out today as good countrymen and women. They are using their rights to the fullest extent. We arn't. I'm as bad as you quite often. I grind on my stories, and then I down enough beer to make myself not think so I can sleep and do it again. Thats my problem, and at least I see it. You think you're doing just fine, and honest friend I think you're in a lot of trouble.
So I'll sleep a bit tonight. I'll get up tommorow, edit, and take my leave. its good too. I get my pay, and then i'm off to see my potential new home for next semester.It sounds pleasent enough, and just far enough from town that I won't ever hear screaming drunks and the whores they're draggin to their beds. Or so i hope. Goodnight.
Current mood:  creative
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
It's been almost overwhelming in terms of work this week. We had our second 8 page reports due Tuesday, as a result just about everyone has run themseleves ragged keeping thier articles and these papers, as well as the weekely 2 page papers done. I'm feeling mildly confident about how this report will turn out.Plunkitt of Tamanny Hall is an interesting read. Also on the plus side, I got the highest possible score on my last weekely reaction paper. I didn't believe I would because in it I advocated removing the state senate and assembly by force. Furthermore I pretty much just venting my frustration with the state as a whole, and politicians' nature t look after themselves over their constituents. I guess it was better than I thought.
So the New York state senate held a second special session yesterday. I covered. They quite literaly did nothing. I heard them speak for over an hour about veterans day, and then they "Stood at ease" which means they're still in session, but not doing anything. The first time they called this was because the bills which were to be argued were still at the printer. However they came back in aout 45 minutes and said they would remain at ease and that there would be a meeting of the majority confrence. Well this resulted in absolutely nothing. The state's been waiting for this for over a month, the Governor wanted them to pass this plan , maybe even cover gay marriage while they were at it. Instead they did nothing at all. I can almost hear our defict growing, and these worthess individuals refuse to even discuss the plan laid out before them. If I was upset the other week, can you imagine how I'm feeling now? Fucking swine,all of them.
I'm also working on another bridge story. Seems the Crown Point Bridge is not going to be repaired, its going to be torn down and rebuilt. Now overall this is needed, and if done right it could be a good thing in the long run. However people are geting fucked in the interim. Crown Point New York relys on that bridge for everything from bringing in business to getting to the closest truama center, which is across the lake in VT. Now basicly every person in that area is screwed because the only means of crossing the lake is by ferrry, which still takes aleast 20 minutes. I know I wouldn't want to wait 40 minutes to get to a hospital if I were really bad off. Again you can challk this one up to the New York state government not doing its job. I despise these people, and I can only hope that next year NY citizens choose a clean slate, and toss out all or most of those sitting in the legislature. I know it won't fix much, but new faces are more inclined to do some work.
I don't have much else to say. I'm heading to NP Friday to lok at a house for next semester. I;d be living with three girls, but the house is at most 575 a month. This isn't bad for New Paltz, housing prices have gone through the already high roof since the campus stopped letting transfer students live on campus. Even better, the house has two bathrooms, a full kitchen, two dens, and a washer and dryer. I really want this to be as awsome as it sounds. Here's hoping everything goes well
Sunday, November 8, 2009
You know something has been on my mind lately. I've been thinking about the end of school and where to go from there. I see about a million options infront of me, which is both good and daunting. Every open door you go through generaly closes the other ones without a chance toopen the others. however life wouldn't be much of an adventure if that didn't happen. I'm aware of the fact that right now I onlyhave two months to go with my internship. I feel like I started yesterday.
All this said i feel that directly I have a few claer options infront of me. First: get a job and take my GRE's then get into grad school— I don't know how keen I am on this because to be honest, the only person i've known who did that got sick of grad school half way through and has since then flat out quit. I could see getting amasters and teaching journalism classes on the side sometime in the future. The potential ego boost of having people care about what I say is not lost on me. i think back to when I took J1 and I was amazed. It's a natural reaction to a journalism student. its a sudden realization that this is exactly what you have been looking for is amazing. I'd like to instill that into a person. Still I'm really tired of academics right now.
Second— get myself a job in my feild. FAR FAR FAR easier said than done. less people read news papers now than ever, and the number drops every year. Journalism is in flux as far as what to do with itself. as of right now I've only had experience in a weekly, which is actually more than most students get. still I wonder if this is an option. If it is, thats really excelent. I'd do it in a minute.
Third— take up with another national service group for some amount of time. I did it right after highschool and i'm young enough to try again. Another ten months in Americorps isn't a bad idea. I remember quite vividly what I really hated about it, and in aprt it amounted to being annoyed by two people constantly. It could turn out etter or worse. Of course I could also try something like the SCA, and just do grunt work for awhile. I like trail work, I like being in differnt places. the downside overall is if you stop writing it's hard to get started again. Some people never do. I don't want that.
Fourth— TBA I haven't got a fourth idea. it's blank past here. No map, no compass, just open seas. Here be monsters!(I couldn't resist)
Really though, I'm twisting in the wind about what I want to do. I really don't know. I'm pretty sure now I don't want to do the Peace Corps. two years away is tough, and in a place where I probably don't speak the language might really be too much for little old me to handle. So what to do? You're guess is as good as mine.
Current mood:  contemplative
Saturday, November 7, 2009
So tommorow I'll be doing another world famous 8-page book report. I have to finish reading today. Bleh. I still find it fair absurd that on top of any writing(whih can be substantial) I do for the paper each week I also have to write these reports, and a weekly reaction paper. All told thats ten pages for the weekend. what ever happend to "The weekend is for not-work?" Ok so this is me bitching, but I still have a dream internship. I could be like poor Will and be writing about green-contructed matresses. However he may ahve advantage in the sense that they've promissed him a freelance position at the magazine when he's done. I on the other hand will simply havea ton of clips when I'm done. We'll see how it works out. ( Read more... )
I haven't had a story that I've been super excited about in a couple of weeks. I've just sort of been grinding on pretty mundane, dead-end stuff and I'm getting annoyed with it. I think my editors see that too, but they don't really step in, its not their job. I just need to dig a bit more. I'm a little dissapointed because my crappy roomate has landed the Joe Bruno trial story. Its arbitrary really. He wasn't busy and the trial was starting the next day.I had four stories that week. Still, this is a major story, and could be something important for a young writer's career. It's also the kind of story that he'll keep following and will have a definite end. As a journalist that looks really good. I guess it bothers me that he got it partly because he bothers me. Thats a shitty thing to say, I know, but in truth he's just so immature about the most menial things that it makes him ahrd to live with. I will say he's inteligent. and can be quite well spoken when he want's too, but very often his response to and argument or situation amounts to "Fuck that!" or "Thats Fuckin Stupid."
So, yes it bothers me a bit that he gets a good story handed to him and I get to keep digging. It's funny because I found out that a lot of the other writers are put off by my dear roomate also. He apprently takes to just circling whole paragraphs and putting 're-write' next to them when we're editing, but doesn't initial them. Again this sounds childish for me to complain about, but allow me to explain. If he were to, say, point the offending paragraph out to the person and ask them why they had done tha,then thats fine. We all do that, question each other's choice of wording, sentance structure, all that jazz.. It's a process that is constructive without being offending to the writer. My roomate doesn't do this, he doesn't even talk to the writer(which is often me or our other roomate bob) he just circles it, says re-write and leaves it to the imagination. This I see more as a passive agressive attack than a constructive critisim. Our editor even called him out on it last week, he came back into the room and pointed out my roomates mark and asked who it was who did it. When he finally spoke up our editirot said "Well, did you talk to the author about it?" to his emmarasement he had to answer no, to which our editor said "Well it stays, don't just write 're-write anymore' ." So yeah it's nice to know that it's not just Bob and I who are getting sick our our roomate.
Well spewing bile is fun isn't it? I wish I had more to talk about other than my dislike of people. Really when all you do is report news everyday other things fall by the wayside a bit. I have been digging some albums lately. I really can't get enough of the album Into Lake Griffy by Good Luck. It's well, kinda nerdy/emotional/hard/ fast music. To say it's just pop punk isn't giving it enough credit. There's something about the midwest that seems to be producing a very vivid range of music right now, and it makes me happy. I think NY has gotten stale in terms of knowing whats new and interesting. The people down in Brooklyn are so wrapped up in the idea of being on the edge of 'hip' that they are completely missing the point, like art for art's sake you have new for new' sake. There's a substance to Music that I think a lot of people in NY are missing right now.
Ok, a bit off target there, but lets continue. The most recent Star Fucking Hipsters album has really grown on me. I still don't think it flows as well as Until We're Dead', but then again that became my fall back album last spring so I'm a bit biased. That said SFH manages to pull out more songs about how our world is screwed and our government is corrupt and disgusting quite well. i do enjoy their work. I also like that they arn't trying to act like they're all still 20, because quite frankly they're getting old for punk, old being 30's. It doesn't mean they have to stop playing, just I guess recogize their age pretty much. I need to better flesh out this concept, because maturitiy isn't a proper description of how this band acts. Anyway a solid album, and no songs I hate. All and all I'm glad I got it.
I listend to the first Lush album yesterday, and also recently heard the latest Mission Of Burma album. I throw them together because a lot of folks I heard from said I'd really be into these albums. To them I say, meh. I don't hate them really, and infact I may give the Lush album another shot. However I was sort of expecting that "oh damn, this is amazing and will be forever part of my life" feeling, ok that was a bit descriptive. Anyway that did't ahppen. Mission Of Burma was loud and a bit chaotic, but npnot so much in a natural way. it feels like they're pushing themselves to be that way instead of just playing and sound like that, and that is never good. Lush on the other hand is really going for something. I can see why people think of them as a major shoegaze band, but they arn't on the order of my bloody valentine.
It's also the time of the year where I'm not as interested in upbeat music. The cold weather brings that sort of creative melacholy I like so much. Thats an oxymorn I suppose, "Oh yes I just love a good melancholy!' but then I've never been quite right in the head. Anyway my desire for an upbeat sound and fast tempo wains a bit. Instead I'm more in the mood for heavier, introspective stuff. It gets darker earlier, so does my psyche. So it's been an explosions in the sky sort of week, with a spot of old Poison the well. oh thenk you November. Not much else to say, except that if you've read this entire strange rant I'm sorry. I have no one to talk to this weekend, and this is what happend because of it.
Current mood: contemplative Current music: The Upstairs Room
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
So this week has been stuningly unproductive. "But its only Tuesday! there's so much more to be done!!" This is true my friends, but I can usually get the size of a story by Tuesday. I can see where it will develop, and what it might do, or even if it could crack in half and turn into a hideous monster that will make the end of my week a nightmare. Somehow this week isn't feeling like it. I have two frustrating stories that refuse to kick out of second gear. One is understandably dull, its about how the states stimlus money is being spent. Cut and dry, with a chance of opinions.
My second story could be interesting, if people wern't clamming up. Basicly back when the whol ACORN shinanigins were going down in September the Governor decided he would put a hold on all state money to ACORN while he does a 30-day review of state contracts with ACORN. its been over 40, edging ever so slowly to 50 days. As you might imagine, angry Republicans want to know just why the governor hasn't done anything yet. It sound juicy right? It would be IF PEOPLE WOULD FUCKIN TALK TO ME!! Really, I know I'm the press, I know you probably hate the press. However You're job as a P.R. person is to deal with me. I don't care how you spin it, i'll sort the mess out, but give me something! However Do Not: Avoid me for five days and then give me annoyed sounding one word answers- I'm talkin to you Shorenstein!! I don't give a damn if you work for the govenor, saying you'll call back in 15 minutes and then me having to call back two hours later is extremely rude, that and just being generaly mean as well as just never returning a phone call.
Do Not: Put your name on a press release and then not expect to be called/ try to brush me off-Goddamit Libous this is twice now, you've got to shape up young man! I could understand if you were qouted as simply agreeing, or even just mentioned. then i'd leave your ass alone. However you are fucking outspoken on the press release, expect a call and don't try to play stupid. You say something, you get to deal with me.
Do Not: Yes me to death- Winner's man, I'm talking to you buddy! I don't care if you practice sounding smooth and sympathetic to my cause, and no i really don't belive the senator wants to talk to me himself. I'm a 23 yearold journalist, the chick at the coffee stand doesn't want to talk to me. However I'm a pushy fucker, and I want something from you, I want words, opinions, ideas. What is the prevailing attitude man? Don't just toss chum into the water and not expect sharks.
I have another source, but Saland gets a pass-he had someone die, and well I just can't be a jerk to that.
for post reference, Libous, Winner and Saland are all NY state Senators, and I've been trying to reach them going on 6 days here. Shorenstein is the Governor's press handle. I kninda hate them all
So yeah this week, not so productive. However I did take some awsome pictures, seriously a four picture spread all by yours truely. I feel accomplished in that aspect. I did also get a call thanking me for an article I wrote, i was so shocked by it I could barely accept the compliment.
Much more to tell from the past weekend, but maybe another time, eh?
Current mood: contemplative Current music: Cat Power
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Its been the kind of week where if I could look the way I feel I'd look like I had just stepped out of a fire and was still smoking. Really, I wrote four stories so far this week,a nd I have to grind out another one tommorow morning.I also wrote a story that I was told isn't going to be in the papers after I was just about finished with it. I', mvery tired right now.
My big story for the week is again about the Crown Point bridge, or as its better know the Lake Champlain Bridge. Its closed, its going to fall down. i'd go into more detail but I've been writing about the damn thing all day. I'd link to last week's story, but the site is currently down. Basicly I also wrote about how the NY comptroler has said this wouldn't have happened but the state government has been siffoning money from the fund that goes to repair the bridge to make up for budget shortfalls. How lovely. remember, here in New York we're all about the quick fix that'll cause the floor to collapse beneath you later on.
I sound negative. I feel accomplished. I'm just tired, a lot.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Step one: start drinking at four
step two: Keep drinking until you meet pretty girls.
Step three: Keep drinking after you meet them, and show them just how much of a drunk you are.
Step four: show said girls that you are actualy lying when you said you play darts.
Step five: realize the girl you were after is actually far more interested in your happly engaged roomate.
Step six: walk home in the rain.
long story short, I was a drunken ass last night, and now I feel really fucking lonely.
Friday, October 23, 2009
I'm tires, I;m drunk,and you know what? people dislike me. Go fuckin figure,. ehhhhh
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Never let it be said that you can't get enough of a good thing, because you can. I love my internship, because it give me a good dose of what I should expect to handle in the future, and also its what I love doing. I'm not the best writer at the paper, but I do my best, and I'm improving. This week, however seems to be driving everyone into the ground. Maybe its the fact that its just a heavy news week(Hiram Monserrate is going down in flames, theres a state of emergency in the north country and the ny Governemnt is dawdling(again) on the budget we so badly need. Perhaps we've hit that point in fall, where all of New York goes into perpetual cloudiness, thus making everyone crankier. Maybe everyone has finally come to terms that we all spend the better part of the day in a room with no windows, in essentaily the basement. what ever it is, we're all feeling it. We're overwhelmed this week by our work. I used to bang out three stories easily, now I barely have one written and tommorow is deadline.I'm going to have to get some work done on my more minor story tonight to make deadline by the skin of my teeth, if not turn in some of my stuff over deadline. I dunno, its tough. One of the other writers has SIX fuckin stories. I don't envy the girl, thats for sure.
I don't know, maybe seeing the folks this past weekend shook me, but I don't think so. If anything I was really just fine coming back here. Not that I don't love the family and all, but home gets taxing after awhile. dad managed to drink a whole bottle of wine satureday night and tell me the ending of the episode of top chef we were watching, and I hadn't seen it yet. He also told me he thought the lesbien chick,Ashley, on top chef was sexy. Really, I'm your son, your son who was raised by girls, I cn't hear that sort of shit from you old man, and I don't care if you're drunk or not! ewww.
Maybe its a bit of meloncoly(no I cannot spell) I mean I basicly told Claire last weekend, that I think the best thing she could do is date the guy she's with and damn the consequences. She's only going to live in the place's currently at for a year, and she didn't want to get attached. I told her to just enjoy herself. Now I never plan to tell her just how deep my feelings run, I plan to let them fade. Basicly I love her enough to value our friendship over any sort of romatic entanglments we could have. I'm bad with relationships anyway. So yeah its that whole, "I did something really good for someone, and in the process managed to screw myself over," sort of deal. I dislike this very much. In the end though I know I did right, so thats good.
so yeah... not sure if this shit is going to get writen, or what. I honestly don't know right now. Also, my roomate Boba and I figured out who our other roomate , Tyler, reminds us of. He's like Frank Burns from M.A.SH except for the god thing. Seriously, you wouldn't want to live with him. Luckily Bob and I are enough like Hawkeye and Trapper John that we get by
Sunday, October 18, 2009
9:26PM
So this past weekend was excelent. I had a really good time at the Headless Horseman Hay ride. Ironicly enough I think its more than 50 miles away from where sleepy hollow was(It goes by a differnet name now) and on the wrong side of the river. Neverminding historical fiction, it was a truely excelent haunted hayride, though its a bit of a missnomer. The hay ride is the first section of the whole thing. The rest is broken up between haunted houses and a corn maze, all chockfull of things to make you scream like a little girl or in my case laugh my ass off. Seriously they put honest work into this thing, excelent effects, creative scares. I can see why its #1 in the country. Unfortunatly it didn't carry a cohesive theme, which according to my sisters who've been mulitple years, was what happend in previous years. They started off with an amusing theme of a messed up "Forensic anthropology farm" which was a cute way of saying the place were we kill people in a new and exciting way, but it didn't carry over to the diffenr thouses. Still there were really really good scares, and I laughed more in those three hours(It takes a while to get through the whole deal) than I have in months.
satureday was relaxed, I got laundry done, searched for stuff to improve my halloween costume. Unfortunatlly the Army Navy store back home is really pricey even in their close out room. However I threw together what I had so far and my folks seemed to think it was pretty decent looking. I did buy a jeep driver hat at the Army Navy store, which serves a duel role. One: It goes well with my theme, which is WWII aremy medic. A lot of guys wore them back then, they were designed to go under you helmet, and have a flap to cover your ear(Important for driving with the top down during the winter). Two: It's damn warm, and will serve as my winter hat for as long as its in my possesion. I like it quite a bit, its basicly the hat Radar always wears on MASH if you've ever seen that show. If not, just google it!
I also got to see a really good noise band play in Cornwall of all places, on satureday. They called themselves "The Upstairs Room" and had no discernable vocals, just some mixed yowling really. I liked them quite a bit, and they even game me a two track cd. They accomplished the droneing thing really well. Another highlight of the evening was that the 2 alices coffee shop in Cornwall got a liquer license. It was an odd notion, but Its really quite nice. Before they used to have shows and something about seeing a really rocking band and drinking coffee didn't sit well with me. Howeve I enjoyed a couple of glasses of Magic hat with my noise last night and all was right in the world.
So lets see, I've been listening to a lot of new music lately. I really like this album called "Into Lake Griffy" By Good Luck. It took about two listens to get used to the guy's voice, it's a bit whiney. that ok though because I think the music and lyrics supercede the voice, and it does grow on you a bit. I guess the sound is a bit like, uhhhh, well Defiance Ohio has simalrly personaly insightful lyrics on their most recent album, I've also heard people call their signers whiney too. However Good Luck is a fully electric instrument band, Defiance Ohio is accoustic punk. Decide for youself-www.myspace.com/wearegoodluck
In A simlarly poppy punk sense is lemuria. I heard their first album, and its very conceptual to me. Maybe I look too deep into the album but it seems like someone talking about a really horrible breakup. I guess I can relate, no make that welcome to the past two years of my life. anyway Lemuria are fucking awsome, and its fronted by a chick whith a helluva set of pipes. It's fast, its catchy, and I guess I can take away the term "Hardcore" from ever being used as an adjective for me, becuas eI really like these guys-www.myspace.com/lemuria
Uhso anyone still like Against Me!, anyone? Nah I didn't think so, well thats too bad. I still like their old stuff, and I think they're really creative, but they've mangaed to alienate their entire original fan base. Kind of pulling off the old against me! sound is O Pioneers! (I like the exclamation mark)-www.opioneers.com/
Thus endeth my musical rants. Its cold here now. Probably the coldest October I've felt in a couple of years. It's a nice change of pace really. and if the cold keeps then my halloween costume will work perfectly. The pants I have are German Army winter trousers, which wore all alst winter and I love quite a bit. I'm also gonna rock a olvie drab sweater under my army shirt, which goes with the colors and provides a good amount of warmth. I love Halloween, its my favorite holiday, and I love making my costumes. thus all the talk. well time to iron my shit for work.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
But do you care? Becuase honestly, I don't, I'm doing this to empty my head.
Claire has been accepted to the Peace Corps for September 2010 here -en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caucasus
No specific area, I guess she'll learn that sometime down the road. She's going to be teaching english. I'm so happy for her, its exciting. I also realize that the person I can always talk to will be out of touch for two years just about. damn. can't really think of something that sums my feelings on this better.
So I head home tommorow afternoon, that'll get my mind clear I think. I'm going to get the crap scared out of me here-www.headlesshorseman.com/I'm going with my family, because halloween has always been regarded as just as an important holiday as christmas, and often more enjoyable than thanksgiving or easter. My dad my sit it out because he rolled his ankle a while back and it keeps bothering him, which is really to bad because when dad gets scared his first reaction is to swing a punch at what scared him. I will however be a very frozen journalist tommrow evening because it's going to be aaround 30, maybe 28 degrees outside. It was actually snowing in parts of the Hudson valley today, What the hell man? I go back North and winter comes early back home, what kind of shit is that?
I've been getting a lot of music lately, a lot of forgetable stuff so its good its been free. However I'm listening to a really good album by a band called Good Luck, from Optigon's town, Bloomington Indiana. Its some decent stuff, good cold weather music. No I don't know how to prperly define cold weather music.
Well I'm gonna go feel, odd about my best friend leaving the country next year, but I'll leave you with the best conversation I had all week.
(I come out of the break room with a yogurt)
Jamie(My editor): Please tell me thats not your only caloric intake for the day, well that and like 80 cigarettes.
Me: No man this is a snack, and you left out the 10 cups of coffee
Bob: Don't forget the beer, man!
Me: Oh yeah, and about a six pack a day too. I'm so toxic no disease can touch me!
That was one of the few times I've actually made our main editor laugh uncontrolably.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
So yeah. Life is composed of a few things which I will now list.
1. Wake up: the morning ruetien of getting out of bed, showering, eating, dressing(in work clothes, otherwise i'm in my bathrobe)
busride- not a full event, but the five-ten minutes it take to get from our lovely slum to Empire State Plaza. Usualy nothing interesting, same peole just about everyday. A couple of old wage slaves, a cute but very nervous girl around my age, the daily grind.
2. Work: Ah my bread and butter so to speak. Morning mean getting my articles straight, making the nesscary phone calls( Its always best to call first thing, even if you know people won't be in at 8:30, becuase then yours will be the first message they hear), write, reasearch, take phone calls
3. Lunch: Just what it is, about an hour or less of food intake and idle chat about work. Usualy with Bob, Sometimes John too. The girls in the internship always eat together, but not with us.
4: last half of work: now here's the thing, between lunch and after lunch I may be doing anything from sitting at my desk writing and fumbling with the internets in order to get the info for my storys, making and recieveing phone calls, running around at some event interviewing people or listening to meetings and speeches. Mostly its all of this.
Bus ride home- again only about ten minutes out of the day, but good for a laugh. now that its colder out, more people are on the afternoon bus. mostly morning regulars, but a mixed assortment of others. Notably a cute couple who seem to work and live together. Good for them.
5. Home: we get home around 5 generaly. we loaf around, eventualy make dinner, watch some T.V. and then crash out.
This is my everyday life in a nut shell, and somehow I still seem to enjoy it. I like the challenge being a full time journalist affords me. I like the city for all its dirt, and shitty things. I like the noisy bus rides, and crazy folk who go along with it. ALbany is a really ass-backward place, and it suits me distrubingly well. I'm gladd its only a 4 month internship, I'd hate to start putting down roots here, they might just stick, and that would be dangerous. There is so much more to do in life!
Claire got recomended for the peace corps today. I'm so happy for her, but at the same time when she goes its for two years just about. I hardly see my best friend as it is, and now she may very well dissapear to the otherside of the globe, and I'm stuck wondering if I'll even have money for next months bus pass. Bluh, still over all I'm happy for her, its what she wants and I support her 100 percent.
Monday, October 12, 2009
So I just finished up an 8 page paper for my week internship seminar. I like the class because its a true insider glimpse of the Albany political machine, or professor has been involved in albany news, and reporting on the state capitol forever. Still an eight page book report on top of a two page weekly reaction paper and the normal week's stress is tough on me and the other interns. still I did it, that that.
I've been thinking a lot about my roomates. I don't really ever see eye to eye with the one thats my age(23). Thats actually putting it midly as his normal response to my questions is frustration and very often "Shut the fuck up." Essentialy I think he has a ton of issues. This isn't me being passive agressive either. He basicly admited that he always played baseball untill about a year ago. That was his life from childhood until his third year in college, because he knew he'd never make it into the major leagues. I kinda feel bad for him because its like he's been robbed of the majority of his life. I mean my life's been no peach, but I wouldn't trade my experiences for anything. I'm the way I am because of them. He on the otherhand now seems to believe very vehemently that the past doesn't matter, and that he's been cheated. Its strange really, I mean in so many ways he's totaly naive of the way things are, for instance he asked if it were possible to get acid at our college. Now I'm no drug conosuer, as a matter of fact I think I've seen the last of my drug days, but I do know that at almost any college as long as you know who to talk to about it you can come across most drugs. Its just something you learn when you go to college, like how you should never use the bathtub in the dorms because it fucking gross. I just can't wrap my head around him really.
Furthermore the kid is a closet conservative and it really annoys the living fuck out of me.
Luckly there is my other roomate, who is 32. It was odd to me at first when I found out, but the situation isn't too differnt from my frienship with Optigon. He's a laid back fellow who just took a while to get on with school, which I respect. I mean I hate it when people just go to school for no good reason except because mom and dad said so. Essentialy my older roomate and I hang out and drink to gether and the other roomate gets pissy and leaves a lot durring the weekend, which still works out for me. in any even its less than four months until we're done here, and I won't ever talk to the pissy roomate again.
In other news I'm going to this- www.headlesshorseman.com/index.php
Every year this is named one of the number one haunted hayrides in the country, and I've never gone before. I'm freakin psyched about it. I love getting legtimately scared, and this seems like the place to do it.
Oh I may also be going to this, I think I'll be getting at least the weekend pass-www.wamcarts.org/zombie/
A FUCKING ZOMBIE FILM FEST!!!! I really want to do the zombie walk, but I want to look good, as far as looking dead that is, and I only know one person good with effects makeup. So I don't know what will happen, but I did the math and as long as I go to five movies I'll get my money's worth out of it.
So it looks like I'll have some stuff to look forward too. I'm kinda wishing I had friends here though, I mean good friends. I get along with my co-workers but I don't really know them too well, so it always just my older roomate and I going out. I don't make friends easy.
Oh well, we'll see what happens.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
So I forgot to move my car last night, and it got ticketed while I was at work today. Now I understand, my bad, I should have done likethe sign said instead of forget and drink a few beers instead. This is why I'm shelling out the 50 bucks tommorow afternoon and forgetting about it. What I dislike is that I had to move my car because of the street sweeper. I wouldn't care normaly, but I know the bastard isn't coming down here. Incase I haven't made it clear, I live in the ghetto, my street is constantly littered with broken glass, and pretty much anything else you can break. When I was here the week before work started I was around all day and didn't see the guy come down here at all, either day he was suppose to. Its not very hard to miss one of those contraptions either, its essentially a cousin to a zamboni. Still Idid the crime, I'll pay the fine.
Work went well today. i poshed my stories and banged out a short piece thismorning. I'm getting better at the whole not handing in stuff with a lot of errors and paragraphs that need to be reworked. I had a small one today, but the other paragraph my editor mentioned to me turned out to be ok afterall, that gave me a little bit of satisfaction. The downsideis I think I've finaly lost my hold on the second page spot. I've held it down every issue so far, but not this week. Oh well. I was hoping my story about a potentialy corrupt Assemblyman would have gotten higher than page 13, but alas it was not to be.
Still, I like Thursdays. very often we get out early, like 3 instead of 4 or 4:30. furthermore, deadline is at noon. Most would see this as terrifying, but usually I come in Thursday morning, finsh up what I have to, polish up my finished pieces, and then its all down hill from there. Seriously, I spent most of the afternoon putzing around on the internet because i had already copy edited all the pages that were out. I'm not the best editor, but I do pick up on other's mistakes pretty well.
tommorw my older sister was suppose to come, but I think its been moved back until saturday. it works out really because I prefer to drink myself stupid friday nights, and I don't feel comfortable doing so infront of her. it's not like she doesn't drink, but I just don't like it.
To clarify my earlier statement, yes I do drink a lot on fridays, but not because I'm a party kinda guy. I like beer, but I don't like crowds. Still I prefer to go out on fridays just because, well my work is stress full and I don't see too many crowds during the week. usualy my work is done in the office, which means staying in a room with no windows for about 8 hours, with the same people. We have no windows because our office is under ground, I'll explain some other time. Basicly I want to unwind, and a lively place where all I have to worry about is being able to walk enough to get home at the end of the night is perfect. P.S. Journalism is really fucking stressfull. I like it, but it does cause bad habits.
Not much else to say really. the paper will be done sometime tommorow, probably before noon. Then its off to drop 50 dollars on a parking ticket, and then extended happy hour untill the bar.
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