Confessions of JOUR1111 Student

This is a blog. My blog. And seeing as I no longer have to suffer sit through another semester of this subject, there's a few things I'd like to get off my chest.

When I first saw blogging was one of the assessment items I thought 'swish'. I was wrong. I never knew how painfully hard, and time consuming it is to blog about something you're not particularly passionate about. I wonder why there's no world famous lecture bloggers out there...

And while I appreciate that this was just an exercise to try and get us 'into' blogging, I can't help but feel like it's had the reverse effect on many of us. Blogging should never be a task. And you shouldn't feel like you have to meet a standard. It's about the expression of a passion. And any blogger will tell you, as selfish as it may sound, it's about writing and posting for yourself. If the readers come, then they do, but if they don't... eh. It's not about writing for them. And I think I lost that point here a bit.

Also, I don't think I've particularly learnt 'how to blog'. If there is such a thing to learn. Maybe I'm just over thinking it... I tend to do that a lot. I wish I could vomit out more of my thoughts onto this blog post (nice imagery), but unfortunately there's another thing I tend to do, and that's leave things right until the last minute. I need to send off this link really soon.

So guess its bye bye JOUR1111. You've been eye opening. I have learnt from you. But don't expect me to be posting back here anytime soon. I'm off to try my hand at another blog. Something a bit more me. Cheers guys.

Mother Monster

I wasn't always this way. A little monster that is. I used to be a music snob. I'm not afraid to say it. Though many of you probably still are. Turn your nose up at anything that's got main appeal. If it's played on commercial radio then you choose to look dumbfounded and say 'nope, never heard of it'. Well, I am a convert. At least for Gaga (RiRi, you're going to have to try harder).

I never really thought much about Gaga. And if I did it was something along the lines of 'attention-seeking', 'bad influence', 'distasteful', etc. Until I heard words of praise spoken about her by someone who I admire greatly, Stephen Fry.

Now what started out as your stock standard interview, by the end turned out to be a friendly conversation between two of my all time favourite people. She's more than the surface performance. She gets it. She's young. She's smart. She's creative. She's actually doing something positive for the world.

Her music makes a lot of people happy. Her theatrical performance, well it makes art and theatre accessible to millions. And then there's her 'Born This Way' message, which is an anti-bullying initiative in the US. She oozes love, acceptance, and dreams. If you really want to fall in love with Gaga watch her interview with Oprah. Two of the most influential women in the world. Using it for good.

Sorry if this is a bit too over the top on the Gaga praise. But after seeing her concert (a must, even if you're not the biggest fan of her music, go for the show... she came out on a horse. Worth the ticket price alone). And so last night I waved goodbye to any indie cred with my paw up, and just went Gaga.

refLECTURE XII: 'My Own Way'

I want to be blogger. That was the conclusion that I had come to. Blogs have always been a massive part of my media diet. Apart from Facebook and ASOS, the remainder of my favourites bar is blogs. I like fashion blogs, music blogs, photography blogs, celebrity blogs (both ones about them and by them), art blogs, crafty d.i.y blogs, and your more general 'anything goes' blogs. Fine, I'll say it. I love blogs. (I also love the word 'blog', hence the repetition.)

But more than anything I love the idea of being a blogger. Not one who blogs about lectures. No I'm talking a 'real' blogger. One that's driven by passion. My only problem: I'm passionate about a lot of things. A lot of things that probably wouldn't make for the most coherent blog. Fashion. Music. Comedy. Television. Video Games... and well, too many more. If there's one thing blogger's can't stress enough when talking to potential bloggers, it's find your own thing. Make your own market. Do your own thing. Go your own way.

I wish I could quote verbatim something our guest speaker Steve Molk, who started his blog Molkstvtalk less than two years ago, said. But honestly, my mind was just running overtime. Too much excitement filled me. Ideas of what I could and would do if I had that amount of internet traffic... or more. What I could do. Who I could meet. How I could present it. I was just too intrigued by the life of a successful blogger to really store things into the long term memory.

While I left with a million questions- what should be my niche, how often should I post, how should I structure my blog, how personal do I want it to be, how can I build my 'brand'- there was one certainty. I want to give this blogging thing a go. A real go. So I did what anyone else who want to do anything ever does. I Googled it. And after trawling through web page, blog post, and video after another, I found the key to being a successful blogger. And that's where I'm starting.

Boring Being Lara Bingle

The night of nights. The one everyones been waiting for. Now, the way I've said that... it's supposed to be a joke, but it's closer to the truth than I'd like to admit. Around 925,000 people tuned into the first episode of Ten's new reality show 'Being Lara Bingle'. I'm bit embarrassed to say that I was one of them. Ten's been flogging it for months (or at least what seemed like it) in its cross promotional advertising. But was it really worth all the hype...

refLECTURE XI: "Pants Down"

Journalism as a desk job... nope. That doesn't sit right pun intended. Journalism is seen as a somewhat observational career, but there's only so much detail you can get from the 17th storey of a corporate tower in the CBD. We need to be amongst it, we need to talk to people. Then we have a story, or possibly even more...

Say investigative journalism and this is what springs to mind:

Annotated Bibliography

Wasburn, P. C., & Wasburn M. H. (2011). Media coverage of women in politics: The curious case of Sarah Palin. Media Culture Society, 33, 1027-1041. doi: 10.1177/016344371145744

Dr. Philo Wasburn and Dr. Mara Wasburn are both professors at Purdue University, Indiana. Each has over 40 years of experience in the academic field, and together they have dozens of books and articles published across numerous journals, gaining them both a credible reputation. This article explores the phenomenon of gendered reporting, and its influence in media coverage of women in politics, particularly those in high profile roles. When establishing the argument the authors address five points from previous research that suggest media coverage of women in politics: receive less attention than their male counterparts; discussions focus on comparatively trivial subjects; focus is largely on ‘woman’s issues’ such as abortion, childcare, education and environment; women receive more negative coverage in terms of their ability to provide effective leadership; and, questions are raised about the influence of a woman candidate should she be elected. This article questions these assumptions by conducting a qualitative and quantitative analysis of media coverage Sarah Palin received as part of her 2008 campaign as the Republican candidate for Vice President of the United States. The continuous referral the coverage Palin received in Newsweek and Time magazines, is justified by the dominance each has as part of a major media corporation and the heavy reliance other news sources have on these ‘elite’ new source publications. They conclude, with exclusion of the first point, the points above actually promoted Palin with an ‘attractive, tough, hockey mom’ image who expressed the concerns of ordinary people, which attracted large audiences.  It recommended that the distinctive qualities of individual politicians and their particular political environment be taken into consideration in any future study of political women.

The three journalism texts that follow aim to demonstrate how gendered reporting exists, or rather doesn’t, in other media climates around the world, with a different political figure.

refLECTURE X: "Puppets on a String"

Everyone has an agenda. While agenda setting may only be a 'theory', like many of Einstein's theories, it's pretty much law. But there are two sub theories in terms of the media: that it suggests what the public should focus on according to frequency and prominence in coverage; and that suggests how people should think about an issue.

There's reality. But then there's how we come to know of it, talk about it, understand it, and form our own opinion of it. This is a product of four agendas: what the public perceive as important, what the policy and decision makers think are important, what corporations believe are important, and then there's the issues discussed in the media. The mass media does not produce an unaltered reflection of reality, but rather they 'filter and shape it'.

The Podcast Preacher

Move over television. Goodbye radio. And print... well I never really loved you anyway (just joking print). But seriously, I've got a new love in my life. He's so portable, he's so multitaskable. He's the humble podcast.

Now, now, now. Before you rant and rave at me. "Duh... podcasts have been around for years" "Living under a rock?" "Really? Only now..." No! I have previously dabbled in some podcasts, often super nerdy educational ones, *cough* Stuff You Should Know *cough* Dr. Karl on Triple J *cough*  . Often the main purpose of listening to which was... well... falling asleep. Now that I've discovered comedy podcasts, needless to say it's changed why I listen to podcasts.

I've always loved comedy. Who doesn't right? Well, so many people 'think' they love comedy, but really they love a, one, singular comedian. These people often don't know any other comedians, except for those on television regularly, and have probably never seen standup live. In my opinion, these people do not 'love' comedy. But in terms of comedy podcasts, most people's consumption is limited to Hamish and Andy, and that's only if they missed them on the drive home on Friday. But I'm here to open your ears to another range of comedy podcasts. All Australian. All hilarious. Let's get to it.

Brief description time.

refLECTURE IX: "Human Sieves"

News values. It decides what is news and what is not. Adhering to its law are the 'human sieves', also known as editors. They sift through the torrent of potential stories determining which are 'newsworthy' according to news values. But what grants a story the prestigious title of 'newsworthy'? There's more to an editor's decision than simply an eye for a good story in addition to years of experience.

Unfortunately, like so many things in journalism, news values are not just one 'thing'. Our lecture discussed scholarly definitions, modern reinterpretations and additions. Faced with 'The Big Six', the ten simple steps, and 'The 12+ Factors'... well it was all a bit repetitious. Sure there were a few words changed here and there, additions and subtractions, but I think below covers the most of it. And in no particular order...

Watch. It. Now.

I'm not one for action. Not because I don't like the fight scenes. I love fight scenes. They just tend to have such boring story lines. Now, not saying that The Avengers had the greatest story line of all time, in fact I was probably just in awe of all the super heroes not to notice, but honestly guys... it was awesome!

Breaking box office records it's on track to be one of the highest grossing films of ALL TIME. Usually, I would scoff at such titles, but this one's well deserved. While I can appreciate the Scarlett Johansson sex appeal, when it came to her character Black Widow and Hawkeye, I couldn't help but feel like the spy and the archer were sub-par in terms of superhero status, and for some reason that bothered me.

As for everything else, and I mean EVERYTHING. Loved it. The actors, their performances, the storyline flow, the graphics, even the 3D. The Hulk even provided some timely and effective comic relief. An unexpected twist.

But I'm worried. There is a downside to this incredibly successful franchise. The threat of unsuccessful spin-offs. Thor, Ironman, and Captain America all have their own varying degrees of successful spin-offs, but Blackwidow... really?

Regardless of any potential future mistakes with the franchise it, to use the tween, is 'so hot right now'. So go on, ch-ch-check it out! Before it becomes one of those classics that people talk about and you haven't seen...

refLECTURE VIII: "Crocodile Tears"

Journalists 'scrutinise power, but also exercise it, and should be accountable. Accountability engenders trust. Without trust, journalists do not fulfill their public responsibilities' according to the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance. And so we had this coming. 'The Talk'. The first of many talks about ETHICS. Good taste verses bad taste. Ethical verses unethical. Who decides where the lines are drawn? The journalist, the corporation they work for, the regulatory body, or the consumers? This was what I was left wondering.

Before I walked in there was obvious expectations to hear regurgitated ramblings about 'Uncle Rupert' and News of the World. And more about how phone hacking celebrities boarders on distasteful and unethical, while doing the same to a deceased school girl is outright unethical... at least according to public opinion. But rather our ethical and taste radars were put to the test on several controversial advertisements. Never did find out how I scored...

Up In Smoke: Factual Story Exercise

The sun. The warmth. The wide-open land; there was nobody for miles in any direction. Sure, it was work but it gave me the time and space to unleash my teenage angst.

Usually I wouldn’t be alone with Bessie. She could be temperamental, and only Dad knew how to set her straight. But he had to help with deliveries back the shed. So, it was just Bessie and I ploughing, fertilizing, and contemplating the wonders of the universe. But as the thermometer hit 45 degrees and kept climbing, she threw in the towel. Her steering was jammed. After exhausting attempts to fix it from my seat, I had no other choice but to crawl under her one tonne body to investigate.

A few taps and knocks, “And there, that should be fixed”. I shuffled backwards on my stomach, like a lizard in reverse. But her rusted chassis gave way and broke in half, falling onto my back. My face dove into the ground, mouth open and all. Fresh fertiliser. Without the support, all four wheels caved inwards. They somehow managed to find balance, but only after I felt the weight of Bessie upon my shoulders, literally. She made a deal with the ground and they had me clamped like a vice.  Figuring this may be the only advantage of my lanky, prepubescent body; I breathed in and tried to wriggle free. The weight just came down harder. Not unbearable, just not desirable.

Time passed, but without a reference I had no idea if it was seconds, minutes or hours. My mind grew impatient and starting throwing blows back and forth.

“Don’t panic.”

“Squirm.”

“Someone will be here soon, the delivery should be unpacked by now.”

“They’ll never come.”

“But they said they would…”

“They lied.”

But a noise broke up the fight. Coughing, spluttering, the groan got louder. Damn it. I left the engine running, and Bessie had started to overheat.

Rogue fumes defied the rules of dispersion and made their way under the tractor. They drifted under my nose, around my head and back again. I could feel the fumes slowly squeezing my neck as they circled. I was losing breath, losing consciousness; I had to make one last attempt to escape. But all I manage to do is turn my head the other way. A part of me wish I hadn’t. I could smell it before I could see it. The fallen chassis had punctured the petrol tank. It dripped onto the dry grass and fertiliser below.

The heat from the sun, earth and tractor met. I could see them mingle as the air they inhabited blurred the background. It had me hypnotised, until I saw smoke. Testosterone and adrenaline (neither of which I thought had before) pumped through my body. I broke my chest free from the grip of the chassis. But this isn’t the happily ever after. My sudden movements caused petrol to pour from the leak straight onto a newborn flame.

For the next three hours of my life, I only saw three things.

I wish I had a bit more of an impressive, gory story to tell you. How I could feel the fire consuming me. How the more it ate, the more it grew. I wish I could tell you about the smell of burning flesh. But I can’t, because that’s not what I can remember.

All I could feel was pain. Relieved, in part, when the morphine dripped into my system. All I could see was my body wrapped in bandages. All I could smell was antiseptic wash, and the occasional waft of vomit from the bed beside me.

With 40 per cent of my body in second and third degree burns, I knew I’d have to stay in this place for a while. But after infection, after infection, after infection, it was longer than anyone expected. Six weeks in a room without a window. There was no sun. There was no warmth. There was no space. There was no serenity. But this is now no more than a memory, marked in the scars on my skin.

Picture Credits:  Picture 1    Picture 2    Picture 3

refLECTURE VII: "Public Boredcasting"

Public service boredcasting broadcasting. It doesn't often get the best wrap. It's often thought that SBS stands as the niche, a service largely for 'ethnics' and other minorities, while the ABC is genuinely comprehensive, mainstream, and national. But the ABC too gets its share of criticism as television made for the middle-aged, middle class man, by the middle-aged, middle-class man. But before I jump the gun any further, lets talk PSB 'generally'.

Australian Public Service Broadcasters

Public media's mission if you choose to accept it is 'to serve or engage a public'. Now that's pretty general. The man behind the mother of all public media (BBC), Lord Reith described PSB as a 'cultural, moral and educational force for the improvement of knowledge, taste, and manners.' But maybe this is an old-fashioned, elitist view. More modern thought sees PSB as democratising, bringing the 'finest' aspects of culture to everyone. Ultimately, in it's creation PSB was designed to play a vital role in informing and enhancing one's ability to engage in citizenship.

"It's Hard To Have A Gay-Time On Your Own"

The Brisbane Queer Film Festival. Not something on everyones annual event calendar. My self included. To be honest, this year, it's thirteenth year, is the first I've ever heard of it. As someone who prides themselves on their liberal attitude, and open-mindedness, I figured why not?

A little explanation for those who are thinking 'Whaaa?' Well the BQFF, held at the Brisbane Powerhouse (I know, amazing, don't even get me started), shows a selection of Australian and international films about  the LGBT community. Now these are dramas, thrillers, documentaries, shorts, really any genre,. Here's a short to help your imagination:

I figured I'd see an Australian documentary about peoples' experience of trying to be 'cured' of their homosexuality through various religious (Christian) organisations. It's called 'The Cure'. I think the trailer sums it up better than I can.

I don't want to get too deep and meaningful about it here. A powerful message, presented so well. And this is only one of the films. So if you want to open your eyes to a different aspect of the world, check out the BQFF. It runs from now until April 22. Get to it. I guarantee it won't be a drag. (Inappropriate pun?)

The Hungry Hippos Games

And so I did it. I bought into a franchise. Well, I mean I bought one ticket, once. And in all honesty, it wasn't bad. I should probably stress here that I haven't read the books. The only debrief I had before the film was 'yeah, kids like totes have to kill each other while people watch on TV, and the like last one alive totally wins for their district. It's amazeballs.' Yeah... thanks dude. 

Pretty Self Explanatory

Sure, there were parts missing, as is the case with all book adaptations. (So people tell me, I never read the books) But a stand alone film none the less. The next teen sensation? Equal to, or greater than Twilight? Honestly, I have no idea. I try keep out of all things 'tween'. But what's not debatable is its success.

But like all things media you know you're only a success if you have a parody. But you know you're really successful if that parody's on Saturday Night Live.. with Sofia Vergara. Unfortunately, since we live in Australia, which apparently isn't America, I can't find a video link that works. You'll just have to look at this still and imagine the rest.

SNL Parody

refLECTURE VI: "About The Cha-ching, Cha-ching"

Money. If you disregard science, you'd know that it's money that makes the world go round. Well, the world of commercial media is no different. (Hate to break it to you Jessie J, but it is about the 'cha-ching, cha-ching').


Australia, although we pride ourselves on having a dual model of media, public service and commerical, let's be real; we're mostly commercial. We all know the 'big players'. Nine, Seven, Ten, Fairfax, News Limited. And, of course, their many offsprings. And there's ARN, Austereo, Telstra, and Optus too. Gees, any more.

This is where I stole that picture

But why do they exist? Essentially to sell us, the audience, to advertisers. Hence their emphasis on mass communication media, because well, it still reaches the masses. Thanks Captain Obvious. Commercial. Commerce. Money. Pretty self explanatory. Commercial media is a business. Like all businesses, it's driven by profit. Without government or license funding it relies on selling advertising to it's audience generated by it's programming.

"advertisers are the real customers of a commercial media organisation, not its readers, viewers or listeners."

refLECTURE V: "Good Vibrations"

As someone who seeks 'useless' knowledge (though possibly useful in pub quizzes), knowing that I was having a lecture on sound reminded me of my recent(ish) endeavor to find out how sound works. (I say endeavor, I mean Youtube suggested it to me.) Admittedly, it's probably not something a lot of people think about, but I figured its suiting to the topic. Call it background knowledge. Let Charlieissolike teach you the magic of sound, as he once taught me (and the other two and a half million people who watched this video).

Now that you've endured enjoyed that, (or just skipped the video and kept reading), it's time to talk radio. As form of mass communication, radio manages to create a level of intimacy unattainable by television or print. Maybe it's to do with use of once sense, hearing. There's more to sound than just noise. You can hear emotion. "It's hard to lie on radio", much easier on television, visuals can be distracting.

Media Use Diary

I recorded my media usage and production over the course of 10 days. This is what happened...

Below lies my 'raw' sample data. It shows the times I used it, the type of media (platform), what specific programs I used, and how I accessed it. (I should also mention that the times are just approximate)

refLECTURE IV:"A Thousand Words"

We've all heard it before. A picture can tell a thousand words. But I think it can do more.
Words and language, it's limited. Only accessible to those who have been taught and understand its inner workings. Variation amongst languages make exact translations virtually impossible, ultimately leading to misunderstandings (the Bible being a prime example). And we are limited to the words in the dictionary. Anything that doesn't exist as a single word in the dictionary has to be explained in a phrase. Ultimately leading to a lot of 'word pollution' that many people couldn't be bothered to read through. Impact lost. A picture on the other hand...

The Primary Example of Photojournalism

Sure, a picture is limited to those blessed with sight, but it can share meaning, emotion, and a story to all who see it, regardless of language. That is the power of a picture.

What makes a great photo? There's the technical aspects like framing (the rule of thirds), angle, point of view, light exposure, shutter speed, and selecting a focus which draws the eye.  These points are all covered in Photography 101, but mastered by few.

Proving It Doesn't Take The Digital Age
To Capture 'The Moment'

And then there's the thing no-one can teach. Capturing 'The Moment'. Whether it's luck or destiny, sometimes the perfect photograph is caught. One with meaning. "A picture has no meaning at all if it can't tell a story."(Eetu Silanpaa) One that tells a story.

A photo used for journalism, should incorporate as many elements from the story as possible. The most important details: location, people, what's happening, and why. Moreover, it should spark emotion.

Enough of me talking about great photos. Check out the few below. They speak for themselves.

A Wilarious Evening

Wednesday night. A typically religious Royal Exchange night for most. But not this week. I skipped out on church the RE for something much more cultural (well, at least that's what I'm telling myself). Wil Anderson.

If you suffer from commercial broadcasting dependency syndrome, and haven't seen the ABC since your tweens, you may not be familiar with him. (Those of you who are, bare with me.) Back in the early 'noughties' he hosted The Glass House and had the breakfast radio slot on Triple J. Then moved to drive-time on Triple M, and began hosting the panel talk show about advertising (yeah, you know the one) The Gruen Transfer, now the Gruen Planet. And if you still have no idea; basically, he's Adam Hills, but with a right leg.

And every year, since 1997, Wil's toured Australia (and beyond) with his live stand up show. 2012 marks (the end of the world) his 17th show (do the maths, there was a double up in 2000), what originality could there possibly be? Was this just going to be sloppy, re-heated leftovers? Nope.

There was a buffet of laughs, chuckles, giggles, and gasps. Sure there was the standard entree of Gold Coast gags, kids say the darnedest things, and audience banter; but then things got deep. In a light hearted way. You see internet, unknowingly and unintentionally, I actually learnt things. Things that I want to (and maybe you do too) incorporate in your life.

refLECTURE III: "All Things Textual"

Text. It's more than just words. It's all about the visual. (Maybe not as much as a picture, but I'll discuss that next time). And our guest speaker, Skye Doherty (check out her bio here), knows all about it.

But what is text? A simpler question might be what isn't text. It's the story content, the headlines, the bylines, the captions, the quotes, the break-out boxes, the links... It's pretty much everything. It has the ability to be fast, flexible, controllable, portable, and most importantly, particularly in terms of new media, it's searchable.  And it's ability to dominate the online realm is only helped by more text: links, URLs, domains, metadata, excerpts, and tags. Our beloved Google only searches keywords; not 'keypictures', not 'keysounds'.

But there are several key differences in the use of text, depending on the media platform. Your traditional newspaper is read from top left, down to the bottom right of the page. Pretty straight forward.   It's organised into several distinct sections; news (often separate national and world news), business, entertainment, sport, etc; so you know what you're getting. This allows for a greater creative license, especially regarding headlines. Reading news online, however, often looks a bit like this, thanks to the wonders of hypertext:

refLECTURE II: "Newest Of New News"

New News. As opposed to 'Old News'. It's the same stuff isn't? What's online, what's in print, what's it matter? There's no doubt that times are a-changing in the way that news is produced and how it is consumed. As we (citizens of the first world) become more tech-savvy, there comes expectations that media wont just keep up with this cyber space existence; but rather be one of the creators, one of the innovators, of it. But now that everything is on the internet (hence the phrase 'Google it'), what really needs to exist 'irl', or in English, in real life?

Everyone talks about THE DEATH OF NEWSPAPERS as if they all have a chronic, terminal illness, and 'it could be any day now'. But it's the same with all old media. Do we forget that it used to once be 'new'? As it turned out, video didn't kill the radio star. This is not a case of replacing old with new, but rather just the diversification of our media diet.

I'm not saying newspapers haven't taken a hit, I'm just saying they're not down for the count yet. But seeing as those in suits can't handle a hit, our dear Uncle Rupert has found another way.

My Two Cents

It's a media phenomenon. I am a journalism and media studies student. I figure I should share my two cents on KONY 2012. These are my cents:

refLECTURE I: "Like a Mini Skirt"

I know. (Many of our) First. Lecture. Ever. 'Oh em gee, super nervous but still wayyyy excited'. Nope. I was not (nor ever will be) one of those people. Regardless of its 'cosmic' importance in my tertiary education, and ultimately my life, it was still a Monday.
Blessed with a late start, general housekeeping, and obligatory introductions, my Mondayitis (a real disease, Wiktionary says so) had time to clear. And just in time.


YOU ARE THE JOURNALIST. I did that 'turn-around-and-look-at-the-person-behind-you-as-if-it's-only-directed-at-them-because-he's-obviously-not-talking-about-you' thing. Yeah...
I get it. It's the course philosophy, "just believe and you will be"(Now this is sounding like a straight to dvd teen movie). But, honestly internet, I don't feel like a journalist. Not yet at least... I'll get back to you on that one.


This first encounter was all about getting us to think. What is journalism? Don't worry I got this one; Mr. Google please define journalism.  Unfortunately, it's not that easy. To inspire us were the words of renowned publishers, editors, diplomats, historians, and (of course) journalists. But none of these really stuck. They seemed too 'philosophised'. I wanted to know what it takes to be a good journalist, summed up in a phrase oozing with wit. And after much scrolling (and a finger cramp; first world problems) I found it:

I AM THE WALRUS JOURNALIST

I am he as you are he as you are me... At the time, that would have made more sense then the phrase I was hearing: 'I am the journalist'. Haha... no. A typical first reaction, probably not the desired one (sorry tutors). 


But since that first lecture I've given myself time to procrastinate ponder. After three weeks of 'philosophisationing' (a Ryan Shelton invention) about journalism- what it is; how it works; and whether or not I could even do it, let alone be good at it- I reached the pinnacle realistion: 'Shirt... I better get started on that blog.'  


And at the risk of sounding cliche' and/or kiss-ass, I am glad I starting it now. I have learnt more in these minutes of writing (well, typing) than I have in my weeks of pondering, and reading about 'how to be a journalist/blogger'. 


I'll deal with formalities next post; but I'll tell you now, short and sweet (and sour) is my deal. Because when it comes to things like this I have, and you probably do too, a short atten... oooh, something shiny... tion span.


All it takes is a click on the Publish button, and 'I AM THE JOURNALIST'... Goo Goo G'Joob.