Quick Recap/Follow-up

Well, for those keep track of these things, I got a C+ on my mini doc. But don't worry (why would you, it's my grade?), C+ was the most common grade for this assignment. The highest mark was a B, the lowest were fails...

Apparently, in our department, a C is not a bad grade. It means that the work was/is acceptable, satisfactory, but not extraordinary in any way. In other words, if it had to air, it could. But probably wouldn't.

I'm still looking for a job, and for any summer opportunities. If anyone hears anything, and I mean anything (as long as it pays $10/h +++) then I'm in!

Today, I handed in my 316 (Print Law and Ethics) assignments. That's the midterm (law final) and the first assignment for Enn's part. I'm proud of myself for finishing them early. The deadline is on Thursday, at 4:30, and there is no class that day. Which means that I have no more school for the week!! :)

However, I do have a busy schedule, even if there's no "work" shifts. Tomorrow at 4, I'm meeting with Francesca (haven't seen her since the first week of school!!!) for drinks/coffee. Thursday morning, I'm interviewing Cecilia Anderson again, for a follow up on the Olympics. That might end up being my radio assignment AND my 201 meeting 2 assignment, on top of being an article for the Link. Excellent. I like bylines :)

I did a few tentative schedules, and I will take 5 classes each of the next 2 semesters (not including Summer). This means that I will have 1 class left, a full-year course, advanced television, to graduate with a Specialization in Journalism. I will also have 1 general ed class left, but I want to get rid of that in the summer semester.

This is assuming that my RELI 310 credit can be transfered to RELIZ 310 (the general ed course). Otherwise, I have 2 more general ed classes to go. Still. It would completely suck, and I say suck, to have 1 class left. Sure, I could take it part-time. That means lots of time for work. Except that people don't hire you without a bachelors, and there are not many places to work in the media in Montreal. At least not in what I want to do.

If I don't get a major internship next year, say, for the Gazette, or another major publication, I don't know if I will make it. I will also be applying to radio and TV internships, but I don't know if I'm good enough for them ;) Sure, the camera loves me, but hey... that's not all there is ;)

I could also take additional classes, in journalism, and maybe in communications or something else, but then I have to think of tuition fees. The best option, I think, would be to get a REAL job with 1 class left. I will be meeting with Enn sometime next week to get details on my options.

Also, I have been struggling with finding newsy topics for my classes. I feel a little lethargic and lazy, and I've got to say, I'm more than slightly stressed about, well, everything these days.

Ryan (my bf) will be starting at CDI next week In addition to working full-time, he will be studying full time. That means less income, which means I really need a good job. It also means a lot less time spent together, well, a lot less time in general. Which means that cleaning etc is going to be tough. This also means a lot more stress!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Ha! You know what always amuses me? funny commercials. No matter what they are. And when I see them, it puts me in a good mood, no matter what. And I have to sing the songs.
Some commercials remind me of Spencer, Ryan's lil bro, because we both sing songs ;)
For example, I still remember, when I first met him... One of the first car rides, his dad put the song "Hot Blooded" on. And Spencer was shy, but then started air-guitaring it, and singing it.
And since then, "Hot Blooded" makes me think of him. And I sing it in a childish way too. And it's in that Pepsi commercial.

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I'm flipping between the hockey game and American Idol, and it's absolutely amazing, stunning, incredible...

Technology, that is. I can't wait for TiVo to really come to Canada. There are so many times when I want to watch more than 1 thing at a time, but I can't record and watch two different things. For example, yesterday, I wanted to watch the Apprentice, 24, CSI:Miami and Project Runway.
Here's where it gets complicated. 24 and the Apprentice are on at 9. 24 is also on at 10, with CSI:Miami and Project Runway. Which means I have to choose 2 out of 4. So we watched 24, then CSI:Miami.

Today, I want to watch the hockey game, but I also want to see who messes up on American Idol. Call me a junkie, but hey... My interests are so broad, I have to watch about a billion shows to satisfy all my cravings.

The other technological advance that I find exceptional, well, I just found out about it. If you look closely at the boards in the Nassau Memorial Coliseum in the Habs vs. NYI game, at both ends of the ice.... that's right! Those are animated billboards. Like a mini jumbotron (a tron?), on the boards... What happens if someone gets checked into it? Do the pixels die?

And isn't it truly amazing what technology has accomplished in this day and age? (cliche, I know... MUST avoid CATS)

But seriously. Im a gadget freak. And that's a great gadget.

/me signs off

Cecilia Anderson

Here's my article about Cecilia Anderson, now silver medalist at the 2006 Olympic Games, as I wrote it before the games started. Then, click the link to see the published version (pun intended) ;) Although I bet no one got it :P

Lemme me know what you think about the changes. I mean, I over-wrote so it needed to be edited for length, which is fine. And there were a lot of dull quotes. But I feel like some substance and rhythm were lost. So I seek your opinion.

*****

Stingers Goalie Goes for Gold
Women’s hockey star attributes success to Concordia

Cecilia Anderson. Does the name ring a bell?

You might have seen this Concordia student on CTV or Global practicing with the rest of the Stingers women’s hockey team. Why, you might ask, was Anderson getting national media coverage?

Here’s a hint. She plays on more than just one team.

Anderson joined Team Sweden in January for training in view of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. “Well I had to take this winter semester off, so that's a big change from what I'm used to,” said Anderson in an e-mail interview.

In fact, Team Sweden travelled to Italy two weeks ago, leaving plenty of time to get over jet lag, and just enough time for some extra training, sightseeing and an interview.

Anderson, who is in her third year in Leisure Sciences, is more than thrilled about this Olympic experience, since she is interested in studying Tourism.

“I’m really excited,” she said. “We are finally here, and I can’t wait for everything to start!”

With hockey on her mind since the age of seven, and three previous international experiences under her suspenders, including a bronze medal at last year’s World Championships, it’s no wonder Anderson is not nervous.

“I’m confident about me and my team. It’s a huge honour to represent my country in such a big event as this.”

A Sting-ing Passion

Anderson, whose childhood idol was fellow Swede and successful NHL goalie Tommy Salo, now tries to take the best out of everyone, including Stingers’ coach Les Lawton. She attributes much of her success and development as a player to Lawton and her time with Concordia.

“Making the Olympics without Les and Concordia would have been really hard for me,” she explains. “I have been practicing everyday with the women's team but this year I have also been practicing with the men's team at Concordia.”

The passion for the game is what keeps Anderson going, helping her juggle hockey and school.

“Other than [Concordia training], I have a work-out program with the national team, so I have been practicing two to three times daily,” stated Anderson.

“You have to manage your time very well,” she commented. “The biggest difference is that with the national team we always practice in the morning of a game, but at the same time all of our games are at night. With Concordia they are usually in the afternoon so we don't have time to practice.”

Despite her rigorous training program, Anderson has thoughts about life after the Olympics. “I’m going to visit my sister in Singapore.”

A winning team

But lets not get ahead of ourselves here! How was life before the Olympics?

“Well, it has not been easy this last year. [It’s] a big change from what I’m used to,” she added.

Anderson is up to the task and draws inspiration from those around her. “My dad has always said to me: You can’t expect people to believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself!”

Her friends were really happy for her when she made the team. “Everyone has been very supportive,” she said. “My current teammates and past teammates are really excited for me, they are a big part of this.”

“If they weren't shooting at me in practice and challenging me to be better, I wouldn't be here today.”

And practice she did, since Anderson believes players need ice time to develop. “I get more ice time at Concordia, so it has been really good for my development to play at Concordia with a lot of ice time and a lot of shots,” she explained. “With the National Team, I get to play with and against the best players in the world which is a big challenge.”

Another challenge, for athletes and for the rest of the population, is staying on top of things. “My family has been amazing. This past year, I have been very busy and they have made sure that I could focus only on practicing and staying healthy, and I didn't have to worry about anything else.”

What’s to come?

“I always say to myself: Don’t make things complicated that aren’t complicated!”

This motto has led Anderson throughout her career. Several Concordia moments make the Väddö native’s highlights reel, which is far from finished.
Her most memorable moment with Concordia was last year’s playoffs. “It was great to win, we worked really hard to get that Championship.”

“With Sweden,” said the rising star, “so far it is the Bronze medal last year at the Worlds, but after the Olympics, I think that might change.”

Cecilia Anderson has come a long way from filling the gap between the pipes when the two goalies on the boys’ team she was playing on were out sick. With a strong support system, a great home team, and excellent techniques, Anderson will fuel her passion with determination and ambition. Take her hopes for Team Sweden, for example.

“We are going for a medal,” she said. “But we have to take one game at a time. We start with Russia Feb 11th and after that we'll go from there.”

*****

First Mini-Doc

I will be handing in my mini-doc for JOUR 203 tomorrow, at the CJAD Open House. I really like it, considering I did it in 3 days, during an internship, and having only 2 days to collect sound with a mini-disk recorder. So I decided to post it ;)

Here's the link to the audio (WMA), zipped. Let me know if it doens't work: http://www.boss.staticservers.com/forums/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=47647

Here's my script... Don't worry, the original has a slug, and is formatted in radio style ;)


Announcer’s Intro:
It’s awards show season. The Grammys were last week and the Oscars are coming up, not to mention Canadian shows. With so much to watch and so little time, is it any wonder that ratings are down? Naila Jinnah has the story.

Wild sound:
IN CUE: “And the Grammy…” OUT CUE: Brokeback theme (6 secs)

Reporter’s copy:
It’s that time of the year again. Grammys, Oscars, Junos… Award show season is upon us. Despite organizers’ attempts to start stud the events, ratings are down. Only 15 million viewers tuned into the Grammys on Wednesday night, compared to 19 million in 2005. I went to the Paramount theatre in downtown Montreal, a hotspot for trendy teens. Fourteen-year-old Anthony thinks there are too many awards ceremonies.

IN CUE: “Yeah pretty much…”
OUT CUE: “… a month or something”

Thirteen-year-old Jade mostly disagrees with the critics who give the awards, yet she still watches the ceremony.

IN CUE: “I like like…”
OUT CUE: “sound live.”

Jade’s friend Phoenix, who is eleven, likes to see artists collaborating.

IN CUE: “I watch it also…”
OUT CUE: “… and Linkin Park”

Performance-wise, Phoenix has got it right. The show at the Grammys was one of the best in recent years. Critics and artists alike agree that performing is often better than winning. Album sales go up, whether they get the statue or not. In fact, Jade believes critics are often wrong in their choices.

IN CUE: “I think that…”
OUT CUE: “…gonna see it.”

Jade hit a sore spot for most awards shows, staying updated with today’s youth. The industry’s major market is hooked on entertainment, as Phoenix explains.

IN CUE: “I find them…”
OUT CUE: “… make conversation.”

Entertainment seems to be the key for Anthony as well. And for him, that means comedy.

IN CUE: “I don’t know…”
OUT CUE: “…boring.”

So while each award show has its highs and lows, there’s no question that it’s entertaining. Even for someone who is not at all interested in the awards. Twenty-one-year old Galia explains how she gets a kick out of the show.

IN CUE: “It’s no surprise…”
OUT CUE: “…best part.”

Galia might be cynical, but there’s no denying that a great fall is very entertaining. Add a few more performers and a funny host, and you’ll have a recipe for success. Maybe that’s what the low ratings are all about.

FADE IN WILD SOUND
For Concordia News, I’m Naila Jinnah.
WILD SOUND UNTIL FADEOUT



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Well, that's it. I wonder if anyone actually reads this :O
Drop me a line, sometime...