The goal: attend my brother's football game and glean what information--topics of conversation, if you will--were brought up along the sidelines. The result: a rather tender throat, few topics aside from the obvious--football--, and a tied game against one of their toughest opponents.
Tonight was a big game. Well, big by eight-year-old standards. Especially for my brother, who was playing against his best friend's team. Lucky for him, Mitch (the buddy) is a the 3rd grade equivalent of a running back (who just so happens to be as fast as greased lightning if he can break away from the cloister of boys). Tim (my brother) is shaping up to be a great tackle/defensive back, hence resulting in the obvious and anticipated collisions.
Aside from my apparent infatuation with football, the other topics at hand were as follows: YMCA, additions on the house, flat tires, and other minute topics. Of those, really the only "newsworthy" topic is the YMCA. Quite a lovely new structure has suddenly arisen next to the sports complex. Due to open sometime this month or next. Funded in part by about $100 p/year tax increase for Elk River area families, as well as being maintained and furnished by the City selling $12 million in bonds.
From this visit, as well as from previous games and practices, Elk River-ians seem confident in the state of their community. For that matter, so am I. We are growing. We are thriving. For all intents and purposes, Elk River is set to grow.
Other than that, on the surface, all is how it has been in my little Elk River.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Threads in the Fabric of My Community
In my community, there is no one spot for community chatter. Any place where people run into friends, neighbors or family becomes an impromptu stage for any discussions of interest. Be they matters of education needs, local elections, or national elections.
My approach to this subject may be a little different. My younger brothers are in youth football and I frequently play chauffeur. Surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly, there's a lot of talk! Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends all show up to see their little champ play.
Now, I've noticed that very few people actually get up and actively cheer for their little one. I'm a screamer. You couldn't pay me to stay in one spot during the game, or keep quiet, for that matter. I prefer to follow the line or scrimmage, yelling praise as one brother sacked the diminutive quarterback, or as my other brother valiantly protected his quarterback. Most bystanders, however, prefer to sit in their comfy lawn chairs and quietly discuss the goings-on of the game. Or, they multi-task: chit-chatting about if they'll vote for Obama or McCain for president, or how their high school kids complain profusely about their new principal. Any number of topics.
Tomorrow night, another game. My goal is to get a more definitive list of dialogue for you. Stay tuned!
My approach to this subject may be a little different. My younger brothers are in youth football and I frequently play chauffeur. Surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly, there's a lot of talk! Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends all show up to see their little champ play.
Now, I've noticed that very few people actually get up and actively cheer for their little one. I'm a screamer. You couldn't pay me to stay in one spot during the game, or keep quiet, for that matter. I prefer to follow the line or scrimmage, yelling praise as one brother sacked the diminutive quarterback, or as my other brother valiantly protected his quarterback. Most bystanders, however, prefer to sit in their comfy lawn chairs and quietly discuss the goings-on of the game. Or, they multi-task: chit-chatting about if they'll vote for Obama or McCain for president, or how their high school kids complain profusely about their new principal. Any number of topics.
Tomorrow night, another game. My goal is to get a more definitive list of dialogue for you. Stay tuned!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Community Learning
While sifting through the Covering Communities website, I found many useful tips. Especially if journalism becomes a point of definitive interest for me. Anyways, beyond the interactive puzzle on the 7 Knowledge Keys for Covering a Community, I found the 7 keys themselves to be very informative. Listing them out just made it so much more obvious than just thinking about it. Before reading the list and their descriptions, typically I'd think somewhere along the lines of "OK, topic is __blank__, it relates to these people in this place and happened at this time. Find out the affects it had on said community." But now, with descriptions like "Concerns: What are the concerns, challenges and issues that people talk about? How do they define those concerns? What are the icons (labels) or buzz phrases people use?"* and "People: What are the things people hold valuable (such as heritage, sports, work, leisure)? How do people talk to one another? What is the language they use? What are the norms and practices that shape people’s interactions?"*, a whole new avenue of ideas and questions is opened. Interrelating aspirations, civic places, concerns, people, places, sources, and stereotypes gives the journalist a bigger arsenal in hunting down the truth of the story. In all honesty, at this point, I wouldn't have thought of even considering some one's aspirations towards a certain topic unless that was the whole focal point of whatever storyline, let alone incorporating civic places and stereotypes.
In relation to my community, I am now armed to find the crux of whatever topic. Be it the art world, local elections, or even the national elections, I have a few tricks up my sleeve.
*Covering Communities
In relation to my community, I am now armed to find the crux of whatever topic. Be it the art world, local elections, or even the national elections, I have a few tricks up my sleeve.
*Covering Communities
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Initial Blogging
In retrospect, having read the necessary text, I was actually impressed. I usually detest reading textbook-style writing, so I was pleasantly surprised to find Briggs' book was written on a more, shall we say, informal way. I was impressed, though the majority of the information I have already come across in my web-wanderings. (One of the advantages of being part of a younger generation, I guess).
What makes a blog a blog? For starters, I feel I must add my voice to those who protest the title "blog". Of all the lovely, inventive and descriptive words one could have come up with, why the unpleasant-sounding "blog"? OK, two cents entered. I'm done on that part. Anyways, as deduced through my reading, a blog is simply a site where people--primarily journalist--post the skeletons of thought for up-coming articles or topics for any upcoming piece they might have. This site offers the opportunity for interested readers to get an inside look at what the writer is working on and to offer any insight or feedback they--the reader--may feel inclined to offer in hopes of making the piece better. Blogs are mainly more informal than an actual published piece. They are almost like an email, according to Briggs.
What were my favorite blogs visited from the list? Honestly, I loved the BoingBoing site. Especially the little blurb on troubles with men in airport bathrooms "missing" the toilet. I have 3 brothers, and can testify that this occurrence is definitely NOT exclusive to the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. Guys, come on, you know you do it! And I may have to etch some little design in the toilet to get the brothers to actually make it in the bowl, not on the floor! Because, according to the Amsterdam airport authorities, "spillage" was decreased by a whopping 80% since the appearance of the "bugs". If you'd like to read the entire article, here's the link: http://www.goodmagazine.com/section/Provocations/tricking_people_into_doing_the_right_thing1
Other than that, all of the other ones I skimmed through dealt with the elections, either bashing on one candidate or the other. Sorry, that's my particular cup of tea.
Was there a particular element in common with the blogs I liked? Yes, I love reading funny things. Whether it's an etched housefly in the bottom of a urinal to "decrease spillage" or the invention of a fish bowl that sits where your toilet's tank is. Zany things like that. And I will read up on the latest with the war off east. I have friends who will soon be leaving to go off to war, I like to try and keep tabs on what's going on. Other than that, and I haven't searched for any yet, but, one I would like to find would be anything on the new '09 Camaro. Especially one that would maybe run it against the '09 Mustang GT? They're both sweet, and in my biased mind the Mustang will win, I can't deny that the new Camaro is pretty spiffy. I just hope it can live up to its predecessors. American muscle and all that jazz.
My own blogging, eh? Well, as you can probably guess, without too much effort I should hope, I like to type. Something about my fingers on the keyboard just seems to shift my mind's gears into overdrive and I hit this massive vein of thought. Especially when I'm tired. And now that I've got that Mustang-Camaro match-up running through my head! Be warned, car analogies are probably going to pop up a bit in this entry. Writing entertains me. I feel like I can type things better than I can say them. Maybe because when I'm typing I can squeeze in big ol' words like superfluous or discombobulated or some other equally outrageous word. You know, the kind of words that NOBODY says anymore.
Challenges in becoming a successful blogger? Time. That's going to be my biggest issue. Work 40 hours a week, 3 other classes, running kids to sports and other things, getting my art ready for a show in the middle of September, its going to be really tough. Other than that, just finding a rhythm that works for me. Getting the research down, finding a writing style that works for this blog, and, apparently, finding a "beat" to focus on. That'll be difficult, I seriously into a lot of things. So, hopefully, having a whole symphony of beats is OK?
Comments appreciated!!
What makes a blog a blog? For starters, I feel I must add my voice to those who protest the title "blog". Of all the lovely, inventive and descriptive words one could have come up with, why the unpleasant-sounding "blog"? OK, two cents entered. I'm done on that part. Anyways, as deduced through my reading, a blog is simply a site where people--primarily journalist--post the skeletons of thought for up-coming articles or topics for any upcoming piece they might have. This site offers the opportunity for interested readers to get an inside look at what the writer is working on and to offer any insight or feedback they--the reader--may feel inclined to offer in hopes of making the piece better. Blogs are mainly more informal than an actual published piece. They are almost like an email, according to Briggs.
What were my favorite blogs visited from the list? Honestly, I loved the BoingBoing site. Especially the little blurb on troubles with men in airport bathrooms "missing" the toilet. I have 3 brothers, and can testify that this occurrence is definitely NOT exclusive to the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. Guys, come on, you know you do it! And I may have to etch some little design in the toilet to get the brothers to actually make it in the bowl, not on the floor! Because, according to the Amsterdam airport authorities, "spillage" was decreased by a whopping 80% since the appearance of the "bugs". If you'd like to read the entire article, here's the link: http://www.goodmagazine.com/section/Provocations/tricking_people_into_doing_the_right_thing1
Other than that, all of the other ones I skimmed through dealt with the elections, either bashing on one candidate or the other. Sorry, that's my particular cup of tea.
Was there a particular element in common with the blogs I liked? Yes, I love reading funny things. Whether it's an etched housefly in the bottom of a urinal to "decrease spillage" or the invention of a fish bowl that sits where your toilet's tank is. Zany things like that. And I will read up on the latest with the war off east. I have friends who will soon be leaving to go off to war, I like to try and keep tabs on what's going on. Other than that, and I haven't searched for any yet, but, one I would like to find would be anything on the new '09 Camaro. Especially one that would maybe run it against the '09 Mustang GT? They're both sweet, and in my biased mind the Mustang will win, I can't deny that the new Camaro is pretty spiffy. I just hope it can live up to its predecessors. American muscle and all that jazz.
My own blogging, eh? Well, as you can probably guess, without too much effort I should hope, I like to type. Something about my fingers on the keyboard just seems to shift my mind's gears into overdrive and I hit this massive vein of thought. Especially when I'm tired. And now that I've got that Mustang-Camaro match-up running through my head! Be warned, car analogies are probably going to pop up a bit in this entry. Writing entertains me. I feel like I can type things better than I can say them. Maybe because when I'm typing I can squeeze in big ol' words like superfluous or discombobulated or some other equally outrageous word. You know, the kind of words that NOBODY says anymore.
Challenges in becoming a successful blogger? Time. That's going to be my biggest issue. Work 40 hours a week, 3 other classes, running kids to sports and other things, getting my art ready for a show in the middle of September, its going to be really tough. Other than that, just finding a rhythm that works for me. Getting the research down, finding a writing style that works for this blog, and, apparently, finding a "beat" to focus on. That'll be difficult, I seriously into a lot of things. So, hopefully, having a whole symphony of beats is OK?
Comments appreciated!!
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