Jack's team

For our first video assignment in Web Journalism, our professors paired us with one other person in the class and told us to find a story, any story, related to the Syracuse Men's Lacrosse season opener on February 20. My partner, Marie Claudet, and I wanted to do something about a young passionate lacrosse fan, a child, because we thought that would be more fun. While researching, she found that the team adopted 5-year-old Jack Tweedy last year through the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, which pairs college teams with children who have pediatric brain tumors. We decided to pursue the story and immediately contacted his father, who agreed to participate. On Sunday morning before the game, we drove out to his house 30 min. from campus in Brewertown, N.Y., to conduct an interview (since it would be difficult to do during the game), and then drove back to meet them at the game. As part of the program, the Tweedy family sits in the first row (unaccessible to anyone else), right behind the team's bench. After the game, Jack gets to run on the field with the other players and follow them into the locker room (we weren't allowed to follow him in there). I really loved this assignment. It was a little nerve-wracking, especially since I was nervous we wouldn't get back in time to film enough of them at the game. Luckily, the Tweedy family only makes it to the second half of the game anyway. Afterwards, we had to race around and try to get an interview with Jack's favorite player, Jovan Miller. The whole process was hectic, but a lot of fun. In the week and a half after, Marie and I met frequently to sit down and edit together--a process not always so easy. Good thing Marie and I got along really well and we more or less had the same vision. Filming is difficult, and I imagine the more I do it the better I will become, but I really enjoy the editing process, merging video and pictures and sound to tell a story. It's a process tons different than writing, in that you think about what you want to do, and once you know, you just do it, and it's not as taxing on the mind. If that makes sense. In the end, our professors really liked our work, and I'm extremely proud. In an earlier post, I mentioned that I would really love to experiment with multimedia in the future, and I'm glad this course is giving me that opportunity.

To use some of the photos we used in the video, Gregg (Jack's father), asked that we sign up at Carepages to have access to Jack's personal page, where they were posted. Now that the project is over, I still receive Gregg's updates about Jack's life and progress. I didn't expect to keep my Carepages account after we finished the project, but every time I receive an update in my e-mail, I can't ignore it; I have to check to see what Gregg will say. If you want me to be really honest? I think a part of me opens them to just make sure that he's...okay. That the news Gregg imparts is good news. When we met Jack, his condition was pretty stable but, most recently, his condition raised concern. They rushed him to Children's Hospital Boston again and this morning he will undergo another surgery to remove a cyst (which looks like it may contain another tumor). He is so, so young, and it just boggles my mind that any 5-year-old should have to go through what Jack has gone through.

Our package.

What I've Learned

I'm not particularly good at covering events.

I don't particularly like covering events.

Last week, my professors for my Web Journalism & Innovation course required the class to live-tweet one of two events, a university lecture featuring either Eric Schlosser or James Balog.

I chose Eric Schlosser (an investigative journalist) simply because the James Balog event would occur at the same time as the Verbal Blend open mic, and I didn't want to miss it. My professors asked (as part of our participation grade) if anyone wanted to cover the event to accompany the live-tweets and a video interview. I volunteered because I thought, why not? I never covered an event and I would be there anyway. The lecture lasted two hours (4-6 pm) and my deadline was 8 pm. I interviewed several people after the event to get an audience reaction, then raced back to Newhouse to write it up. Anxiety x 1,000! I have so much respect for newspaper journalists who can turn around stories in such a short amount of time. It usually takes me at least two hours just to sift through my notes! I just need time when it comes to writing. The editor gave me a one hour extension, and of course the end result is not as good as I would like it to be. But I did it. In the end, I was actually pretty pleased with it, and I think the entire package has a lot to do with that.

I thought I could try it again with the Verbal Blend open mic. I pitched it to my professor who said that if I could write the article and take a decent photo, it wouldn't be a problem to get it on the site. I borrowed an SLR from the Newhouse cage, attempted to take photos in the dim-lit auditorium while recording and taking notes (fail), and speed-walked home after the 2-hour event ended, at almost 10 pm. And then, I couldn't do it. I was hungry, I was exhausted (barely slept the night before and had been up all day), and disappointed in myself. Right now, if I don't cover Verbal Blend, no one will and I wish I had completed the task. I'm excited to post about the event here though; twas a wonderful event. And I'm going to find other ways to get them on The Newshouse.

Part of the joy of what we do

One could probably (hopefully) tell from my reading site, but I don't think I've ever mentioned here that I love Esquire. And that Chris Jones is one of my favorite writers. Love him for his great writing, his honesty. (This is not connected to my work, btw) Recently he started a new blog dedicated to writing and words, which really could not have been more perfect for me, for so many reasons. I've been reading it religiously to learn and to be inspired, and I just wanted to post an excerpt from his most recent interview with Charles P. Pierce:

"Isn't that part of the joy of what we do? When whatever it is that makes us writers fires at the right time and at the right place, and the perfect word/phrase/sentence in exactly the right place happens? It can happen anywhere—you could be somebody who's doing four running stories in an afternoon at a state high-school tournament, or a bonus piece for SI, or anything in between, and you see a player or experience a moment, and something sparks in your head, the connection happens, and you can almost hear a big door closing—WHOOM!—because there's nothing more to say. You've found a way, at least for that moment, to get the language to do exactly what you want it to do."

I love the moment when the words come exactly the way you need them to. Though lately, must admit, quite unfortunately that moment often happens when I'm in the shower. But the other day (oh, here's the connection to my work!), I was having lunch by myself and I was just thinking about writing/editing for the yearbook, and how it's been nothing like I expected in both positive and negative ways. As I was wording the sentiments in my head I decided I should just write it all down. Kept writing and writing. I can't promise it'll be good but it felt right and it often takes me awhile to get even a paragraph down to the way I want it.

So, that will go up soon.

A bus transformed into a moving room

I know, I know. Well, to my defense, I've been writing/working tons, just not posting anything here. Busy as ever finalizing all the content for the student life section of the yearbook (have a lengthy post already prepared about my experience with the publication), writing/editing for Medley, and working for my Web Journalism & Innovation course, the content of which is published on The Newshouse (a post coming up soon about that as well!). I consider the three above the most important in my life at the moment, but I also have wine appreciation, art history, and Italian literature courses to consider, too.

In the meantime, thought I'd post excerpts and links to two articles I wrote about Verbal Blend for the Connective Corridor newsletter earlier in the year. I'm still following Verbal Blend, as much as I can, when I can. I'm currently writing an article about them for Medley's spring issue and covering their first open mic of the semester for The Newshouse.

OK, so:

On this particular night, a bus was transformed into a moving room: headphones came off, cells were stowed in pockets, and the riders-turned-audience-members directed their attention to the center of the bus where the poets stood. Not only were the poets praised with applause, new riders were greeted with equal enthusiasm. "Magical" was the word Farschman used to describe the evening. -- "Poetry in Motion" Turns Busses into Performance Venues

and

After basking in the glory that came with winning the banner competition at the annual LC Palooza opening weekend, learning community members became quick friends. The four sophomores on the floor serve as PALs, or "Poets Achieving Leadership," who help their mentees make the transition from high school to college. PALs also work with mentees to develop and improve their poetry.

"We have our own little network where we talk and vibe off of each other," says Christiona Hawkins, a PAL on the floor. Aside from participating in poetry sessions, the learning community poets attend Verbal Blend poetry workshops, which Bolton conducts twice a week for six weeks each semester. -- Poets Put Down Roots

Well, Syracuse University just granted its first full snow day in 18 years (and the second one ever). I'll post more soon, but for now I'm off to enjoy!