Photo credit: Matt Law
Various Musings
A recent conversation, over coffee, brought to mind a seemingly insignificant moment that changed my life.
This recent chat was with Megan Robertson, a very kind and bright journalist who I met on Twitter the week before. She was welcoming me to New York City and offering career advice, and the conversation strayed to her own climb up the corporate ladder. “I can think of one or two people — if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be where I am now,” she recalled.
That remark reminded me of the people who have invested in my own life. There are many, yet one person in particular has profoundly shaped the path of my life. I can say with absolute confidence that, if not for Bob Basil, who chairs the applied communications department and teaches at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, my story would be drastically different. It was one cup of coffee, …
Read MoreMay 16, 2012 Tags: America, coffee, college, education, future, Journalism, journalist, networking, work
Category: Journalism, Life 3 Comments 
Times of transition are among the most stressful periods in life. There is no doubting that. It does not come as a surprise.
I finished earning my four-year journalism degree last week, and with that, a stage of life came to a lurching end. Lurching, because the last semester (and years) have been crammed full of juggling multiple jobs, a full course load and all of the regular life chores and activities that pack the to-do list of young people who live on their own. Plus, I was arranging a move and securing an apartment in New York.
Suddenly, though, my scheduler was free of pressing deadlines. There are no more homework assignments. I was no longer a student.
I liked the sound of that. But as I talk with other students in the class of 2012, I’m realizing we are all lost, empty, searching for a new identity. There were no fireworks …
Read MoreLet’s be blunt. Polls are wildly inaccurate, and increasingly so.
I’m tired of reading that this or that poll has been debunked by today’s newest numbers, and then watching as the Twitterverse explodes in shock that election results were far from the experts’ (read: polls’) predictions. But day after day, more polls are released and more charts are built to show how the GOP candidate who’s rocketed into “flavor of the week” popularity would fare in a general election versus Obama or a primary versus their GOP opponents.
Sometimes, the infographics show a three-month trend, or another method of pseudo-science. These numbers should carry a warning: “This poll’s results carry a 24-hour expiration date and reflect little other than an outdated system for gauging public opinion.”
Plus: most people with home telephone service probably didn’t watch the latest GOP debate or hear the latest sound bite since it is nearly ONE YEAR until …
Read MoreDecember 13, 2011 Tags: America, demographic, internet, Journalism, News, politics, polls
Category: News No Comments
When I arrived in New York earlier this month, I knew one of the first places I’d need to visit was Zuccotti Park, for a glimpse into the home of the worldwide Occupy movement. I’ve spent some time at Occupy Vancouver, and I was curious to see the resemblance and the differences.
I finally made it out to Occupy Wall Street last Saturday, Nov. 12, as protesters were beginning to gear up for today’s big “Day of Action.”
I’d originally planned to write about the sights and sounds — but plans change, and it seemed more fitting produce an audio slideshow. So here it is, though perhaps a bit later than I’d wished.
I thought it best that the slideshow speak for itself rather than be colored by my own views on the movement.
Please share your reactions!…
Read MoreNovember 17, 2011 Tags: America, economy, freedom, jobs, money, News, occupy
Category: Journalism, News No Comments
Journalism jobs have been springing up throughout B.C. recently — and young journalists are being eyed to fill those positions.
It’s a sign of the times, an admission that tech-savvy and energetic 20-somethings can provide necessary skills to aging newsrooms less inclined to adopt extra work in their already busy days. Some fondly remember the days of spending days on big stories; students now have never known that luxury.
Today, it is all about speed, website hits and the number of published stories.
It has been encouraging to see so many job openings this summer, though competition for those spots is stiff. A young age is now an asset in the eyes of many hiring editors. Those editors are keen to consider young reporters’ tech advice and newsrooms that have limited knowledge of multimedia production are eager to learn.
There have been permanent openings at a number of newspapers. And though there are few …
Read MoreAugust 14, 2011 Tags: college, economy, freelance, future, Journalism, journalist, work
Category: Journalism, Life No Comments
