With every ending comes new beginnings. The print industry is going through an evolution of sorts. It seems like a grim time for newspapers across the world as people seemingly find their news from other, much faster, sources.
I think that it is an exciting time to be in print because you have the ability to reinvent the wheel. The industry will die if it follows the path it's on. Newspapers aren't used to break news anymore. They need to be looked at like a community machine, if you will.
Take Woodstock, for example. The Bugle Observer (or the Carleton FreePress when they were here) don't pretend that they are the only place that people are finding news. Anything huge, we're going to hear about on radio, television or the internet. The traditional response is that the newspaper is supposed to further detail things for us.
I will even go so far as to say that the newspaper has the ability to transform itself into something wholly different by covering events in the community. Papers will sell if your kid, or your dog, or your team, or your friend, or your business is featured. And ads will sell if papers are selling. I'm sure that's why papers in smaller centers are staying alive (even if it's barely alive).
Maybe I'm not saying anything new, but alas, that's what I think right now.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Old Friends and Bookends
Life is a funny little thing sometimes. The things that probably should be awkward and weird are not, and things that should be natural are.
I said on this very blog not too long ago that some things are better left unsaid. I was wrong.
I'm not saying you should say every little thing that pops in your head...you'd start sounding like a James Joyce novel. (That is a headtrip to read...even more of one to listen to someone like that). However, in the last couple of weeks, I've discovered a lot about myself and the people around me. Some of it impacted me initially in a rather negative way; however, it has turned into one of the most positive times in my life.
If there's somethin' on your mind....spill it. You'll feel better. I promise.
I said on this very blog not too long ago that some things are better left unsaid. I was wrong.
I'm not saying you should say every little thing that pops in your head...you'd start sounding like a James Joyce novel. (That is a headtrip to read...even more of one to listen to someone like that). However, in the last couple of weeks, I've discovered a lot about myself and the people around me. Some of it impacted me initially in a rather negative way; however, it has turned into one of the most positive times in my life.
If there's somethin' on your mind....spill it. You'll feel better. I promise.
Friday, March 6, 2009
He's Just Not That Into You
So...I just completed a rather enjoyable day. I realized how exceptionally cool I was when after watching a girly romantic-comedy with two great girls, I say (in my out loud voice), "wow, I feel like I need to go home and blog about this."
Seriously, this is what my life has become. A few short months ago, I thought blogging was the epitome of self-centered, gratuitous, public journals--I have become the person I once loathed (And I LOVE it!! muahahaha). Occasionally I may actually blog about important things..but not tonight.
The movie I saw tonight, He's Just Not That Into You, was hilarious. Hilarious because I saw myself and many of my friends in every female character in that movie. The protagonist was essentially a caricature of many single women in their twenties and thirties. EVERYTHING a guy does contains some sort of sign or secret message. Then, we analyze each of these signs ad nauseum with friends, until we convince ourselves that the particular male character in our lives LIKES US! Actually Like Likes us. Any logical person knows and will tell you that this is irrational behaviour. Does it stop??? OF COURSE NOT!
I think, to some degree, that it gives us hope. Most of us know that our very own John Cusack isn't going to stand outside our bedroom window with his ghetto blaster playing a love song, or that Richard Gere is going to drive up in his white limousine, whilst overcoming his fear of heights to climb the fire escape into our apartment...we know that. But part of us REALLY, REALLY wants to believe that some guy (no, not just some guy, THE GUY) is going to swoop in and perform that grand romantic gesture.
Well...I am most definitely a sap. Oh well, I will go to sleep tonight with a smile in my heart.
P.S. I am aware that it is perfectly alright and awesome being an independent person, and I'm kind of rocking that life. That's why I'm not willing to settle for just anyone.
The link is to The Cure's "Friday I'm in Love." They used it in the end credits of the film, and I LOVE IT!!
Seriously, this is what my life has become. A few short months ago, I thought blogging was the epitome of self-centered, gratuitous, public journals--I have become the person I once loathed (And I LOVE it!! muahahaha). Occasionally I may actually blog about important things..but not tonight.
The movie I saw tonight, He's Just Not That Into You, was hilarious. Hilarious because I saw myself and many of my friends in every female character in that movie. The protagonist was essentially a caricature of many single women in their twenties and thirties. EVERYTHING a guy does contains some sort of sign or secret message. Then, we analyze each of these signs ad nauseum with friends, until we convince ourselves that the particular male character in our lives LIKES US! Actually Like Likes us. Any logical person knows and will tell you that this is irrational behaviour. Does it stop??? OF COURSE NOT!
I think, to some degree, that it gives us hope. Most of us know that our very own John Cusack isn't going to stand outside our bedroom window with his ghetto blaster playing a love song, or that Richard Gere is going to drive up in his white limousine, whilst overcoming his fear of heights to climb the fire escape into our apartment...we know that. But part of us REALLY, REALLY wants to believe that some guy (no, not just some guy, THE GUY) is going to swoop in and perform that grand romantic gesture.
Well...I am most definitely a sap. Oh well, I will go to sleep tonight with a smile in my heart.
P.S. I am aware that it is perfectly alright and awesome being an independent person, and I'm kind of rocking that life. That's why I'm not willing to settle for just anyone.
The link is to The Cure's "Friday I'm in Love." They used it in the end credits of the film, and I LOVE IT!!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Hold On
My grandmother had a heart attack this weekend. No one knew it was a heart attack until tests were run later. In the last ten years, nanny has had two strokes and now two heart attacks. When her doctor recommended she move to a nursing home seven years ago, I'm sure he didn't think she had much longer. She did. This weekend, the hospital called my mom and her sister and told them to get there at 3am because they weren't sure she'd pull through the night. She did. I'm not sure why anyone is surprised. Pierette Woods is probably the strongest, most dignified woman I know.
She's a mother of seven: five boys and two girls. There were three kids in diapers at one time. That is strength.
She made three meals a day for her large family. At the time, this was the norm in society. Hard to believe. I can't even imagine peeling potatoes for nine people. That is strength.
Her third born, Kenny, died in a car accident at the age of seventeen. No mother should ever have to lose a child. That is strength.
Having none of your children, for various reasons, stay in the town that you live in after they finished high school. Possibly feeling abaondoned, though I'm sure that wasn't the case. That is strength.
Losing the love of your life, who you've known since you were three years old, to a long battle with cancer, and being able to carry on. That is strength.
Now, suffering with congestive heart failure for many years. It seems unlikely that she'll make it much longer. Though, it has seemed unlikely that she'd survive as long as she has. Quite frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if she outlasted us all. But why would she want to?
The pain she's in now, compounded with the pain she's already endured. It would be easy to just let go. She keeps holding on. That is strength.
She's a mother of seven: five boys and two girls. There were three kids in diapers at one time. That is strength.
She made three meals a day for her large family. At the time, this was the norm in society. Hard to believe. I can't even imagine peeling potatoes for nine people. That is strength.
Her third born, Kenny, died in a car accident at the age of seventeen. No mother should ever have to lose a child. That is strength.
Having none of your children, for various reasons, stay in the town that you live in after they finished high school. Possibly feeling abaondoned, though I'm sure that wasn't the case. That is strength.
Losing the love of your life, who you've known since you were three years old, to a long battle with cancer, and being able to carry on. That is strength.
Now, suffering with congestive heart failure for many years. It seems unlikely that she'll make it much longer. Though, it has seemed unlikely that she'd survive as long as she has. Quite frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if she outlasted us all. But why would she want to?
The pain she's in now, compounded with the pain she's already endured. It would be easy to just let go. She keeps holding on. That is strength.
Monday, March 2, 2009
In like a lamb..no lion...no lamb..no lion..no, LAMB.
Well...I've started two separate blogs in the past couple of days that I just couldn't complete. One was about Tasers, and the other I just opened a "new post" and didn't make it any further than that.
This feels like the first March break that I've really had since I was in high school. I started working when I was 18 (which I realize is fairly late, but I babysat forty hours a week the two summers before I worked at Kent), and once I started working, I worked every break I had. Then, when I graduated from university in 'o5, the working world consumed me. My point is really that I'm taking an actual break right now. It's wholly strange. Certainly not anything I'm accustomed to, considering I take life on at 100 miles an hour 98.376% of the time.
March has traditionally been my favourite month. I'm not gonna lie about it, my birthday being in March doesn't hurt...but it goes further than that. Days have grown long enough that you don't feel like curling up and sleeping at 6pm; there are signs (however small they may be..like 8 or 9 birds in a tree) of spring; and really the promise of new beginnings and fresh starts. That's what it's about.
February ended in a cataclysmically cathartic chaos for me. March, even before I left Woodstock, began much more serenely, with a fresh outlook. Thus, March has come in like a lamb...that's the final consensus. I sure hope it's not out like a LION!!! (or if it is, I hope it's the lion from The Wizard of Oz....I really could while away the hours....)
This feels like the first March break that I've really had since I was in high school. I started working when I was 18 (which I realize is fairly late, but I babysat forty hours a week the two summers before I worked at Kent), and once I started working, I worked every break I had. Then, when I graduated from university in 'o5, the working world consumed me. My point is really that I'm taking an actual break right now. It's wholly strange. Certainly not anything I'm accustomed to, considering I take life on at 100 miles an hour 98.376% of the time.
March has traditionally been my favourite month. I'm not gonna lie about it, my birthday being in March doesn't hurt...but it goes further than that. Days have grown long enough that you don't feel like curling up and sleeping at 6pm; there are signs (however small they may be..like 8 or 9 birds in a tree) of spring; and really the promise of new beginnings and fresh starts. That's what it's about.
February ended in a cataclysmically cathartic chaos for me. March, even before I left Woodstock, began much more serenely, with a fresh outlook. Thus, March has come in like a lamb...that's the final consensus. I sure hope it's not out like a LION!!! (or if it is, I hope it's the lion from The Wizard of Oz....I really could while away the hours....)
Thursday, February 26, 2009
This is Me
Someone recently told me to make a list of things that I like about myself. I'm not entirely sure what that will accomplish. Will I look at the list and then not be able to fit through doors as my head is so big? Who knows? This person is wise, so I'm going to give it a whirl. I probably shouldn't do it this publicly, but alas, my journal is too far away, and I hate writing in notepad on the computer.
I think I've got a good sense of humour. I'm reasonably intelligent. I'm empathetic (sometimes I despise this about myself, but I'm mostly thankful for it). I like the colour o f my eyes. I like that I play the trombone. I like my friends. I usually like my hair. As annoying as they may be for some, I like my puns. I'm feeling pretty weird about this. I like that I'm president of the student council. I like my work ethic. Well.....this self-indulgent list is getting quite long enough I think.
Ok, this is one of the hardest things I've ever written, and I've written a five-page paper about a comma in John Donne's "Death be not Proud" poem. Seriously.
As a sidebar, will the Barenaked Ladies survive without Stephen Paige? I personally am going to miss the soothing tone of his sweet tenor tunes. Time will only tell. And what the hell was Paige thinking, leaving the band. One week, if he loses a million dollars, discovers alcohol and moves into the old apartment, is how long it will take Paige to return to the Ladies. I can't stand to learn anyone else's name in the band, except Ed.
I think I've got a good sense of humour. I'm reasonably intelligent. I'm empathetic (sometimes I despise this about myself, but I'm mostly thankful for it). I like the colour o f my eyes. I like that I play the trombone. I like my friends. I usually like my hair. As annoying as they may be for some, I like my puns. I'm feeling pretty weird about this. I like that I'm president of the student council. I like my work ethic. Well.....this self-indulgent list is getting quite long enough I think.
Ok, this is one of the hardest things I've ever written, and I've written a five-page paper about a comma in John Donne's "Death be not Proud" poem. Seriously.
As a sidebar, will the Barenaked Ladies survive without Stephen Paige? I personally am going to miss the soothing tone of his sweet tenor tunes. Time will only tell. And what the hell was Paige thinking, leaving the band. One week, if he loses a million dollars, discovers alcohol and moves into the old apartment, is how long it will take Paige to return to the Ladies. I can't stand to learn anyone else's name in the band, except Ed.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The things I can't say
I am an open person. I don't have many secrets (especially not after my documentary screening the other night). Thank you to everyone who came. I truly felt loved.
I feel like there are a few things that I can't express, despite my typically open attitude. My reasons for keeping the secrets I have are for the sake of protecting those around me. Sometimes it's hard to hold everything inside. But, I have to.
No good could come from saying everything. I mean, that's why we, as human beings, have filters. A wise friend of mine recently said (in a blog) to seize the day. I'm not sure what, if any, good could come from spilling my guts on this one.
I also think it's impossible to keep things in completely. It really hurts to do that. So, alas, I'm using this forum to speak in circles. I would apologize for this; however, I find myself apologizing a lot lately, and I'm not really sure why. I wonder if using those two words so often negates their meaning.
Sometimes I wish I could scream and yell and get angry, but that's not me. And I don't really feel like that. I think my empathy for others (including the people who hurt me sometimes) makes me understand why people do the things they do. Thus, I can justify it in my mind, thus I can't get angry. I just hurt.
This certainly isn't an indication of how I feel all the time....just right now. Don't worry about me, I will be fine. I just needed to write this.
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