Wednesday, September 6, 2006

The urban legend of the blog and New-Media Journalism

So yesterday I got news off the Rocket wire that this incredible species of the Internet called a blog was viewed my many in Dr. Zeltner’s New-Media Journalism class. I was pretty surprised to hear that. Considering I really only started the blog in Sept. 2004 to let some of my relatives know what I was up to, I never thought this thing would be so epic or so interesting. But back to the story about New-Media Journalism. When the news came down, I really was surprised again, but also kind of weirded out considering that there are quite a few people in that class that know who I am. So now they know about my feeling about summer and my birthday and all that great crap.

It’s also been weird because I keep getting brought up not only at school but also at home too. My mom told me that they went to Eat’n Park in Grove City to move my sister back to Edinboro (By the way, the Rocket EIC, or as I like to call him, Sir-Calls-A-Lot, likes to go to Eat’n Park. It makes him smile.) and their waitress had been someone who went to SRU. So my mom divulges that I had just graduated from there AND that used to be at the editor. Apparently, this waitress knew who I was. Just thought I’d share.

So, just in case the powers that be decide to look at it again, let me just tell you how New-Media Journalism is like. I had this class with the one and only Dr. Zeltner back in fall 2004 and it was a good time. I got to review a professional wrestling website and it was a sweet website, too, dealing with Mexican wrestlers with masks. I also worked on a group project involving SRU TV legend Ryan Muldowney and Rachel S., a nice lady who had black hair. Rachel and I sat besides each other in class and it was cool, we got along all right. Now at this point, I unequivocally (5-star word) realize that divulging this information will lead to rampant running through the rumor mills and gossip trains and about 10 phone calls from people I know.

Our project dealt with interviewing Dejan of the basketball team and the coach of the team at the time. All in all, I think that turned out pretty well. Of course, Dr. Z got a couple shots in at me, one time saying “Did you really have to run that wrestling headshot so big? I would have run it smaller but I think it was all right.” But again, it was a good time. I got a B, which was pretty normal throughout most of my collegiate experience, considering I viewed studying as looking at the book 15 minutes before the test.

So I never realized how much the blog has grown its own urban legends ever since I started it. I think it’s kind of interesting because a lot of people that I know are absolutely scared to death about what I might write about them, even though most of the time the blog content was just unproductive and silly. At this blog, we keep our game tight like Kobe on game night. I did have this blog for a long time before anyone found about it. I guess I just never got around to telling anyone about it, and besides, I’m not the guys that will point his thumbs at himself and say “ME ME, ME!” I’m well aware others have done great things too and should deserve some attention.

The person who initially discovered this great masterpiece was someone who I will affectionately refer to as C-Mac. C-Mac is originally from Kane, which is only about 20 miles from where I live now. The paper there is called The Kane Republican and it’s actually part of our three-newspaper group owned by the same parent company. I’ve never actually been to Kane, but I’m sure it’s a fun time. C-Mac sat by me in Copy Editing. He said he enjoyed it everyday and wished he could do it again.

Now, to completely go off topic. For all you facebookers out there, you are now in a great and tremendous uproar because Facebook has now changed their settings so everybody knows what everybody is doing. For many of us, it has given even more reason to go on Facebook during classes like, oh, I don’t know, Copy Editing, and look at everybody as they update their profile, add new pictures and basically give their entire life histories away. I think they should make a new option called “Girls/Boys I’d like to date.” You could even have it on different levels depending on how much you like them all the way from “Wouldn’t touch if you paid me” all the way up to “Come on Over, there’s no one here.” Yep, that’s facebook. It’s a stalker’s paradise.

Just a final thought, I know that it will be Thursday once again soon. HAHAHA. Thursday is now just another day to me instead of the day I want to go stick my head in a vice because of the ineptitude of Macintosh. And has everyone wondered what will happen in the year 2525? If man is still alive? If women can survive? Just a thought. Now I’m off to pages and cover some soccer and golf tomorrow. Have a good time.

2 comments:

Sharon said...

To think I knew you when. :)

I always enjoy reading your blog!

Ryan said...

I googled my name and this blog entry came up. I'm honored to be described as an SRU TV legend. Thank you.

-Ryan