First things firt -- eating Honey Bunches of Oats Just Bunches. Delicious. Scrapbooked all day, got a few things done for Christmas.
Now I'm waiting for Josh to get home from Florida so we can have a goodnight Skype. Only 19 days till he's here, and I'm so excited I can't stop talking about Christmas to anyone who will listen. Believe me, that list is small, because everyone's getting tired of it.
I watched the Grey Cup tonight. That's how much I love my silly American. I really tried, but I just god bored. The last three or so minutes were kind of exciting when the Roughriders got a touchdown and things were looking up, but then they kind of blew it and the Alouettes got a turnover. I think I'd prefer to watch football over drinks while Josh watches, and I just sit around and look confused. Although maybe going to a game live would be fun. I have a feeling I will get to experience this in the near future.
There's nothing on TV. Must find something to do!
Love,
Annalee.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Congratulations
I wanted to post and just say how ridiculously proud of my boyfriend I am! Josh got an internship with Bloomberg News starting in June! I knew he'd get it, but he was all doubting it. He is amazing!!
It was -37 with the windchill this morning according to the Canadian Weather office, but it turned out there was no wind, so it was just -30...aghh. Calgary was recorded as the second coldest place on earth, and Jasper wasn't far behind. Eff! It's too early in the winter for this shit!
I'm huddled under a blanket wearing my hardcore long johns and jeans, then a tank top, long sleeved shirt and hoodie. Still cold. I think Josh is out celebrating, but I'm hoping to catch him before I snuggle into bed, then wake up and try to find some sort of excuse not to get out of it again. The last few day's it's been the cold -- it's an easy target.
Anyway, congratulations to my incredible boyfriend. Can't wait to visit you wherever you end up!
Love,
Annalee.
It was -37 with the windchill this morning according to the Canadian Weather office, but it turned out there was no wind, so it was just -30...aghh. Calgary was recorded as the second coldest place on earth, and Jasper wasn't far behind. Eff! It's too early in the winter for this shit!
I'm huddled under a blanket wearing my hardcore long johns and jeans, then a tank top, long sleeved shirt and hoodie. Still cold. I think Josh is out celebrating, but I'm hoping to catch him before I snuggle into bed, then wake up and try to find some sort of excuse not to get out of it again. The last few day's it's been the cold -- it's an easy target.
Anyway, congratulations to my incredible boyfriend. Can't wait to visit you wherever you end up!
Love,
Annalee.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Re-vamp
New blog design, for a new re-vamp of my blog. Cross you're fingers that I'll keep to it this time!
Love,
Annalee.
Love,
Annalee.
Sight
My benefits kicked in on Nov. 1, and I have been just waiting for my next cheque to come in so I could buy a pair of lenses for my glasses. I've had the same glasses now for two years, and I can barely see out of them now. Not cool!
I forgot though, how much of a pain in the ass buying new glasses is. It's super expensive, takes a really long time and you have to deal with the most horrible sales staff ever as they try to sell you all types of stupid coatings. Seriously, $60 to dip my lens in juice? Shove it!
I went to a store in Cranbrook, and the guy literally harrassed me. He must have asked me 10 different times if I wanted all the coatings. I said seriously, I don't want them pal. We left, and he still thought he had a chance to sell the coatings on my way out.
I tried this online site where you upload a photo of yourself and you can try the glasses on it, kind of. I tried it but I'm not too sure how well it could possibly work. I had a hard time getting my head to fit. The glasses were all too small. Maybe my head is just too big.
Anyway, I am still without glasses, blind and poor now. Just the way I started.
Love,
Annalee.
I forgot though, how much of a pain in the ass buying new glasses is. It's super expensive, takes a really long time and you have to deal with the most horrible sales staff ever as they try to sell you all types of stupid coatings. Seriously, $60 to dip my lens in juice? Shove it!
I went to a store in Cranbrook, and the guy literally harrassed me. He must have asked me 10 different times if I wanted all the coatings. I said seriously, I don't want them pal. We left, and he still thought he had a chance to sell the coatings on my way out.
I tried this online site where you upload a photo of yourself and you can try the glasses on it, kind of. I tried it but I'm not too sure how well it could possibly work. I had a hard time getting my head to fit. The glasses were all too small. Maybe my head is just too big.
Anyway, I am still without glasses, blind and poor now. Just the way I started.
Love,
Annalee.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Keep up
I wrote this on Monday night when the power went out.
Ah irony. You are a cruel mistress. I was just telling Josh about Jasper’s power outage issues, and I said, “there hasn’t been one in awhile,” and then BAM! Power goes out.
So with not enough light to read (like I would read anyway, we all know I hate reading), I thought I would catch up on my blog. Not that I can post it till the power is back on, but it gives me some time.
My feet are already cold, I would like to note. With all this candle light I feel I should have wine and some sort of suit-clad gentleman as entertainment, but alas, I am very much alone. At least I’m writing. It fits somehow.
I spent the weekend in Calgary and had a blast. The Fitz lent me a camera that turned out to be a ghost camera. Halfway through the evening, it deleted all my pictures. Being a photographer I got upset and had to be consoled. I angrily posted on my Facebook that I hoped they return, and alas, by morning they had crawled back to their spot on the memory card. When I said I hoped they would return I was angrily wishing, but apparently that’s all it took (I wish the power would go back on, it’s winter and my feet are cold!....Nope, nothing. I guess my luck has run out).
So in other camera news I left my Canon in Calgary. Ally shipped it to me on the overnight express with a ton of insurance, but I have no faith in it arriving here by lunchtime as it’s supposed to. Why does Canada Post promise things it can’t deliver??
I got distratced and started writing something else, so I will finish this now!
Surprise! Canada Post actually got my camera to me on time. Hooray! I honestly couldn't believe it. I nearly cheered.
Anyway. Sorry for not posting for awhile. I'm rediscovering how much I love writing just for fun this week. Try to keep up!
Love,
Annalee.
We're people too
Working as a Journalist is a really tough job, and I don't think a lot of people realize why. It is my job as a journalist to write unbiased pieces that present both sides of an argument, and are completely factual. Sounds easy, right?
It is, to a point, but journalists need certain skills that some don't have. I learned this yesterday, when we had a student for the day spend the afternoon at our office. She asked a million questions to my editor, Carrie and it made me realize that this is a specialized career choice, and it's not for everyone.
One of the toughest parts of the job is generally dealing with the people. I am sad to admit that in my job I have been treated unfairly more times than I can count by people I interview, those who read my stories, or people who don't read the whole thing but feel the need to comment. This hasn't happened to me as much at the Fitzhugh, but I felt I needed to write something to remind people that us journalists, we are people too.
I have learned quickly that there are different kinds of interviews, and you can generally pick out what your source is going to be in the first few minutes. This is why I prefer phone interviews to in-person ones. Recently I dealt with a man who talked down to me as if I were nothing. He told me what I should write my story about, where I should put it, and why it belonged on our front page. He was incorrect. This is one of those skills I was talking about. I have learned to pick out what is news. What belongs on the front page, and how to write the story with the most important facts first, followed by things to compliment your lead, or first sentence. It's called the inverted pyramid.
A quick way to draw the ire of a reporter is to tell them how they should be doing their job. As a journalist, it is not our job to instruct you on how to do whatever job or thing it is we're interviewing you about. We assume you respect our position the same way.
Another point to remember, is generally a reporter and other editorial staff does not have control over where something is placed in a newspaper. What has control is advertising. The editor is given what is called a dummy, which is a template that shows where the adds are placed. the editorial content wraps around the advertisements. The front page goes to the top story, and the rest of the paper is organized however that particular paper decides. Ours has the top story on the front, our editorial and letters page, a feature, then the rest of the content spills through the rest of the paper with a sports section and arts and culture. The point is, generally if you request a particular spot in the paper, it cannot be guaranteed.
I've been reemed out by many a parent bitter their kid's photo didn't make the paper. I have a delightfully cynical answer to this, but the bottom line is, as a photographer, I pick the images that are the best out of the shots I have taken. Sometimes that's not your kid. I have one girl at one of the elementary schools in Jasper that freaks out and screams PAPARAZZI at me everytime she sees me. She begs me everytime to put her in the paper, and poses for photos that I absolutely know I can't run. Most reputable photographers will go for a candid shot anyday, over a posed, obviously contrived one. I feel bad for this girl and would love to take a photo I could run of her, but I can't seem to go within 50 metres of the school without her finding me and going into a pose.
Another complaint is about mistakes. Yes, journalists do make mistakes once in awhile. We are human. If the mistake was our fault, we will print a retraction and apologize. Sometimes, however, our sources make the mistake. If a mistake is reported, we go back through our notes and make sure it wasn't our fault. If it is, retraction. If not, we invite the person with the complaint to write a letter in to smooth over the issue.
Anyway, what I'm getting at is we are human, and we receive complaints and negativity a lot. I have developed a thick skin doing this job. I have a great bunch of ladies I work with, and when someone takes something out on us, we are extremely supportive of each other. We laugh and giggle about it. Just know that journalists aren't like other people. We are witty and have a sense of humour that no one else shares, and stupid complaints do not go unnoticed.
I love my job, and there's nothing else in the world I want to do. I get to do the coolest things on a daily basis, and I am constantly learning. Not everyone can do this job, and I feel lucky I have the skills to do it. Be nice to your local journalists, because we're people too.
Love,
Annalee.
It is, to a point, but journalists need certain skills that some don't have. I learned this yesterday, when we had a student for the day spend the afternoon at our office. She asked a million questions to my editor, Carrie and it made me realize that this is a specialized career choice, and it's not for everyone.
One of the toughest parts of the job is generally dealing with the people. I am sad to admit that in my job I have been treated unfairly more times than I can count by people I interview, those who read my stories, or people who don't read the whole thing but feel the need to comment. This hasn't happened to me as much at the Fitzhugh, but I felt I needed to write something to remind people that us journalists, we are people too.
I have learned quickly that there are different kinds of interviews, and you can generally pick out what your source is going to be in the first few minutes. This is why I prefer phone interviews to in-person ones. Recently I dealt with a man who talked down to me as if I were nothing. He told me what I should write my story about, where I should put it, and why it belonged on our front page. He was incorrect. This is one of those skills I was talking about. I have learned to pick out what is news. What belongs on the front page, and how to write the story with the most important facts first, followed by things to compliment your lead, or first sentence. It's called the inverted pyramid.
A quick way to draw the ire of a reporter is to tell them how they should be doing their job. As a journalist, it is not our job to instruct you on how to do whatever job or thing it is we're interviewing you about. We assume you respect our position the same way.
Another point to remember, is generally a reporter and other editorial staff does not have control over where something is placed in a newspaper. What has control is advertising. The editor is given what is called a dummy, which is a template that shows where the adds are placed. the editorial content wraps around the advertisements. The front page goes to the top story, and the rest of the paper is organized however that particular paper decides. Ours has the top story on the front, our editorial and letters page, a feature, then the rest of the content spills through the rest of the paper with a sports section and arts and culture. The point is, generally if you request a particular spot in the paper, it cannot be guaranteed.
I've been reemed out by many a parent bitter their kid's photo didn't make the paper. I have a delightfully cynical answer to this, but the bottom line is, as a photographer, I pick the images that are the best out of the shots I have taken. Sometimes that's not your kid. I have one girl at one of the elementary schools in Jasper that freaks out and screams PAPARAZZI at me everytime she sees me. She begs me everytime to put her in the paper, and poses for photos that I absolutely know I can't run. Most reputable photographers will go for a candid shot anyday, over a posed, obviously contrived one. I feel bad for this girl and would love to take a photo I could run of her, but I can't seem to go within 50 metres of the school without her finding me and going into a pose.
Another complaint is about mistakes. Yes, journalists do make mistakes once in awhile. We are human. If the mistake was our fault, we will print a retraction and apologize. Sometimes, however, our sources make the mistake. If a mistake is reported, we go back through our notes and make sure it wasn't our fault. If it is, retraction. If not, we invite the person with the complaint to write a letter in to smooth over the issue.
Anyway, what I'm getting at is we are human, and we receive complaints and negativity a lot. I have developed a thick skin doing this job. I have a great bunch of ladies I work with, and when someone takes something out on us, we are extremely supportive of each other. We laugh and giggle about it. Just know that journalists aren't like other people. We are witty and have a sense of humour that no one else shares, and stupid complaints do not go unnoticed.
I love my job, and there's nothing else in the world I want to do. I get to do the coolest things on a daily basis, and I am constantly learning. Not everyone can do this job, and I feel lucky I have the skills to do it. Be nice to your local journalists, because we're people too.
Love,
Annalee.
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