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July 31, 2008
yay!
I woke up this morning and guess what? My pressing headache was gone and I seemed to get some quality sleep. Oh, it felt good. Yay!
July 30, 2008
the circle of words
As a writer, I think things might be the hardest when I can't even find a way to express what I'm thinking and feeling through written words.
Not even words just for myself.
I hate the point where I feel so misunderstood and when those places of trust fall apart. The most difficult thing is I know that I've been on the other side of the situation. I know that things aren't as dramatic as they seem, that words are just words that are frequently taken out of context and usually only meant for the surface meaning...not the deeper ones we so often pick apart.
I'm certainly not a good example of this but I hate how judgments made about a person stick with them in other people's minds. I always wonder where mine come from, why people insist on keeping them, and why I can't ever break free from them.
Especially when a group from one part of life would likely never be able to relate to them. Why do some hold to them when others don't see them at all?
I tried. But I'm out of words.
Not even words just for myself.
I hate the point where I feel so misunderstood and when those places of trust fall apart. The most difficult thing is I know that I've been on the other side of the situation. I know that things aren't as dramatic as they seem, that words are just words that are frequently taken out of context and usually only meant for the surface meaning...not the deeper ones we so often pick apart.
I'm certainly not a good example of this but I hate how judgments made about a person stick with them in other people's minds. I always wonder where mine come from, why people insist on keeping them, and why I can't ever break free from them.
Especially when a group from one part of life would likely never be able to relate to them. Why do some hold to them when others don't see them at all?
I tried. But I'm out of words.
July 29, 2008
the unknown number
I am always hesitant to answer a call from a number I don't recognize. But I’m also kinda paranoid about it…meaning that I HAVE to know who it was. I hate it when they don’t leave messages. At this point, I can’t focus on anything else other than thinking about who it was that called. So, like any trained journalist might do, I google the number. Usually this doesn’t result in anything worthwhile. A couple times I have been able to find my way back a trusty program I used in my journalistic research class but most of the times I just find lame results from search engines that do give me any information.
In case you were wondering, yes, this did just happen to me about 10 minutes ago. And yes, I did google the number. And, while I didn’t find much…other than that it probably wasn’t someone I wanted to speak to…I found this site of other people who also received a call and immediately looked online for it. It made me laugh because all of the posts were from today happening about at the same time I got the call. There are people as obsessed as I am out there!!
In case you were wondering, yes, this did just happen to me about 10 minutes ago. And yes, I did google the number. And, while I didn’t find much…other than that it probably wasn’t someone I wanted to speak to…I found this site of other people who also received a call and immediately looked online for it. It made me laugh because all of the posts were from today happening about at the same time I got the call. There are people as obsessed as I am out there!!
writing and editing
OK so fyi another one of my articles has been posted as the lead story on lds.org. This one is on the True to the Faith resource and is one of my top five articles I wrote during my internship. However, I was looking over the posted article (at this lovely link) and there were a couple things that pretty much SORELY STUCK OUT to me while I read it. These things are really just minor editor changes (Luckily for me my editor said I was a really good writer and rarely had to change much of my work) but sometimes these things are so completely off of my personal writing style that when I'm reading and all of the sudden it's different from how I would personally write it, I really have to stop and focus and be like "what does it say?" Not to mention, several of these articles I read and reread so many times that I almost have them subconsciously memorized. This same type of experience actually happened to me as a writer for the Daily Universe as well. One specific change really altered the way I flowed the article when I wrote it and it still bothers me today.
In my article about the Stadium of Fire in 2006. The second paragraph as printed says:
From sending text messages to servicemen to reuniting one family after an eight-month separation, one main focus of the show was honoring the American troops serving their country from around the world.
My original version:
From sending text messages to servicemen to reuniting one family after an eight-month separation, a main focus of the show was honoring the American troops serving their country from around the world.
Caught the difference? The change is simple and to most it doesn't matter but the change here was from "a main focus of the show" to "one main focus of the show." For me, as a writer, reader, and editor, I like the flow that comes with "a main focus" .... at least when I read it. I don't like the word change to one because, first of all, one is repeated twice in that sentence which kinda stops the flow with what seems to be a repetition. Second, the phrase "one main focus" implies that there are many other main focuses. I know that "a main focus" doesn't completely eliminate this idea, but as the writer I chose a over one...and other seemly insignificant small indicators like the...because this main focus was what I thought was the most important, and while there were other themes that repeated throughout the evening, this one was the strongest and the one that would best represent the evening...White it wasn't the only focus, it was the largest and most important...none of the others were worth mentioning.
Ok that probably means nothing to you and probably makes sense to even fewer. But when I first read the printed version of the article, this SO stuck out to me and I really wish it hadn't been changed...especially when the change really doesn't fix any proposed problem the editor likely noticed.
OK on to my True to the Faith article. I honestly haven't read the whole entire thing through yet, but in what I did, I noticed a couple things that just don't fit my style. It's late and I haven't been getting enough sleep lately so I'll just mention one.
The first paragraph....talk about the main focal point of an article! The published version you will all see:
When Robert Lund, a bishop in Kaysville, Utah, USA, encounters any gospel-related question or concern, one resource he always turns to is True to the Faith.
Now, this one probably really really sticks out to me because of how familiar I was with this first sentence. This is a pretty long article so throughout my writing and rewriting of it, I read this first sentence quite a bit in my mind. I'm sure there was a reason they made this change and blah blah blah. But, well, I hate it.
My original version states: When Robert Lund, a bishop in Kaysville, Utah, USA encounters any gospel-related question or concern, there's one resource he always turns to--True to the Faith.
I think the following graphs are the same. I don't remember if I went directly into a quote or first provided information about what True to the Faith is. Ulk, again, this doesn't seem like too big of a change but I can't stand the reorganization in that first sentence. And maybe that's just me.
There's so much to say about the role of an editor to preserve an author's voice and the times its ok to forget rules to make room for a writers artistical voice.....so much to say...and maybe i will someday. but for now, im going to bed.
In my article about the Stadium of Fire in 2006. The second paragraph as printed says:
From sending text messages to servicemen to reuniting one family after an eight-month separation, one main focus of the show was honoring the American troops serving their country from around the world.
My original version:
From sending text messages to servicemen to reuniting one family after an eight-month separation, a main focus of the show was honoring the American troops serving their country from around the world.
Caught the difference? The change is simple and to most it doesn't matter but the change here was from "a main focus of the show" to "one main focus of the show." For me, as a writer, reader, and editor, I like the flow that comes with "a main focus" .... at least when I read it. I don't like the word change to one because, first of all, one is repeated twice in that sentence which kinda stops the flow with what seems to be a repetition. Second, the phrase "one main focus" implies that there are many other main focuses. I know that "a main focus" doesn't completely eliminate this idea, but as the writer I chose a over one...and other seemly insignificant small indicators like the...because this main focus was what I thought was the most important, and while there were other themes that repeated throughout the evening, this one was the strongest and the one that would best represent the evening...White it wasn't the only focus, it was the largest and most important...none of the others were worth mentioning.
Ok that probably means nothing to you and probably makes sense to even fewer. But when I first read the printed version of the article, this SO stuck out to me and I really wish it hadn't been changed...especially when the change really doesn't fix any proposed problem the editor likely noticed.
OK on to my True to the Faith article. I honestly haven't read the whole entire thing through yet, but in what I did, I noticed a couple things that just don't fit my style. It's late and I haven't been getting enough sleep lately so I'll just mention one.
The first paragraph....talk about the main focal point of an article! The published version you will all see:
When Robert Lund, a bishop in Kaysville, Utah, USA, encounters any gospel-related question or concern, one resource he always turns to is True to the Faith.
Now, this one probably really really sticks out to me because of how familiar I was with this first sentence. This is a pretty long article so throughout my writing and rewriting of it, I read this first sentence quite a bit in my mind. I'm sure there was a reason they made this change and blah blah blah. But, well, I hate it.
My original version states: When Robert Lund, a bishop in Kaysville, Utah, USA encounters any gospel-related question or concern, there's one resource he always turns to--True to the Faith.
I think the following graphs are the same. I don't remember if I went directly into a quote or first provided information about what True to the Faith is. Ulk, again, this doesn't seem like too big of a change but I can't stand the reorganization in that first sentence. And maybe that's just me.
There's so much to say about the role of an editor to preserve an author's voice and the times its ok to forget rules to make room for a writers artistical voice.....so much to say...and maybe i will someday. but for now, im going to bed.
July 23, 2008
the world of maps
OK, I know I haven't really blogged about my new job....among many other things people keep asking me about...but I completed this little project yesterday so here
I'm updating some of our past publications' design and such and found this one map that was kind of confusing, especially with kids. It's a world map that's accompanied by an activity teaching more about continents and the different hemispheres.
I was going to try to upload the original and finished files but the original was halfway pieced together in publication and so that won't happen. But here were some of the problems. Both sides of the Prime Meridian were labeled as the Western Hemisphere; Antarctica didn't exist, the files wasn't large enough and was kinda blurry, the key wasn't really connected to the map and students could get confused, the continents were labeled and the countries were colored...but some of the countries were labeled too...but with not distinction. Umm there may have been other things but those are the main ones. Oh, I also edited some of the text to more clearly explain the activity and how to use the map. So let's see if my final product uploads. Seriously, it looks 15 million times better than the original...ok maybe th
at's a bit much :)
I'm not sure if you'll be able to read the text but just see if you can answer the questions....And to do so, please forget any former knowledge you have acquired over your many educational years. :) Rely only on the map.
P.S. Remember the continents are labeled and the countries are colored according to the key.
1. How many continents are on the Earth?
2. Which continent is also a country?
3. Which ocean separates North American from Europe?
4. On which continent is Egypt located?
5. China is in which two hemispheres?
6. Chile is in which two hemispheres?
7. Australia is in which two hemispheres?
P.P.S. This is just the start of your training for Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
I'm updating some of our past publications' design and such and found this one map that was kind of confusing, especially with kids. It's a world map that's accompanied by an activity teaching more about continents and the different hemispheres.
I was going to try to upload the original and finished files but the original was halfway pieced together in publication and so that won't happen. But here were some of the problems. Both sides of the Prime Meridian were labeled as the Western Hemisphere; Antarctica didn't exist, the files wasn't large enough and was kinda blurry, the key wasn't really connected to the map and students could get confused, the continents were labeled and the countries were colored...but some of the countries were labeled too...but with not distinction. Umm there may have been other things but those are the main ones. Oh, I also edited some of the text to more clearly explain the activity and how to use the map. So let's see if my final product uploads. Seriously, it looks 15 million times better than the original...ok maybe th
at's a bit much :)I'm not sure if you'll be able to read the text but just see if you can answer the questions....And to do so, please forget any former knowledge you have acquired over your many educational years. :) Rely only on the map.
P.S. Remember the continents are labeled and the countries are colored according to the key.
1. How many continents are on the Earth?
2. Which continent is also a country?
3. Which ocean separates North American from Europe?
4. On which continent is Egypt located?
5. China is in which two hemispheres?
6. Chile is in which two hemispheres?
7. Australia is in which two hemispheres?
P.P.S. This is just the start of your training for Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
July 21, 2008
blah on me
I try to hold out but usually I don't last very long. I wait to give a chance, but give up because it doesn't happen fast enough. So I give up my stance...maybe just a little combination of my stubbornness, impatience, and such....
The best thing is when you don't have to wait to give that chance, but when you are actually surprised and expectations are far beyond exceeded.
But I hate waiting. I like to think I'm not holding unreasonable expectations. But when it falls again and again....
I probably kid myself in thinking that some of the things I want and need are the same things that others want and need back. That's kinda hard to swallow. I don't want to be in those one way situations......
In truth, I know that most of these things can be canceled out in my life. I need to accept and be thankful with what I have because honestly it's great. Maybe it's seemingly losing the parts that I most depend on and need that make it all seem to fall apart.
I wait to hear the voice I hope to hear, to get a message saying everything I want it to say, to get some reassurance that someone cares. Again, maybe it's too much because sometimes those things never come. It always seems like once again I have to first speak my voice, first send the message initiating what I want to hear, and first offer some reassurance that I care. And that can't be too bad. Maybe I'm too selfish. I don't mind doing those things...but I don't want to always be the one doing it. I know, I know--I recognize that I'm probably exaggerating. Please recognize that I'm applying some very specific situations very broadly. But hey, sometimes exaggeration seems best.
Music has a way of bringing up past feelings, emotions, and even memories. So one phrase from a recent song...from my past.
Maybe tomorrow.
The best thing is when you don't have to wait to give that chance, but when you are actually surprised and expectations are far beyond exceeded.
But I hate waiting. I like to think I'm not holding unreasonable expectations. But when it falls again and again....
I probably kid myself in thinking that some of the things I want and need are the same things that others want and need back. That's kinda hard to swallow. I don't want to be in those one way situations......
In truth, I know that most of these things can be canceled out in my life. I need to accept and be thankful with what I have because honestly it's great. Maybe it's seemingly losing the parts that I most depend on and need that make it all seem to fall apart.
I wait to hear the voice I hope to hear, to get a message saying everything I want it to say, to get some reassurance that someone cares. Again, maybe it's too much because sometimes those things never come. It always seems like once again I have to first speak my voice, first send the message initiating what I want to hear, and first offer some reassurance that I care. And that can't be too bad. Maybe I'm too selfish. I don't mind doing those things...but I don't want to always be the one doing it. I know, I know--I recognize that I'm probably exaggerating. Please recognize that I'm applying some very specific situations very broadly. But hey, sometimes exaggeration seems best.
Music has a way of bringing up past feelings, emotions, and even memories. So one phrase from a recent song...from my past.
Maybe tomorrow.
July 20, 2008
What is life?
I don't know about you, but I know that I have moments where I just want to leave behind everything I know. I want to start new, to be different, to make the decisions I wish I had made in the past, to leave all of my unhappiness behind, to make the most of new relationships, to truly forget the things I wish I could forget.
I don't think I have ever been truly successful at doing this. The big changes in my life constitute some of the biggest opportunities to do so...yet life always seems to remain the same. I always have my family; I always carry my same faults; I always remember the things that hold me back.
This post isn't really getting around to addresses the topic I wanted to address...I suppose maybe you should disregard the previous paragraphs. I don't want them taken out of context...I know I could delete them but why.
What happens when the thing that may help you be content and move forward is the same thing that may be holding another person back...
What makes the difference between real life and the unique opportunities we each get to participate in? Is there a difference?
I don't think I have ever been truly successful at doing this. The big changes in my life constitute some of the biggest opportunities to do so...yet life always seems to remain the same. I always have my family; I always carry my same faults; I always remember the things that hold me back.
This post isn't really getting around to addresses the topic I wanted to address...I suppose maybe you should disregard the previous paragraphs. I don't want them taken out of context...I know I could delete them but why.
What happens when the thing that may help you be content and move forward is the same thing that may be holding another person back...
What makes the difference between real life and the unique opportunities we each get to participate in? Is there a difference?
July 2, 2008
hmm names and such
How do you tell stories about your friends to other unrelated friends? I've kinda noticed some differences in the way I personally tell stories and the way other people tell stories... For example, say I'm telling my roommate about something I did with a friend. When I tell the story I say something like, "I was with my friend Billy..." And then my comments will be, "Oh yea my friend Donna said..." So when I talk about people not known by the people I'm talking to, I always include clarifying information about this people to help others make the connection.
However, when others tell stories I've noticed that sometimes they'll just jump right in...even if I don't know the people they are talking about. They'll say, "I was with Billy and..." or then "Oh yea, Donna said once that..."
So I've been thinking a little about the reasons behind all this...Am I somewhat more territorial about my friends and acquaintances so I have to make sure to indicate that these are "my friends" or what not. Or, maybe I'm just trying to be over accommodating to make sure people know who and what I'm talking about....anyways. That's that.
However, when others tell stories I've noticed that sometimes they'll just jump right in...even if I don't know the people they are talking about. They'll say, "I was with Billy and..." or then "Oh yea, Donna said once that..."
So I've been thinking a little about the reasons behind all this...Am I somewhat more territorial about my friends and acquaintances so I have to make sure to indicate that these are "my friends" or what not. Or, maybe I'm just trying to be over accommodating to make sure people know who and what I'm talking about....anyways. That's that.
July 1, 2008
my first concert
I have just come home from what? MY VERY FIRST CONCERT!! And it was so much fun. The two artists that performed who two of my recent Summer Songs finds--Eric Hutchinson and Marie (pronounced Mar-e-a as I found out today) Digby. I was in VA when I first stumbled upon their pages on myspace. I saw that they had a concert in SLC and was like, well that's dumb...But as it turns out, I came out to SLC just in time!! So here I am with my signed copy of Eric's cd and a one for my "1st Concert" I debated buying the cd but I didn't have an
y of his songs for Summer Songs yet and, heck, I had to have something for him to sign and remember the event with right? It was really really fun tonight. The venue was really small so there were like...oh, 30 of us there. For Marie's performance Marisa and I sat on the floor in the front. It was really fun. It was also interesting because, not many people know them right, but I also heard them being interviewed on several radio stations this evening before the show. That was awesome and really helped me get excited for the concerts. I also found out that Marie's single Say it Again is played the most here in SLC out of anywhere...which is kinda interesting. She actually was "found" mostly via YouTube where she recorded herself singing covers of dozens of songs. She did a cover of Rhianna's Umbrella which I guess was really popular and somehow found its way onto the radio...without her ever thinking twice about it. Tonight was the last night of Eric's an
d Marie's together so of course, they had to play som
e jokes on each other. (Marie is starting to tour with Gavin DeGraw starting tomorrow) So Marie had decorated the stage for Eric with sparkling stuff and Belle on posters in the back and such. Eric got back by using one of the stories Marie tells as an introduction to a song as his own...and later proposed to her during her performance....all in jest though.
The concert was at Kilby Court, and let me tell you, it's in the middle of no where!! But it was cool. Marisa and I just got a little turned around finding it. But it was great because there weren't tons of people and we parked like right there and we got to talk to the a
rtists afterwards and get pictures and stuff without really a wait at all. I think it was good for my first concert. It's especially awesome cuz I totally discovered both of these people on my own and we will only see bigger and better things from these artists...just you watch. So here are some pictures of the venue...if you can see.
Also....before the concert, I tagged along with Marisa to go to dinner with the crew who just finished filming High School Musical 3! It was fun...I got treated to a really expensive dinner by Disney...who can say that? It was interesting. I had a $22 dollar stuffed chicken thingy...and that amount was JUST for the chicken. We ordered like 8 side dishes too like potatoes, brocolli, etc...plus the appetizers included octopus, real tuna, crab, etc, etc. It was kinda awkward cuz I was like...umm I didn't do anything, but if you are alright with including me in the tab, its alrighty with me. We had to leave early to go to our concert so that was kinda awkward but all in all it was good. The talk of the evening was all High School Musical surrounded so I got a lot of the inside scoop about things they are going to have to work around, the cast interactions, and general opinions filming in Utah and the crowd here...interesting stuff.
Anyways...enjoy some more photos of my evening!!!
y of his songs for Summer Songs yet and, heck, I had to have something for him to sign and remember the event with right? It was really really fun tonight. The venue was really small so there were like...oh, 30 of us there. For Marie's performance Marisa and I sat on the floor in the front. It was really fun. It was also interesting because, not many people know them right, but I also heard them being interviewed on several radio stations this evening before the show. That was awesome and really helped me get excited for the concerts. I also found out that Marie's single Say it Again is played the most here in SLC out of anywhere...which is kinda interesting. She actually was "found" mostly via YouTube where she recorded herself singing covers of dozens of songs. She did a cover of Rhianna's Umbrella which I guess was really popular and somehow found its way onto the radio...without her ever thinking twice about it. Tonight was the last night of Eric's an
d Marie's together so of course, they had to play som
e jokes on each other. (Marie is starting to tour with Gavin DeGraw starting tomorrow) So Marie had decorated the stage for Eric with sparkling stuff and Belle on posters in the back and such. Eric got back by using one of the stories Marie tells as an introduction to a song as his own...and later proposed to her during her performance....all in jest though.The concert was at Kilby Court, and let me tell you, it's in the middle of no where!! But it was cool. Marisa and I just got a little turned around finding it. But it was great because there weren't tons of people and we parked like right there and we got to talk to the a
rtists afterwards and get pictures and stuff without really a wait at all. I think it was good for my first concert. It's especially awesome cuz I totally discovered both of these people on my own and we will only see bigger and better things from these artists...just you watch. So here are some pictures of the venue...if you can see.Also....before the concert, I tagged along with Marisa to go to dinner with the crew who just finished filming High School Musical 3! It was fun...I got treated to a really expensive dinner by Disney...who can say that? It was interesting. I had a $22 dollar stuffed chicken thingy...and that amount was JUST for the chicken. We ordered like 8 side dishes too like potatoes, brocolli, etc...plus the appetizers included octopus, real tuna, crab, etc, etc. It was kinda awkward cuz I was like...umm I didn't do anything, but if you are alright with including me in the tab, its alrighty with me. We had to leave early to go to our concert so that was kinda awkward but all in all it was good. The talk of the evening was all High School Musical surrounded so I got a lot of the inside scoop about things they are going to have to work around, the cast interactions, and general opinions filming in Utah and the crowd here...interesting stuff.
Anyways...enjoy some more photos of my evening!!!
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