Electronic Journalism

Well, here is my debut as a serious video journalist.

http://youtu.be/r4Rvb1ZO7ok

I have learned a few key things from this assignment.

1. The microphone jack and the headphone jack are different things.
2. If you pull a little harder, your tripod will extend and you will not leave your soundbite looking like he's going into the light any second.
3. Editing video is time-consuming.
4. I do not like to hear the sound of my voice over and over and over while I am editing video.
5. I thought I felt like a dork as a beginning print journalist, but that was nothing compared to my anxiety over being seen in public with a video camera.
6. The concepts I failed to grasp in photojournalism are coming back to haunt me. I did set the curve on the written exam, but application was another story completely.

As the semester went on, I got to learn these additional lessons.

1. Batteries die.
2. Mics can cut out at key points (even when plugged in correctly and turned on)
3. Electronic journalism students need tripods that work, cameras, batteries, an external mic and tapes. All are essential to success.
4. Editing video takes a lot of time.

Here's my final story of the semester.

And one I did on a diversity series and another on advising.

I hate coughing!

I am sick of coughing. I've done enough of it to last a dang lifetime since Sunday. Enough of this nonsense. I dread going to bed because the minute my head hits the pillow, I get the cough chorus going on. Yeah, yeah, get some rest, "they say." Ha! Try to sleep and hack your internal organs out of your body. I hope the NyQuil does a better job tonight.

Jacob says …

My son told me some things that I did not know tonight. As he was carrying some stuff for me after I told him I could get it. He insisted he carry it. "I am happy to help you mom because girls need help. Isn't that why you had kids? To help you?"

Not exactly I tell him.

"Oh, I know. You had kids so you could learn responsibility!"

Where does this boy get these ideas?!

Let's note that his behavior at Cub Scouts was not overly impressive tonight. THEN he says, "Now you are responsible, so you get harder problems, like how I acted at Cub Scouts tonight."

Dear God, it's me, REGINA!

Playing with the Slideshow Function in Blogger

Embeded video from kid on bike

6, 7 & 8

And all boys. This week, we've had an addition to our house. The boys' cousin has been in Topeka for a visit. It was E-Week (aka VBS) at our church this week, so they were entertained each day from 9 a.m. to noon.

Then we explored the swimming pool two days, the zoo, the Lego Exhibit at Washburn, the new Discovery Center and Gene's office. We've had Taco John's, Dairy Queen and McDonalds.

Ashton sleeps in Jacob's room one night and then Jared's room the next. Mostly, it's been fine.

We've decided that the best car order is Jacob in the middle. I've learned that a Camry is not ideal for three boys ages 6,7 and 8, considering two of them still sit in car seats.

I've learned a lot about Star Wars as Ashton is a complete SW junkie. Jacob's stuck on Harry Potter and Jared does not stick long on anything. At any rate, it reminds me of fun summer days that I spent with my sister Jenny and my cousin Angela at our grandparents. We were all very different girls, but we had so much fun together.

Paris Trip 2011

Nothing Works

I blog because it helps me sort things out. I have my blog connected to Facebook, so I can get some credit for actually being ON Facebook. I obviously also feel the need to explain things.

Today I learned that nothing works, but you might be surprised to learn that it was helpful. Jared was bugging Jacob, who was trying to photograph nature in the front yard, so Jacob decided it was a good idea to choke his brother. I did not agree.

I am working on email and getting the piles of paper off the dining room table, so I made them come sit with me near the table. They got nothing but a cup of water. I think they sat for about 25 minutes. Then they decided to start making deals about how nicely they are going to play the rest of the day.

Before they went back outside to play, they even cleaned their rooms without fighting.

There is no manual. What works today will likely not work tomorrow. Simply celebrate success :)

Summer Vacation

For a perpetual control freak, summer does not conjure up feelings of joy for me. I am typically relieved that the spring semester is over, but summer means transition and plans heavily tied to a weather forecast.

I have this wonderful vision of carefree kids enjoying the perks of summer. To Jared, that means swimming and ice cream every day. To Jacob, it means nonstop time on the DS.

Is there a guidebook out there for moms to create carefree summer experiences for kids? Is it OK if I let Jacob play the DS for 10 hours a day (my instincts scream a huge NO! here, so he's probably out of luck).

Do I simply agree to cool the yard and quit bugging them to shut the front door? How many times should we go to the pool? When should we do errands? How do you arrange quality play dates when most of their friends are in day camps because their parents work? How much unstructured time is good? There is a difference between unstructured and unscheduled. And then, they bug me to death to play the Wii, DS or be on the computer.


I remember some adventures from my summers. There are things we did at grandma's house that I would probably faint even imaging one of my boys doing. How do you find the balance between protecting them and letting them grow up and have some non-mother-approved fun?

And, who is the nut who says summer is fun and relaxing? Hmph!

Mom says

When I was a kid, I remember telling my own mother numerous times that she would be so much happier if she would just lower her standards for what a clean house entailed. My oldest son has developed a bad habit of tossing his trash behind the TV at our house. We have gone over this a few times, as you can imagine.

Today was another incident. Our conversation brought back memories.

Me: "Why on earth are you still throwing trash behind the TV?"
Jacob: "Why do you keep looking back there?"
Me: Stunned silence.
Jacob: "If you did not look back there every day, you would not be so mad at me!"

Family Trip

Well, we saw our first nephew graduate from high school on Friday night in Arkansas. It was a bit chilly because I packed when it was 80, not paying much attention to the cold temps this weekend.

We traveled just over 1,000 miles this weekend. We left Thursday around 4 p.m. (ask Gene why it wasn't closer to 3:30 p.m.) We returned today around 4 p.m. We stayed at a Comfort Inn in Fayetteville, Ark.; a Super 8 in Jacksonville, Ark.; a Drury Inn in Springfield, Mo. We decided to make a mini-vacation out of the trip, so we drove back toward Branson on Saturday (ugh! I much prefer the other route, less hilly and all four lane).

We were "robbed" at Branson's Wax museum, which the boys were mostly scared of, but we did better at the indoor mini-golf course down the road. Remember, it was COLD and I packed us for 80-degree weather. We bought cheap hoodies/sweatshirts/coats at Walmart this a.m. before we headed to Fantastic Caverns, which both boys really enjoyed. A much better investment than the Wax Museum, but you live and learn.

A huge thanks to the Dunstans for loaning us two portable DVD players (the boys certainly had their moments on the trip, but these helped immensely.) Yeah for hotel swimming pools, the cheapest and favorite kid attraction.

And yeah for free breakfasts, especially when you have Jared in tow. Our little one LOVES breakfast, and he will eat and eat and eat. This morning he wanted to go back and get more (again), and I asked him where he was going to put it all. Without missing a beat, he said "plate" and kept eating.

The boys are already asleep, and I hope they will be eager for the final full week of school. Only 7.5 more school days until the joy/terror of summer vacation begins.

Fishing at Gage Park

I'm about to throw my dad under the bus (sorry, dad!) And, Gene's dad, too (sorry big Gene).

I had to bring in reinforcement from one of my college boys to assist me in teaching some Boy Scouts how to fish. Apparently, that's a job fathers are generally taxed with.

Well, at the lake a few summers ago, Gene was none too happy when our pastor pressed a handful of worms into his hand. (Wish I had video to share).

Well, dad, you can be proud. By the end of the night, I managed to thread three worms on hooks. (yes, it was completely disgusting).

Jacob caught four fish. His first four. And as for Gene, well, he was called to other duties as he took Jared to his football camp at Washburn.

A big thanks to Josh Rouse, the fishing expert. Several of the boys caught fish, so it was a success.

Jared's turn

We took a family bike ride to celebrate the weather and mother's day this afternoon. Jared was having a few difficulties and he kept complaining that his behind hurt. When we arrived home about an hour later, my skills as a mom were requested.

"Come on mom," Jared said. "Let's go fix my butt."

Jacob says …

We walked around the campus tonight and decided to shoot baskets while we waited for Gene to come home from work. We met a nice lady on our walk and her puppy, JoJo. She let Jacob walk the dog for a spell, which prompted Jacob to plan ahead for his future dog. He says this.

"I can't play basketball and have a dog!"

"Why not," I ask somewhat confused as I watch him shoot hoops.

"Well, I could if I had a wife. I mean, if I can get one. Then she could stay home with our dog and watch me play basketball on TV."

An anthropological introduction to YouTube

dear blog

I'm a blogger without a blog post. I implore my students to capture a slice of life within their blog posts.

Today, I am caught in a swirl of life, unable to make the catch.

Snow Day

Jacob was super eager to go out and help Gene shovel the walk this morning. He swept off the porch and made a path through the yard and cleaned off a path beside the cars partly, all before Gene got outside. I was watching from the window as moms often do, seeing a little boy not so little anymore. Gene was shoveling the big path down the driveway, working his way up and down the path. Every couple of seconds. "Dad, look at this, my shovel stands up in the snow by itself." "Dad, I want to help sweep off the cars." "Dad, I've got this." "Dad, I have a great idea. Let's scoop the snow this way." "Dad, I am tired. I am going to have to take breaks." He stands on the front porch for two, maybe three seconds. "Break time is over. Back to work." Gene: "I wish I had a snow blower." Jacob: "Maybe we can save our money for one. It really would be best if we had one." "Mom, I am so cold, mostly my hands are so cold. I have to come inside. Can I have some hot chocolate?"

things my son says, part 2

It's great having another reader in the family, generally. In this week's Sunday bulletin, there was a blurb about an upcoming girls night out. When Jacob read this in the bulletin, he says to me, "Mom I really hope you are going to go to this girls thing. Then we can do something FUN with dad."

Things my son says

Sunday's message was addressing the question that comes from Luke 14:28-35. When it comes down to it, are we really willing to follow Jesus if it costs us everything? (It does, by the way). Jacob was drawing during the service, so I expected he was also listening somewhat. I later asked him what he thought about giving everything up for Jesus. His reply, "Well, I did sing today."

For perspective, it might help to know that Jacob's least favorite part of Sunday worship is the singing.