Summer 2011 | Update No. 5 | The Journalism Year



The cover to the Final Draft of The Journalism Year. Only time will tell if the project will indeed achieve 1st Edition status. For now, it stands as a memento to both the idea itself, the work undergone, and the spirit it's fomented.



Summer 2011, like so many summers before it, has indeed come to an end. The special thing about this summer, of course, is that it prefaces one of the most exciting and also worrisome school years yet: senior year of high school.

Long before now, I thought of senior year as last stand of sorts, as the last chance to get it all right, from academia to attitude to experiences had. And indeed, I still think of it this way. This is my time to close this chapter of my life with the best ending possible.

That responsibility, even if only applicable towards myself is a daunting one.

Some parts of senior year - applying for college, the classes I'm now going to take, the activities that are planned for the senior class - I predicted. For a long time. What I didn't predict was what my approach to all of them would be. What kind of person would I be, with what outlook and opinions and values and beliefs, when senior year came around? This, I could only ponder indefinitely. But now the time has come. And luckily, one endeavor - which was conceived long before thoughts of senior year came around - is exclusively symbolic of my approach to this act de resistance moment.

The Journalism Year.

As you know, this endeavor began asw a purely academic pursuit. Finding shortcomings in the journalistic offerings of my TV Production magnet, I began drafting an auxiliary curriculum that would focus on these underrepresented aspects of TV Production - writing, understanding news and trends, interview skills and more - and be delivered to the incoming freshmen for this 2011-2012 school year.

It was born out of a growing understanding of journalism as well as a genuine desire to improve the program and maximize the opportunities it could offer to its students. It aimed to supplement, not supplant, Mr. Diaz's incredible designs and curriculum, which, believe it or not, have been my driving force all these years of high school for much more than just projects in the class.

But changes occurred. Mr. Diaz left the television program at South Miami for the one at Coral Reef, for understandable reasons. Someone else came in as his replacement.

When I found out that this was happening, I was dumbfounded. Not because of the project's now doubtful feature, but because such an amazing influence had left my immediate vicinity - the TV studio. The very place where he'd taught me and the rest of us so much.

It was not easy news to take.

Following that realization were my thoughts about the project. Where was it headed now? Was it worth completing it according to plan?

Those questions weren't answered in the nick of time. But one very important realization supplanted those doubts.

The project had grown, and its spirit remained as intact as ever. Whenever I fantasized about how the project would run throughout the year, I saw myself as someone who had internalized an enhanced set of values. As junior year was going on, and then as summer vacation came and went, I began thinking about all the less-than-perfect approaches I had towards so many different things, namely my priorities and my attitude. It was a classic growing up moment. I realized the fallacies in my daily schedule, in my work ethic, in some of my decisions. Those realizations connected with the Journalism Year because, to succeed as a teachable curriculum, the Journalism Year needed a strong lead. As its designer, that strong lead needed to be me.

As a result, I changed. All those realizations piled up into what is now The Journalism Year Pact, a collection of self-analysis and psyching sessions that reflect the philosophy and thoughts I'm taking with me as I enter senior year.

Prioritize social activity. Work well - better than ever - but on time. Know what's good for me and what's not. Think ahead, maintain foresight in as many things as I can. All typical, maybe even common sense realizations - but for a teenager growing up, they might as well be Holy Grails in their own right.

Thus, the project is now me. The actual curriculum part of it stands incomplete due to logistical considerations and the fact that the program will be restructured fundamentally, but the spirit of the program - the thoughts it provoked, the emotions it caused - remains intact, in me.

Summer 2011 was also a teaching experience. Finally, after so many years, I'd achieved what I'd sought for so long - an adventurer spirit, one that could wake up in the morning, think of a destination, and go there. Many days, as I traveled around the city whether on bike, bus or through my own two legs, I felt like I could go wherever I wanted at any time. Granted, that had its limits. But it was there. And I felt it. And it felt nice.

I take such values and lessons into The Journalism Year - both its academic and spiritual components - and, by extension, into our senior year of high school.

May our last year be our best ... in so many ways. Here's to senior year! Class of 2012!

Summer 2011 | Update No. 5 | The Journalism Year

Summer 2011 | Update No. 4 | Morality? Check!

The inspiration for this post. Also in film format. 

I read a passage from the book, Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything, by economist Steven Levitt and journalist Stephen Dubner (kinda like a Steve Jobs/Stephen Wozniak deal), where the authors describe the tale of a guy who sold bagels to multiple offices around his city. He would make, let's say, thirty bagels, put 'em in a basket, drop them off at the place in the morning, and come in after lunch to pick up the money. His friends told him it was a terrible idea, that those cheap businessmen types would steal money from him because it was so easy (just take another bagel).

But in fact, they didn't. The bagelman kept accurate records of his bagel sales, and found that theft - minimal in the first place - was highest in larger offices than smaller ones. Why? Well, the authors attributed it to the power of morality in a society that's blamed of being devoid of it. The reason why theft occurred mostly in larger office buildings was because, since there were multiple floors and presumably, multiple, unrelated staffs, it'd be less probable that someone would know you stole a bagel, and it'd be less probable that you knew that he or she stole a bagel. Thus, one's reputation wasn't at stake, at least not as much as it was in a more close-knit, petite staff building.

Mmm ... those look good. And surprisingly, people don't steal them even when they can!

So I got to thinking. I ride my bicycle around town quite often, but because I'm usually crunched for time, I generally lock up my bike to the metal bike parking apparatus (or whatever the right name is) and take an array of trains and/or buses to get to my destination. But I always try to be careful about what station to leave it at, or whether to leave it behind at all! If I'm in a bad neighborhood about to take the train, I take the bike on the train with me, but if I'm in a good neighborhood, I'm more confident. But get this - the nearest station from where I live, located in the Coral Gables area of Miami, FL - a good neighborhood, indeed - sees the most defaced bicycles of any station I've gotten off at. I see bicycle chasses without wheels, derailleurs, lights, seatposts, chain stays ... it's like a bicycle massacre! But at other stations in presumably worse towns, I've yet to see a bike whose condition deviates from mint.

The local University Station. See the bike rack metal apparatus things? That's what I'm talking about. 

I don't have an answer to why this is exactly, but I can say that I'm surprised that not all the bicycles are either stripped for parts or taken as a whole. It is so easy to steal a bicycle. Incredibly easy. Suppose you have one of those bicycle locks that disengages with a key. Suppose you left yours at home. Well, you've got to get your bike out. So what do you do? Take a out a hammer and pound that thing 'til it breaks! Is anyone gonna say anything? What if they accuse you of attempting to steal a bicycle?

That guy on the right really needs a set of wheels!

Oh wait! They won't! They'll either assume it's yours, or more likely, they'll assume you're stealing it but out of ... I don't know, timidness?, they won't bother you about it. I am so sure of this I'd even try it myself if I was oferred money for it. And I'm pretty sure you'd agree. Yet the moral impetus to do the right thing - presumably being lost in society by antisocial naysayers - keeps normal people from comitting a crime that is almost foolproof. Or arrestproof for that matter.

Intersection of US-1 and the Snapper Creek Expressway in South Miami/Kendall, FL. 

 

Glad to know society's still in working order.  

Summer 2011 | Update No. 4 | Morality? Check!

Summer 2011 | Update 3 | The Bicycle

Some shots from the adventures this Summer 2011 so far. 

 

 

Several articles ago, I wrote about how I used to think that taking pictures of events or times with friends or places you go was a girly thing. During middle and elementary school, it was always the girls posing for pictures or wanting to take pictures of each other or of themselves or of anything, never the boys, and if it was the boys, they kept their photo shoots to a single group shot wearing sterotypical smiles instead of wasting the whole roll of 24 exposures. But little did we, little did I know, that the girls were actually doing something pretty smart - documenting their lives! Who knew anyone would be interested in what was going on right now, however mundane? Bloggers certainly are, and now I'm one of them.

As you can tell, I've actually been taking pictures this summer, and I'm glad I have. A couple of nights ago began a revamped infatuation with my bicycle. I was at a friend's house eating crap, and it was getting late. I was gonna take the bus back home, but instead of doing the usual, I got on my bike (which I'd brought with me) and ended up cycling the way back home. I was even able to stop and get some pizza along the way. That night - late night, actually; I didn't get back until about 9:30p - marked the first self-sufficient trip I'd gone on so far. I rode all the way to my destination, and then I rode all the way back. A beautiful feeling of independence, liberty, peace. Sweat, too.

I also came to realize that night riders seem to share a subtle bond. Even though I kept my ears busy with the sounds of my MP3s - which I probably shouldn't be listening to if I'm biking through the streets late at night - I managed to make friends with another guy on his bike, a young bespectacled fellow seemingly riding home from work, without saying a word and exchanging nothing but a passing glance when we crossed an intersection together. Yet we both participated in a feel-good friendship for a good twenty-five minutes thereafter as we both careened down Bird Road on a thinner-than-rails sidewalk, both recognizing the other's struggle against a car-abundant society with sublime understanding.

Despite my ability to log lots of base miles on bike, my physical ability is otherwise quite lacking. I'm taking PE online at the moment - loving it? - and even the measly ten push ups exercise in the first module proved a challenge.

Work on the Journalism Year continues. At the moment I'm trying to reorganize my academic plans for the forthcoming year in order to make more time for the class. Also hoping to get some academic recognition for my efforts as well.

Saw Green Lantern  a couple of days ago with friends! Great film. Also, will start an internship at Miami Today, a community publication, this Friday. Will post again then.

Anybody wanna hang out meanwhile?

Summer 2011 | Update 3 | The Bicycle

Summer 2011 | Update No. 2

My 100th post! How exciting. Here's to summertime fun! 

Summertime limbo, when excessive, can have disastrous results. When moderated, it can actually help out a lot. So far, it's helped out a lot.

http://www.worksmartplayharder.com/mtb-series-2011.html

I remember last summer, by around the fifth, sixth day (today, if I'm not mistaken; i started June 9th, last Thursday), I was bored and it was becoming a problem. I couldn't live with myself at home. For one, I didn't have Internet for about three weeks, which - "knock on wood", as my friend Jackie taught me - is really a lifesaver. Not necessarily because I live off Facebook and Youtube but because ... OK, maybe. Also, I had to take care of my sister at home, so I couldn't bike out of my apartment, either.

But back to the Internet thing. Even if you're not an avid Facebooker, the Internet lets you look stuff up and get ideas for projects, things you want to do, places you want to visit ... and that's exactly what it's done over the past few days.

I've gotten very much into biking. I ride my road bike, my dad's mountain bike or my mom's mountain bike all around town. So, if I love it so much, I figured, why not compete? Not to win, but just for the thrill. So I looked up some races and, sure enough, there's a BMX track down the street from my house (well, about an hour down the street from my house) as well as a mountain biking trail in both a state and local park a few miles from here. I plan on participating in La Roootaaa #5, a mountain biking challenge at Oleta State Park in North Miami Beach, Florida. I also found out about a communal biking event in Downtown Miami, called Critical Mass, and happening later this month (http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.meetup.com/criticalmass-40/events/17591141/&sa=X&ei=CsX3Tc7cA-f10gGg-oiiCw&ved=0CB8Q4wYwAA&usg=AFQjCNHp3fL8n7WxPc5D81xTiLbOBtrmAw). Perhaps also one this Saturday (Jun. 18) in the Grove (http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.meetup.com/criticalmass-40/events/20475331/&sa=X&ei=CsX3Tc7cA-f10gGg-oiiCw&ved=0CB0Q4wYwAA&usg=AFQjCNFaQS-4kg1qoVXKkE114TFJcDi02w).

The cover for The Journalism Year, a handbook that'll contain all course material and misc. writings. 

Of course, I'm still trying to keep myself academically tuned. I'm taking required physical education courses on Florida Virtual School, I've acknowledged the due dates for the summer assignments for my senior year classes, and I'm thinking, every other brain fart, about the ultimate project for this upcoming year - the journalism course. I'll be drafting lesson plans and such throughout the summer.

Back to it!

Summer 2011 | Update No. 2