And This Is What We Call A Breather

Current Mood: Exhausted

Currently Listening: Gospel Compliation Provided from Bootleg College Music Download Service
(Top Picks)

Patricia Jacobs- I Told The Storm
Marvin Sapp- You Are God Alone
Kirk Franklin- Looking for You
Israel and New Breed- New Season
Richard Smallwood- Total Praise

Today has been a long day. I woke up at 6:30, couldn't take a shower cause we had no hot water. I was a lil ticked. And so I'm thinking with tuition, room, and board at over $40,000 teachers got me up at 6:30, and the dorms have me with no hot water. I just was not ready for it, that early in the morning.

I left my dorm room at 7:45 without having not eaten breakfast to go and do a story for my News Writing Class. The other do-gooders mostly have on campus beats. Do I get extra credit for waking up early, spending my money, taking public transit (at peak time for the schook kids), and reporting on location. I doubt it, maybe this teacher of mine is the reason I don't want to write for newspapers. I know I want to be a journalist and all, but I am beginning to dislike writing especially for academia. That is sad for me to same I used to write, poetry, plays, short stories, and even called myself starting a book once.

I arrived on location around 8:45 am and conducted interviews with an administrator, and a slew of teachers. Here in Baltimore, we are in the midst of school closings and realignments.

When I think about that it reminds me of the base closings and realignments that some communities underwent not to long ago. Are we really a nation at war? I think so too. It would seem that it's an everyday uphill battle to get a quality education these days. So in essence we're fighting a war on more than one front. I spent over two hours conducting interviews and walking around this elementary school. School board members want to make the now kindergarten through 5 school, a kindergarten through grade 8 school.

Talking to those teachers reminded me of the plight of educators, but particularly urban inner city educators. I said at one point in my article, "Aside from being teachers, teachers must also serve as unofficial doctors, social workers, and psychiatrists." The stories I heard ranged from kids who are being cared for by grandparents, great-granparents, and other relatives, to students on house arrest, to students in the second grade charged with picking up younger siblings from school. Question: Why in the sam-hell should a 7-year-old, be picking up a 5-year-old from schoo? Are parents smoking crack? In some cases sadly the answer may very well be yes. I just have to pray for those kids.

I have mad respect for the teachers at that school. (Disclaimer: I'm an alum) But I was impartial as a journalist. I know about objectivity, fairness, balance, and accuracy.

It just reminds me that I have to continue to shine a light on stories which otherwise might not be told.

I knocked out the article already. I would include it, but I don't feel like copying and pasting it here LoL. Sorry I'm a little lazy right about now.

I have too much to do blah blah blah

Friday 8am Theology
9 am News Writing- Article is due in class.
10 am News Anchoring at Campus Radio-If I can find the time. I may be taking a personal day. Hey, I am the News Director.
11 am Art of Argument- I have to deliver a persuasive argument aka speech.

I'm in the midst of writing the speech on "Reparations" right now. Why I picked the topic one might ask? We were reading speeches, arguments, works from abolitionists, pro-slavery advocates, women's rights activistis, blah, blah, blah. I thought hey we're still in an unequal and unjust world. Why not write about reparations. I hope my argument is convincing and that I get a good grade. My Art of Argument teacher is a hard grader, and she didn't give me a high grade on my last and only assignment.

2:30pm Work with the little kiddies
6:00pm Off from work, going to play the Big Game. If I hit the lotto I'll be able to stop stressing.
7:00pm- 9:00pm Radio Station Office Hours

This weekend:
Saturday:

Photo Shoot for some award I'm receiving, I guess I should reread the letter about my nomination, so I know what I'm being recognized for. It's obvious they haven't seen my latest transcript LoL.

I'll be researching for this Sunday's show (www.chrishasissues.blogspot.com)
Listen in Sunday night 6pm-7pm at WLOY.ORG
I'll be completing a ridiculous amount of assignments for the last week of classes

Saturday and Sunday
Theology- Exam Prep any Extra Credit I May Be Able to Twork
News Writing- Reflection Paper/Final Paper (5 pages), Final Article Revision, Portfolio Compliation
Art of Argument- Ten Page Term Paper on Reparations (10-12 pages) (I do have the books from the library), Exam Prep
Sociology- Deneration Paper (4-5 pages) a look at American Society in 1975 through the eyes of my interviewee
Philosophy- Three 5 page reflection papers on stuff I have yet to understand in Philosophy

Sunday
More of the work from above
Laundry
Hosting My Shows

May 12 can not get here fast enough.

I might actually be over the nerves for Italy, cause whatever is involved it'll be a cakewalk compared to this foolishness.
Now back to blah!