Erin

Point taken

I've been waiting since the beginning of Winter Semester to see what classes I can take in summer and fall. Having to register for both summer and fall at the same time is something that annoys me to no end, but something else is annoying me even more today. For you see, I am suppose to graduate in 2010, and currently there are NO COMMUNICATION class that I can take. This poses a problem for you see I was planning to take at least 6 summer credits so I could make it to that glorious finish line. Now I have no idea what I'm going to be able to take. All I need now is comm class and one credit of french. What do you do when your school doesn't offer what you need to graduate? Hopefully the classes released today are only preliminary and more courses will be added. If not, I have no idea what I'm going to do. Study abroad? Graduate in 2011 (at the embarrassing late stage age of 24)? I don't know.

Not that I am looking forward to entering the great big world with nothing but a paltry communications degree under my belt. Today the Rocky Mountain New closed it's doors forever. Everyone is talking about the death of journalism. I read a six page article about how screwed the industry is in The New Republic today. Six pages? you say. Surely there must have been graphics, pictures and graphs to eat up so much space. The was none. It was six straight pages, four columns to a page, about how stupid it is to try and get into journalism right now. Horrah! I am need to start looking into plan B: Library School.

So it was a depressing day. Not just because the lovely thunderstorms turned back into snow. The only bright spot of the week is that this is spring break. Which really means nothing to me because I have to work at school Monday and Friday and I'm working at the Station on Tuesday. I am currently trying to get a editorial position on the paper, but things look bleak.

I just feel like I'm working so hard for nothing. It doesn't even look like I'll be getting a degree any time soon. Funny, the week started out so hopefully.

Happy Mardi Gras.

Is never ending! I hate this time of year. The February/March interchange is punctuated by driving snow, throaty coughs and midterms. Everyone and everything seems tired. I haven't needed a spring break so badly in years! Thank goodness this one is coming up fast.

I'm working on a lot of projects. In International Communications I'm putting together a radio piece about where community, bloggers and professional journalist converge. I'm hopping to put it on air at some point, though that may not happen. Anyway, I've gotten good response from a lot of the journalists and bloggers in Metro Detroit and out in Ann Arbor/Ypsi way. I've got a lot done on my paper for this class (which was only one of four or five A's in the entire class).  This class is taught by Wayne Woodward, one of my favorite Profs. He's really challenging and passionate. If only he wasn't teaching PR classes =(.

Advanced Reporting continues to be kind of a joke. Really easy. Nothing really advanced about it. It feels a lot like my copy editing class, but with a lot less work. At least he lets us choose our topics, though half way through the semester we've only written one story that gets a grade. I wrote mine on race relations in the city of

Livonia

. Boring you say? Dry you say? Obviously you need to read about race relations in

Livonia

.

Geology. Oh geology. Bane of my existence. I wanted to get my science credit out of the way while not having to learn the parts of a cell or do too much math. Geology I thought. Rocks. How complicated could rocks be? Complicated folks. Really involved and complicated. Though I do strangely like the class, it may be the first indication that I am a machocist.

Detroit History and Culture: Very popular class. Why? Fulfills a history requirement while being really easy and moderately interesting. This class as a three hour sourjourn into the heart of

Detroit

sociological issues and poetry is a killer though. I have snuck out on more than one occasion. I love history however, and I love jazz and blues music, so this class has been steadily improving.

More proof of my machocistic nature? I revived my diet just in time for fat tuesday. Awesome. Though I'm not the biggest fan of Panczi, I am the biggest fan of irony.

Continue to write for the paper. I had an article on the front page two weeks ago! Very proud. A lot of people congratulated me on it. Pretty well received.

Happy Mardi Gras everyone. I'll check you guys out over the break. During which I will be working at the station, sleeping a great deal, and doing interviews.

Oy.

The long dark Michigan winter. February  and March are always the hardest. It's hard to get through all this mess and still care about class, but we must solider on.

I'm looking forward to getting a lot of work done during the break. Four classes have been real drag with the two jobs taking put the rest of my time. When I'm not sleeping or studying I'm at class or work.

I miss sunshine. 

Off to class I go. Hopefully I'll survive these winter blues and make it to spring break.