Memories from Monica

Confirming My Niche

2009-12-12T16:19:00.001-08:00

My final for my Newspaper Production (JRN 415) class is to find my niche. Last spring I considered my niche to be about Chicano culture. I thought I could write about my everyday experiences as a Chicana, both the positive and negatives experiences.

Well this semester the idea of specific content writing came again and well I am using the same topic. My blog last semester was titled, Chicana Confessions. You can go here to see it. I haven't done too much posting because I've been busy, but I will!!!

So I was looking for other blogs that catered to the same audience. There are three that I found to be interesting.

The first one is Mi Blog es Tu Blog. This blog is written by Laura Martinez (is she my cousin?) and she is a bilingual journalist. She was born in Mexico city and has done a lot of work with The Wall Street Journal and she even made her own magazine! Crazy, because this is what I want to do! Her posts range from current events to minor things of interest to Latinos.

This is the second one that I liked, it's called Life in Spanglish. I like this one because, true to its name, posts are written in only Spanish or English and then some in both languages. The writer Cristina posts about news, books and current events in both languages. This is a cool blog! With a nice flag picture!

The last one that I found to be really interesting was LA Eastside. This is cool because the writers use a lot of pictures in their posts and some posts only have pictures with a caption. This is a good blog for people who are interested in the Lation culture but want to see things in picture format. It provides a more visually interesting blog.

Well that's all, folks! I will be updating my own blog, Chicana Confessions, hopefully now that I will be on Christmas break.

The Reconstruction of Journalism

2009-11-01T22:39:00.000-08:00

The Reconstruction of American Journalism is a report recently released by Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. This is an interesting report covering various aspects of journalism’s past, present and future.

The authors, Leonard Downie, Jr. and Michael Schudson quickly suggest that journalism needs to be reinvented and reconstructed. They point out that the internet can help foster this change. Downie and Schudson provide the Voice of San Diego as an example of independent, non-profit news reporting utilizing the internet.

The report also takes into consideration the participatory nature in which journalism is heading, participatory and collaborative—citizen journalism. Quick access of information, because of the internet, allows for the public to be more involved. People who thought that they could not provide any valuable input are now realizing the importance.

A tread the authors of the report noted was that journalism has shifted from accountability to advocacy. Publications are now made for specific audiences and in return, there are more causes, political biases and preferences. These help publications change their foundations.

Downie and Schudson also discussed that independent reporting that gives information, provides investigation and analysis, and community input needs to be conserved. Explanatory and informational articles help the public understand specific topics and should be promoted.

The authors also said that credible reporting should be conserved. This is a basic aspect of old journalism that does not have to chage.

Other critical remarks were made on Columbia Journalism Review.

Martin C. Langeveld’s commentary Report Ignores Web’s Nimble Nature, offers vital input. He wrote that the report did not address the use of social media, Twitter and Facebook. These sites, he said, can help with citizen journalism. News organizations can track the things people are talking about the most and be able to meet the demand for coverage on those particular topics.

Langeveld also suggested the government take proactive steps and offer journalism students fellowships. The program would be devised like Teach for America, however the name would be Report for America. This is especially important to me because I am a Journalism major and getting a job in this economy is a hard, and I’m just a junior. Langeveld said the condition for receiving this government support would be that the student must report on civic issues, which will ultimately benefit the benefactor.

My Passions

2009-10-05T22:21:00.001-07:00

I believe information should be available to all. Everyone has a right to know, to be knowledgeable. People were made in God’s image and God is intelligent. However the current availability of information is not accessible to all. There are members of society who lack resources to attain certain information from different platforms. Sometimes that information can be as vital as foretelling symptoms of a disease or as interesting as costumed biker groups from the Inland Empire in California.

As a professional journalist, I want my role in society to that of an interpreter to all publics. I want to facilitate the news for all audience types. When a governor passes a budget, citizens need to understand the state’s expenditures and cutbacks. I want to analyze news and create rational opinions. I would be able to provide valid commentary with this skill. I want to create an interest in news. Not of the sensational type but rather of the real matters that affect locals and nationals. This is my vision as a journalist and what I hope to give to society as a news interpreter.
As a Christian communicator I follow a code of ethics in both my personal and academic life. I value honesty and always seek to be accurate in my work. When I become a professional my beliefs will serve as my backbone. I keep in mind that what I do must bring honor to God.

Growing up I did not find a teen magazine that covered all of my interests. Seventeen lacked a cultural aspect and Latina was geared toward an adult population. I want to help the Hispanic community specifically because sometimes they are left out in the access or availability of information ultimately linking to the prime reason I want to become a journalist.

My ultimate career goal is to create a magazine catered to young Latinas that: provides relevant news and useful information, focuses on higher education, discusses real issues in the Latina community and promotes cultural awareness. I want this magazine to provide a point of reference for girls nationwide.
I know that it will take diligence and persistence to reach this goal. I will have to create a reputable name for myself, but I know that I can do it with by walking with Christ.

This is my passion. I love my culture and I love writing. When I mix these two interests, I get excited and love talking about it. I think the most motivating factor for this is because of the program AVID, an acronym for Advancement Via Individual Determination. I was in this program since the eighth grade. AVID helped me get to college. My parents did not go to college so they weren’t able to help me with the application process, the A-G requirements that I had to fulfill, the SATs and ACTs I had to take or even the FAFSA I needed to fill out. But this program did. The program was my resource and because of that I knew what to do, because of AVID I was prepared. That is why I want to be a resource for my fellow Latinos because many are in the same situation. I want them to know that they can go to college. I want to give them the information to get there and the specific help they can seek to get there.

SP 09 JRN 215 Final Blog

2009-04-13T15:01:00.000-07:00

The article that I enjoyed writing the most is “Obama facing challenges building cabinet.” This article was a hard news story. I was particularly proud of this one because it made the front cover of the paper. I also enjoyed writing this article because I wanted to compile a list of all the candidates and drop outs. As a citizen, I myself was confused on which person was selected for what role. It would be appropriate for me to say that this was the first time that I was really involved in the presidential campaign. So as I wrote the article, I began to understand more and I was even able to find some information about the past presidents.

I also liked writing the “Woo Fest, a Big Success” article. This was a features story that I really enjoyed writing because it was an event that I had to “cover.” After the actual “fest” I had the confidence to go to complete strangers and ask for an interview. I did three short interviews and I felt important because I was part of the press. I also did a follow up interview on the founders of the fest. I also felt as if I had connections during the event because I was given insider information on the big finale of the fest. It was fun to do this entertainment type article.

Overall, I enjoyed Spring semester. During Fall I was new to the school and I felt a little intimidated. But now I feel comfortable with the campus and I know my way around. So I think that I grew a lot in this school year. My faith, my writing skills, interview skills and other academic aspects developed more. I am so glad to be at CBU right now.

I hope that next year I can contribute more to the Journalism program. I am interested in writing “breaking news” stories and having them published almost instantaneously on the website. I think God is blessing us right now and giving us opportunities to reach audiences in different methods, the website being one of the most important methods. I would like to see story packages online. We can have text, video, podcasts and slideshows for stories that we are covering. We also have the opportunity to host more timely stories online.

Tattoo Barbie

2009-03-04T21:33:00.000-08:00

Toys R Us is selling Totally Stylin Tattoos Barbie for $22.99.

I heard the tease for this story while watching American Idol on FOX and gasped out loud! Mattel made a tattoo barbie? What?!

Well, they did sell that "math is hard" doll before...Seems like Mattel likes to surprise.

BTW, congrats to the Boricua on American Idol on making it to the top 12. American Idol is going Latino!

8Xs the Fame

2009-03-02T15:03:00.000-08:00

Octo-Mom Nadya Suleman permeated news reports since early February. It was a human interest story that involved a unique birth of multiple children, but now her reputation has changed, especially with the release of Radar’s video. This is when grandmother Suleman reprimands and publicly argues with her daughter in regard to the number of children.

The public is most outraged by Suleman’s financial situation. Suleman is unemployed and living off her student loans, but that money will run out quickly. Her parents’ house is in danger of foreclosure. This raises eyebrows because the public does not want to support her children with taxes.

To add to the outrage, Suleman has been offered a pornography deal by Vivid Entertainment. If she made a porn film, they would give her $1 million. Additionally, if she becomes a regular by doing several videos, they will provide full dental and medical insurance for her entire family.

I believe that Suleman should have thought about her children’s lives before she made the decision to have eight more children. These children do not have a male figure in their lives, unless the grandfather is a consideration. Several studies conducted by sociologists prove that children living in a single-female headed household are more likely to get into legal trouble as they grow up. I think that the Christian perspective is most prominent in this aspect because these children will not be living in a house as God demanded with a mother and a father. She has not even raised her children because she is at school, working on her Masters. Suleman depends on her mother to take her children and raise the children as her own.

NBC was able to visit the Sulemans at their home giving an inside look. The house was filled with toys and children overflowing while the eight babies are still in the hospital. During this footage the audience was able to see that neighbors and other samaritans have donated food and money to help Suleman out. I think that she is also taking people’s generosity for granted. She accepts donations without being humble. In fact, she even posted a donation link on her website for the public to give support.

American Idol in Puerto Rico

2009-02-01T11:25:00.000-08:00

This is the first time that American Idol hosted auditions in the US territory Puerrrto Rrrico. Orale! Good job American Idol for recognizing that Latinos, well maybe just Boricuas, are a important audience to target. I was suprised to hear that the people were able to sing in Spanish and even more suprised that those songs would also get broadcasted.

Props to American Idol, even though I dissed reality tv shows in my last blog. Eh, we all watch 'em, no? Hasta Luego.

Reality TV: Oxymoron

2009-01-20T12:07:00.000-08:00

There are too many reality tv shows that provide useless information and give unrealistic expectations about stardom (and other real values) to ignorant audiences.

To name a few: American Idol. ANTM, Survivor, The Hills, The Biggest Loser, So you thin you can dance, the real world, dancing with the stars, but the list continues to go on.

James Poniewozik wrote an article for TIME called “Why Reality TV is Good for Us.” He states that although there’s hardly any reality in them, the shows provide “involving human stories.” Poniewozik also added that “reality shows don't just reach tens of millions of viewers but leave them feeling part of a communal experience.”

What kind of communal experience? The experience to waste time away from each other instead of having good relationships as God intended?

Reality tv was interesting and fun before. It started in the early 90s when producers wanted to make shows that were cheap and easy to make. The Real World was one of the first ones. Audiences were attracted because they could really identify with the people on tv. It was like they were watching themselves.

But now this phenomenon has turned into an obsession. Networks either have reality shows broadcasted every other day or are overflowing with them.

These shows have also become annoying because we see the same people and producers. America’s Next Top Model has reached its 11 cycle and Tyra Banks still goes and makes another show called Stylista. Also, American Idol’s Randy Jackson branches off and does a dance show, does he seriously not have enough money with just one? I guess not.

Then there’s the issue about authenticity and performance. Shows are becoming scripted and are dramatized. That means that they are no longer real! Annette Hill, author of the book Reality TV calls this a paradox. The more entertaining a factual show is, the less real it appears to viewers. But I guess people don’t care if reality tv shows live up to their name. They just want to be entertained.

The marriage and dating shows are some that I don’t believe at all. How can someone marry someone else that they’ve only known for a short period? How can they be in love? I would think that marriage has a high value to society but this show proves otherwise.

The makeover shows are really horrifying. Doctors make a list of what’s ugly or wrong with you and will fix you up with lots of plastic surgeries. Moving on, celebrity tv shows are the most unnecessary of all. We can see celebrities scratching and clawing for fame and money.

Poneiwozik also said that reality tv is “discomfort TV--[it] lives to rattle viewers' cages. It provokes. It offends.” But why are we watching shows that offend and instigate fights? I can understand that people have a innate human interest in conflict, but we have to draw a line. I personally don’t want to watch TV shows that make me feel uncomfortable. Can American audiences stand up for some values?

So the moral of today’s rant is that members of the American society should stop centering their lives on other people’s lives. And do something else more worth while.

Final: All I Really Need to Know I Learned in JRN 215

2008-12-02T20:16:00.000-08:00

The title of my blog is my own stylistic interpretation of the book All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by David Caldwell. Ok, so I just changed the last part, not much creativity involved right? But there's truth to the title. Here are some things I learned in my Journalism 215: Newspaper Production class that could be applied to pretty much any aspect in life.

1. Deadlines are important: I already came to this class with an understanding of newspaper production. I went to Poly High School and was on the newspaper for two years. However we only had one issue per month. JRN 215 taught me that deadlines are vital for collaborative works. I had to have my articles turned in on time so the section editors can edit them, so the copy editors can edit them, and (finally) so the managing editor and EIC can edit them. There's this entire line of people depending on me to turn something in. This reminds me of all the other deadlines in my life. I cannot miss the FAFSA deadline under any circumstance because then I (or any other student for that matter) will not be offered federal aid. Bills are other deadlines people have to meet. You have to pay your bills on a specific date or you get penalized and have to pay a late fee! Ew!

2. Be a good team player: Working on a newspaper means working with other people. I learned that I need to be considerate of others. The first reason for this is because we depend on each other through deadlines. Not only that but we need to respect each other, something The Banner staff does well. Prof. Pearson is writing her disstertation on collaborative work in journalism classes. This is a vital concept. And I myself personally experienced this when I got sick the last week of October. I was assigned to do an article on Homecoming. I conducted the interview with Wanda Price and was ready to construct my article. But with a 102 degree fever and a viral infection (explained as "the chicken pox's cousin" by the doc) my article wasn't going anywhere. So I emailed Prof Pearson, Jill and Amanda and quickly Serena was working on it. This collaboration had a great final result too! This also applies to any one who has a job. Not getting along with people who you work with creates a bad situation. I pray to God that it never happens to me.

3. Practice makes Perfect: The first article I wrote for The Banner was on Fall TV Show Premieres. When I finished this article I thought it was so good. But now that I re-read it I see that I could improve in a couple places. And with every other article I wrote I began making adjustments. Now as the semester comes to an end, I think I've learned a lot of AP stylebook stuff (from quizzes in JRN 215 and 170) and also on how to structure my articles. Interviews were also difficult for me to do. I'm usually quiet and well stuck inside my shell, true to my crustation birthday (Cancer is my zodiac sign). So my first interview was a little rocky. I've myself noticed that I still get nervous before interviews, but not as much as before. I've grown a little confident. All of this practicing will help me so much for my career. But the habit of practicing has also helped me in other areas of my life, like cooking. Well I bake more than cook, but it involves the same steps. I used to burn pancakes, but now they come out the perfect golden brown shade thanks to my "internal timer." Practing also makes perfect when playing Guitar Hero. I've been playing F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X. on medium and I can pass with a mediocre score. But if I keep practicing (of course after my hw) I can get a higher score.

These are just a few of the lessons I learned while during my semester. I'm sure I'll learn more next semester.

Being Latina in the United States (MIDTERM)

2008-10-30T17:15:00.000-07:00

I chose this topic because one of my career goals is to have a magazine targeted to young Latinas. I would include political, social, college, “real life,” beauty, fashion and cultural sections to assist the ladies in any of the situations they might be facing. And plus it's hard to live biculturally and bilingually. :)

http://loteriachicana.net

In Loteria Chicana, writer Cindy Mosqueda discusses a wide variety of topics that are some way related to her Chicana roots. Her biography notes that she went to UCLA and is currently working on her PhD. She is now my new role model. And one her goals are to have more Latinas graduate from college, as is mine!
One of her posts that captivated me was one she did about Ugly Betty. This is one of my favorite shows because Betty is a Latina herself and her character is portrayed as a hardworking, superwoman, and compassionate young woman. Yet the post was about Halloween and she was asking the audience if she should dress up like her.
Another post that caught my attention was one that talked about Ruben Salazar. Salazar was a journalist who gained attention by writing articles about the farm workers. He is one of my other historical idols. Because of his contribution to the Latino community, he got a stamp named in his honor. How cool is that? But what Mosqueda points out is that schools do not teach their students about him. And it’s true, I never learned about him until one of my teachers at school, who knew that I wanted to be a journalist enlightened me with this information.
Her posts don’t really have any global news, it’s more of a national blog.

http://vivirlatino.com/

Vivir Latino is blog that mostly talks about politics and international news, but it also includes some entertainment and cultural posts.. The managing editors are Jennifer Woodard Maderazo Maegan "la Mamita Mala" Ortiz. The targeted audience is for second and third generation Latinos (parents were already born in the United States and so are they). However, I am a first generation Latina (my parents are from Mexico and I was born in the United States)
The first post that intrigued me because it discussed something that no one, neither on the news nor internet, talks about. The post was about the Green Party Presidential ticket of Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente. I’m a permanent absentee voter and when I got my ballot I opened right away and low and behold I saw the names of two women, and one with a Latino surname. The post describes how these women take racial justice seriously and they want the federal government to invest money in low income communities of color. This blog is more feminist than the other ones because a lot of their topics include awareness for domestic abuse.

http://blogamole.mtvtr3s.com/

The last blog that interested me was “blogamole,” by MTV 3. The icon for this blog is a avocado shouting “blogamole.” This blog seems to cater to young men and women and teens in the United States. Most of the posts deal with music, celebrity news of both Latino and American descent and basic entertainment. The first post is about a telenovela (soap operas) that are a vital part to Latinos.
An appealing aspect of this blog is that they also talk about Kayne West and Estelle. Then this blog also talks about Mana, a legendary Latino rock band. So the mix of cultures is really apparent in this blog. But I like that! It shows that our cultures are blending but we aren’t losing the individual culture (American or Latino).
Although this blog is the most juvenile of the three, it hits good topics that are interesting.

Welcome Baby Boy!

2008-10-12T14:12:00.000-07:00

This is the new member of my family. He is almost a week old and a Chihuahua mix. He was born last Monday and now shares a birthday with a cousin of mine. The weather isn't helping too much right now because the little baby is cold even though he sleeps in a warm bed with a blanket and his mommy. He was born with a brother but his brother passed away. My family and I don't plan on keeping him because we already have five dogs (Lady, the mom, Gigio, the dad, Bambi, the son, and Lucy and Nala, the baby girls). So it's going to be hard to watch him grow and have to give him away. :(

It's a bittersweet time when the mommy, Lady, has puppies. In her first litter, she had
five boys and sadly two died. Well one was stillborn and my family and I think that she might have squished the other one. Then in the second litter she had six girls and two died. Now in her third litter she only had two and one died.

But it is truly a miracle from God when the babies are born! They arrive so little. Their paws, heads, nails, tails, eyes, ears are tiny. And then the babies grow up in such a short time. We kept two from her second litter. Lucy and Nala were born February 28 of this year and are already big girls. But they are so lovable, even though they sometimes make messes.

I haven't seen that new Chihuahua movie and I heard it made a lot of money. But the public has to know that these doggies need a lot of love and care. You can't ignore them because they'll be heartbroken. I'm sure this is the same situation with any pet. So love them.

I introduce you to Lucy (L) and Nala (R). They were born in Feb. This picture was taken in April. They're bigger now, but I love these pictures.

Feliz Cumpleanos Abuelita!

2008-10-05T16:02:00.001-07:00

Today is my Grandmother’s birthday and she is 83. My family and I went to go visit her after church. We bought her a dozen long-stem roses and a chocolate cake that read “Happy Birthday Mom.”

I am so happy and grateful to God that she is alive. About two weeks ago she was taken to the hospital due to a cough that seemed perpetual. Then the doctor told her she had pneumonia. We had no idea that she was sick until my aunt called me two Sundays ago. I had missed her call because my family and I were in church. After church I heard her voicemail and it said, “Monica. Our mom’s in the hospital. Tell your mom to call me back.” I was so close to tears and I told my mom and she seemed to get pale. So we hurried over to the community hospital and went to go see her. My grandma looked so little and fragile while she lay on the bed. She tried to move and fix her pillows, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t really talk, she only mumbled.

When she was in the hospital, she had a lot of visitors. Almost all of my cousins visited her and her daughters and sons and even great grandkids. She is the most vital member of our family. She holds us together and everyone loves her.

But now, she’s back home and recuperating quickly. She talks normally and even scolds relatives when they do something bad. She ate cake today, not a lot, but enough for satisfaction. We talked for some and she told us to keep having faith. Those are words of a wise abuelita. Happy Birthday, Grandma!

It's the economy, again, stupid!

2008-09-23T17:06:00.000-07:00

My rendition of James Carville's quote creates two points that I want to discuss.

One James Carville is a smart man. He should have been Senator Hillary Clinton's campaign manager too and maybe she would have won. If only...but..back to my point, this always reminds me of my one year stay at UCR. I took American Politics in Fall 07 (wow, its been a year already) along with my sister and her friend. BTW, My sister and I were both at UCR for a year, she was a senior and I was a freshwoman. But taking this class happened completely by coincidence. I did not know the classes she was taking neither did she know about mine. About a two weeks before school started, she and I talked about our classes and we both said that we were taking Politicial Science 10. So we had a pretty fun time during that quarter, having Pizza Party Wednesdays in my sister's car and going to class. One day, (finally back to Carville), Professor Bishin put on the documentary "The War Room." The first time I saw it, I was kind of bored, but then as I actually paid attention to it I started to realized that this was about Clinton and the people behind the scenes. In this docu, Carville coins the term "It's the economy, stupid!" because Bush lied when he said "Read my lips, no new taxes" at the RNC in 1988. Talk about putting lipstick on a pig!

The second matter is Carville has to come and recite this sweet phrase again. Oh how I can just hear it tingle people's hears. But the reality is: People are po'. This means that people have been poor for about more than one generation. Example: My grandparents were poor and now my parents and I are po'. I can't sympathize with middle and lower class families, I can completely relate! There's no more going out to the movies or buying that pretty shirt seen through the window at Torrid. There's no money! After the mortgage, the car payments, the house and auto insurance, the Target credit card, the Best Buy bill, the utility bill, the gas bill, groceries, and money for gas, nothing is left for recreation! The problem is, politician's don't get it. They cannot relate to these hard realities that people face everyday. That's why Obama and Biden and McCain and Palin are trying to persuade the American public about how they'll fix our broken system. But can they?

Let's leave that for another day's discussion.

p.s. If only Carville could have managed Hillary's campaign, what a difference that would have made.

Peace.