Good Morning

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.50.20
Current Song - Stoned Soul Picnic (The 5th Dimension)

Tuesday's guest in class was the Freeport Journal-Standard managing editor.

Petermann came to class to talk about journalism and all that. We asked him questions about the newspaper biz and such. I asked him a question about the future of local newspaper column writing, because it seems to be a lost art. He told me that there were likely to be no more "Mike Royko's" out there anymore because they are getting too boring to read.

But I was going to do this in sports, which is a different animal from news division. Petermann asked if I could send him a few of my columns to look over. I spent the entire time after class preparing my columns and e-mailing them to him. I was supposed to go to Forreston for a game, but did this instead.

While I was doing this I realized I was behind in my Chronicle work. Thus I had to also axe my plans to see the Rockford Christian-Indian Creek girls game tonight. But I'm still planning on going to the Little Ten finals on Friday in Somonauk.

I'm writing my "Bits and Pieces" article today. It's one of four you'll see in the Chronicle. The other three are a men's basketball bio, and men's and women's Region IV previews. The really stinky thing about this issue is that it comes out on the day before the R-IV championship. So there's a possibility that a team's season may be over with before the issue gets released. And it's all because we decided not to do a February issue.

My deadline is February 11 and I haven't written anything yet.

I can't remember, but I think I mentioned in an earlier entry that I was going to be Copy Editor instead of Associate Editor. I am planning on using the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook for copy edits. Sam thought this was a good idea, but Marques frowned upon it. He says since we are a student newspaper, we should write our own way. The fact is, we are not supposed to be writing blog entries, research papers or persuasive essays. We are writing news stories. That is why there is a seperate class for news writing.


Days Off

I have a habit of putting days off well in advance. I put off the next three Saturdays a couple months ago. I had to change my plans for next Saturday since we'll be short - so there goes the girls bowling tournament. The next two Saturdays are Individual Wrestling @ Champaign and Team Wrestling @ Bloomington.

I put off class on Tuesday to go to the Boylan girls basketball regional.

At least my vacation is still intact from March 13-22.

The other days I put off were April 28 (duh), Sterling-Rock Falls night, Columbus Day and Veterans Day. There is a new rule where we can't ask for holiday's off. So I asked for the holidays not marked with "nobody ask off."

However, I think I'll be working on my birthday.

Throughout high school I always took time out of my schedule to watch the Rock Falls softball team play - in particular Emily, Korby, Jen, Joi, April, Marilyn, and a few others (none of them read this blog so I won't worry about not mentioning more names). I came to some of their summer league games before they were in high school, and covered them when they went to state in 2004. Emily and Korby went to Quincy University, Marilyn went to Illinois State and Jen went to Sauk.

I saw Jen a couple times. I wasn't able to see Marilyn however. I haven't seen Emily and Korby, yet. They have a two-game Chicagoland stretch on April 25-26 (Wisconsin-Parkside @ Kenosha and Lewis U. @ Romeoville - both 12:00 starts). I decided to take that weekend off in place of my birthday. I feel like I owe them.