Hello Vancity, I Can Speak Portuguese
Many years ago when I was in my all-girl band (with a male drummer), I learned an interesting lesson.
Our “managers,” the lead singer’s parents and my extended family, were very involved in the promotion of our band, and took their kids to casting calls of all kinds. They explained that you never say no, and you always say yes to opportunities, no matter what.
So for instance, they would joke that if they took their son to a casting call and the producers asked him if he could speak Portuguese, you say yes, go home and learn all of the Portuguese you can.
Of course it’s maybe not the smartest thing to do, but the moral of the story is to not close any doors.
One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2011 is to be fearless, meaning that I am going to strive to not shy away from any positive opportunities presented to me.
It was with this in mind, along with the fact that I recently completed an amazing two-week internship at 24 Hours Vancouver, that I decided to begin covering the Surrey Eagles Junior A hockey team for Vancity Sports Blog.
The founder of the site contacted me right at the beginning of January and pitched to me the chance to cover the team and submit articles on a regular basis.
I enjoy taking things on, and am looking to expand my journalism portfolio, so I gladly welcomed the opportunity.
It wasn’t until the day before the Eagles’ first home game of 2011 that it really hit me: I know absolutely nothing about hockey, apart from the basics, like how the players try and aim at the opposing team’s net, and they sometimes get the puck in.
The joke that you should tell potential employers whatever they want to hear, and then go home and learn it, became all too real…
Luckily, I know several people who are great sportswriters who have guided me while I’ve written two home game articles and one away game recap.
What have I learned?
Well, I’ve learned that I do like hockey, I’ve learned some lingo and I’ve learned that I should think things through before I commit several weeks to doing something I know nothing about. But all in all, I’m glad I took someone up on the chance to do something completely out of my comfort zone, and I do believe that I’m better for it.
Tweet me!
@HayleyWoodin
And check out my Surrey Eagles posts at Vancity Sports Blog or at the Surrey Eagles’ website.
When one door closes…
Today was my last day at 24 Hours.
The two weeks flew by, and I really can’t believe it’s over already.
I spent my last day on the job at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, where Dal Richards (as Santa-for-a-day) handed out blankets and teddy bears to newborn babies. (This is the second time this month that I’ve chatted with the local jazz icon.)
It was a fairly slow day, and the last day the paper will be in production for until Jan. 3.
When one door closes, another one opens. Or at least a window opens.
Who knows what this experience will lead to. All I know is that it was a great decision to intern because I really got to put the skills I learned to the test, and practice journalism in the real world. And even though my “real” break is just starting, I’m excited for my second semester to start.
But in the meantime, I am going to focus on Christmas and turkey and gifts and family. I will catch up on some sleep, and try to read something that isn’t news-related.
Merry Christmas!
@HayleyWoodin
A week in the life of Lois Lane
This is what I’ve done over the past several days.
And to reinforce how busy I’ve been, I will simple write a bulleted list, because I am still at work and do not have the time to write it with more witty or intelligent phrasing.
– I was on the cover of 24 Hours
– My story’s headline made the front page
– I filmed, edited and posted my second video online
– I had my President’s Ambassadorial Team Christmas dinner at a local golf course on Sunday
– On Monday, I joined the 24 Hours crew at their Christmas shindig on Granville Island
– I interviewed Vancouver Airport Authority spokespeople, UBC professors, church ministers and cabinet ministers
– I sat in on my first conference call to California
– And I encountered my first information embargo today while attending a B.C. Cancer Research press conference
Phew!
So much has gone on that I keep having to remind myself that Christmas is a mere three days away!
To quote magician Professor Hinkle from Frosty the Snowman, I’ve just been “busy, busy, busy.”
Tweet me!
@HayleyWoodin
Videos with @24hoursvan
Over the course of my internship with 24 Hours, I’ve written many articles for the print edition.
The work I’m most proud of, however, are my two videos, available on the website.
As I mentioned in a previous post, I not only did my stand-up bits, but I filmed myself doing them, conducted interviews, shot B-roll and editing dozens of clips in Final Cut Express down to a short one to two minute video.
It was so much work but I loved every minute of it and have learned so much.
Here is the first video, which includes an interview with singer Sarah McLachlan as she volunteered on the Downtown Eastside, flipping burgers for 3,000 people.
Check it:
Food bank teams with Sarah McLachlan to feed homeless
And number two, which doesn’t have any celebrities but looks a little bit more polished:
Passengers urged to “Pack Smart”
Tweet me!
@HayleyWoodin
Bed bug beat and the Downtown Eastside
This headline sums up my past couple of days on the job at 24 Hours. And despite how it appears, both parts of the title are completely unrelated.
First, the bed bugs.
Several days ago I wrote an article for the paper on a woman who has been living in a bed bug-infested apartment for two years.
The next day, I got a phone call at work from someone who said he has been living in a rented suite with bed bugs for almost a year, and his landlord has done nothing about. Somebody else emailed the general news address to report a similar problem.
Not only are people reading my articles, but they are responding, and that’s pretty cool.
I wrote an article about the man and his landlord, which didn’t make it to the print edition, and may or may not be lurking online somewhere at vancouver.24hrs.com.
It’s safe to say that I am the go-to girl for all things bed bug: I’m on the bed bug beat.
And on an unrelated note: My adventure in the DTES.
My editor assigned me to a story about a food bank barbecue at Oppenheimer Park. But instead of just filing a story, I also got the opportunity to shoot the event for the website, and do some on-camera work.
It was a challenge: I was in charge of setting up all of the equipment, filming B-roll, interviewing people and doing my own reporting (which was weird at first because I was standing in front of my tripod talking to no one in particular, but I eventually got used to it).
I was very gung-ho, because broadcasting is my ultimate career goal.
And to add to my excitement, it just so happens that Sarah McLachlan was there, at Oppenheimer Park, flipping burgers for the cause. (Her appearance wasn’t mentioned in the press release.)
I immediately got footage of her behind the grill, and interviewed her when she took a minute to mingle with the crowd. She was very gracious and down-to-earth. That’s another person to add to my list of famous interviewees!
Eventually, CBC, Shaw, CTV and GlobalBC all showed up with their big fancy cameras and I decided to get on with my day.
My “bodyguard,” a photographer who accompanied me to the site, left halfway through shooting. So I walked from 400 Powell St. to 554 E 15th. That is a very long walk, and right through Main and Hastings too.
But I lived, and got some exercise, and had a great day.
Look for the video online, which should be up soon. The article can be read here as well as in tomorrow’s paper.
Busy, busy, busy
Yesterday was my second day interning at 24 Hours newspaper, and was my first time being published in a paper outside of school, (I’m not counting my letter-to-the-editor that was published in the Vancouver Sun last year).
My first story covered the arrest of four men in Abbotsford who were well-known to police and known gang members. This is hard hitting stuff!
You can read the article in the Monday’s paper, and check out a photo @yellowbird888 shot.
Monday was very busy day.
Not surprisingly, I got lost on my way to Vancouver again. This time instead of taking the Knight Street exit, I turned too early and took No. 6 road to River Road, a very long and creepy road, through Richmond.
But I still arrived early for work.
I had three assignments: all three are published in today’s paper and are taking over page five.
I was sent to a press conference to cover the story on the possibility of raising Vancouver’s building height restrictions, and removing certain protection viewcones around the city.
Yes, I did get lost: After taking the Cambie Street Bridge, I turned right onto Pacific Boulevard which took me right back to the office. Lesson learned.
I am slowly learning how to get around Vancouver, my research skills have improved immensely, my interviewing techniques are strengthening and I am starting to become a news junkie.
Time to get back to work.
(On an unrelated note, I noticed that the Examiner.com linked to an assignment I’d done for the Kwantlen Chronicle. Slowly but surely my work is getting out there!)
Tweet me!
@HayleyWoodin