Journaling: Why keep a journal?

I'm going back to Manila tomorrow to finalize my leave-of-absence from the university (I'm taking a late gap year) and to collect the things I've left in my dormitory (God put a low ceiling price on excess baggage).

Because of this, I have been exceptionally emotional and I've been writing 5-page long entries on my journal. I think it is time that I talk about the habit of journaling. I don't know if people actually call it that but I think it will work. 

I'm a very old-fashioned person. Although I own a computer and breath WiFi, I still try to keep a good grasp on what is past. For example, I have a drawer filled with paper and envelopes because I still do send snail mail.

I also use a maroon Parker fountain pen. My eyeglasses also have lenses the size of the North Pole. When people ask me why, I tell them the large frames gets rid of blind corners but everyone knows that is not true. And an even bigger lie that I never lose pens so it is intelligent to invest.

Back to why I keep a journal.

1. It was suggested by my doctor. My mood swings are on a clinical level and it will be a strong diagnostic feature if we can map out the duration of the cycles (I've never discussed it publicly and I think I'm not ready yet so no details).

2. I am like an apple: the fat part is extroversion and the skinny, bitter core is introverted. So I have a journal and I've been thinking of punching five holes through all the pages and putting a padlock through it. There are really touchy things in my journal. When I say touchy, I don't mean my dirt. It would be the things you wish you didn't know about me and my history. They're extremely tragic.

So where else could you spill those except in a journal.

3. For fortune-telling. It is a common phrase that looking at the past is a way to see the future. That is true for journaling. A rough example would be you writing "I will jump off a cliff. " If you read that again after a week or so, the future is clear: broken ribs or death. You get what I'm saying?

Of course, it is more complex than that. It's one of those abstract things you really can't explain (and only you and your journal can understand).

4. It's cheaper than golf. My notebook is about a dollar and my pens are even more expensive than all the notebooks I've used combined. We all need a way to get by down times and journaling is the best way to go. It's cheap. There are getting fewer and fewer hobbies that are affordable. Go buy a notebook; start now!

5. A lot of great people have done it. I'm not talking about Mein Kampf. Uhm. Excuse me. Anne Frank? The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath? The list goes on and on. It's like a more intimate autobiography because the people are not conscious of publishing the journal. They're not putting up a front, but they vomit they're brains for everyone to see (bad image).

6. Improve your handwriting. I've never been modest about my good handwriting. My script looks like late 1900s and I'm proud of it because I've been practicing it for about 3 years until now. EVERYONE NEEDS GOOD PENMANSHIP TO BE REMEMBERED! Or it's just my social anxiety speaking.

That's it. Also, I'm worrying that I'm in a good mood now but I suddenly turn into a demon baby when I arrive in Manila tomorrow.

Bye!

Admittedly unsuccessful coverage of the elections 2013

It was evident that every journalist feasted over the excitement of the elections. As an overly enthusiastic start-up freelance journalist, I remained at home watching episodes of Gossip Girl.

Of course, I would proceed to a string of reasons. Which I will do even though I originally intended not to. Sigh.

A. My parents are involved in local politics. While they have (thankfully) stopped running after positions, they have friends in the circuit. I've overheard a lot of issues, my cowardice is still overpowering.

Yes, I've had my taste of compromising situations but the elections made me feel like I was tiptoeing against landmines.

B. The place I was assigned to wasn't very friendly. I don't mean in a "let's be acquaintances!" way. I mean it in a "(on the phone)men are outside your gate and another group is scouting the area. Lock the doors." way. 

That was an actual conversation.

C. Last but not the least, I would like to say I've appeared on CNN TV International already. My father was being interviewed and I got into the frame by strategically positioning myself.

The night before, a man went wild with his gun after doses of whatever compound outside our gates. While I distinctly remember the whole family crawling to the half-buried concrete room in the house, it was the passengers of a passing van that were unlucky.

I really can't remember the number of people killed but some of them were foreigner that is why international news outlets were interested.

Anyhow, the whole point is that I missed a very important part of national history which is cardinal sin for a reporter.

Yes, I ended up being in the municipal hall that night taking pictures of the election machines being brought in. Yes, I was there when cars owned by the politicians raced back and forth. Yes, I trailed a convoy of army and police trucks (to no avail, they were on rotations). 

I couldn't blame the zero election-related violence reported by the police by press time. My mantra is this:

When there is no news, I'm looking at the wrong direction.

And because this blog post is like an exhaust vent (I'm using a vehicle metaphor as opposed to an obscene human one), I am hoping that these problems don't block me the next time.

Into Freelance Journalism

This blog is a pet to me so I'm giving it a picture of an elephant which it will enjoy:

Hello!

So from working in The News Today Libre, I've shifted into freelancing. I will still be working for the paper (hopefully) but I have already signed a contract with another local daily Panay News as a freelance journalist.

Set aside the sad pay for generally all the journalists, I'm liking everything so far.

Being a freelance journalist means I can submit stories or not and I live without a quota. However, I will try to submit stories daily because stopping can mean going downhill.

And the first thing a freelance journalist needs is an online portfolio. Check out mine at http://leoagustinlutero.blogspot.com.

SOMETHING UNPROFESSIONAL

I signed the contract without notifying my first publication which is The News Today Libre. Although we have no contract or legal bind, I should have informed them that I will be freelancing full-time although that has been my role for them so far. Bad move.

INTO VIDEO

Although my equipment is in a very sad state, I will start shooting video. What I have so far is a non-HD 3CCD camera (compact), an external microphone recorder with line-in, a lavalier mic, a tripod, a number of miniDV tapes which are generally cheap, and a Firewire cable (I use a Mac).

Obviously, I'm trying to make my equipment sound awesome because I need all the inspiration I can get.