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.

On making a short documentary

I would want a discussion on this rather than transient reading.

I'm planning to undertake making a short video documentary. My editor has given me a story which I can follow through. But I might be too confident for the project because right now I feel ready. Here are the reasons why:

1. I have reached the minimum equipment requirements. 

I have a small 3 CCD camera that records to DV (not HDV) which still works although is definitely a dying format.
I have a Firewire cable and the camera works great with Final Cut Pro.
I have a point and shoot for emergency videos. It can shoot HD.
No tripod.

I have a voice recorder with an omni-directional microphone.
I don't have a boom mic but I intend to avail of one soon.

2. I have a story.

Before you scream poverty porn, it is more than what it seems.

An illegal settlers community nicknamed itself as "waterworld" because their houses stay above water through bamboo poles. The lead is even though they are illegal settlers, a certain group is still able to charge them some sort of "rental fee" which is of course, illegal. I don't really know enough details and I intend to do preliminary research but the story is from a first-hand source. I think I can get something juicy out of that (<- Is this sensationalism?)

3. I have experience.

Sure I haven't been in the news business for at least half a year but I am loving every part of it and I've been able to get sources that other papers in my area did not have. I enjoy the investigation part, doing things under pressure, constant haggling ("give me 10 more minutes I'll give more info! Please!") and unique first-hand experience. My experience with video production goes way back and I've been a self-proclaimed colorist for a while already so I'm familiar with the NLE and the process and the shooting.



After letting all this out, I realized that the only reason I'm putting this out there is because I'm sh*t scared. What if I don't finish making it? What if I get tired of it? What if I lack too many shots? What if my angle is just bad? What if I just can't?

Staying afloat in journalism

I was able to go to the closing ceremonies of Manggahan Festival 2013.

It made me realize how territorial I am that I've never been to the island even though it's extremely close to my place. I've been there once, I admit but it was with friends and it was booze-less. It was like a sleepover where you often just ignore where you are.

The awkward video has some explanation. 

I am taking working at a newspaper seriously but by virtue of the ultimate truth posted on the internets, I got scared because newspapers are apparently disappearing and the only way for a journalist to survive is to learn other crafts. I know some Final Cut Pro and some Sony Vegas and some Adobe Premiere after a long stretch of being a Wannabe Kurosawa. I'm over that phase now but some of the skills remain.

The narration is shits because I stutter when I'm in awkward positions and I've learned my English from reading books so I admit failing at speech. But what the hell! I've talked to people I don't know just to get a story and I have been hanged-up on a number of times for asking too much questions. I'm not going to back down now.

But internet be kind.

Try not to be emotional

So I've been working for a local newspaper  and it has been fun. Fun is actually referring to the busy-ness (not business, definitely) I get out of it and not the work itself.

For you to effectively know what I mean, here is a story.

Yesterday I was in a very public place but I still had my digital camera, mobile phone, voice recorder and all the essential things I call my journalism toolkit. My phone rang – an unknown number. When I said hi, a sad voice answered. I knew who it was.

A day earlier, I went to the OWWA (search it) regional office and talked about the death of an OFW from my locale in Abu Dhabi allegedly due to abuse from employer. 

I had on the phone the sister of a victim.

Do you know how it feels to have a loved one die on the other side of the world? Me neither. I was sweating, I was stuttering. Talking to someone who knows sadness that I have never even imagined is just so harrowing. You feel so insensitive and incapable. 

The woman on the phone was nice and accommodating. I have earlier introduced myself as a journalist based in their home city and I told her that a lot of the fellow Ilonggos of the victim are curious as to what will happen with the investigations.

She talked to me, answered my questions. She was brave. And then she told me they will fight and seek justice for the departed family member.

When the phone died, I did too.

As a journalist, you have to write a fact-ridden piece for hard news. For a long while, I didn't know why someone would have to read facts and create their own judgements. For a long while, I thought everyone should react the same way.

This world is a cruel thing to think about.

Makabayan coalation picket outside Comelec 6 (UPDATE)

A group of Makabayan party-list coalition grounded the street affronting Comelec regional offices in Iloilo City.

(Grab your copy of the News Today Libre now! And yes the paper is for free!)

Iloilo City – Members of the Makabayan Party Coalition picket the Comelec regional office after the verdict of the supreme court case filed against its members was scheduled to be released yesterday.

PISTON (Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide),and Kabataan, a youth-led party-list, are both in danger of disqualification over postering offenses.

The nationwide picket was organized by Makabayan groups across the nation as a protest over the unfair treatment of progressive groups.

According to the Makabayan website, PISTON tallied a single postering offense while Kabataan had 7. Satur Ocampo, Makabayan president, observes that pro-administration party-lists like Akbayan with 9 postering violations are left alone.

“The Comelec and Chairman Brillantes should not allow themselves to be used by the administration to harass and suppress the true voices of the marginalized in our society.”, Ocampo added.

Charmane Chin, regional spokesperson of Kabataan party-list, together with other members of the Makabayan party-list coalition, stood outside the Comelec 6 office along Washington St. waving banners that spelled “Comelec, Tuta ni PNOY” and “No To Yellow Comelec.”

“We took off the posters and we wrote a letter and submitted evidence however the Comelec pursued their disqualification case. The sad thing is we are not even part of the top violator list.” Chin said.

According to Chin, “Risa Hontiveros has 9 postering violation but the Comelec takes her case lightly because she is backed by the Malacañang.”

“They want progressive party-lists to have less seats. This is a clear use of the power of Aquino over the Comelec. In the disqualifications of PISTON and Kabataan comes less opposition for his administration. We are attacked because we make the most noise over national issues”, Chin concluded.

Atty. Renato Magbutay, election officer for the region, said all proceedings for the case "are high up" in the en banc court and regional directors aren't in on the problem.