Three things I learned in Journalism

Four years. Four years of commuting to UST from our house in Caloocan and later on in Antipolo. Numerous bus, jeepney, tricycle and train rides. Too many writing assignments and paper works that I've lost count and too many nights of companionship with my laptop and coffee... 

Four years of never-ending lessons after lessons, professors after professors and yet I've only learned three things. Yeah, just three things that I will bring throughout this profession... (If I will really pursue it). 

1. You have to be "clear, concise and consistent" in writing
• My late professor, Sir Niel Lim, said this during one of our class. In writing, one do not have to be wordy or write a lengthy piece in order to for it to be a good piece. As long as your message is clear to your readers, then the better. One must write in a concise manner to avoid boring the readers and for them to grasp what your article is all about. Also, one must be consistent in writing, so as not to confuse readers on what you're really talking about. If you stand negatively on a certain issue, let it be that way. If you are against something, have conviction to defend your side. No gray areas. 
2. "You are judged by your present article. If that article is crap, then you're a crap writer" 
• Again, Sir Niel said this in one of our class. He taught us to accept criticisms positively and learn from it. In this profession, there is no such thing as better luck next time or "pwede na". A journalist must give his 110% in this profession because what we're doing is not just writing for the sake of it but writing for the people... If one wrote an article that cannot be considered an article then he/she must evaluate oneself on why did things crash down like that... It cannot be said that it is okay that one article is crap because the previous articles have been superb because as far as journalists go, yesterday's article was stale already. 
3. "There is no such thing as objectivity in writing" 
• Sir Ian Esguerra, on of our professors broke the rules that journalists are following. One, he is a self-confessed arrogant person. Also he is very shy. Which according to him is a lethal combination, lethal in a way that it must not be the attitude of journalists. Also, he taught us that objectivity is bogus. Yes, bogus. According to him, every person, journalist or not has his/her own bias. It is not important in journalism to be free of bias and write objectively because that sort of thing does not really happen... what is important is that a journalist must report the truth and the truth only. And I believe him. If I would be tasked to write an article on a certain issue with which I am against, I will have to evoke a certain emotion while writing it. That emotion is evidence of my own bias.However, if I will write it and tell the people the truth about the issue, whether it may slant positively or negatively is not a big deal. As long as one report according to the truth and the truth alone, objectivity will remain in its place-- out of the picture. 

On Vice Ganda.

Hindi lang naman si Jessica Soho ang issue dito. Ang issue dito ay yung mga nabibiktima ng rape at sexual harassment.

Kung isang malaking katatawanan para sa'yo ang rape, malamang isa ka sa mga taong walang matinong sense of humor. Rape, gagawin mong joke? Anong klaseng tao gagawa nun? Siguro nga komedyante si Vice Ganda kaya nagawa niyang magpatawa ng ganun, at sa dami ng nanonood ng concert nya, tumawa silang lahat. Pero kung ganung klase ng pagpapatawa ang gagawin mo, Vice, wala kang karapatan para tawagin ang sarili mong komedyante.

Kung tutuusin, hindi lang naman si Jessica Soho ang binaboy mo, e. 'Yung mga contestants nyo sa show nyo at yung mga guests mo kung laitin mo, walang pakundangan. Bakit? Kagandahan ka ba para magsalita ng ganun? Hindi ito isang comedy bar, Vice. Hindi ito isang comedy bar na iilang tao ang nanonood sa'yo. Halos buong mundo nakikita kung gaano mo lait-laitin ang mga tao sa paligid mo...

Idol kita, Vice. Lahat na ata ng pelikulang pinagbidahan mo, pinanood ko kasi iba ka magbitaw ng punch line. Sige, sabihin nga nating nakakatawa nga naman na tinawag mong lechon ang isang batikang news anchor sa Pilipinas, pero yung rape? Vice, rape yun e. Rape! Try mo kayang ma-rape, tignan natin kung makapagjoke ka pa ng ganyan.

Hindi porket nagpapatawa ka, wala ka ng respeto, wala ka ng courtesy. Unang-una, nakikita ka ng tao, napapanood ka, yung iba pa nga halos mamatay makita ka lang, ginagaya ka ng kabataan, ilang mga jokes mo na nga ba ang sumikat? Marami na rin, hindi ba? Kaya sana iningatan mo ang pagbibitaw mo ng salita. Kung si Ai-ai nga iniwan si Jed Salang dahil ayaw niyang makita siya sa casino, ikaw pa? Ikaw pa na nagsisimula pa lang sa industriya? Ikaw pa na Vice Ganda pa lang, nagjoke tungkol sa rape na parang hindi ito serious issue sa Pilipinas.

Matalino ka sana, Vice. Pero nung concert mo, hindi ko malaman kung nasaan ang talinong 'yun.

Pacman loses

Philippine pride Manny Pacquiao lost the match today/tonight to American boxer Timothy Bradley by split decision. Filipinos and other Pacman fans say that the scores were unfair and that the Sting Malunggay endorser should have won, well, I think that Bradley performed well and had some of the rounds but Manny still should've won that fight.

Why?

Bradley only shown enthusiasm during the last 3 or 4 rounds of the fight but clearly, Pacquiao did better earlier. His punches are way better than those of Bradley's and he clearly blocked efficiently. Yes, he was cornered and as I saw, the People's champ was slower (age?) but his punches are still powerful. Also, as seen in the replays, Bradley's head turned from side to side with each punch that Pacquiao landed on his face. He was getting dizzy as the fight progressed so I guess, he decided not to attack and let Pacquiao do the offense. He was just blocking and throwing jabs here and there...there were a lot of running and hugging too.

I think that Manny won the fight, he deserved that. But the Saranggani Congressman did not won the scorecards. His punches were defenseless once the judges had their decision-- 2-1 in favor of Bradley. The reason for this, is maybe because Pacquiao was too cool and affirmative that he owned the fight letting Bradley's jabs and punches score.

Hindi nanggigil si Manny. 

I am positive for a rematch so I rest my case.

Showers

I believe that everyone has the right to savor showers.Not that 5-minute ones that people took because they are late for an appointment but those that lasts for 20-30 minutes with lots of humming (sometimes singing, or should I say 'making a racket') making the mirrors moist. Personally, that's the time where I decide things and think thoroughly about what's bugging me for the day. Deciding what to wear on a date, what to eat for dinner, whether to ride a bus or the train for school, why did I lose so much money last night and sometimes WHY ON EARTH AM I STUCK IN THIS LOOP HOLE OF A LIFE are some of the things that pops up in my mind under that hot (sometimes cold) water splashing my body and my face... After that loooong shower, I emerge from the bathroom feeling like a new girl, refreshed, willing to start all over again. Plus, that darn thing had been thought about, at last!

Sabi nga nila, kung may problema ka at hindi mo nadaan sa tulog, i-ligo mo na lang. 

Besides, showers are a way to relax the muscles of the body and to clean those areas that may not be seen, if you know what I mean.


Happy showers, everyone!

Seriously

Since the very first time that I learned and loved to blog, I have been signing up to different blog sites just jammed away in the keyboard about how pissed I am or how kilig I was and many random things that I know people will not give a shit ever. When I back read all my previous posts, I cringed. It was like I was trying hard to impress my supposed-to-be readers with my awesome (or not?) wit and sense of humor. And like any other trying hard person, I failed. I didn't even impressed my self! So I decided to cut all the crap and start doing things my way-- but not that "silly highschool girl gushing about her love life" kind of way (though I will post about it, from time to time. Tee-hee!).

People say that I have talent and it's time to put that talent to good use. It's time to take things in perspective... a writer's perspective, oh wait, not just a writer but a journalist. It's time to take all my journalistic training out of the box and into the minds of other people.

It's time to get serious.