I write like
Cory Doctorow

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Saturday, May 9, 2009

A meditation

Ooh, if this was only the type that involves incense, a tranquil forest retreat and slow, deep Shiatsu massage at the end.  Maybe next time.

Thanks to now having a normal 40-hour-a-week with a daily 2 1/2 hour round trip commute, I have precious little time weeknights to scour the 'net, looking for news that grabs my attention and rattles me enough that I can't just post a mildly snarky comment on that site itself.  Since I'm using public transportation for the daily commute (that's old-school for "going green", btw), I'm saving my pennies to get a new computer (the one I use is fast approaching 7 years old) and some kind of matching PDA I can take with me on the commute.

So, while I await a leapfrog of technology into the 21st century, I just started my now weekly trip through the blogosphere and found a post by one of my favorite writers, Susie Madrak. You'll find a clip of testimony given to the Senate this past Wednesday from a journalist turned TV writer regarding the state of "professional journalism".

I'll distill it:  pretty bleak.

Be that as it may, the last century is full of industries who were on the brink of death when someone found a way to revive/reinvent themselves.  My best guess is that the Huffington Post is in the best position to become this century's NY Times.  Maybe The Mudflats as an adjunct to the Anchorage Daily News and Juneauempire.com ?

So, where do I see myself in all of this?  No Journalism degree and nothing in my resume suggesting a career sniffing out big stories.  I've enjoyed my forays into protest and civic involvement; however, I really love snapping photos of my new work neighborhood (Hollywood CA) and fishing around the 'net for my favorite tunes.

So, maybe no Pulitzer, Peabody or six-figure book deal in my future.  Then again, the majority of writers never receive awards or live in the lap of luxury.

Please knock first before entering the . . uh . . room (?) as I ponder the direction of this blog this weekend.

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