And here we go…

As I drifted through journalism school I often had a hard time carving out a niche. Whenever people asked me what I wanted to do, I always told them I wanted to be a writer, but I could never be more specific than that. If they pressed me, I would tell them I was going to school to be a newspaper reporter, but newspaper journalism with its leads, nut graphs and inverted pyramids seemed too regimented for its own good.

Then one day a professor assigned everyone in the class to start a blog. He told us to have fun with it, but besides that, there were no other guidelines. So I started to write about the goofiest shit I could think of. I wrote about the deification of Jack Bauer, and how the last episode of the Sopranos was an indictment of the American Dream. I wrote about the ‘93 Stanley cup finals, and how Marty McSorley’s illegal stick still haunts my dreams. It was an open forum to write about whatever I wanted,and I thought to myself, “that’s the kind of living I want to make.”

So here it is. My venture into the realm of professional writing. The first thing I need is YOU. Readers, please tell your friends. Please! Tell them you have a super cool friend who really wants to make a living writing, and his life depends on their reading.

Second, this really isn’t a blog. It’s a column. Blogs post multiple times a day with entries ranging from 100-300 words. Basically with this site, I am giving myself a job as a newspaper columnist. I will post 2-3 times a week, with entries ranging from 800-1500 words.

Third, the focus will be pop culture and all that that entails. Movies, music, TV, sports and even some politics.

Fourth, I would love for this to be as interactive as possible. This column will be modeled of off Bill Simmons’ site over at ESPN. I would really like to do mailbags where I respond to readers’ e-mails (my e-mail address can be found in the about section located in the top left portion of the page). Also, please comment. If I suck tell me. I have thick skin, and I can take it.

Here I will open up the forum for suggestions for my first column due out in the middle of the week. Please comment.

P.S. Bryan, I know this looks like hell. Deal with it. It’s a work in progress.

17 Responses to “And here we go…”

  1. Jake Says:

    God, this website is ugly.

  2. Tessa Says:

    since the last soprano episode is so symbolic, I think I should be able to watch sopranos. And in all honestly, my friends won’t appreciate this. I’ll tell them anyway, but my friends are dumb teenage girls, like me. And is everyone else going to be able to read this, or just you? That’s a little creepy if anyone else can…I think I’m made this long enough, so.

  3. Dan Says:

    I started a pop culture-type blog last summer. I only got to three entries, and while I’ve had many ideas to write about, I never got around to it. So maybe your new blog will not only be better written with a better vocabulary, but also inspire me to continue on mine.

    My first entry back is going to be about how there is nothing at all appealing about the pussycat dolls.

  4. Ryan Says:

    uh……nothing appealing about the pussycat dolls?

    can you write something proving dan’s theory wrong

  5. Kevin Says:

    There’s your first mailbag: Tell Dan to find his nuts! Those bitches are hot, regardless of how crappy they sing.

    Secondly, in all seriousness, if you want to make this into a serious venture, you should probably register your domain. That is, pay $10 a year to get the “wordpress” out of your address. Having your own domain goes a long way.

  6. Mom Says:

    I find it fascinating that “Batman:The Dark Knight” is breaking all box-office records. Why are people going to see “Batman”? Heath Leger? Or have we found a position, an issue that we all support? Do we need a dark knight to save us from ourselves?

    I am very proud of you, Jake!

  7. Elaine Says:

    Reading about pop-culture is going to make me feel old. But hell, maybe I’ll learn something.

    You’ll get me on politics though … but a word of warning. I can be pretty opinionated and vocal.

  8. Susie Says:

    This could be interesting Jake. I have to agree with your Mom. What the heck is the draw to this Batman movie! Of course, this is coming from someone that didn’t know who Heath Ledger was until he died. Politics could get a little nasty with this upcoming election. Good luck Jake!!

  9. Dan Says:

    http://highbridnation.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/pussycat-dolls.png

    Dressing half-naked doesn’t make up for the fact that 66% of the group are butter-faces.

    They also have no talent.

  10. Jake Says:

    Dan really hates the Pussycat Dolls

  11. Caleb Says:

    You still have nightmares about the 93 Final’s? That’s like me saying I still upset about the Hart/Michaels WM 12 match. Grow up and live with it.

  12. Elaine Says:

    Dan – what is a “butter-face” please? I have no opinion on the Pussycat Dolls. I just want to know about butter-faces.

    Also, Jake: referring to your first paragraph. What are nut graphs and an inverted pyramids?

  13. Jake Says:

    Elaine- Those are hilarious questions. A “butter-face” is girl with a hot body and an ugly face. So, everything is hot about her but her face. Get it, butter-face. It’s a play on words so it’s funny.

    Nut graphs and inverted pyramids are journalism terms that refer to how you are supposed to structure your story. A nut graph is your topic paragraph. It’s the paragraph that lets the reader know what the rest of the story will be about. The rest of the story grows out of it like a tree grows from a nut. It’s particularly funny because you get professors saying things like “good nut,” and “you need to work on your nut.”

    An inverted pyramid refers to the structure of a newspaper story where you put the most important information first followed by the second most important until it funnels to a point of the most unimportant.

  14. Elaine Says:

    Jake –

    Thanks for the nut graphs & pyramids explanations. That was my guess about the pyramid, but the nut graph thing I had no clue. I wouldn’t have guessed that.

    Very funny! I like that term … butter-face. Do you think that is sexist though? I think guys in general tend to be more critical about a woman’s appearance than women are about men. Or maybe that has changed with the younger generation. When I was making my (rather slow) exit out of the bar scene, I would observe young people, early twenties (both sexes), and their behaviors seemed different in alot of ways to my generation, as far as their interactions with each other. The women seemed more aggressive, and the men seemed more crude (I’m not saying that about you, of course) — just lacking in manners or something.

  15. Kevin Says:

    No, that’s Jake: crude and lacking manners. In a nut shell/graph…

  16. AlexM Says:

    Your blog is interesting!

    Keep up the good work!

  17. Lindsey Says:

    oh, nut graphs how I loath thee. Duncan and his donuts. Ha!

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