Day 30 (Thr., July 7)

This journal has become quite popular. Last year when I started my first journal, I did it just to keep friends and family aware of what I was doing. My parents have invested a lot of trust and money in my career. They have been there for me even though I try not to ask for their financial help. But there are those times when I get caught up against the wall and they are happy to help out. So, last year when I started the journal, I did it so they can keep track of what I was doing. At the age of 25, it should have been easy to drive away and live a new short life by myself. However, that wasn't the case. Never before had I been completely on my own the way I did last summer. There was the time when I lived at the dorms at CSUN, but that was very short-lived and my parents were just seven miles away. So, when deciding on how to keep my family involved in my life despite being 1,500+ miles away, I started the journal.

Quickly, it became very popular around campus, my home and around work in Dallas. It was a great thing. I sit here 13 months after the first journal entry and a lot has happened in my life. Most of which is documented on the web site. I get personal and I get silly around here. It's becoming who I am. People ask how it's going around here in Texas and I just say "want to know what I've done and seen?... go to the web site." Others just bring up things they see on the journals as if they were right there w/ me enjoying my experience.

It's a great way to document my life and what I see at this crucial moment of my career. Things that I will forget in the future, people who I will always remember, experiences that will be put away in the back of my mind. With the journal, it helps keep it all organized. I sometimes go back and read what I wrote and it gets me back on the right track. I sometimes forget why I am so far away from my friends and family, then I realize I am making the biggest sacrifice of my life.

Today the question of what makes a good blog and journal came up.

-- Is it a self-loathing act in which you draw attention to yourself? yes!

-- Is it a way to share your experiences w/ the world? yes!

-- Is it a way to document an important part of my life? yes!

-- Is it a way to get in trouble? oh yes!

Journals are very in depth and personal. Why don't you read your own journal and see what you've written in it. Sometimes things you don't want anyone to see, yet you still write it down. I am the type of person that gives you what you see. There is no hidden life behind me. I don't hide things from people. Publishing the journal is not a task for me, as I love to talk about my life.

I am happy to say that I am not alone. Two current coworkers here in San Angelo, Bryan Russell and Arthur Spragg, are currently in Peru. They are working out there for 10 days covering missionary work by a religious organization from right here in town. They have the similar blog-type journal that shows what they are seeing and doing. You can visit their experiences and see their style of journal is very similar to mine. So, I guess I am right on track w/ other professionals who do these type of things.

I have found myself laughing, smiling and learning about the people of Peru through the experiences by Bryan and Art. It's a learning experience. I just hope that when people come to my web site, they get to see and learn about the people of Texas through my experiences. That's my point of this journal. So you can learn along w/ me.

Today was a little weird. I returned to a morning shift. It was tough waking up. But today I was productive. That's because when I got out of work it wasn't dark. There was still daylight and I didn't want to stop working. So, I headed back to do more research on my project. I spent about an hour with a family that has been in San Angelo all of their life. I got to see what the young people around here feel and think. I have a good idea about how I want to do my project now. But I won't show you til it's done, so stay tuned.

After work I went home and was very productive. I did some laundry and had a hard time making my white shorts look white after they ended up being completely brown from the long day at the lake on Monday. I had a little glitch w/ my car stereo and I was able to fix that. I packed up and got ready for my trip to Houston. I will be going there this weekend. I want to do some photography out there as there are some cool events out there this weekend.

Today was a very sad day in the world. The terrorist attacks in London show that there are some mean people out there who can't seem to get the right idea about how to make a statement. These people think their statements can only go out by hurting innocent people. That's hard to understand. It's hard to see. And, it's hard to believe. I understand that there are people out there w/ different opinions. That's totally fine. But these extremist organizations are going too far. I don't care if they have a good or bad message, just send it a different way, please!

Today's also a very sad, but extremely proud day in the journalism world. Judith Miller of the New York Times went to jail. She accepted a sentence that was given to her for refusing to testify. She has information that her sources asked to remain confidential. When the people the put together the constitution and the bill of rights, they had an ideal set for this country. The belief that the government should be regulated by the watchdog such as the press. There's a big reason why the First Amendment gives Freedom of the Press. It's nothing to be taken lightly. As journalists we have our integrity to preserve. Once that integrity is gone, we are anything but a true journalist. When we have to keep our sources confidential, we are doing so because it's the only way we can do our job. Of course, we would love to never have to go off the record and/or keep any information confidential, but it's the tools we need to do an effective job. Miller going to jail is a true act of heroism. She's admired by all of us journalists, who are behind her all the way. We are not going to let the government bully us w/ their power. Because as Thomas Jefferson believed: the press has the same amount of power.

Good job Judith, we're behind ya. You make us journalists proud.

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