Juicy Journalism

After sifting through the many blogging sites available to us, I decided to take a further look into the lives of the group members who make up the joUrn.juiCe blogging site. I was captivated immediately by the introduction to their page, as you are tempted to indulge yourself after being given a small taste of what they have to offer, as it incorporates a martini glass and a brief description of the posts that are uploaded onto the site. The play on words used in the beginning grabbed my interest and left me to read on.

The use of pictures in this blogging site immediately made me aware of stories that we were recently focusing on in class, acts that had never been performed before by the individual bloggers themselves were presented in the form of personal photographs and put on display. I viewed this as the olive inside the glass, often used as a presentation extra. As I read on I was intrigued to find out about the lifestyles behind a group of members in my tutorial class that I didn’t know on a personal level. Through reading this blogging site I was advised through their work at their personal mannerisms and interests. Journ.Juice gave me the chance to escape into a reality of the varsity lifestyle we live on a day-to-day basis from a different view. I was engrossed in the stories and it most certainly tantalized my taste buds, urging me to order me.

Tay Johnston

Wonders of the ever-growing technology

Earlier on during the week I decided to further my interaction skills and became one of many fans that use Skype daily as a communication device. I was intrigued to further my horizons after learning about tweeting and being an avid facebook addict, why not try out a new method of contacting friends and family around the world. I went ahead and purchased a portable camera and set up my Skype account. Within minutes I was hooked up and connected to the rest of the world on more of a personal level.

I was amazed as to how it was possible to simply view a friend that was thousand of kilometres across the world. The transition of technology immediately caught me by surprise. I was reminded of the moment I expressed my ignorance when my mom asked me to fax a letter whilst at her office and I replied by saying, “why has the paper come back to me and not sent?” to my surprise it did in fact not ravel up and send thru the wires that plugged the fax machine into the wall. As if this wasn’t mind blowing enough for me, the idea of seeing my parents who were in our house in Durban live, while talking to me took my breath away.

I informed them that we should talk over Skype, as it was a cheap method of communication that would allow us to see one another. Their excitement was as great as mine and was stunned at the fact that we were seeing each other after a few months since my last visit home. I was in awe as I watched my mom sit with a grin on her face and for the first time ever she was speechless and I could get a word in edgeways. My dad went on to take a tour through the house with the laptop and show off all his new handyman additions that had been attended to. I have never experienced such a fulfilling moment that was captured through the eye of technology.

Defiantly something I have never done and now I can firmly say that I’m possibly as addicted to Skype and the wonders of technology as I am to facebook.

Tay Johnston

Life of its Own!

“Like magic mushrooms, the media you consume changes how you think. We are just making sure that you are thinking for yourself...” This powerful opening statement represents a blog full of continuous humour and pun displayed by eager journalists. “Writer Than You - Atom” is a funny mushroom creature, created with a precise intention in mind. Their blog, however, developed a life of its own, and has taken lively blogging to the next level.

Through an original representation of a blog, these first-year journalist students have incorporated various entertainment aspects aside from their prescribed tasks, adding significant value to the prospect of fun within their blog. The blackened background and luminous headings draws the reader’s attention to the writing submitted, displaying a limited amount of distraction. The writing is simple and clear, avoiding many images, allowing the writing to create an individual and unique image in the reader’s mind.

Through this humorous blog, readers can expect only the best student experiences and opinions, allowing global upcoming journalists to relate to their blogging adventure. It is evident that the writer’s maintain different styles and outlooks on journalism as a whole, presenting a diverse approach to the media. Over all, I feel this blog serves its purpose in acting as a diary for a team of first-year journalism students in Grahamstown. “Writer than You”, an inspirational blog, allowing you to change the way YOU think!

Nadine Mather

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah for this Modest Mouse: Satisfy your indie needs and Nordic knowledge!

Extraterrestrial activity. Arcitc anomolies. Russian hysteria. British sex. Converse takkies. These are just a few of the issues Pleasenotethefollowing explores, and from this list alone one gains a sense of the charming quirkiness the blog holds.
Excellent writing is combined with impressive photojournalism, making this site truly note worthy। It aims to provide the opinions of “ordinary people” and thus subtly combat the vacuous indoctrination that occurs when consuming mainstream media. Honest sentiments are provided over the manipulative ones of magazines wanting to further their own aims.

This argument is a little naive in my opinion, for while the sincerity of the posting is clear it is no less manipulative than that of any magazine। These bloggers are trying to convey their views and whenever that occurs then so does manipulation. Success would not be achieved otherwise. However, it is to be said that the writing is intelligent and the aims harmless: Skins is an excellent television show, bizarre ice formations are fascinating, and indie kids must not become as commercial as their all star trendy footwear. All relevant topics and ones that appeal to students for they deal with topics that we regularly discuss.

The blog also has quite an artistic feel to it, with much discussion of bands, festivals and alternative sub cultures। Some of the photographs are works of art in themselves. Which is why it is disappointing to note that the page is dreadfully dull aesthetically. A plain blue background with black writing is conducive to easy but not extensive reading. I believe that they really could have heightened the calibre of the site by having the appearance reflect the writing and the views expressed.

Please note the following: to increase your general knowledge on necessary happenings in society such as Nordic weather patterns and independent music, then this is the blog for you. It should be eccentric enough for your twisted little mind.

Full Moon

As I wake up in my res and unravel my closed curtains, an image of a single abandoned house clouds my vision. It welcomes me every morning as the suns rays capture its delicate structure, but as the night approaches a different view comes into mind. Rhodes students refer to this deserted building as ‘The Haunted House’ on the hill, but as a curious future journalist I knew I had to embrace the challenge of approaching the house at full moon.
Driving towards the old building I felt anxious and nervous, as a shiver of adrenalin raced up my spine. I had expected a house, a simple deserted building; however the reality of my expectations became limited as my imagination continued to race. As we approached the house my heart sunk into my stomach and my breath gradually became shorter. There were no windows or doors and the scattered glass surrounded our feet, and as I stepped into the building the darkness blackened my thoughts. Although my adrenalin was at its peak, I couldn’t help but to feel calm as stillness embraced the atmosphere. Looking out from the house, I couldn’t take my eyes off the glowing moon. Someone once lived here, created memories here, but as the memories continue to fade the buildings homely warmth had vanished. Everybody has a story to tell and I was certain that this house had many, and it gave me one to embrace.
Driving away from the house I felt a feeling of excitement as the fear of entering into such a dark space had disappeared. Although there wasn’t much to see, the atmosphere created many feelings of hope. As a young journalist, I am always searching for the thrill of it, and as I wake up and unravel my closed curtains, I look up at the “haunted” house and know that it has another story, a moment, with me in it.

Nadine Mather

The Only Exception

Right: SUBLIME SOAKING: Returning back to Res after a refreshing rainstorm

On one very average Tuesday evening, I was cuddled up under a blanket, thinking how happy I was to be here, listening to the thunderstorm that poured down onto my window and feeling all very nostalgic about returning home in a couple of weeks.

I decided to watch a thrilling movie at this point and halfway through, while sitting alone in my dark and eerie room, my friend bursts in dripping wet with her hair matted flat to her face like something out of a bad horror movie. After overcoming my initial shock at the sight of this zombie-lookalike I regain my composure only to be convinced to take off my shoes, lose my inhibitions and join her to go puddle-jumping in the thunderstorm.

Now, usually I would decline such a request or fob my friend off with the excuse that we’d get sick or contract some exotic disease of sorts. But something, most likely a sort of end-of-year syndrome, made me forget to do that. So I kicked off my shoes, let down my hair and rain into the sheets of pouring rain.

And you know what?

It. Was. Awesome.

At this moment the only thing that really mattered was that I was with some of my best friends skipping around in puddles (whilst being strangely eyed out by the passer-bys in their cars) and that we were in a sublime moment of relived childhood pleasure as we laughed hysterically down the road.

It was perfect. My mind was free from the daily stress of lectures and the looming exams. I was so happy that I walked into my Activate meeting that night barefoot and soaking wet – something I thought I’d never do. The sane me would have thought, “how unprofessional”.

But this was not sane me, this new experience seemed to bring out a whole a new side of me. One that stressed less. One that didn’t care about what others thought. One that just lived for the moment.

I wish it would rain like that on me every day.

By: Tarryn Ross

What the hell, Journ? What's going on in this world?

I will admit. I searched the list of available blogs to review in terms of how interesting the URL sounded and stumbled across http://whatthehelljourn.blogspot.com. As shallow as it is to select a blog to review based on the appeal of its name, I felt that title of the blog “What the hell Journ?” just captured the exact feeling I (and I’m sure many other journalism students) have some days. The paradox of being both overwhelmed and underwhelmed by your subject really echoed through this title.

The introduction made clear the objective of the blog which linked to the title again as the writers: Caelyn Woolward, Tatum Holloway and Phillipa Bradbury proceeded to explain that they aimed to make journalism seem relevant and exciting again – a refreshing change from the punctuation lessons we had been receiving in lectures.

Despite the rather bland style of blog background and design the content certainly made up for it. Stories included topics on animal rights activism, governmental corruption and poverty in Africa, social-life violence in Grahamstown and a lighthearted take on life around Rhodes campus. So readers can look forward to balanced articles with refreshing takes on both international and locally relevant concerns. The stories were compelling and stylish yet the language was simple and entertaining enough to be relevant to the average student or cyberweb surfer.

“What the hell Journ?” successfully documents important issues while simultaneously adding a twist of student-street smarts to the mix that comprises this world-wise blog. So if you need a fresh outlook on life at Rhodes University or even an adolescent spin on global issues check it out. What the hell? What do you have to lose?

By: Tarryn Ross