I plead the 1st.

When I decided I wanted to be a journalist, way back in 9th or 10th grade, I knew I wasn't going to be a millionaire. I didn't care; I said I wanted to be happy, and that was enough. I just figured I'd marry rich (just kidding! but seriously...).

Still, it's becoming more and more disconcerting to hear journalists talk about the industry. At the Times last quarter, when I introduced myself as the intern to one of the seasoned reporters, he said, "Oh, so you're here to witness the end?"

Then there's Overheard in the Newsroom, this fmylife-esque site devoted entirely to the news industry:

Editor, talking to visiting Cub Scouts: “Have you ever thought about starting your own newspaper?”

Reporter, under her breath: “Have you ever thought of starting a blacksmith’s shop? Some people might say that industry is in decline, but there will always be people with horses.”

Posted on Jan 28.10 to Overheard | No Comments »

So that's fun.

Really, though. News is vital. Newspapers are vital. I understand that my generation will never be the generation to spend money on a subscription and get the paper every day on their doorstep and read it with their morning coffee. That's fine. I don't pick up newspapers either - unless my stories are in them. There's a thrill in seeing your name in print that just doesn't happen with online.

But the fact that we don't like paper newspapers doesn't mean that we don't need those publications. I've heard people at my own school newspaper say that you can get all the news you need from a Twitter post. THIS IS PATENTLY FALSE. I acknowledge that Twitter is an amazing tool for covering breaking news. I recognize that during the elections in Iran, the only news that was getting out was via Twitter. But Twitter gives you headlines. There is still a huge need for in-depth reporting and investigative journalism.

How would we have found out about Watergate if it weren't for Woodward and Bernstein? Do you think we could have gotten there with Twitter? NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS! And yet, across the country, newspapers are cutting their investigative teams. They're the first thing to go, because they're the most expensive, and it's a mistake. A fatal error.

I'm willing and excited to go into this job and make no money. I'll make it work. But it terrifies me to hear people explain why they don't need newspapers. The way I see it, we're the most important piece of the checks-and-balances system of this country. We check the checkers.

This is probably too much exposition, and I don't know what I'm trying to get out of it, other than to say that I haven't given up hope on the newspaper industry yet, and neither should anybody else.

Also, I just had my interview for the Foreign Intrigue internship, and I'm freaking out because I want it so badly, and I have this gut feeling that I'm not going to get it.

Love always,

molly

suspense

Last March, I applied for the Foreign Intrigue internship in Latin America through my school's COM department. I didn't get it. On December 1, I submitted an application for an internship with Reuters in Latin America. As it's been almost 2 months with no word, I'm assuming I didn't get that, either.

Now, I'm applying again for the Foreign Intrigue internship through the COM department. It's actually the exact same Reuters internship that I already applied to straight through Reuters, only this time, my school chooses who gets it, instead of Reuters.

I want it so badly I can barely focus on anything else.

I'm so much more qualified this year. I interned at 2 newspapers last year, including *chya!* THE SEATTLE TIMES. Before that, I lived in Spain for 4 months. I'm still fluent in Spanish, and I'm comfortable using it. I'm passionate about what I do and excited about my future.

Wouldn't you want to hire me??

So yes. I'll turn in the application on Friday. All I need are 3 glowing recommendations from my journalism teacher, Times editor and current Spanish professor, and I'll be just about done with it.

Please God, PLEASE. I would be perfect for this job. This job is perfect for me. What's this job? Writing for an American news agency, from a Spanish-speaking country. What's my dream job? Writing for an American news agency, from a Spanish speaking country. COME ON!!

I don't know anyone who's more qualified or more excited about this internship. This is the foot in the door that I need to have my whole future set. Pleeease let it happen!!

Love always,

molly

I like dinosaurs.

I really do. This is apparently more obvious than I knew, as two of my best friends bought me dino shirts for Christmas. One says "Gangsta Saurus" and has a brontosaurus with a do-rag and dino bling; the other says "Dinosaurs are Dino-Mite!" and is kelly green with a stegosaurus. Dinosaurs are rad.

Anyway.

I think I haven't written any "omg it's the new year!" shtuff yet because, to be honest, I'm really not all that jazzed about this year so far. Last year was a good one for me. I learned a lot, grew up in some important ways, had some amazing experiences. I was sad to say goodbye to 2009. 2010 has thus far been... unimpressive.

But it's good, you know; I'm truckin' along. I'm back writing at the Daily, and designing thrice a week (I call it a good day if I get to use that word), so that's fun. Still, though. It's hard to get excited about publishing stories in the Daily, after the Seattle Times. Does that make me a cocky bastard who's upset about being a has-been? You bet.

Classes are good - 2 out of 3, anyway. I love my Spanish drama class and don't know how I've survived without any form of theater for the past 3 years. Econ is cool - I didn't think I'd like it, but it's really just common sense that I've never thought of before. Honors is...honorsy. Pretentious dicks. Stupid abstract coursework. Freshmen.

And last and least of my activities....church! Hmm. I don't like it. I don't care about it. I want to get out of everything I'm involved in. I still want to go on the Dominican trip, but only because I want to speak Spanish, go somewhere warm and get tan.

It's depressing. What's more depressing is the self-pitying thought that I have maybe 1 or 2 true friends in the entire Inn. There are about 70 people on Student Leadership alone that I should be able to call friends. But I feel like...if I didn't show up to church stuff, no one would ask, "Hey, where's Molly?" I'm not crucial.

On top of that, a requirement of being in Student Leadership is that you join a core group. I hate mine. I love the girls in it, but our leader makes me feel like I'm back in 3rd grade Sunday school. Everyone knows I'm opinionated and always right, yeah? Well, she doesn't. To say we butt heads is a pleasant-sounding understatement.

So that's rough right now. I feel myself pulling away, but forced to maintain a pretense of being super involved. That's not how it should be. I should be in a core group, on Student Leadership, going to the DR because I want to. A relationship with God should never be the result of a program requirement.

On a happier note, I've had Chipotle 3 times in the past 5 days. Awesome? You betcha. Tres tacos para llevar, por favor. Barbacoa. Tomates. Crema y mucho queso. Gracias.

Love always,

molly