Lazy summer

This was suppose to be the summer where I got stuff done. I was going to be an artist, a dedicated blogger and a big freelancer. I got none of that done. But that's not to say my summer was a complete waste. In fact this has been one of the best summers ever, just not for productivity.

But all of that will be coming to an end in a couple short weeks, as SJSU starts classes on August 25. I am a little bummed that I won't be taking any journalism classes, as my schedule is full of art classes, but I will still be doing some work for the Spartan Daily. I still think this has been a beneficial summer, a much needed break. Hopefully I'll kick off the semester with my batteries fully charged.

Here are some photos from an All Star football game I covered in San Jose a few weeks back. It was one of the few freelance gigs I did over the summer for the Almaden Times.

Hayden in the Trees

I had one of the best times of my life this past weekend at the U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca. It is the best motorcycle racers in the world, going head to head at one of the worlds finest tracks. People from all over the world made the pilgramage to Monterey to take in the weekends events.

Here is one of my favorite shots from the weekend of Nicky Haden, former Moto GP champion, going down the Corkscrew. Everytime I go to laguna I always try and find a shot that can someway show the trees that shade the top of the notorious turn. I think I got it this time. There will be more photos to come, so keep an eye out.

A superior accident

As stated earlier I spent the Fourth in Irvine visiting one of my best friends and had a blast. It seems every time we get together we take a lot of photos, but this one time we got one that was more than just a snapshot. She was telling me that she would be a horrible model, but I don't know.

Anyways, I thought this was a fun photo even though it was by complete accident and taken with an old point and shoot that tends to make everything soft.

It could always be worse, and it usually is somewhere

Today I am in Irvine, CA visiting one of my best friends. Being in the LA area I decided pick up the LA Times and have a read, and I must say that I spent a good couple of hours reading the newspaper. Something I haven't really done in a while. There were a few good stories that really stood out to me, but one above all others.

It's sort of ironic, just the other day I was thinking about what it was like to be a journalist in another country, specifically Mexico. I know the country has it's problems, but I had no clue to it's extent. I thought it would be cool to be in a totally different environment, seeing it all with a different eye. And me being of Mexican decent, I thought Mexico could be an ideal place for some real journalism.

Well it doesn't get any more real in Mexico. In fact, instead of worrying about being laidoff, journalist there have to worry about being picked off by drug gangs and criminals. In this story by the LA Times, it depicts the extent to which brutal drug gangs will go for reputation, domination and intimidation. Thirty reporters have either been killed or missing for reporting on these gangs, and newpapers all over the country and begining to abandon stories on the criminals. Some newspapers have taken a different tactic, by omitting the name of the reporters or having a pen name.

These are real journalist. Risking lives for the truth, to create public awarness. And here I am complaining about not having a job, while some of them don't have lives anymore. It's a battle out there, and some people are using real amunition.

Life has taken over

It's the summer time and that means spontaneous trips to the beach for a bonfire and long nights with friends and a good brew and early mornings at work. The days are long, and the nights tend to be also, but no one is complaining. I got a new bbq and gorgeous weather here in the Bay Area, throw in some good friends and I can't ask for anything more.

Unfortunately I have come to neglect this blog for the most part of this summer. It's not intentional, and I don't really have an excuse. I've just been busy having fun.

But just because I take time off, does not mean that newsrooms have. They just lay off.

In recent days I heard that the Palo Alto Daily News is laying off five of its editorial staff and one graphic designer. The San Jose Mercury News is continuing to shrink it's newsroom, and this morning I hear that NBC 11 is cutting jobs. This is scary times for everyone. I am trying to break into the industry, and it just keeps getting smaller and smaller.

I guess I can't let this ruin my summer, but sooner or later it's going to start getting colder and the days will get shorter. Blue skies will turn gray and gloomy, although I think the news industry might already be there.

Just wanted to share

Me being a college student already racking up college debt, I found this article interesting.

It's that time of year

As the summer begins a new crowd of young adults will brave the heat of the real world, as high schools all across the country are promoting their seniors to graduates. It is a huge step, that I don't know many graduates are aware of.

I remember my graduation a few years back, actually four, and I couldn't imagine what it meant to be actually done with high school. I was well prepared though, and my parents saw to it that i had a job interview the day after I walked the line.

I covered a couple graduations this past week for the Almaden Times, a weekly newspaper in the San Jose area, and I just watched how some of these kids nonchalantly crossed the stage like it was just another day. Now it's not like things did a complete 180 and I was totally blown away by leaving high school, but things will change and I don't think many of them realize how much they will.

It's funny, I should be graduating college this year, but because of me transferring and taking a semester longer on the JC level I still have some time left. But that's not a bad thing, graduation will come.

Here is a photo from the graduation. I thought it was very represen- tational, almost Hallmarkish, cause you got the graduate walking into the light looking back with a smile.

Congratulations class of 2008, especially to my brother Chris who made it also.