Time To Man Up.

After some mild (to dangerously high) trepidation and a handful of painstakingly filled-out applications, I successfully landed a spot as an intern at Men's Journal magazine in New York this spring. And I'm ridiculously excited (I'll have to lower my expectations later after the newness wears off as to avoid any disappointment in the Big Apple). Not only will I contribute to the magazine's target subjects of travel, sports, technology, movies and celebrities, but the recently instated editor of MJ was the executive editor and music writer for Rolling Stone (both publications are owned by Wenner Media). I was told he wants to beef up MJ's culture/entertainment content and that my music knowledge could come in handy down the road -- maybe help me make some important contacts at the 'Stone and get to live out my dream job. We'll see. I'll be living over at Columbia University in Manhattan and taking the subway to work every day, from the end of April to mid-June. Another internship or the start of something special in my swiftly-approaching career? Only time will tell.

Sounding Off.

I've always loved music (read: been obsessed), not only listening to it but performing and creating songs of my own. I've written some tunes in the past but never taken the time to record anything. Finally, this past summer while writing for the Daily Herald, I decided to whip out my ol' interview recording device and establish a self-indulgent MySpace page -- which probably never should have seen the light of day but I'm sharing it anyway. Below is my latest recording and you can go to myspace.com/chasemlarson for the entirety of my musical attempts.

The Future of Journalism.

For my Media Effects class, I just concluded a fairly lengthy evaluation concerning the future of the journalism -- a topic I am very interested in (especially since it has to do with my hopeful vocation or homelessness). It may seem dry to some, but the topic affects us all -- whether we read the newspaper, have a smart phone or use social media. I think it's safe to say that covers just about all of us. Take a gander if you so desire and hear what the "best in the biz" have to say about where the media industry is headed. Click below.

The Future of Journalism (PDF) 

Playing Catch-Up.

I think I've finally come to the realization that I'll never be done with my perpetual "to do" list. There is no last hill to climb before a blissful, end-all paradise. And I'm content with that conclusion. The ride is the best part anyway. The most important thing is maintaining the balance. Now, well into the latter half of the semester, I'm finding (and making) more opportunities for me to write again. With school and my job as editor at the Universe, it's been nice to sit down and get the juices flowing again lately.

Below is my latest Rhombus Online Magazine post (which I spent many moons on) as well as a couple articles I did regarding election coverage for The Daily Universe:


Rhombus Online Magazine
MUSIC: 20 Important Songs You Should Hear

The Daily Universe
Students play vital part in nation's oldest student-run exit polls
A liberating evening for democrats

A Day In the Life of a News Editor.

It's a typical Tuesday here in The Daily Universe newsroom. Here is my workspace. It's sort of like a cubicle but not quite. More like an designated open space area in the shape of a quasi-hexagon with Avatar-like lily pad light refractors hovering above me. My area has the makings of any typical place of labor — computer, telephone, newspapers, spider-embroidered hand towel, celebratory "party poppers" and a tri-fold piece of headwear with "Birfday Hat" enscribed on the side in magenta and lime green crayon. Home sweet home.

 

This is Parker. He's my co-editor on the campus desk. The contents of his workspace are far less arbitrary than mine, though his affinity for spotting wildlife outside the window, incredible punch-making abilities and desire to live for over a century provide more than adequate color commentary and excitement on this side of the newsroom. He — not Lassie — is man's best friend.

These are some of our reporters hard at work at the multitude of computers lining The Daily Universe newsroom walls. Even though everyone on our desk opted to study public relations in place of the ideal, utopian calling of a print journalist, we're most of the way through the forgiveness process and secretly think they're great anyway.

Here are the voyeuristic, oversized windows on the west side of the newsroom. Coincidental? I think not. Often, the appearance of deer, inclement weather or wandering students capture our attention and add that "je ne sais quois" that provides reporters with the profound sense of inspiration they need. Or maybe just satiates the innate curiosity and fly-on-the-wall nature of a journalist.

Just another day in the life of a mild-mannered news editor.

(All photos courtesy of my cell phone)

My Foray Into Photography.

Horizons Broadened.

It's been years in the making with painstaking efforts and crumbled plans. I think "The Road" (great novel I just finished) describes it best:

"Nights dark beyond darkness and the days more gray each one than what had gone before... Bedrock, this. The cold and the silence. The ashes of the late world carried on the bleak and temporal winds to and fro in the void. Carried forth and scattered and carried forth again. Everything uncoupled from its shoring. Unsupported in the ashen air. Sustained by a breath, trembling and brief. If only my heart were stone."

After all this metaphoric yearning and hardship, I finally did it. I ate at Jack In the Box. If you don't believe I accomplished such a feat, I'm one step ahead of you. See evidence below (photograph courtesy of Kerisa Shelton).