Doing some freelance

In the last couple of weeks I have been doing more freelance than usual. I don't freelance often - but recently it seemed like an alright idea to take these jobs while I'm waiting for school to start. 

So I've been in Pittsburgh for the last few days and it's been really nice seeing family. But coming here made me realize how much juggling full-time freelancers have to do to keep their income flowing. There are invoices to be generated, W-9s to be filled out, and people to remind - or harass - for responses, payment or any other thing. 

I brought some camera stuff and had all these plans with my sister to photograph everyone all week but I probably took 10 pictures and carried it around for no reason. Maybe if I were alone to explore I'd use my camera more but we're being shuffled to BINGO games and family events.

I'm glad that when I get back I have a little more than two weeks to get ready for school. I think doing this freelancing all at once has helped get some of that rust off before we do our month-long immersion. J-school here I come.

University of Southern California - here I come!

Wow - it's been a while since I've even looked at my website. 

To be honest, I've been on a bit of a media and internet haitus since... maybe the end of April.

The avoidance of news - or lack of intensely following the 24-hour newscycle - was by choice. I am gearing up to jump into living, breathing and dreaming about journalism and decided I needed a recouperating period. 

The internet haitus was forced. I moved closer to USC and didn't have internet until three days ago. I haven't had TV since 2014 so this internet/TV bundle feels like the best thing to happen to me in a long time. I got to watch James Comey give testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee and then wall-to-wall commentary ALL DAY. So nice.

I took a freelance assignment that required me to transfer many gigabytes of data over multiple days so I had to drive back and camp out at my mom's house just to use her internet. So, it's better.

Now, USC. I've committed, gotten a scholarship, all that. I am now waiting to sign up for classes. The summer immersion program begins in July and I'm super excited. We all had to submit a headshot and short bio for a new student directory. I had my friend Meghan Attaway shoot mine in the studio at the University of La Verne. It's possible she did the last one too, now that I'm thinking about it. 

I submitted a tighter crop than this one. I think I look grown up? I don't feel grown up.

Not going to Berkeley

So I'm not going to Berkeley's journalism program, and it's a bummer. That was an awesome program - it is an awesome program - it would have been an awesome opportunity.

But the upshot of this is that I spoke with the director of admissions and she told me what kind of candidate they look for and what my app was missing. 

I'm still waiting on the other schools. Some need more info, interviews, writing tests, etc. I have a skype interview tomorrow. 

I went to an Oscars viewing party with Maggie. She's doing some kind of review for AOL and had a plus one. There I met a Mizzou alum - the nicest girl ever - who basically talked me into applying at the last minute. We even asked if she's a recruiter, but she just loved her undergraduate experience that much. The fall deadline has passed, but it's nice they start fall and spring for their two-year program. I think it's a sign, as I was looking at their program's curriculum earlier that day and wondering why the heck I didn't apply...

After telling the universe I was going to grad school in the fall (but then not getting in to Berkeley) I'm putting together the Missouri application, thinking about all the possibilities, trying not to have some kind of crisis because I don't have a plan B. Everyone gets turned down from schools. I just have to wait for the other interviews, information and the rest of the decisions. 

Fingers are crossed and eyes are looking ahead.