Mike's Journalism Second Term 2.0

 



This my family. From L to R Josh, Paige, Ben and Mike(me)

Hi everybody, well I made it to Winter term and I'm feeling good about this journey that I have begun towards finishing my higher education. Thanks for hanging with me as I find my writing voice that emerged after my stroke back in 2018. I would not have been here without the support of my loving wife and kids. They have encouraged me to be the best writer that I know has always been there inside my crazy brain. My journey back to LBCC, I went here 40 years ago, stems from the fact that I wanted to actually learn how to write stories. Journalism is something I'm passionate about. My age and experiences will let me bring more of an overall informed voice to my work. I want to bring more compassionate stories to life for the Commuter by getting to the heart of a story and the people who are in the story. That's why I choose Journalism as my major. 

Outside of school I do a lot of reading of fantasy, primarily by DragonLance, novels by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman. They are a dynamic duo that work together to bring characters to life in a way that makes you care and root for them as the save their world, each other and the magic. I am also a huge fan of both the Beavers and Seahawks football. This is the hardest part of the year when the season ends. I can hardly wait for the next season and what will happen this coming season with both of them starting over with new coaches.

My three goals are simple: 1) Write stories worth reading. I want to inspire other students to make reading the Commuter something they want to do and can't wait for the next issue to hit the stands. 2) Tell stories that make you say "I didn't know that" or "I want to be part of the solution" or "That sounds like an event I want to a part of or go to." I know that sound like a lot, but I know I can do it! 3) I want improve my writing every week that I'm in this class. I have great mentors in Rob Priewe and Sarah  Rose Larson that will push me as well guide me to be thorough when it comes to doing my research.

My first story I will be introducing Coach Andy Peterson of the mighty LBCC Baseball team. He will be bring a few players to my interview with him. You will have to wait until my story to find out who they are when I write the story. I will also get some quotes from the AD Mark Majeski. The story is my way of creating excitement for the upcoming season that starts next month. I read his Bio so I won't spend too much time asking questions about things we already know. My list of questions are going to be more than five but here are the top six questions I will ask:

1) How are you feeling practices are going so far?

2) Has the team responded well to goals and expectations you and your staff have set for this seasons?

3) Have you got an idea of your starting line-up? Position players and pitchers?

4) What do you feel is the strengths of this years team and what do you feel they still have to work on to achieve the team's goals?

5) Do you have a close relationship with the OSU baseball program? How and why?

6) Could you tell my readers something about yourself that is not on your bio page? Family and what are the hobbies you have outside of coaching?  


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

You Can Call Me Dio

Image
  Photo courtesy of LBCC You can call me Dio. That was how LBCC writing instructor Dio Morales introduced herself on the first day of her Creative Writing-Nonfiction class. She had students move the tables into a semi-circle so they could all see each other as they got to know who else was signed up to take this class.  The students were slow to speak, but she kept prompting  them with questions. Soon one person started talking. Then another, then they were all talking. So, here they were in week eight and she had a hard time getting them to stop talking. That is the effect Professor Morales had on her class. Tell a little bit about yourself and how you got started writing creatively? I've been a full-time faculty here at LBCC for five years now. I'm a creative non-fiction writer in my spare time and I write personal essays. I had my first essay collection published in 2018 and it was very exciting to get that in print and it was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award, whi...
Read more

Meet LBCC Baseball Coach Andy Peterson

Image
Meet LBCC Baseball Coach Andy Peterson Next to Andy Peterson’s desk in his LBCC baseball office sits the 2022 NWAC championship bracket board, when they won it all, to remind his players of what all their hard work is for. Coach Peterson came to LBCC in 2017 as an assistant baseball coach. He became the head coach after the 2018 season, when then head coach Ryan Gipson was hired as an assistant for the Oregon State baseball team. Peterson led the Roadrunners to the NWAC championship in 2022.  They came up short in the 2023 tournament, winning the first game but losing the next two games and were eliminated. Looking to return to championship form, Peterson said, “This year’s LBCC team is strong at every position and has great chemistry.”  Sophomore right-fielder Jordan Hockett agreed with his coach: “The team is solid all around, we’re deep at all positions” Sophomore closer Brodrick Stanaway added. “The pitching staff is deep and solid.” “They have been kicking our buts in pra...
Read more

Transplanting Grass Roots

Image
Transplanting Grass Roots The Grass Roos sign looks great in the sun after being thoroughly cleaned, after hanging in the shade collecting moss and mold all these years on Second Street. Moving is never easy. We all have to go through it some time in our lifetime. Why we move ranges from outgrowing the space you're in to just needing a change of scenery. Sometimes we have no choice. The most stressful move is thrust upon you in the form of an eviction. That is what happened to Grass Roots’ owners, Jack Wolcott and Sandy Smith, back in September 2023. That is when a miracle happened. Smith said, "I heard that The Shoe Hutch was closing their doors." Wolcott told her "to call them to make sure what she had heard was correct." It was.  So Wolcott called the building owner to see if they could lease the space. The building owner gave him an enthusiastic yes! But it would take a few months to get the place ready. The new building owner offered to pay for the renovati...
Read more