Ok, then things aren't too bad

OK, I admit: things aren't going too bad. It could be better but it is not too bad. Next week, I am terribly busy with about 7 scheduled stories for the DA, and applications to be sent out, with papers to write,...typical college stuff.

The Tet Party was really nice today. Sadly, that was the largest number of people that I have talked to since I reached Morgantown. But they were all very very nice. And the driving situation might work out. If it does, then I will feel very very accomplished. With a nice apartment in Austin, and an internship in a metro paper, and a salary, a car, what else can you ask for?

I'm debating whether I should go to the classical concert by myself. It's sad that I have to go by myself. But oh well, it doesn't hurt. Since I really really want to see it.

Dr. Esper was very strict in editing my stories. Some of his editing was very good. But I disagreed with some. He's getting very very old, and he should be really resting.

I don't know why I use a lot of really in this post. Anyway, I have to keep a cool head with a high motivation to work and study.... Any day should be a productive day...

Peace...Drink hot chocolate now...

Huong

When I love working

Sometimes things don't turn out the way you plan, I understand. Living in this apartment is getting suckier and suckier each day. I love my entire working week, and hate only the part of getting up early in the morning and waiting for the bus in the frigid temperature. But other than that, working at Eliza's is great. Making cappuchinno and latte and trying to smile to people and wish that they would give me tips. It's warm and cozy in Eliza's and free latte, what else can you ask for?

And at the DA, I feel comfortable. My student editors are all nice. I can basically choose to write whatever I want or care. Now, 6 or 7 hours at the DA a day isn't too long. I have great respect for Christine Simmons, the editor-in-chief. She's a great student editor, who makes sure everything is as accurate as possible. She spends about 6 or 7 hours at the paper every single day. And stays up late until 4:30am every day.

I really don't need to talk to people who are not nice to me. Keep my head up and stay focused.

A cold day in Morgantown

Washington D.C., here I come

The ASNE has recently posted a tentative schedule of the March conference. Ohmigod, all the big names in politics and journalism will be there. Tons of people from the Washington Post, New York Times, AP, Wall Street Journal, plus former CIA Director George Tenet and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Ahhhhh....I can't believe I can actually hear these people talk.....

The money situation is getting really sucky now. Maybe by May, I will die from hunger.....This time, it's not kidding

Freezing

I thought I could escape the snow in Plattsburgh, but West Virginia is just as cold as New York. I had to walk 35 minutes from downtown Morgantown to this hotel for this stupid assignment I volunteer.

Anyway, it was Saturday night. So no one would want to cover this because they all went out. Which left only me. I don't mind. It's what I love doing. While walking downtown, I saw American, skinny, gorgeous girls walking in high heels, in summer skirt? How the hell could they do it? WVU is a huge campus and going out has become not what you want to do, but what you have to do in order to survive, be cool. Going out is supposed to mean you want to have a good time with your good friends. Here, it has become like something you have to do because you fee so insecure, and the people you go out with aren't necessary your friends. How ironic.

A switch in attitude

http://www.da.wvu.edu/new/show_article.php?&story_id=25740

First of all, I love that column. It speaks for me, and it shows how my attitude about life in Morgantown has changed significantly. Last semester, it was all about feeling depressed, dissapointed, lonely and regretting the fact that I studied at WVU for my senior year.

Like what the author of that column wrote, why complaining while I'm 22 years old, also attending a big public American university, getting paid for 3 jobs that I love, having a really really cozy apartment, studying very interesting subjects with very talented professor, and will be attending a conference with most talented editors and reporters in the business?

Though however, I'm scared about going to Austin. And I don't even know if I could go. I'm scared about graduating. Graduation, then what will happen next? A big question mark.

"I like what I do, and mixing shots of espresso when the shop is busy and sipping tea with the regulars is a pretty decent job. So I smile and prescribe a caramel latte to the crabby customer, who's maybe less fortunate than me, who may be down on his luck. He might smile back and toss a tiny donation into my tip jar if I play my cards right."

When money matters really bad

I have gone through nearly 15 hours with just a piece of bread and a hot chocolate. When my parents sent me enough money to live by 5 months, I didn't appreciate it at all, flushing it away with shoes, shirts and bags. Now, even can't spend $5 on a dinner.

Life is like that. You gotta be responsible for your own action. I'm ashamed of myself

In the office and starving

Roommates are back

My 19- and 20-year-old something roommates are back. Things are still weird around here and I can't wait to be absorbed into my regular schedule this coming semester. Also, I can't wait to move on to the next chapter, whether that would be Austin or not, I don't really know.

The book "The Devil Wears Prada" really got into me. How can I look at things in such a funny and witty eyes like the character named Andy?

Back in Morgantown

Back in Morgantown. For the past three days and three nights, I haven't got any good sleep. And for the past three days, I'm still missing the laugh and the fun we had in Syracuse. Katie has been a really really good friend for the past four years. It has been a long time, since last September, that I had felt that comfortable and felt like I was at home, waking up to coffee, at my house in Hanoi, Vietnam.

I really hope she would apply and get accepted to the AP workshop. She deserved to be there, just need to be a little more aggressive. She deserves to be learning from the best in the industry.

But now I'm back in Morgantown, and I really shouldn't be whining at all. And that this coming semester should be great and I should be busy as hell: 12 hours copy-editing, 4 stories a week, and another hour and a half working at the coffee shop. And sign up for the copy-editing class.

Ohmigod, this damn keyboard doesn't work. Write more then.

In Morgantown, listening to "Can't help falling in love with you." Who's the you? The hot, smart AP writer like Cain Burdeau, then hell yeah.

Huong

Just some random thoughts

It's Christmas Eve, and I'm by myself again. It's not that I'm complaning again at all, in fact, it could be worse if I hadn't known Katie. I could be dying from loneliness in Morgantown, by myself looking at the wall. How come my whole life that I have always been searching for something? Oh, damn it, hopefully this blog is private.

Anyway, I love that movie "The Devil Wears Prada" for a lot of reason, it's upbeat, gorgeous and it's sort of the life that I want. An apartment in a big city, a boyfriend, friends and a newspaper-related job. Since when do I become girly like this? It's killing my purse with new clothes and shoes, damn it.

I always find that the lonely guy is someone who's attractive. Like Anderson Cooper. Somebody who is addicted to work. This sounds so stupid. But I wish someday I would like somebody from the newsroom. And we would work until 2 a.m. in the morning to meet deadline, and then we would come back and talk until the morning about how we love being journalists.

Another year is going to end soon. 2006 isn't a perfect year for me. But I have grown as a person and as a reporter, if I can call myself that. Another year is heading toward us. My family and friends, stay healthy and happy. For 2007, I want a job, an awesome internship in Austin, go back to Vietnam after 4 years, graduation, sister's wedding...A lot....waiting ahead....

Let's be happy for once,

Huong
Syracuse, NY

Lovely Burlington

Nothing more to say. This scene is close to where I lived from June 1- July 31 in Burlington, VT

World Cup 2006

Finally, Italy wins this summer in Germany. Too bad I had to enjoy World Cup 2006 by myself. At least our favorite team wins. Soccer is amazing. It makes you laugh, scream, cry, all at once....When will Vietnam play in a World Cup? Probably in the next 30 years. We hope !

Associated Press Diverse Voices workshop

I was inside a jail in Ohio. This was part of the Associated Press Diverse Voices workshop held in Cleveland --- for student journalists. We did a story on Midge --- the new police dog brought on board by a sherif. Midge was tiny but sniffed out drugs and marijuana quickly !!!
The AP experiences were amazing --- where I learnt from an AP photographer (Indianapolis) how to think visually, where I learnt that in journalism -- every rule can be broken, where I met AP journalists who are dedicated and who have been recording people's lives in words and pictures.

Princeton University

This picture was taken at the campus of Princeton University -- where I attended a conference hosted by the Institute of Humane Studies. The conference --- "Exploring Liberty"--- gathered students across the country to explore the concept of libertianism. All professors who presented at the conference were basically argue toward the idea of limited government. I didn't wholly agree.
It was fun to meet the talented kids from Harvard, George Mason, U of Illinois and realize I need to read and learn a lot more !!

Burlington Free Press

This is outside the Burlington Free Press -- where I was a metro desk intern during summer 2006. Ironically, the Free Press has been criticized for its conservative stand and has been very unpopular among Burlington residents. Like many other newspapers across the U.S., its circulation has been declined from more than 100,000 to now 48,000. However, it was still a newsroom where I learnt how to cover something on deadline, work with editors, interview sources and pitch story ideas. The nicest editor was Jessica Hyman - the town editor. Stories I did include: the closing of Burlington's last hostel, the expansion of Lund Family Center, the new proposal of an artistic bike rack and endless community stories.....

My nephew - the next generation of Vietnam

Ha, this is my 7-month-old nephew, so cute : ) He was born on Christmas Day of 2005. The next generation of Vietnam, hopefully, will do something good for the country. Chep' -- that's what his parents called --- a type of fish that his father caught for my sister during her pregnancy. Hoho, Chep'